Articles for Owners in a Community Association
Volunteering in a Condominium or Homeowner Association
- The Value of HOA Committees January 31, 2025Managing a community can be a full-time job but using volunteer-based committees can help lighten the load for board members. Volunteers are motivated by the best interests of the neighborhood and bring valuable time, ideas, and dedication to the community. Read the article…………………………….
- HOA Volunteers: Pick Me! Pick Me! January 9, 2025When it comes Board elections or need for a committee member, are volunteers scarcer than snowballs in hell? This is a common frustration in homeowner associations where the same few good women or men seem to shoulder the responsibility for life. So, how do you get others to raise their hand and step forward? Read the article…………………………….
- How to Become an HOA Board Member October 17, 2024In a community governed by a homeowners’ association (HOA), residents have an opportunity to get involved and shape the future by serving on their board of directors. Becoming an HOA board member allows you to contribute your skills, share your perspective, and directly impact your community. If you’re thinking about running for a position on your board of directors, follow our step-by-step guide on how to become a board member. Read the article…………………………….
- HOAs having trouble finding board members is more common than you might think September 6, 2024Reader comment: Like one of your readers, I also live in an homeowners association (HOA) community (44 units) where no one wants to step up to be on the board. We have three people there now and two are past their two-year commitment, nor do we have a management firm. Frankly, I think we do a fantastic job of addressing residents’ needs and hiring contractors as needed and our reserves are fairly healthy. Read the Q&A………………………………..
- How To Recruit Volunteers for Your Homeowner’s Association September 5, 2024Most homeowner’s associations are built on the backs of a number of volunteers. These people do everything from running the board to keeping the books to making special events happen and more. Without them, the association wouldn’t be able to do much of anything at all! Read the article…………………………….
Working With the Board
- Finding Common Ground February 2, 2025My job as a designer involves the traditional roles of an interior designer, but another aspect is playing the role of psychologist or therapist. So much of the job involves listening to clients and deciphering the design issues at hand, and that boils down to understanding the clients’ needs and ultimately finding ways to meet them. This stands true whether the client is a single person, a newly minted couple, a family or a group such as business owners or ...
- Rogue Board Members: Who Are They? How Do We Manage Them? (ON) August 15, 2024The condominium Industry is full of many challenges. These challenges can range from buildings with major structural issues, to monetary issues, to manager shortages, and even clashes between unit owners. One area that a challenge may not be anticipated is within the dynamics of the Board. Often, the Board of Directors of a Condominium tries to portray themselves as a united front, but behind the scenes, there can be a great deal of conflict. This conflict can be caused by ...
- Condominiums: Drowning in Official Records Requests – How to Respond to Overwhelming Requests from Unit Owners (FL) August 7, 2024A recurring concern raised by managers and board members alike involves overwhelming requests for inspection of official records by unit owners. In many cases, official records requests have become so extensive and time-consuming that they interfere with the normal day-to-day operations of an association. Associations must strike a balance between their statutory obligation to allow for the inspection of official records and their ability to conduct business. Read the article…………………………….
- How to voice out your concerns about HOA dues increase May 16, 2024When you live in a community managed by a Homeowners Association (HOA), you understand your responsibility to pay regular dues to help maintain the quality of your neighborhood. However, a significant increase in contributions might seem suspicious, especially when the change was not communicated properly to you. As a homeowner, you have the right to question your HOA’s actions. Read the article…………………………….
- How to Oust Your Condo Board or HOA March 27, 2024Close to 30% of Americans live in a property governed by a condo board, homeowners association (HOA), or other community association—more than 70 million people. These associations are generally responsible for property upkeep, enforcement of community rules, and acting as a go-between for residents when disputes arise. Most people have a good or at least neutral experience with their condo board or HOA, but not everyone does. Read the article…………………………….
Communicating With the Board Archives
Buying & Selling in a Community Association
- What Is an HOA? How Homeowners Associations Work February 12, 2025Homeowners associations (HOAs) are private groups that create legally enforceable rules about what you and your neighbors can and can’t do with your property. Despite their portrayal in pop culture, HOAs aren’t always a nitpicky suburban hive mind. HOA fees pay for neighborhood maintenance and amenities, such as landscaping and parks. And most Americans living in community arrangements (including HOAs) are satisfied with them, Read the article…………………………….
- A Maintenance Checklist for Property Owners February 10, 2025Each state, including Massachusetts, has laws and regulations surrounding maintenance inspections for apartment buildings and homeowner associations. A property manager will help schedule these inspections, ensuring that all elements of a building are working properly and are up to standards. When you enlist the help of a property manager for maintenance inspections, make sure they are checking up on these eight elements. Read the article…………………………….
- South Florida condo sales sputtered in 2024 with more sellers forced to drop prices February 7, 2025Palm Beach County’s condominium and townhome market limped through 2024 still suffering aftershocks from the Surfside tragedy and facing higher insurance costs that led to the lowest number of deals closing in at least a decade. Read the article…………………………….
