WHAT EVERY CONDO OWNER SHOULD KNOW

30 Rules we can live with

Mark Bogen, from an excellent weekly column every Sunday in the Sun Sentinel

1. Remember that board members are NOT your employees, servants or slaves.
2. Show your appreciation for the volunteer work performed by board members.
3. If you think things are operated so poorly — run for the board.
4. To owner who are happy with their association– say Thank You!!
5. The manager of the association takes directions from the board, not you.
6. For those board members who are constantly looking to find violations — get a life
7. To a manager who is constantly looking to find violations — you need to be replaced.
8. If you do no like to follow rules, then do not live in an association.
9. Rules are not meant to be broken.
10. Before running to a lawyer — try working it out — it’s cheaper
11. Mediating a problem is cheaper and less stressful than litigating it. Try it.
12. A nice violation letter goes a long way versus a letter from an attorney
13. To the one owner who always disrupts the meeting — give it a rest.
14. To the owner who always thinks everyone wants to hear your opinion — NOT!
15. To the one owner who knows he/she is causing stress to everyone — please move!
16. Remember the president needs the proper authority to take action.
17. To the president who thinks he is king — vote him/her out of office.
18. To the board that never wants to hear what it owners think — you need to be replaced.
19. To any vendor who rushes you into signing a contract — say goodbye.
20. Before signing a contract — think about sending it to an attorney.
21. Before signing a contract — read it, understand it and then get an opinion.
22. Before hiring a contractor — get a few references and then call them.
23. To the owner who thinks he/she can do what they want — move back up north (or south)
24. To the owner who likes the TV or music loud — shut your window.
25. If you came to Florida to retire, try acting like it.
26. Ask yourself — would you tolerate the abuse you are giving to someone else?
27. If your lawyer, manager or vendor does a good job, try saying “thank you.”
28. If you are ‘thin skinned’, you should not be a board member.
29. If you do not care about your fellow neighbor/owner, can you pretend to?
30. To those owners from another country: the US has it own laws.

.o0o.o0o.