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Author: carggroup

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Water Damage

-Provided by Adam Greenstein | ServPro

A broken pipe is by far one of the greatest nightmares our clients face. Even just a small broken kitchen pipe can quickly cause a considerable quantity of damage to your home or business. It is for this reason that you need to take care of water damage immediately.

Dealing with water damage requires seeking the help of a trained professional water restoration expert, such as the experts of SERVPRO of East Davie/Cooper City. Before they get there, there are a few things you can do to assist in keeping the damages to a minimum. Here are a few tips:

Turn Off the Water

You might be tempted to seek out the source of the leak as your first step. This can be problematic, however, depending on the type of leak or damage. If it’s simply an overflowed sink, then you would just turn off the sink. However, what if a pipe that you can’t see has burst?

It’s because of reasons like these that you need to turn off the water supply as soon as possible. It is also recommended that you temporarily turn off electrical power as well. The last thing you want is for the water to mix with electrical wires!

Accelerate the Drying Process

The next step entails doing everything in your power to get your home to dry. Start by opening windows and turning on fans. This will get air flowing through your home, which will help to start drying it and also reduce the buildup of disgusting odors.

If you have a dehumidifier, turn it on immediately. It will extract moisture from the air, thus helping accelerate the drying process. Run it for as long as possible. If you stop early, it could lead to the growth of mold and mildew.

If you don’t have a dehumidifier, then don’t worry, because the water restoration experts will bring one with them. As we said earlier, however, just make sure you contact them right away. They need to get to your home as soon as possible!

Make sure you also remove rugs and other portable carpeting and place them outside to dry. Try to wipe down furniture and personal items (books, chairs, toys) as much as possible.

Pull Out a Wet/Dry Vacuum

Another step that we recommend taking is pulling out a wet/dry vacuum cleaner. We understand that you might not have one. If you do, use it to remove as much water as possible from carpets, upholstered furniture, and/or tile and wood floors.

This process can take quite a while, but it’s important to remove as much water as possible. Also, make sure you focus more on wood surfaces than carpeted areas. Due to wood’s porous nature, it’s apt to soak up all the water, which in turn will cause it to become warped and delaminated.

Again, if you don’t have a wet/dry vacuum, don’t worry. The restoration professionals will take care of this for you. Just make sure you contact them immediately!

Things NOT To Do!

There are some things you should definitely NOT do after your home suffers from water damage:

  • Never leave web fabrics and clothing items in place. Try to hang them.
  • Also avoid leaving books, magazines, and other such items on wet floors.
  • Please refrain from trying to use a regular vacuum cleaner to clean up water.
  • Avoid using electrical equipment and appliances like a television.
  • Stay out of rooms that have a wet ceiling.

These might seem obvious, but it’s good to know. Be especially careful with wet ceilings. They could be much weaker than you think, and the last thing we want is for a roof to collapse on you!

Final Steps

The real work won’t start until the restoration company gets there. Professionals, such as SERVPRO, possess the equipment needed to do real water extraction and repair. Part of this process will involve installing certain equipment, be it professional-grade dehumidifiers and whatnot.

When this occurs, make sure you follow the directions given to you. Usually, the professionals will ask you to keep their equipment running for a while. Make sure you stick to their schedule and do not arbitrarily turn off their equipment. This could negatively affect the drying process and make things worse.

The last thing the professionals will do is give you preventative maintenance tips. It is recommended that you follow through on these steps to ensure that your home and belongings return to their former state. It can make the difference between whether or not your home ever suffers unneeded water damage again!

SERVPRO of East Davie/Cooper City is here 24/7 to answer your questions or concerns.  Call us at 954-741-4321.

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Webinar | Strategies for Reducing Insurance Rates for Community Associations

Hosted by the Community Association Resource Group | Webinar provided by Legacy Insurance Associates, Brandon Levy, CPIA is the presenter.

Learn about the state of the current insurance market and what you need to do to minimize rate increases. How does the master insurance policy work in conjunction with the HO-6 policy. How to implement risk management procedures to reduce claims and reduce premiums. How to read and understand a Certificate of Insurance. Understanding how the bidding process works when determining how to choose the best insurance program and agency for your community.

Note: This webinar is informational and does not provide certifications or credit of any kind. This webinar does not fulfill any requirements set forth by the state of Florida.

https://carg4help.org/

https://legacyinsuranceassociates.com/

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2020 Hurricane Guide for Community Associations

Anticipating an active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, the Florida Community Association Law Firm of Katzman Chandler today released its annual “Hurricane Preparedness and Recovery Guide for Community Associations” to help Florida communities protect their properties and safeguard community residents during what experts say will be a significantly more active storm season.

