About Us

Welcome!

We are Emily Shaw and Ryan Koski. Since 2009, we have owned a condo on Tampa’s Harbour Island.   Having lived in single-family homes for the majority of our lives, it was certainly a change to move into a multi-family condominium complex.  Every condominium association function, from the most simple (like obtaining a parking pass) to the most complex (like repaving the asphalt), seemed to be handled inefficiently and inconsistently. We learned quickly that a poorly run association can have a significant negative impact on the residents’ quality of life as well as the property value of the condominium.

In time, we did manage to acclimate ourselves to our new condo lifestyle and we set our sights on improving the management of our community.  We began attending Board meetings and it wasn’t long before Emily became a member of the Board of Directors.

As a member of the Board, Emily was (and still is) actively involved with the condo association.  Initially serving as its Treasurer, Emily served as President through 2014.   Frustrated with the lack of care displayed by multiple professional management companies, she encouraged the Board to self-manage the association in 2011.  During this transition, Ryan began volunteering his time and skills to the condominium association as well.

Since the Association became self-managed, it has, among other things, improved communication with residents; strengthened its financial position through active collection efforts and improved reserve funding methods; completed multiple major projects including a full repainting of the property; created consistently-applied rules & regulations; and ensured compliance with the association’s governing documents as well as the Florida Statutes.

Having spoken to many association Board members and unit owners over the years, we realized that it would be helpful to share everything we’ve learned with others involved with condominium associations. As such, we decided to write this blog. It is important to note as you read our posts that we are not offering legal advice here. We are simply providing some of the information we have learned from homeowners, contractors, property managers and attorneys along the way.

In 2013, Ryan and Emily partners with a licensed community association manager and began a full-service management company, VERA Property Management, serving condominium and homeowners associations in the Tampa Bay Area. The firm also provide financial and consulting services to all Florida community associations. Click here to visit their website.

A bit more about Ryan…

I was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. I earned a B.S. in Accounting and Masters of Accounting from Stetson University as well as a law degree from Stetson University College of Law. I am a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and member of the Florida bar.

A bit more about Emily…

I was born in Charlottesville, Virginia but moved to Clearwater, Florida with my family when I was very young.  I earned a B.A in Financial Mathematics and was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.