Burke Nielsen

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Founder and Account Manager at GoGladly

Burke is Gladly's top industry expert. After 12 years in portfolio management, Burke founded an HOA management firm, and has drawn from that experience to offer insider-level understanding to Gladly. One of Burke's rare charms is that he actually loves listening to your problems. His more traditional hobbies include camping, 4-wheeling, and spending time with his wife and 5 terrific kids,especially when he gets to nag them about homework (nag the kids, not his wife).

All posts by Burke:

CAM Licensing Survey Results

by Burke Nielsen | Dec 17, 2015

For many, the need for states to require CAM licensing is obvious and necessary. While for others it is viewed as another burden on managers, with no benefit to consumers (the homeowner). In a recent blog article about the merits of CAM licensing, written by Sterling Jenkins back in October 2015, we asked the questions, “Why do so few states require CAM licensing?” and, “How is it working in the states that already have it?” Read More... [et_social_share]

“It’s Not Me It’s You” Knowing When to Fire a Client

by Burke Nielsen | Nov 12, 2015 | 2 comments

If you're a community association manager (CAM), you've probably had one of those clients who soaks up too much of your time and energy. This type of client can be stressful and exhausting for managers and will, in the long run, affect your overall customer service and reduce profits.The question is — What to do about it? The simple solution is to just fire the client. But let's face it, if we fired every client that had a 3 hour meeting, we wouldn't have very many clients. In many cases these problems come down to misunderstandings and poor communication. So before you fire that client, here are a few things you may want to consider. Read More... [et_social_share]

HOA Budget? Yeah… I Think We Have a Budget.

by Burke Nielsen | Oct 14, 2015

As a HOA manager I was often approached by potential clients, at their wit's end with HOA issues. Often these issues were about finances. When I asked them about their HOA budget, I would often get a response like. “Budget? Yeahhh… I think we have a budget.” In most of these cases there was either no budget at all, or the HOA budget hadn't been given a second look since the day it was compiled. The HOA budget is more than just writing down estimated expenses. Proper budgeting helps the board be responsible with association funds, and reach their financial goals. Here are some tools and tips that will help your HOA create and stay on budget. Read More... [et_social_share]

Trial and Error Policies

by Burke Nielsen | Sep 18, 2015 | 1 comment

Homeowners who aren't happy with their HOA often cite inconsistent or changing policies as the reason. The fact is, it's tough to create rules and policies that are perfect. You have heard the cliche “the devil’s in the details” - well in the case of HOA policies and rules this couldn’t be more true. One of the primary responsibilities of the Board is to set policies and define rules to fit the unique character of their community... Here are a few common mistakes that boards should avoid when adopting policies and rules. Read More... [et_social_share]

Changing the Direction of Your Association

by Burke Nielsen | Sep 2, 2015

Changing the direction of your HOA is kinda like turning the Titanic. Whether it's a change in policy or the change to the whole system, it takes time and you're going to hit some bumps along the way. Okay, maybe the Titanic is a bad example since it's sitting on the bottom of the ocean. But if you plan ahead and make the right moves the experience can be a positive one. As a manager I've had the opportunity to implement many kinds of change. Some went very well and some didn't. Hopefully this example of a change that took place a few years ago can help you in your next big change. Read More... [et_social_share]

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