Latest posts by Burke Nielsen (see all)

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Is Your Business Too Competitive?

Is Your Business Too Competitive?

by | Sep 25, 2015

We all want to succeed, but sometimes we sabotage ourselves by the way we choose to do it. This is exactly what happens when — in the name of getting ahead - we are antagonistic in business.It might seem counter intuitive, but competition isn't always about grabbing the biggest share of the pie. More often than not, there are ways to make the pie bigger for everyone. My co-founder, Burke, told me a great story that applies well here. As a former HOA portfolio manager, he maintained a friendly relationship with another company that frequently competed with him for the same business. As they got to understand the other's business, they realized that they specialize in different areas. To this day they refer business to each other. Read More... [et_social_share]
HOA Horror Stories – Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad HOA?

HOA Horror Stories – Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad HOA?

by | Aug 26, 2015 | 19 comments

Believe it or not, there are people around the web who hate HOAs. Actually, it's not too difficult to find them. A quick google search and you'll be lucky to find someone who isn't filled with vitriol. There are so many people online saying the same things about HOAs. My guess is that almost all of these people have a true HOA horror story to tell. There are real problems with some HOAs. There are examples of fraud. There are some ridiculous rules out there. And there are abuses. The people who have lived through that stuff have a good excuse to be upset. The problem is that some of them project these terrible experiences onto HOAs in general. Are they right? Is there widespread corruption in HOAs? Read More... [et_social_share]
Do HOAs Really Increase Property Values?

Do HOAs Really Increase Property Values?

by | Jul 15, 2015 | 5 comments

Living in a community association can help us avoid many neighborhood headaches. But do HOAs really provide any value that can be measured in real dollars? If you ask the internet, the answer is a resounding “no”! But according to a study by George Mason University, HOAs do increase property values. On average, a home in a community association sells between 5% and 6% higher than an equivalent home in an equivalent non-HOA neighborhood. Read More... [et_social_share]
Homeowners Are on Your Side. Act Like It.

Homeowners Are on Your Side. Act Like It.

by | Jun 26, 2015 | 1 comment

If you've ever been on the managing end of a community association then you've probably wondered at some time if you're the most unpopular person in the community. Quite the contrary. In fact the CAI recently did a survey that found that 90% of homeowners are either satisfied or neutral with their community association experience. Industry experts also told us in a survey that only about 5% of homeowners ever cause any trouble. Read More... [et_social_share]
Why Homeowners Are a Pain

Why Homeowners Are a Pain

by | May 20, 2015

Homeowners are the greatest cause of pain for HOA managers. Are the homeowners themselves at fault? Or do we simply not know how to deal with them very well? The answer to this question is a big deal because it will impact how we go about managing our communities. If, for example, we conclude that homeowners are just going to be a pain and there's nothing we can do about it, then we're not gonna spend any time trying to fix it. We'll also probably subscribe to the idea that the more information we give homeowners the more work and trouble they will create for us. Read More... [et_social_share]

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