The Hurricane Preparedness and Recovery Guide for Community Associations entitled, “READY… SET… RECOVER” is immediately available for download online. Community Association Coalition Leaders throughout the State may also request and obtain printed copies of  “READY… SET… RECOVER” for distribution to their member Community Associations by contacting [email protected] or by calling Toll Free 800-987-6518.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA) on May 22, 2020 announced its prediction of an above-average hurricane season with 13 to 19 named storms and 6 to 10 hurricanes – with three to aix classified as “major” (Category 3, 4 or 5) hurricanes, with winds of 111 mph or greater. In 2005, the most active storm season in recorded history saw a total of 28 named storms, including 15 hurricanes – seven classified as “major,” including hurricanes Katrina and Wilma, which caused extensive property destruction and devastation to the livelihoods of millions of Floridians.  While a typical hurricane by itself is a formidable adversary, navigating both pre and post hurricane conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic may prove to be exponentially more complicated – making early and complete preparation more important than ever.

“Because insurance companies are in the money-making business and accordingly, are financially motivated to deny or underpay claims, it is vitally important that volunteer Boards obtain legal advice when both purchasing their coverage and filing claims,” said Leigh C. Katzman, Esq., Founding Partner, Katzman Chandler. “The days of trying to successfully go it alone against insurance giants and a system designed to underpay policy holders are truly over.

The Florida Legislature in 2011 shortened the time frame to file a claim, supplemental claim or reopened claim from five years to three years making it even more crucial that boards be prepared to act quickly and decisively when disaster strikes.”

“READY… SET… RECOVER, specifically assists Community Associations and their Management professionals to identify areas of concern, and to properly and fully prepare before a disaster strikes,” said Mary Ann Chandler, Esq., Managing Partner, Katzman Chandler.

The Katzman Chandler Hurricane Preparedness and Recovery Guide for Community Associations is arranged into four (4) main sections for ease of use:

The first section, “An Ounce of Prevention…” addresses routine planning and preparedness measures that are recommended to be undertaken before, or at the latest, in the early weeks of Hurricane Season.

The second section,“The Calm Before the Storm…”addresses actions to be taken when  a Tropical Storm, Hurricane Watch or Hurricane Warning is issued for your area.

The third section,“Triage and the Initial Road to Recovery…”addresses the immediate and continuing actions to be taken to repair and rebuild your Community in the aftermath of a storm.

The fourth and final section,“It’s Your Insurer’s Turn to Write the Check…”describes the insurance claim and recovery process.

Katzman Chandler is a Full Service Florida Law Firm devoted to all aspects of Community Association representation.  We are truly “Committed to Community” and evidence this commitment each day through Passion, Experience and Technology. Our Passion is clear in our dedication to identifying unique solutions to issues and concerns affecting our Clients. Our Experience is evident in our ability to utilize our skills and knowledge to provide our Clients with the highest quality work product and out-of-the-box strategies in the most cost-efficient manner. However, our Passion and Experience come together in our unique use and leveraging of Technology. Our utilization of Technology allows us to provide our clients with state-of-the-art features and programs that complement superior legal representation, and are second to none.

Regardless of the size of your community, Katzman Chandler is dedicated to meeting your needs, achieving your goals and exceeding your expectations. Our services include General Corporate Representation, Delinquent Account Collection, Litigation, Covenant Enforcement, Document Amendment/Rewrite, Property Insurance Damage Claim Recovery, and Construction Defect Representation. Katzman Chandler can be reached by calling Toll Free 800-987-6518 or via email at i[email protected]. Information about the Law Firm can be requested through their website which can be found at www.KatzmanChandler.com.

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Cannoli’s and Scams

Mark Buchalter | Accountsult When I was much younger living in Queens, New York, I remember going on a date with the cutest girl in town, to the San Gennaro festival in Little Italy, New York. It stretched along Mulberry Street from Canal Street to Houston Street.

In addition, to eating the delicious food (sausage and peppers, Ferrara’s cannoli’s, elephant ears with powdered sugar  from all the food vendors, I was “hawked in” and tempted  to playing a game of chance and win a lot of money quickly.

To make a long story short, I lost all my money in my wallet, and walked away downtrodden and embarrassed in front of my girlfriend, who I wanted to impress.

I relay this story, because it taught me a valuable lesson, that if it seems too good or easy, it’s probably a SCAM. Unfortunately, there will always be scams by unscrupulous individuals playing upon honest hard working people.

In today’s extraordinary economic climate, the latest scam is preying upon individuals seeking either the Economic Stimulus check that most all Americans are waiting for, or Small Business administration (SBA) loans.

