Although HOAs are growing in popularity, many buyers are hesitant to join, fearful of the authoritarian reputation HOAs tend to have, and uneducated on what to expect when purchasing a home within an association. On the flip side, HOAs can be very appealing, as membership often comes with unique amenities, added security, and increased property […]
13 Pavement Defects and Failures You Should Know
With all the snow and ice over the last week on the east coast I thought it would be an appropriate time to look at some of the identifiable ways asphalt is adversely affected by weather – and other conditions. After all, correctly identifying pavement problems and their causes is very important, Below we have […]
How to Avoid Common HOA Violations
Enjoying the benefits of living in an HOA is a two-way street. You must abide by the association’s rules to make the most of your membership. There have been many incidences of residents violating HOA rules without even realizing it! You can avoid these mistakes by being proactive, familiarizing yourself with your association’s governing documents, […]
Proactive HOA Budgeting (TX)
Every year, the HOA board must approve an annual budget for the association. And, sometimes, because of too many busy weeks and complex personal schedules, the board may feel like they’re just going through the motions to complete the budget without taking the time to really think and evaluate how the money can best be […]
2021 Texas Legislative Update: Issues Affecting Master-Planned Community & Condominium Developers And Developer-Controlled Communities
The 2021 Texas Legislative Session has come to an end and a few changes are coming for planned communities. Compared to the 2019 Legislative Session, 2021 was more active with approximately thirty bills filed that would have had some effect on the administration of Texas planned communities. In the end, four meaningful bills passed (five […]
2021 Texas Legislative Update
The 2021 Texas Legislative Session has come to an end and a few changes are coming for planned communities. Compared to the 2019 Legislative Session, 2021 was more active with approximately thirty bills filed that would have had some effect on the administration of Texas planned communities. In the end, four meaningful bills passed (five […]
How to Create and Solicit an RFP
Many community projects can become complicated quite quickly. Creating a request for proposal (RFP) can both help the HOA identify exactly what it wants from a project, as well as help the association find a vendor who can best deliver that. Here, we’ll briefly explain what an RFP is, break down how to create one, […]
8 Inviting Community Block Party Ideas for HOAs
One of the greatest things about being part of an HOA is joining in the community events. Barbecues at the pool or holiday parties in the clubhouse are always a draw, but some communities go big for the benefit of everyone in the neighborhood. Block parties are an opportunity for every member of your HOA […]
HOA Financial Statement Requirements
Among the many records that a homeowners association must keep, the financial statement is definitely an important one. Residents invest in the community through their fees and assessments, and they have the right to see how that money is being used by the HOA board. Transparency and accountability are vital to healthy relationships with the […]
Should Your Community Association Enforce Board Member Term Limits? (TX)
Deciding whether our HOA should enforce term limits on board members is not always an easy decision to make. Moreover, many states have laws in place that either requires board members to have a term limit on their services or prohibit HOA/community organizations from setting term limits on board members. Knowing the laws in your […]
Why Board Training is Important
HOA board members are valuable community volunteers with a very important job. As homeowners with various educational and employment backgrounds, it is critical that volunteer board members are trained and educated properly before they make decisions on behalf of the community. Read the entire article……………………………….
Racist Clauses Are Common In Local Zoning Documents. Several Texas Bills Would Make It Easier To Change That.
Rina Sudan bought a house in Austin’s Hancock neighborhood last June. When she was rifling through stacks of old documents shoved into a kitchen drawer, she found what’s called a restrictive covenant — a private contract passed from owner to owner detailing what you can build on your land. For example, it restricted anyone from […]
What is an ACC, and What Do They Do?
In any successful HOA, it’s important that architectural changes adhere to the standards and aesthetics of the community. In a smaller association, this responsibility is often fulfilled by board members. However, in larger associations with numerous properties and property owners, a special committee, referred to as the Architectural Control Committee (ACC), handles this task. Read […]
HOA Exterior Inspections: What Are They and What Do They Do?
One of the more common procedural tasks handled by property management companies is periodic exterior inspections. These inspections, typically made by management companies, with the assistance of the HOA board members in facilitating them, are an important part of maintaining an HOA’s quality and living standards dictated by state and local laws. Read the entire […]
Preventing HOA Selective Enforcement
It’s no secret that along with the perks of HOA membership, homeowners are subject to rules and regulations that they are required to follow. It is the board’s responsibility to enforce those rules and ensure that all members are adhering to them. But what happens when that enforcement appears to be arbitrary? A homeowner may […]
5 Strategic Ways to Deliver Bad News to The Owners — A Guide for Boards
Delivering bad news is difficult. This is why successful HOA Board Members will go to any length to ensure the news is delivered in a way that minimizes conflict and frustration. As a board member, it’s normal to feel ambivalence when delivering bad news. Read the entire article……………………………….
