HOA board meetings are designed to transact essential business. They should be carefully choreographed to that end rather than a rambling discussion. Members should be welcome and encouraged to attend and observe. To that end, provide a Member Forum at the beginning of the meeting for owner comments, questions and complaints (It’s the American way). […]
5 Tips to Keep Homeowner Association Fees Down
If you’re a Board member looking at how to keep fees in a homeowner association down, we have five things you can do to help reduce expenses. Without further delay, here they are: Read the article…………….
Vbro & Airbnb: What You Need To Know – The Business Of Short-Term Rentals Is No Business At All
In a recent Rembaum’s Association Roundup article regarding Florida’s newest non-native invasion of overnight rentals through Vacation Rentals by Owner (VRBO) and AirBnB, we discussed what an association can do in order to protect its community from becoming the newest unnamed hotel/motel through the adoption of lease restrictions and lease approval requirements. Although these methods […]
Top Reasons to Amend a Community Association’s Governing Documents
Whether your community’s documents are relatively new or have been recorded for several decades, this article is intended to provide a basis for determining why amendments should be considered. Governing documents generally include the Declaration (or Master Deed for condominiums created under the Horizontal Property Act), Articles of Incorporation (for associations that are incorporated), Bylaws, […]
How to deal with rude neighbors and handle residential conflicts (NV)
Whether it’s a rowdy family with a penchant for playing polka in the wee hours or a bachelor too busy with Tinder drama to tame the shrubs, some neighbors just drive you nuts. Dealing with them can be frustrating, but there are plenty of avenues for resolving issues. From municipal agencies to mediators, here are […]
HOA Board Liability
As a board member you obviously care about your community and its well-being – good for you! Your community will benefit from your dedication and personal investment. But something you and your fellow board members should consider is personal liability for accidents that happen on association property. Generally, individual board members aren’t found liable. However, […]
HOA Bylaws by the Book
As an HOA manager, you know one thing for sure. Getting things in writing (translation: iron-clad legalese) is essential. Since your HOA bylaws serve as your governing course of action — and your go-to procedure manual — it’s pretty important for them to be clearly understood and closely followed. Aye, but here’s the rub: homeowners […]
Consumption Metrics, Chew Rate
How fun last year seeing a lovable herd of goats chewing their way through overgrown weeds and other vegetation growing wild along scenic trails surrounding a California community association. Surely the herd would be back again this year. But no. This year, the work was being done by tractor-powered mowing machines, “really nifty” equipment capable […]
What You Should Know about Why Homeowner Associations Have Fee Increases
Why homeowner associations have fee increases is not mysterious; here are a few things that everyone should know about it. The short answer to fee increases is that the cost of goods and services in general increase so naturally the HOA ends up paying more for goods and services, too. Still, some HOAs are better […]
5 Tips to Improve Communication with HOA Communities
Communication is key in any relationship, and Condo and HOA communities are no exception. In order to foster a more peaceful environment, curb violations, and reduce misunderstandings, the board should strive to keep community members in the loop. Read the article……………..
Rental Caps: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
A rental cap is a mechanism put in place to limit the number or percentage of units which may be rented at any one time in a community. While not every community needs, wants, or should have a rental cap in place, before you spend the time and money on getting one drafted and approved […]
Budgeting Best Practices
Preparing the annual budget is one of the Association’s most important responsibilities. The Board has the fiduciary role in establishing a well prepared budget that’s main purpose is to determine what the assessments will be for the upcoming year. Preparing a budget often comes with many challenges as the Board may encounter unanticipated expenses and […]
Indemnity Clauses: What Your Board Needs to Know
Whether a small service contract for something like snow removal, or a larger initiative like replacing all the windows in a building or HOA, boards and property managers have to exercise extreme due diligence before signing on the dotted line. This approach ensures that biased indemnity clauses aren’t leaving boards – and the unit owners […]
Encouraging Board Participation How to Attract Talent
With so many people leading busy, sometimes hectic, lives that revolve around work, kids, social functions, and other obligations, it’s often very difficult for co-op/condo/HOA administrators to find residents willing and able to serve their community as board members (or ‘directors’ or ‘trustees,’ depending on what part of the country you’re in). Board members are […]
Improving Quorum for Your Meetings
Most board members, and even homeowners, have heard the word “quorum”. However, many don’t understand it or its importance for doing HOA business. In case you’re not familiar with the definition, a quorum is a minimum number of board members and residents in attendance at an HOA meeting. Unless the quorum is reached, meeting business […]
Real Estate Your condo association prohibits pets, but you need a ‘comfort’ animal. What do you do?
