All JOKES ASIDE…

By Rafael Aquino

Published April 3, 2019  

 

While today may be a day of jokes and foolish videos, living in an association is no joking matter. In my experience, you have owners that really don’t understand what it means to live within a community and the impacts it can have on them.  Many owners believe that they can elect a Board and fall into the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality but that’s a HUGE mistake. Why? Because the board members you elect have many responsibilities and if you don’t keep a close eye on what they are doing, things can quickly go south.

 

I understand that most owners don’t have the time or energy to keep up with association matters but today I will do my best to educate you on how, with just twenty minutes a month, you can get a high-level view of your community and avoid being one of those associations that come out on the news.

Step 1: Review the Monthly Financial statements – (Time: 10 – 15 Minutes) The financials can give you a clear understanding of the health of your community. As a member, you will want to know how much money you have in the operating account each month, how much in reserve account (hopefully you have reserves), delinquencies (what owners owe), are you staying within the proposed budget for the year and review what checks are being paid out and to whom. 

Step 2: Review Previous Meeting Minutes – (Time: 5 – 10 Minutes) While I believe it is best to attend board meetings, I know that many owners can’t because of their personal life commitments however you can always get a snapshot of your board’s decisions, or lack of, by reviewing the minutes.  Within these minutes you will want to see what proposals are being approved, what decisions are being made, is the manager providing a monthly report, are projects moving along or staying stagnant and most importantly are board meeting being held.

As a reminder, as of January 1, 2019, an association with 150 units or more shall post digital copies of all the items specified above on the association’s website. 

This isn’t a failproof plan; however, by following these two simple steps each month you can determine if things are going well in your association or if you need to dig deeper.  Remember that you own a piece of this non-profit organization, and it’s up to you to keep an eye on what is going on. 

In closing, I would like to thank both Jan Bergemann and Eric Glazer for giving me the opportunity to exercise my opinion on this Blog. Thank you both for your vote of confidence.  I’m looking forward to participating and educating today and tomorrows future association members. 


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As the Co-Founder and CEO of Affinity Management Services, Rafael P. Aquino leads his team to redefine excellence. They serve community   associations   efficiently

and effectively with dedication and passion. Rafael’s energy and positive spirit is the foundation of Affinity Management Services’ company culture, which instills enthusiasm and excitement when providing expert advice to its board members and relieving the day-to-day burdens of running a community association.

 

Since 2007, Rafael has developed a work culture that values responsive and high-quality services. He has led his team by following a proactive vs reactive philosophy. The same approach Rafael instills in the day to day operations of each association. Today, Affinity Management Services maintains its success and benefits as a result of the foundation Rafael has built and continues to foster by providing educational seminars, continuing education classes for association managers and board members alike.


Rafael and his team help condominium and homeowners’ associations save money and improve their communities. His calm, personable, and service-oriented nature helps him to establish strong relationships with ease. Rafael is known as a sincere and honest leader who looks out for the best interests of his clients and communities, and he strongly advocates for their needs. His role requires coordination and communication, as such he takes logical and intelligent steps to approach challenges head-on.


As a graduate of Florida International University’s electrical engineering program and a licensed community association manager, Rafael’s education and skills equip him with unique insights to tackle complex problems through critical thinking. He understands how each component within a system works together in order to effectively arrive at solutions, techniques, and conclusions. Therefore, as he manages the multiple challenges of running a community association management company, he understands how each property is its own unique system and tailors’ specific services to assure that all their needs are met.

For more information about Rafael P. Aquino and Affinity Management Services please visit www.ManagedByAffinity.com or call 1-800-977-6279

Doral Office: 8200 NW 41st ST

Suite 200

Doral, FL 33166

Broward Office: 150 S Pine Island RD Suite 300

Plantation, FL 33324

O: 800-977-6279 ● F: 305-325-4053


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