HOA News, Advice, and Tips
Take your neighborhood back – join a Neighborhood Watch Program through your local Police Department or Crime Prevention Group. We imagine you are saying, “Oh another project to devote time to that I don’t have”….but it really doesn’t take much time. It does take getting to know your neighbors, being an extra set of ears […]
Continue ReadingIf there is only one thing that all community associations, big or small, have in common, it’s this: They must all hire a vendor to perform work on their behalf at one point or another. That’s why it is very important for a homeowners or condo association to know how to property select a vendor […]
Continue Readingfiduciary (n) – a person to whom power or property is entrusted for the benefit of another When you join the Board of Directors of your HOA, you’re doing more than just volunteering your time and talents, you’re making a legal agreement to act as a fiduciary on behalf of your fellow owners. This carries legal consequences […]
Continue ReadingFall is that special time of year when the temperatures start to drop and the leaves turn different colors. This fall season is even more special because of the 2012 Presidential Election. All around the nation, citizens will be voting for our county’s next leader. Similarly, many HOA board members will be voting, too. That’s […]
Continue ReadingBeing a board member is not for the faint of heart, not these days. Virtually all volunteer boards have an increasing number of tough decisions. Should we pursue an owner for an assessment balance due even though his home is foreclosed? Do we push another owner to cut down the view obstructing tree, even though […]
Continue ReadingIn my 12-year career as a community manager, I couldn’t venture to guess how often I’ve heard a homeowner say, “But, we can’t afford an increase in maintenance fees.” Some board members do their best to not increase monthly assessments annually. Unfortunately, the end result is not always what they set out to achieve. ‘Tis […]
Continue ReadingI have been in and around this industry for better than 20 years, and I am constantly amazed at how unprepared homeowners, including myself, can be when it comes to disasters. Regardless if on the East Coast, the Gulf or the West Coast, disaster can strike at any time and in any community. Disasters are […]
Continue ReadingIt doesn’t seem there is ever enough time to get all the things done that need to be done. This is especially true in an active community for a volunteer board of directors. The work of Boards is becoming increasingly challenging given the effects of the current economy, the complexity of the issues and the […]
Continue ReadingIn a word, “yes”. There is no minimum (or maximum) Useful Life stipulated in National Reserve Study Standards. Often a project like tree trimming is a candidate for inclusion in the Reserve Budget rather than the Operating Budget, even if it occurs every year. And here’s the reason why. Operating Budgets are typically handled on […]
Continue ReadingThe first three months of 2012 were 6 degrees higher than average in the lower 48 states, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It’s great to be able to wear shorts in February but there are some potential negative effects. According to Science Daily global temperatures in May were the second warmest on […]
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