Legal Rights of HOA Homeowners
Living in an HOA has many benefits, but also requires homeowners to abide by certain rules, guidelines, and expectations. The HOA has the authority to enforce the rules, and it’s likely that homeowners will have a difference of opinion from time to time. If you’re considering purchasing a home within an HOA, you may wonder […]
How to Be Heard at Your HOA Meeting
Homeowners’ associations are businesses, so their board meetings should be considered as business meetings and run accordingly. However, many states have no statutory requirements that certain parliamentary procedures must be followed at board meetings. So, while some HOAs follow Robert’s Rules, many don’t. This leaves some homeowners who faithfully attend their association’s board meetings feeling […]
Are Pools the Ultimate Luxury or Overwhelming Hassle?
Lounging by the pool and taking a dip can be very refreshing, especially when the temperatures are high. Homeowners Associations and Condominium Owners Associations provide this ultimate luxury amenity for prestigious homes and condos. Read the entire article……………………………….
HOA Board Member Recalls: What You Need to Know
Homeowners Association (HOA) board recalls are rare, and when they do happen, it is crucial to ensure they proceed according to the association’s bylaws and state laws. These laws provide the basis to determine whether a recall is necessary and how to conduct it. Read the article………………………………
When to Use Legal Counsel for an HOA
When people think of obtaining legal advice, a specific image often appears you sitting across from a cigar-chomping man in an expensive suit. However, competent, ethical legal expertise is an important asset for all boards to acquire and lean on. In many situations, the right legal counsel can make the difference between running a successful […]
HOA Deed Restrictions
Much of the appeal of living in an HOA community comes from the unified, consistent, and pleasant atmosphere maintained by the homeowners’ association. However, sometimes the very rules benefitting you can also be a hindrance to what you can do with your property. Many of these restrictions go well beyond the jurisdiction of the HOA. […]
Homeowners’ Association (HOA) Annual Meetings: Why They Matter and How to Prepare (TX)
A lot unfolds during HOA board meetings, and every member should invest time attending. They are vital to an association’s success. At these meetings, the board holds elections, provides a big picture of budget, goals, upcoming projects, governance, and more. Read the article…………………………………
HOA Trends for 2021
To say that 2020 was unpredictable would be an understatement. Businesses around the world were forced adapt to difficult situations and challenging restrictions. HOAs were no exception: COVID-19 brought unforeseen policy changes, amenity closures, and much more. Read the article…………………………………
10 Essential HOA Board Member Qualifications
While it may be technically true that any homeowner who is a member of the community can run for a spot on the HOA board, it’s just as true that not just anyone can thrive in the role. When electing officers to help lead your community, keep your eye on those who share some of […]
How to Help Aging HOA Residents
As a community’s population ages, the HOA board faces new challenges, and it can become more difficult to balance the needs of elderly homeowners within day-to-day operations. Simple adjustments and preparations can ensure that older residents feel valued and cared for. Read the article………………………………..
HOA Tax Returns: What You Should Know
The process of filing HOA tax returns is actually simpler than one might think, and our goal is to help the board better prepare for tax season! Here are a few answers to common questions regarding HOA taxes: Read the article…………………………………
Texas Site Condominiums
This article is about a specific type of condominium, referred to as a “site” condominium or sometimes a “horizontal” condominium. The term “site” is preferable to horizontal, since in the taxonomy of condominium unit boundaries, horizontal means the upper and lower boundary separating one unit from another.1 A site condominium is a unit which comprises […]
Planned Community (Non-Condo) Operational Deficits: Plugging the Gap (TX)
From the date of creation until death, a community association requires funds to operate. Operational funds for the association are obtained through assessments levied by the community association, but only as homes are built and conveyed to homeowners. As a result, in the early to mid-stages of a planned community life cycle, there will be […]
Timing of Common Area Conveyances (TX)
Taxes! In Texas, common area will be valued at a de minimus value, but usually only if the common area is owned by the association. So long as the land area that will be common area is owned by the developer, the tax assessor will use customary valuation assumptions for determining the ad valorem taxes […]
Property Insurance for Attached Residential Communities (TX)
In traditional single family residential communities, each homeowner is responsible for selecting an insurance agent and obtaining their own property insurance. In the event that a homeowner’s residence suffers a casualty, the homeowner will look to its property insurance provider for reconstruction proceeds and other residences within the community are unlikely to be impacted. However, […]
The Most Common HOA Issues
As with just about any living situation, membership in an HOA has its ups and downs. While there are definite perks (pool time, anyone?), things are not always perfect. When issues arise within the community, it is vital that homeowners and the board are prepared to handle them so they can reach solutions quickly, fairly, […]
When to Use the Reserve Fund
HOA boards dutifully save part of each year’s revenue in a reserve fund for the association. But, what exactly is this reserve fund for, and how can the board ensure it is used responsibly? In this article, we’ll look at the purpose of reserve funds and how the board can manage them effectively. Read […]
Policies the HOA Board Should Consider
Policies help set the tone for how an association is run. From pets to towing to how conflicts of interest are handled, HOA policies are the guidestones for daily association operations and management. So, what policies should HOA boards consider to ensure their association runs effectively and efficiently? Read the article……………………………….
