Monday, May 10, 2010

New Property Manager

Mary Fritzler is leaving Leland Management. Her replacement is Gary Vosselmann. You can reach him at 727-451-7906 or gvosselmann@lelandmanagement.com.

He's a good first stop for anything concerning the community and the first person to call in case of emergency, such water gushing from an irrigation sprinkler.

The property manager also issues citations for HOA rules violations and where you apply to make any renovations to the exterior or your unit.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Use Craigslist to Get Rid of Large Items

When people move out or upgrade large furniture items, they often dump the pieces they don't need at or near one of our dumpsters. Never mind that it reads on the signs at the dumpsters not to do this. They don't care.

The problem is that these items don't disappear magically. The trash collectors don't take anything that is not inside the dumpster. All they do is drive up, open the gate to the enclosure, drive the truck in and empty the dumpster. That's it. They don't clean up trash around the dumpster or outside the enclosure.

The HOA (that means YOU) currently pays someone to come clean out the dumpster areas a few times a week because people can't bother to put their trash inside it. The HOA (that means YOU) also has to pay for someone to come haul away any large items that can't go in the dumpsters.

There is another way. And here' the best part: IT REQUIRES LESS EFFORT THAN DRAGGING SOMETHING TO THE DUMPSTER!

Try craigslist. If you have a piece of furniture or any large item -- a grill, for instance -- that still works but you don't want any more, go to http://tampa.craigslist.org. Click on the "post to classifieds" link in the upper left corner and follow the directions. You'll have to sign up for an account but it takes about 60 seconds and it's free.

When you get to the page that asks "What type of posting is this:" Click "for sale." When you create your ad, list the price as "FREE" and people will come to you to pick up your item. It really is that simple.

I know this because yesterday a neighbor moved out and dumped a reasonably new Serta king mattress and box spring set as well as an RCA widescreen TV by the dumpster. I posted an ad to craigslist with "CURB ALERT" in the title to let people know that the items were sitting outside awaiting pickup, listed the items and their location.

Less than two hours later, I heard a truck rumble outside. I didn't think anything of it but when I looked at the dumpster, the stuff was gone. Sometimes one person's trash really is another one's treasure.