HOA Management Blog
It seems like the majority of news stories involving homeowners associations these days are negative. You often read about disputes between neighbors, lawsuits, refusal to pay fees, or rules not being followed as outlined in the Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs) and Bylaws. While the governing documents serve the purpose of keeping the Association running smoothly – and are legally binding rules and regulations that each homeowner agrees to when they purchase a home in the Association – are their times when the rules can be bent? In the case of 6 year-old Ella Schultz the answer is yes!
In many areas, flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster—and it can happen in your homeowners association. Just one inch of water in a home can cost thousands of dollars in cleanup and replacement costs, including drywall, baseboards, floor coverings and furniture. You may think you're covered, but many insurance policies do not cover flooding.
Does your homeowners association pay or compensate the Board of Directors? I recently learned of an HOA that compensated its board members for “volunteering.” Each month the board members would receive a credit on their accounts for their monthly assessments. The Board collectively felt that it was doing all the work and that it should be compensated for the time.
Do you remember receiving the covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) when you moved into the Association? Do you know that they are very important to you as the homeowner? Have you taken a look at these documents lately? If not, now is a great time to brush up on the do’s and don’ts of your community. There is no time like the present to make sure you are in compliance.
Whether your new home is just down the street in a nearby homeowners association or across the country, moving can be stressful. There’s a lot of work to be done before that final box is unpacked and it’s easy to overlook the details that pile up the closer you get to your departure date.
Even though you live in a homeowners association, and may even be a member of the HOA board, you might be surprised how many of your neighbors, owners and renters, don’t really understand the fundamental nature of common-interest communities or what a big business they are. Many others, including the media and government officials, lack a true understanding of the community association concept.
An HOA Board needs the involvement of the entire Association community to function at its best. Often this is just not possible because of the lack of homeowner commitment and involvement. No matter what is causing homeowners to stay away, steps can be taken to get them motivated in running their neighborhood Association.
Burnout is more than just stress - it's how your mind and your body tell you a change is needed. Whether you're a homeowners association property manager, board member or a homeowner who is part of a homeowners association, the pressure to work harder to the point of exhaustion can be a reality. Do you find yourself often working mechanically or just going through the motions? Then try these ways to relieve stress before it turns into burnout.
When I was in High School, I took two years of Latin. I am not sure why. Even at that time, it was a language that was no longer used. Neither my family nor friends were ever impressed with 18 or even 80 conjugated forms of the verb 'porto'.
All you have to do is drive around many homeowners association neighborhoods to see that the number of homes in foreclosure has been on the rise over the past several years. These rising foreclosure rates have led to an increase in scam artists offering to aid homeowners in financial straits. They typically promise to show you how to save your home if you have a home or homes in foreclosure, but will strip away the value of the home with no benefit for you, the homeowner.
