On April 15, the National Small Business Association filed a petition for writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court regarding its ongoing lawsuit over the constitutionality of the Corporate Transparency Act in National Small Business Association v. United States Department of Treasury. NSBA’s petition represents a formal request to review a previous ruling from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld the constitutionality of CTA. On May 18, CAI filed an amicus brie

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: The beauty of the new growing season continues throughout the Pioneer Valley as the month of May fades out and June ushers in the beginning of summer. The tri-counties received a soaking rainfall over Memorial Day weekend. Unfortunate that it had to coincide with the holiday, but the totals made it worthwhile. Nearly every weather station recorded at least 1” of rainfall, with many totals falling in the 1.1–1.4” range. The long du

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: Well, that escalated quickly. After several weeks of cool weather, a warm front brought record-breaking heat and humidity to the Pioneer Valley. High temperatures reached the upper 80s to mid-90s from May 17 - May 20 with dew points creeping into the upper 60s. Heat index values on May 19 approached 100°F. The burst of summer weather was short-lived, however, as more seasonable conditions were forecast to return on May 21. The war

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: Cool conditions prevailed yet again this past reporting period as we approach the midway point of May. Low temperatures in the 30s were recorded throughout the tri-counties on May 8, 9, 12, and 13, but the long-term forecast indicates a big warmup is on the horizon. Despite the cold nights, verdant new growth and flowering is everywhere right now, and the number of garden tasks to tackle is limitless. Redbuds (Cercis canadensis) h

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: The glory of spring continues across the Pioneer Valley as we settle into May. There is so much new growth and color right now across the landscape that it’s almost impossible to keep up. Yet, if it wasn’t for the unseasonably warm temperatures in mid-April, we could be experiencing a late spring, with the persistence of cold nights in the 30s over this past reporting period. April rainfall totals for the tri-counties were nothing

What Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac’s Latest Policy Changes Mean for Condominium Associations, Lenders, and Homeowners by Dawn Bauman, CAE | Mar 18, 2026 | Advocacy, CAI, Community Association Guidance, Community Associations Institute, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac | 13 comments On March 18, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac issued a significant update to their project standards and property insurance requirements. These changes reflect the realities of today’s housing market and focus on the

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: April is wrapping up, and we’re settling into the heart of spring here in the Pioneer Valley. The UMass campus is humming with activity as classes wind down and graduation approaches. After the unseasonably warm stretch in mid-April, the pace of new plant growth has slowed down significantly with a return to more seasonable conditions. This past week has provided some peak spring weather with bright sun and high temperatures in th

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: The spring season has raced forward during this past reporting period, due largely to unseasonably warm weather from March 30 – April 1 when highs reached the upper 70s and lows remained in the 50s. Warm spring nights seem to be a particularly strong driver of plant development in the spring, and most trees and shrubs have swollen or broken buds. A return to more seasonable conditions has tempered growth, and a string of freezing

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: A new growing season is upon us, and the landscape is slowly transforming after what many called an “old school New England winter.” This past winter season was certainly cold and snowy, something the region has not experienced for many years. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information , the average 3-month temperature (24.6°F) for Dec ‘25 through Feb ’26 ranks as the 38th coldest since 1895, putting it firml

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: The dormant season has arrived and the 2025 growing season is complete. Trees and shrubs are acclimating for cold winter temperatures, and fall clean ups continue across the landscape. Peak fall foliage was late this year, but still spectacular in the end. In early October, it seemed this might be an underwhelming year, but the colors came hard and vibrant for many trees. Even Norway maples ( Acer platanoides ) across the UMass ca

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: Despite worsening drought conditions across the Pioneer Valley, there were three rain events over this past reporting period that provided some badly needed moisture. Two of these events (September 23-25 & October 12–14) were long duration storms that provided a soaking rainfall. Total accumulations from September 23 to October 14, across the tri-counties, spanned 3.1–4.4”. While it will take considerably more rainfall to pull us

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: As we approach the autumn equinox (September 22), the 2025 growing season is winding down....

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: The fall season has started, the days are noticeably shorter, and students are back on the...

Hello Homeowners, Please be advised that Spaeth Property Service will be closed on Monday, September 1 , in observance of Labor Day. Our...

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: The first half of August was hot, humid, and dry across most of the tri-counties. The...

General Conditions: As we settle into late summer in the Pioneer Valley, there’s no doubt it’s been a strong growing season for many...

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: As we round the corner into the last days of July, it’s been a very hot and humid month in...

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: We’ve entered the dog days of summer in the Pioneer Valley and are halfway through the...

Garden Clippings: Tips of the Month July is the month to . . . . Plan the fall garden and plant crops. In the early part of the month,...