HOA Management Blog
Most people who live in a homeowner’s association know that there are certain rules to follow. There are many reasons why people might ask why we have HOA rules. You may have chosen to live in an HOA because the rules there make you feel safer and increase property values. You may have just agreed to the rules because you found your ideal home at the time and the rules came with the neighborhood. You may also be on the opposite end of the spectrum and be wondering why we even bother having HOA rules when no one in the association seems to follow them – or enforce them.
Did you know you can request a copy of the CC&Rs that detail just about everything you need to know about the HOA, prior to becoming a member? You can and you should! One of the important factors is how much you will be paying in monthly HOA fees.
As an HOA Board member you know that HOA rules serve a valid purpose – usually. While you understand the importance of enforcing your HOA rules and regulations, it would be hard to follow through on the following with a straight face.
Are you abiding by the rules in your homeowners association? When you move into a homeowners association you become part of a neighborhood that is governed by a board of directors who enforce the rules of the Association. When you sign the Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs) of the Association, you are entering into an agreement that you will abide by the rules of the Association community. This often means you’re limited to the improvements you can make to your property (like paint color of your home, landscaping, or decorative components), whether or not you can have pets, noise restrictions, etc.
For the eighth time in 15 years, Americans living in homeowners associations, condominiums, and housing cooperatives say they’re overwhelmingly satisfied in their communities. They are expressing strong satisfaction with the HOA board members who govern their homeowners associations and the community managers who provide professional support.
Successful communities, governed by successful homeowners associations, typically have a strong, effective HOA board of directors that conducts their HOA’s business in a professional manner, including having regularly scheduled meetings. Problems can arise, however, when one or more directors fail to attend those meetings consistently.
Reducing water use means making significant changes in your everyday habits and routine, but it can also mean substantial savings on water, sewage and energy bills for homeowners association residents. In fact, there are ways you can reduce your water usage by nearly half without purchasing expensive equipment. The following suggestions will help you get in the habit of saving water indoors at home.
As homes in your homeowners association begin to thaw from the cold months, it’s time to start thinking about preparing your home for spring and summer! The steps you take now can help avoid costly maintenance and repairs later.
Homeowner associations, like most organizations, have adopted information technology for everything from accounting and bookkeeping to email and other forms of communication such as preparation of documents and presentations, etc. However, HOA board members and their management staff must recognize and address the inherent risks in modern electronic technology, especially data breaches & server hacks that compromise information the HOA is responsible for keeping private.
As a homeowner, you probably received a new home warranty when you purchased your home - many owners within your homeowners association may also have one. If no major problems have been encountered with your home, then you probably have not read the home warranty paperwork, but you should!
