Community Association Finances
Common Sense from Common Ground: A Collection of Articles from CAI's Award-Winning Magazine

ISBN: 0-944715-95-8
2005, 132 pages
1st edition
Author(s): Various
Product Format: Book
Item #: 5958
Members: USD $9.99
Non-Members: USD $16.95
Temporarily Out of Stock
Quantity:
   

Does your association know what questions to ask before raising assessments, or how to collect them with electronic funds transfer? If you were short on funds, would you know how to finance a capital improvement project? Can the association treasurer make sense of the financial statement? Does the association need fidelity bonding, and should it apply for tax-exempt status? The answers to these and dozens more questions are answered in Community Association Finances, a collection of 31 articles from CAI's award-winning Common Ground magazine covering assessments, cutting costs, generating revenue, budgeting, protecting assets, reserves, investing, and taxes.

For more than 20 years, Common Ground Magazine has shed light on community association governance, operations and management with articles written by industry pioneers, professionals and volunteer homeowner leaders—all of whom have helped make common-interest living one of the most successful forms of housing in America today.

Frustrating and fascinating, irrational and irresistible, community association living requires a special kind of guidance that can only be found in the pages of Common Ground. That guidance is now available in one place, as Common Sense from Common Ground presents some of the magazine's best articles, conveniently arranged by topic.

Contents

Assessments

Questions to Ask Before Raising Assessments
By Gregory J. Salvatore
Seven Ways to Violate the FDCPA and How to Avoid Them
By Thomas C. Schild
Ten Ways to Get the Money Your Association is Due without Breaking the Law or Alienating Residents
By Christopher Durso
How to Collect Assessments with Electronic Funds Transfer
By James M. Cachine

Cutting Costs

How to Cut Costs and Help Trim the Fat from Your Association's Budget
By Kenneth Budd
Save with Bulk Buying
By Marjorie Jean Meyer
Five Ways to Reduce Water Costs
By James M. Cachine
How to Increase Light and Decrease Electric Bills
By Dick Pruess

Generating Revenue

How to Finance a Capital Improvement Project
By Mary Alex Dundics
13 Ways to Generate Non-Assessment Income
By Howard A. Goldklang
How to Issue and Sell Homeowner Association Bonds
By Jerry C.M. Orten and Robert D. Hoehn

Budgeting

Common Budget Mistakes Community Associations Make
By Brad Brady
Nine Short Steps to a Long-Term Budget
By Howard Goldklang and Gregg Lotane
Put Some Fun in Financial Reports
By David Fisher
Financial Statements Made Simple
By Gayle L. Cagianut and Sandra K. Grunewald

Protecting Association Assets

Things to Ask When Hiring an Accountant
By Gayle Cagianut
Three Intangibles that Raise Property Values
By Marc Binenfeld
Fidelity Bonding: Who Needs It?
By Barry J. Scarr
Common Contract Problems and How to Avoid Them
By Paul M. Cairns and Kenneth E. Chadwick
Simple Steps to Avoid Embezzlement
By Alan Crandall
Tips to Keep Your Association Out of Financial Trouble
By Dana James

Reserves & Investments

Six Steps to Find a Reserve Study Firm
By Jack Boepple
How to Get Started on Your Reserve Study
By John P. Poehlmann
How to Tell if Your Reserves are Adequate
By Robert M. Nordlund
Three Reasons to Update Your Reserve Study
By John P. Poehlmann
How to Get the Maximum Return for Reserves with Minimal Risk
By Gayle Cagianut

Taxes

Should Your Association Apply for Tax-Exempt Status?
By Howard A. Goldklang
How to Avoid an IRS Audit
By Peggy McGinnis
Tax Returns: 12 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
By David B. Price

Also of Interest
Best Practices: Financial Operations
Best Practices: Financial Operations Product Image
Tips for Protecting Association Finances
Tips for Protecting Association Finances Product Image
Message from CAI