How to Handle Disaster Management for Your HOA
Despite our best efforts, disasters are regular occurrences and are most often out of our control. Whether predicted or unexpected, natural or man-made, disasters can occur without warning, so it’s imperative to have a plan in place. Read the article………………………………
Getting the Most Out of Your HOA Board Member Role
There are so many great things about serving as a member of your HOA board. Sometimes, you may find yourself feeling stretched a bit thin, so it’s good to take a step back and reflect on why you decided to serve your community to begin with. If you need a reminder, here’s a quick summary […]
The Right Way to Raise Assessments
The cost of living continues to skyrocket across the World. In this case, the financial burden incurred in operations across various sectors remains a thorny issue. Your HOA is no exception. The association has to maintain a delicate balancing act between increasing assessments and keeping the fee to a nominal amount that homeowners are comfortable […]
Tips for Making a Smooth Transition from One HOA Board to Another
Passing on the titles and responsibilities of one HOA board to another requires that everyone work together to make the process as seamless as possible to ensure continued success of the community and to avoid any unnecessary mistakes. Read the article………………………………….
Parking problems in the HOA
With the holidays fast approaching, homeowners will be spending more time at home, rendering more vehicles in the community. Now would be a good time to review your association parking policy to make sure it’s up to date and being fairly enforced. Since parking is one of the hottest issues in HOA-governed communities, it’s important […]
Explaining HOA Assessments
Timely and effective communication regarding assessments is one important way to get each year started on the right foot. As you are aware, payments collected from homeowners to cover expenses in the association are known as assessment fees, or dues. Because HOA assessments are vital to the overall health of the association, members are responsible […]
Unenforceable HOA Terms and How to Avoid Them
As part of the annual review and revision of governing documents, it’s important that HOA boards avoid using terms that will make association rules unenforceable. Doing so can help simplify otherwise complicated and messy conflicts, and can even help avoid costly litigation should the affected homeowner choose to take the dispute to court. Read the […]
Board Meeting and Annual Meeting Notice Requirements
Why are HOA board meetings important? In short, you can only make some decisions in a meeting. For example, most states require associations discuss and vote on financial business items only in an open board meeting. The legal requirements involved in what you can and can’t discuss in meetings makes each meeting important. Read the […]
Water Damage In Your Condo? Who is Responsible?
Condo repair laws tend to define a line between resident and building maintenance. Everything inside one owner’s unit, from the walls out, is resident territory. Every home asset outside the unit walls is the HOA’s responsibility. But water damage blurs that line in an unpleasant and sometimes multiple unit-spanning way. Read the article……………………………….
HOA Inspection Service: What You Need to Know
You may not know that many HOAs are recommended, or even required, to have an onsite inspection as part of their reserve study. These inspections are an important part of ensuring quality association management and can help protect property values and avoid unexpected expenses. Read the article…………………………….
Common HOA Violations and How to Avoid Them
Most people know that when they live in an HOA, there are certain rules they’ll be expected to follow. An association’s governing documents contain Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) that clearly state what is expected of its members. Yet, even with these expectations, HOA violations happen all the time. The good news is, with a […]
5 Unique Ways To Thank Your Board Members
For sure, board members play a crucial role in keeping the community they protect secure and orderly. The fact that most of them work for free for a term of up to four years proves their dedication and commitment to protect our homes, and more importantly, make our investment worth the while. For this reason, […]
The Legal Duties of HOA Board Members
Members of the board should be selected annually in a free and fair election. Every homeowner should be given the opportunity to vote for qualified candidates to fill board positions. Potential candidates are generally very involved in the community, regularly attend board meetings, and have a good understanding of the association’s governing documents, including important […]
The Types of HOA Meetings
So, you’ve purchased a home in an HOA – what are all these meetings? Do you need to attend? In this article, we will discuss the various types of meetings that are commonly held in an HOA. From board meetings to annual meetings to committee meetings – and more – there is a lot going […]