Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast

What if you found a buyer for your condo—only to discover they couldn’t get a mortgage because of your building? In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked, Alec and Candace unpack the growing issue of mortgage ineligibility and why it has become one of the biggest risks facing condominium communities today. They explain how deferred maintenance, underfunded reserves, inadequate insurance, and other...

How do condo communities balance affordable fees today with the financial realities of tomorrow? In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast, Alec and Candace break down the key insights from a recent Q&A session with community leaders and property management professionals on one of the most important topics facing condo associations: right-sizing condominium fees. They e...

What do siding, trim, and decking have to do with your condo fees, insurance premiums, and property values? More than you might think. In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked, Alec and Candace explore the growing shift from traditional wood exteriors to modern low-maintenance building materials. What started as a response to weather-related deterioration and maintenance fatigue is now being accel...

In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast, Alec and Candace break down the upcoming changes from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that are reshaping what it means to be a financially healthy condo community. From increased reserve funding requirements to shifting insurance responsibilities and evolving lending standards, these updates will directly impact condo fees, property val...

In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast, Candace and Alec tackle a challenge many condo communities face: decision gridlock. When boards are overwhelmed by aging buildings, rising costs, and conflicting opinions, it’s easy to freeze—but inaction can quickly make problems worse. Drawing from the Breaking the Decision Gridlock community planning guide, this episode explores...

In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast, Candace and Alec tackle one of the most challenging realities in condo communities: making difficult financial decisions while managing conflict. Drawing from insights in a recent expert webinar, Conflict Without Chaos, they explore how boards can handle conversations around fee increases, special assessments, and aging buildings w...

In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast, Alec and Candace explore what truly makes a condo board effective—and why many struggle when facing today’s financial and operational challenges. Drawing from Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, they break down how trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results directly impact a board’s ability to make tou...

In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast, Candace and Alec unpack a common misconception in condo communities: that completing a reserve study means you’re fully prepared for the next 20 years. While reserve studies are essential, they are financial forecasts—not diagnostic tools. The hosts explain why relying solely on age-based assumptions and visual inspections can leav...

In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast, Alec and Candace introduce The Building Envelope Playbook—a community planning guide that challenges the traditional, component-by-component approach to exterior maintenance. They explain what the building envelope really is, why roofs, siding, windows, and waterproofing must be viewed as an interconnected system, and how treating...

In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast, Alec and Candace unpack the realities of reserve planning and budgeting in today’s condo environment. Drawing from a recent SPS Reserves & Budgets Roundtable, they explain why there’s no universal “right” reserve percentage—and why many communities are facing growing gaps between where they are and where they need to be. The co...

In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast, Alec and Candace break down a major shift happening across the country: more states are now requiring reserve studies for condominium communities — and yet, reserve studies alone are no longer sufficient for long-term planning.  The conversation explains what reserve studies do well, where they fall short, and why relying on financ...

In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast, Alec and Candace break down one of the most common — and costly — challenges condo communities face: underfunding. Using insights from SPS’s latest community planning guide, they explain what “right-sizing” monthly condo fees really means and why keeping fees artificially low often leads to deferred maintenance, emergency repairs,...

In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast , Candace and Alec break down one of the most misunderstood aspects of condo ownership — monthly fees. While most owners want to keep fees as low as possible, underfunding can actually lead to costly special assessments, deferred maintenance, and declining property values. The hosts explain what it means to have right-sized fees — c...

In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast , Alec and Candice unpack insights from SPS expert Eric Churchill’s guide, How to Avoid Building Envelope Surprises . From premature roof failures to outdated maintenance routines and unrealistic reserve studies, they reveal the three most common — and costly — surprises condo communities face. You’ll learn why shingles are rarely t...

Why do so many big condo projects go over budget and off schedule—and how can you avoid becoming part of that 91% failure rate? In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast , Alec and Candice break down key insights from How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner, translating its lessons into practical strategies for condominium boards. They cover three essentia...

Big exterior projects don’t have to be big headaches. In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast , Candice and Alec walk through Planning for Success —a step-by-step guide built from years of helping condo boards plan and execute major building envelope projects. They break down the three pillars of successful planning—technical, financial, and social—and explain why ignorin...

Taking out a loan for a major condominium project can sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast , Candice and Alec unpack the essentials of condo association lending. From busting the myth that personal credit scores impact association loans, to understanding what lenders really look for—reserves, payment history, and financial...

What if your condo community could cut heating and cooling costs by 30%—year after year? In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast , Candace and Alec break down how your building envelope—the system of siding, roof, windows, doors, trim, and insulation—directly affects energy use and monthly bills. Drawing on real-world diagnostics like blower door testing, thermal imaging,...

Peeling paint. Rotted siding. Endless repairs. If your condo building’s exterior problems keep coming back—and getting more expensive each year—it may be time to rethink your approach. In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast , Candace and Alec break down how to take your exterior maintenance off autopilot and start planning like a pro. Based on a practical guide from Sche...

Most condo owners don’t realize the serious risks hiding behind their association’s decisions—or lack of them. In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked , we unpack the biggest blind spots affecting condo communities today: insurance compliance, reserve funding myths, deferred maintenance, and the rising importance of board transparency. You’ll learn: Why some buildings may be uninsurable (and what...

Insurance isn’t just another line on your condo budget—it’s one of the most important (and misunderstood) drivers of your fees. In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast , we break down insights from industry experts on how to right-size your condo fees with a special focus on insurance. From legal obligations and policy pitfalls to the four COPE factors that shape premiums...

Sometimes, “fixing” your condo can actually make things worse. In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast , we unpack the uncomfortable truth about building envelope spot repairs—when they help, when they hurt, and how to know if your community has reached its tipping point. We’ll explore: Why first-generation wood-sided condos fail faster than most owners expect How spot re...

Is your condo community truly prepared for the future—or just crossing its fingers? In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast , Candace and Alec explore one of the most powerful resources available to condo boards and homeowners: Facts First: The Fiduciary’s Guide to Future-Proofing Your Community . This episode unpacks how to turn overwhelming long-term planning into a cle...

Are your condo fees truly covering your community’s future needs—or just delaying a financial crisis? In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast , Candace and Alec break down the highlights from our recent webinar, How to Right-Size Your Condominium Fee – Spotlight: Reserve Study . We unpack what reserve studies really are, why they’ve become a non-negotiable for healthy com...

Your condo’s decks may look fine on the surface—but are they hiding costly risks? In this episode of Planned, Not Panicked: The Condo Owner Podcast , Candace and Alec break down the key factors that determine whether your condo community should repair aging decks or invest in a full replacement. From water intrusion and flashing failures to structural safety and long-term costs, we explore the red...