Email Mike Email
Residential Real Estate
Jan 22, 2018

For Association Boards, CAI Membership has its Privileges

Sponsored Content provided by Mike Stonestreet - Founder, CAMS (Community Association Management Services)


You’ve settled into your dream house and with the free time you now have to do some volunteer work, you have decided to join your community association board to be active in – and an advocate for – the place you call home. 

Then… you get a glimpse at that first fiscal year budget spreadsheet!

When it comes to condominium and community associations, the difference between wanting to serve and knowing how best to serve can be daunting. But don’t let all those financial ledgers and legal guidelines discourage you – there is help out there for residents ready and willing to get involved.

The N.C. Chapter of the Community Associations Institute (CAI), an international organization representing more than 35,000 members, is an invaluable tool to homeowners who have stepped up to be leaders within their neighborhoods.

Membership with CAI means never going it alone. In addition to an extensive library of resources available through its website, the organization maintains a highly active online forum, where boards facing specific questions and decision-making dilemmas can seek feedback from their peers across the country.

CAI chapters also offer in-person training sessions and events, such as North Carolina’s annual Community Law Day, a well-attended yearly educational fair led by attorneys specializing in community and condominium association legal matters.

In the Tarheel State, the chapter is further divided by region – coastal, Piedmont, Triad, etc. – to allow members to focus even more specifically on matters that concern them most. While boards along the Atlantic Ocean must be up-to-date on hurricane preparation and clean-up, for example, those in the Piedmont need to keep abreast of snow- and ice-related repairs.

And membership with CAI can add up to significant cost savings over time. Rather than having to consult an accountant or attorney each time you and your board members have questions, you can start first with CAI to see if you can find your answer there.

Simply put, CAI is the source for best practices and guidance on everything you as a community or condominium association board member could face. That’s important to note, since 99 percent of all community and condominium associations in North Carolina are corporations and must function as such.

Therefore, even as a volunteer serving on an association board, you must approach your duties the way a business owner would, because that is essentially what you are doing – handling finances, making and approving budgets and making prudent decisions about your community and its future.

But perhaps the most important benefit of CAI comes down to something I’ve seen time and again in my decades of experience – well-run associations make for happy residents. And that ultimately benefits the entire community you call home.

Click here for more information about becoming a CAI member, or to see a schedule of upcoming events and seminars.

Mike Stonestreet is a 28-year veteran of the professional HOA management industry who has achieved one of the highest education-based designations in the field, that of Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM). Community Association Management Services (CAMS) has been a leading association management company since its inception in 1991. CAMS is a trusted provider of management services for more than 265 associations throughout North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. To find out how CAMS can benefit your community, call 910-256-2021, email [email protected], or visit www.CAMSmgt.com.
 

Other Posts from Mike Stonestreet

Gwbjbizmaginsightsblockad300x250px
Ico insights

INSIGHTS

SPONSORS' CONTENT
Untitleddesign14 2142522346

Wilmington MSA Buyers Gain Leverage as Home Prices Dip and Inventory Grows

Janet Kane - Cape Fear REALTORS
Headshot 6272430314

Write Your Own Succession Script

Amy Sullivan - Lumina Business Solutions, LLC
Headshotrosaliecalarco 1182131047

Beware of Online Holiday Shopping Scams

Trending News

City To Consider New Leases For Fintech Firm, Senator's Office

Emma Dill - Jul 15, 2025

Leland-based Firm's Product Earns Innovation Award

Staff Reports - Jul 15, 2025

Tree Alliance Announces New Board Members

Staff Reports - Jul 15, 2025

Ullucci Named Founding Director Of Physical Therapy Doctoral Program

Staff Reports - Jul 15, 2025

TD Bank Promotes Johnson To Retail Market President Of Mid-South Metro

Staff Reports - Jul 15, 2025

In The Current Issue

Buyers, Sellers In Tug-of-war As Both Sides Deal With Market Conditions

Homebuyers and sellers are facing headwinds, even in the busy selling season of summer, and those watching the market have been taking note...


Show Goes On For Training Programs

Duke Fire, the program director of film and video production at Cape Fear Community College, said there’s uncertainty about when things will...


K38 Baja Grill Opens Sixth Location

Live.Eat.Surf Restaurant Group was founded 32 years ago by Josh Vach when he opened his first restaurant and K38 Baja Grill location on Olea...

Book On Business

The 2024 WilmingtonBiz: Book on Business is an annual publication showcasing the Wilmington region as a center of business.

Order Your Copy Today!


Galleries

Videos

2024 Power Breakfast: The Next Season