- Condos—a Key Source of Affordable Housing for Homeowners—Are in Jeopardy February 5, 2025Since condos became popular in the 1970s, more than 11 million condominiums have been built, spurred by the idea that buyers can purchase a condominium for less than the cost of a single-family house while enjoying low-maintenance living. The apparent affordability is made possible by buyers sharing ownership of the land and common areas, from roofs to furnaces, while owning a unit typically smaller than a single-family home. Read the article…………………………….
- Smart Moves: Selling a Condo: A Few Pointers for Owners February 1, 2025An investment analyst in Miami is keen to sell the one-bedroom condo he bought in March 2020 right after the pandemic hit. At the time, he was single and giddy about leaving his dreary New Jersey neighborhood for remote work in Florida and a more relaxed lifestyle. Read the article…………………………….
Buying & Selling in a Community Association Archives
Insurance for Owners in a Condominium or Homeowner Association
- Utah homeowners see higher fees and cancelled insurance policies after L.A. fires and other natural disasters February 5, 2025I was as shocked and grieved as anyone when the Maui, Hawaii town of Lahaina was virtually burned off the map in 2023. Up until then, it ranked as one of the top 10 deadliest U.S. wildfires on record since 1871, and considered the deadliest natural disaster in Hawaii’s history, with just over 100 confirmed victims and still people unaccounted for after the disaster. Read the article…………………………….
- Allstate’s 30% Condo Insurance Hike Sparks Consumer Concern (CA) February 4, 2025California condo owners are bracing themselves as Allstate, one of the state’s major insurance providers, plans to raise its condo insurance rates by an average of 30% starting in April. This significant increase, authorized by the California Department of Insurance, has left many policyholders questioning how the change will affect their wallets—and what it signals about the broader insurance market. Read the article…………………………….
- Liberty Mutual plans to exit state’s condo, rental insurance markets in 2026 (CA) January 19, 2025The garden in Brian Wallace’s backyard is a little slice of peace within San Francisco’s busy cityscape. He owns a condo in SOMA, a place that’s about as far removed from wildfire danger as one can get. Yet, like so many Californians, Wallace has felt the grips of the insurance crisis. “It cannot get any more serious than it is now,” he said. “We were with Farmers for about 20 years or so. They dropped us – although we never ...
- Exclusive data shows which home insurers have most policies in L.A. fire areas (CA) January 16, 2025Two insurers — State Farm General and the California FAIR Plan — cover more homes in the areas where the Los Angeles fires have burned than any others, according to a Chronicle analysis. They’re also the two insurers experts are most concerned could run out of money after a major fire. Read the article…………………………….
- They lost their home insurance policies. Then came the fires (CA) January 13, 2025Last year, Francis Bischetti said he learned that the annual cost of the homeowners policy he buys from Farmers Insurance for his Pacific Palisades home was going to soar from $4,500 to $18,000 — an amount he could not possibly afford. Read the article…………………………….
General Articles about Condominium and Homeowner Associations
- The Importance of Reading Your Emails and Monitoring Your Association Account February 12, 2025Living in an association comes with shared responsibilities and the necessity of staying informed about association matters. One of the most effective ways to do this is by regularly checking your emails and monitoring your association account. Failing to do so can result in missed deadlines, violations, or unexpected fees. Here’s why paying attention to association communications is crucial. Read the article…………………………….
- Entire Florida HOA Board Of Directors Resigns at Same Time: The Penalties & Consequences February 8, 2025When an HOA board resigns en masse, the immediate financial impact can be severe. If there is no board to authorize payments, essential services like insurance, maintenance, trash, and utilities could be disrupted. For instance, in Sunrise, Florida, condo owners had to crowdfund over $20,000 to cover insurance costs after their HOA board resigned. Without an authorized board, HOA funds cannot be accessed, which can lead to unpaid bills and potential legal action from service providers. Read the article…………………………….
- HOA Covenants: What to Know About CC&Rs January 31, 2025With 75.5 million Americans living in communities governed by homeowners associations (or HOAs) and 3,000 new HOAs expected to form in 2024, community associations are quickly becoming an important aspect of real estate transactions. An HOA is an organization that creates and enforces rules and regulations for the properties and residents of a given residential community. The regulations or guidelines governing the HOA community are called restrictive covenants and are outlined in a document called a Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, ...
- What is an HOA? The Ultimate Guide to Homeowners Associations January 29, 2025A Homeowners’ Association (HOA) is an organization that establishes and enforces regulations and standards for a neighborhood or condo. HOA provides many benefits, including amenities, maintenance, security, and other services. However, it has some disadvantages, such as fees, restrictions, and bureaucracy. Living in a community that an HOA manages is quite common. A board of directors usually leads an HOA comprised of volunteers who oversee the community. There are over 370,000 homeowner associations in the US, encompassing more than 40 ...
General Articles for Owners Archives
Additional Articles
An Introduction to Community Association Living (CAI)