Below are some tell tale signs to avoid being scammed, please heed these warnings!

PS:  There is a happy ending, even though I was scammed and thoroughly embarrassed, that Girlfriend that I mentioned above, still married me and 41 years later, we can fortunately continue to laugh at that embarrassing date.

Below are tips for how to spot and avoid scams:

What Fraudsters May Do:

  • Ask taxpayers to sign over an economic impact payment.
  • Ask by phone, email, text message, or social media for verification of personal and/or banking information for the purposes of expediting a person’s economic impact payment.
  • Mail taxpayers bogus checks with contact information (such as a phone number or web address) regarding how the taxpayer can cash the check.

How to Avoid Scams

  • Don’t provide personal or financial information to strangers. Never provide an unknown individual with personal or financial information until you have verified the identity of the person with whom you are speaking.
  • Don’t open or click on unusual links or attachments. If you receive unexpected emails, text messages, or social media messages with attachments or website links, delete them. Do not click on, download, or open any of the above, as you may be opening malware on your electronic device that can help criminals steal your information.
  • Checks are deposited automatically. Remember that in most cases, the IRS is using direct deposit to send the economic impact payments. Thus, if anyone is asking you for personal information in any manner, you should be wary and seek additional information to verify the person’s identity and employment.
  • There are no fees to receive payment. The government is not asking citizens to pay anything up front to receive an economic impact payment. If someone contacts you asking for any form of payment in order to receive an economic impact payment, please contact law enforcement.

If you or someone you know has been the target or victim of a fraud scheme related to the coronavirus, please report the incident to the national hotline at The National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721 or at [email protected].

Contact info for Mark Buchalter and Accountsult:

3109 Stirling Road, Suite 202 | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33312
954-739-0310  |  [email protected]

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Key Points For Associations During These Unprecedented Covid-19 Times

Key Points:

  • Association Expenses Are Usually Fixed, Due To Fund Based Accounting And Budgeting
  • Assessments Are The Majority Of The Revenue Stream To Fund All Operating Expenses
  • Due To Delinquencies, Your Funds Could Be Dramatically Depleted
  • Directors’ Duties Are To The Association As A Whole, Not To An Individual(s) Needs
  • Where Is The Money To Come From If Not From Assessments
  • Special Assessment Is A “Dirty Word” in Association Vocabulary
  • As difficult As It Is To Pay Monthly Maintenance, It Is Exponentially More Difficult To Pay Deferred Monthly Payments In The Future

Options:

  • Accept Non Traditional Payment Plans
  • Cancel Or Decrease Discretionary Services
  • Cancel Or Delay Non Urgent Repairs
  • When Vendor contracts Are Coming Due, Either Reduce Services Or Renegotiate Pricing. 
  • Review Your Monthly Financial Statement Package
  • The “Infamous” Special Assessment for Budget Short Fall

Please do not hesitate to call for any assistance concerning Your Association Accounting and Finances.

There is never a charge to talk!

This short article was provided by CARG member Mark Buchalter, President of Accountsult, LLC. Mark can be reached at 954-739-0310.

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Why Call Your Accountant Before the Hurricane?

Smart Associations plan for potential tribulations, such as Hurricanes; they contact their Management Company, Insurance Broker, Landscaper, etc.  Even smarter Associations contact their Accountant, and very smart Associations have Accountants that contact them, to assure the Board of Directors that proper procedures are setup to safeguard the Association’s financial records.

In
addition to safeguarding the financial records, have emergency checks to pay the
various Contractors that will be needed immediately for crucial services to
mitigate the damages caused by Mother Nature.

As
we all know, Contractors will first service those that can timely pay for
services and supplies.  If a horrific
hurricane hits our area, as it did in 2005, electric might be curtailed, offices
could be closed, how will you pay for necessary services?   At Accountsult, we take the time to prepare emergency
blank checks for our Association Clients.

It
is vital to have sophisticated state of the art computer backup files, software
and hardware that will insure immediate access if the Accountant’s office is
temporarily inaccessible.  Our office has
such systems and is paperless, which means that all documents are filed
electronically and copies can always be reproduced immediately from any
location.

Another service we provide to our Clients is the procurement of contingent credit lines, specifically setup for unexpected casualties such as hurricanes. Without an available line of credit or adequate funds to meet substantial expenditures, the only option is to emergency special assess every Unit Owner immediately. Plan ahead, anticipate the worst, hope for the best and call your Accountant.

Mark Buchalter; Accountsult, LLC
Monthly Accounting and Consulting for Condos and HOA’s
(954) 739-0310 www.Accountsult.com