HOA News, Advice, and Tips
When a homeowner purchases a home that is a part of a COA, HOA or POA there are generally fees that must be paid out at the closing table that belong to the community. In order to find out what fees are due at closing, it is the responsibility of the closing attorney to request […]
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 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 ReadingThe summer of 2012 will be recorded as the hottest and one of the driest summers in history. Even if the current patterns are just an aberration, water issues will increasingly become important to community associations in the years ahead as supply concerns, a growing population and an aging infrastructure put pressure on supplies. Experts […]
Continue ReadingMany board members and managers say that committees are the lifeblood of associations. More importantly, in a well organized association, committees are where it’s at. Community members often consider the board as the “best” place to be involved. However in a well-run community, important issues are first worked through and refined by committees and the […]
Continue ReadingThere are numerous challenges for managers in the world of Multi Family Housing. Likewise, there are also many challenges for the contractors who serve them. Uncertainty, bidding costs, and skyrocketing ancillary costs are many of these. There are also many ways to alleviate some of the challenges inherent with construction defects and repairs by enlisting […]
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 ReadingBudgeting is one of the most important tasks property managers perform for their community Boards. Dealing with rising costs for everyday service, delinquent assessments, examining the common elements to assess need for repair and attempting to maintain adequate reserve amounts for the Association is a balancing act and a challenge. Property managers have typically already […]
Continue ReadingRenters occupy approximately 4 in 10 homes in suburban America. If your unit is one of those homes—or about to become one—here are a few tips that will help you, your renters, and the association. Talk to the Manager The association manager can give you important information about what the association requires of owners and […]
Continue ReadingThere is an old adage that “all politics are local.” Basically this means that government works best when it works at the grassroots level, and community associations that foster positive relationships with these government officials will find that navigating through government bureaucracy will be a lot easier when you know someone on the inside. The […]
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