Summer is coming! Florida is characterized by long, hot and humid summers. The warmer weather means a lot of outdoor activities, like barbecues and grilling, laying out by the pool, family trips and vacations… but for community association management, it also means the need for more air conditioning maintenance, problematic mosquitoes and other pests, as well as hurricane warnings. When it comes to property management, this is time for proactive preparation, checking properties, and continuing with maintenance and repair “To Do” lists.
Community managers are responsible for the safety and comfort of the communities they serve, providing important skills and expertise that are essential to the successful management of associations. All of the Seacrest Services community association managers are state licensed and undergo Seacrest’s extensive in-house training program. Their hands-on approach provides communities with the accountability and supervision that every property deserves.
You don’t want to wait until a major hurricane is hanging out off the coast before you take action! Proactive preparation and maintenance for summer will help avoid many troublesome scenarios. It could be a seemingly innocent broken light that results in a darkened area and negligent security. There could be an issue with the motor or pump in a fountain, causing the water to stop circulating which allows mosquitos to breed and spread disease (yes, Zika virus is still a real concern). The same faulty pump could cause water to splash, creating a slip and fall hazard and an association nightmare.
Why wait for issues to arise? Our innovative, proactive approach to property management is what keeps Seacrest Services leaders in our industry and allows us to provide the highest level of service to your association.
Property Management: Planning for Florida Summers
Maintenance and repairs should always be ongoing in a community as one item in need of repair usually causes a domino effect of issues. At Seacrest Services, we plan to hit the ground running with preparation that gets you ready for the summer of 2019. Here are some property management tips to prepare for a Florida summer:
o Check your air conditioner and electrical units: community managers can help ensure that AC unit filters are replaced every six months, which is a good standard practice. With the extremely hot Florida weather, it is suggested to have each unit annually serviced in order to avoid costly repairs down the road. In addition, all other electrical units should be checked for damage, as fire hazards and fire safety are a big deal- especially during summer months.
o Pest control: bugs are unavoidable in Florida, as they seem to thrive in our climate. Preventative maintenance means keeping a watchful eye out for pest problems and doing evaluations. Checks can be done at entry points on the exterior of window seals and screens. So what’s the buzz on bees? African honeybees nest in high densities like Florida, and have ushered significant changes to bee-related policies and management practices. There is a high potential for bees to nest in tree cavities, walls, and water meter boxes, and by pools. The state of Florida recommends that bees found nesting outside of private hives should be removed by a registered beekeeper or trained PCO (Pest Control Operator). As property managers, it is our responsibility to deal with an unwanted swarm.
o Hurricane preparation: summer marks the beginning of hurricane season, and also the best time to take action to prepare. Reviewing policies, insurance, and home inventories are vitally important. Community associations can prepare their properties for any storm by photographing and/or videoing all of the main public areas of the property. It’s also a good time to make sure there are digital copies (rather than paper) of any important documents stored in several computers and devices. Associations can develop a hurricane policy with reminders to distribute to board members and residents. Remember that floods can also devastate communities anywhere, because floods are not only isolated to coastal areas or flood zones.
Seacrest: Florida’s Best Full-Service Property Management
Seacrest Services has been providing the best full-service property management in Florida since the late 1960s. We began with providing janitorial and maintenance services to the Palm Beach County area. With our success, we have grown to service community associations from St. Lucie County all the way to Dade County.
Seacrest is focused on delivering unparalleled customer service through our TQM program that stands for Total Quality Management. We ensure that you are receiving the quality services you desire, and that all contractual obligations are met each month.
Seacrest offers everything from property management and professional accounting services, to complete landscaping and property maintenance needs. Seacrest Services can tailor an individual plan for your community association, HOA, or commercial property. We take great pride in the long-lasting relationships we’ve established over the years, and our continued success with our customer satisfaction. We maintain one of the highest levels of quality property management and some of the most experienced employees in the industry, ensuring that your property gets the professionalism and knowledge you deserve.
