Guide to Managing Common HOA Maintenance Challenges
August 29, 2024 / by HOA Manager
Managing the maintenance of a homeowners association can sometimes feel like a never-ending task. From fixing leaky faucets to planning long-term upkeep, there’s a lot to take care of. Whether you’re a new HOA board member or a seasoned homeowner, understanding common maintenance challenges and how to address them can make a big difference. Here’s a guide with practical tips to help you tackle these issues effectively.
How Often Do You Recommend Doing a Reserve Study?
April 28, 2023 / by HOA Manager
Reserve studies are a critical tool for HOAs to help ensure that they have adequate funds available to cover future repairs, replacements, and other significant expenses. These studies provide a comprehensive financial analysis of an HOA's reserve fund, including an inventory of the property's common elements, estimates of their remaining useful life, and projected costs for their repair or replacement.
Should I Live in an HOA?
January 6, 2023 / by HOA Manager
Living in a community governed by a homeowners association (HOA) can have both benefits and drawbacks. In this blog post, we'll explore both sides of the coin to help you decide whether or not living in an HOA is right for you.
What HOA Boards Can Learn from the Surfside Condo Collapse
July 19, 2021 / by HOA Manager
A homeowner’s association’s worst nightmare occurred on June 23, 2021, when a 12-story beachfront condominium in the Miami suburb of Surfside, Florida partially collapsed. Many people died, many were injured, making it one of the deadliest building collapses in American history. It’s important to acknowledge and address a tragedy like this to respect the lives that were lost and the families affected, while also learning from the experience to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
5 Guidelines for Dealing with Contractors for Your HOA Projects
July 16, 2021 / by HOA Manager
Is your homeowners association thinking of embarking on a maintenance or construction project that will require the services of a contractor? If the project needs association approval, the first thing before you get to the place of interviewing contractors is to make sure you follow the steps of your design review process. Once the design review process has been completed and the association is ready to begin the steps to move the project forward, make sure your project is nailed down using the following five simple guidelines:
How Would Your HOA Board Respond to this Maintenance Scenario?
July 8, 2021 / by HOA Manager
You live in a homeowners association and one of the favorite features in your home is the enclosed patio. It’s where you go every morning to sit and enjoy your cup of coffee before beginning the day. As you take a sip, today you notice the peeling paint, cracked concrete, and dying plants. The patio really could use an update. You decide you'll submit your maintenance request at the next HOA board meeting for some new paint, a trellis, small irrigation system, and definitely new concrete.
Fast forward a few months. You’ve learned that your enclosed patio is a “restricted common area.” This means the actual patio belongs to the homeowners association, but can only be used by the owner. So, who is responsible to maintain the patio?
11 Ways to Prepare Your Homeowners Association for Warmer Months
June 3, 2021 / by HOA Manager
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.
Eco-Friendly Lawn Care Tips for Your Homeowners Association
April 16, 2021 / by HOA Manager
Maintaining the grounds in a traditional manner and according to the homeowners association’s governing documents is not always the “greenest” endeavor. Whether it involves using chemical-laden pesticides and fertilizer or working with greenhouse gas-producing lawn tools, some methods of lawn upkeep can be tough on the environment. Thankfully, there are plenty of eco-friendly ways to keep your homeowner's association grounds looking lush while also reducing your carbon footprint.
Tips from an HOA Board to De-Clutter Indoor & Outdoor Spaces
April 2, 2021 / by HOA Manager
Have you noticed that a reminder to owners in your Association is needed to tidy up their outdoor spaces? Does your homeowners association have items stored on patios and balconies that really shouldn't be there? Your Association is not alone!
How to Avoid Maintenance Misunderstandings in a Homeowners Association
February 17, 2021 / by HOA Manager
A hot topic among homeowners association members is knowing who is responsible for certain maintenance items in the community -- the homeowner or the Association? There are often assumptions on both sides, and when an issue arises and it’s not the outcome anticipated, disputes follow.