Your condominium rules prohibit pets of any kind except fish and birds. A unit owner asks the board of directors to allow them to keep a dog because they need the comfort the animal gives them. What should the board do? First, the board has to understand the difference between a “service” animal and a […]
Indemnity Clauses and Liability: Protection Runs in More Than One Direction
One of the unique aspects of community living, whether that community is a co-op, condo, or HOA, is the collective responsibility shareholders or association members take upon themselves when they offer to serve on their community’s board of directors. With the assumption of board duties and responsibilities comes a measure of liability that might not […]
Insurance Basics: Know the ABCs
For many people, insurance seems like its own mysterious realm, filled with terminologies that sound formidable and enigmatic. At the same time, people also understand the profound importance of insurance and what it can mean for the safety and security of the co-ops, condos, and associations in which many of us live. Fortunately, insurance professionals […]
Creating an HOA Board Member Code of Ethics
As you create your HOA board, your goal is to create a solid platform for providing the best possible living experience for all of the members of your community. Unfortunately, there will be times when there is conflict within the HOA–or worse, times when members have a conflict of interest. Creating a solid HOA board […]
5 Things That Make an Exceptional Community Association Manager
Community association managers who have been in the business for a few years know what is takes to be a good manager. Problem solving, analytical thinking, good communication skills are the foundation, perhaps even having an “A” type personality. Read the article……………
Why Enforcing the Rules Must Be a Priority of the HOA Board
One of the most important jobs a homeowners association Board has to do is to enforce the rules of the Association. As a Board member it is part of your duty to make sure all the regulations are followed by homeowners and the Board itself. Failure to do so can lead to chaos and confusion […]
Preparing Your HOA Community For Fall
As August progresses and summer draws to a close, many communities are entering into a crucial time of transition for their properties and residents. While temperatures may still be still be hovering comfortably in the 80s, August is a perfect time to assess your HOA and prepare it for the fall and early winter seasons. […]
What’s Covered By A Condo Association’s Insurance Policy?
Part of the appeal of owning a condominium is that, unlike a home, the condo owner is likely not solely responsible for maintaining everything inside and out. Typically, the condo association oversees the management of the day-to-day maintenance of the building’s structure and other shared spaces on its property. That’s not to say you’re without […]
HOA Living: Homeowner Rights and Responsibilities
If you are looking at buying an HOA property, or if you already live in one, then you want to know what your homeowner rights and responsibilities are. Well, we can help you with that. Read on for the list of things you’ll want to keep in mind when it comes to HOA rights and […]
Millennials and New HOA Demographics
As millennials begin families and start to settle down, they are becoming one of the largest groups of home-buyers. From 2010-2015 the percentage of millennials moving into San Antonio homes went up 14.4%. That makes San Antonio the second most popular metro area for millennial home-buyers! While some HOAs are already making the move toward […]
Five Best Practices for Improving Condo Board Communication
Funny, isn’t it, how a flock of geese can manage to communicate well enough to prevent mid-air collisions but people find this task very difficult. Communication is always one of those things that get forgotten. Who has time to be writing to owners letting them know what’s going on? After all, directors are volunteers and […]
What HOAs Should Really Know About Aging Residents
Every HOA community faces challenges with aging-in-place residents. The “Baby Boomer” generation is, on average, 65 years old and would rather stay in their home than move to a senior care center or in with another family member. For HOA boards and their respective community managers, this creates a new set of circumstances to […]
6 Ways To “Go Green” in Your HOA or Condo Association
There are more than 7 billion people on the Earth. We take up a lot of space and use a lot of resources. That makes implementing eco-friendly practices even more critical to preserve the environment and the resources that we do have. Trees can be cut down in the blink of an eye, but they […]
Five Financial Mistakes That Can Be Devastating to Your Community
Being part of an HOA board is a job that comes with a lot of difficult responsibilities. When it comes to the financial side on an HOA, there are so many moving parts that it can get overwhelming. Avoiding these five financial mistakes can help protect your HOA from getting into a difficult position financially. […]
HOA Super Lien — What is it and Why Should I Care?
In an HOA, owners who fail to pay assessments and other charges owed to the condo or homeowner’s association, will likely have a lien placed on the home by the association. A lien is a legal tool used to protect a creditor against default. When a home sells, the creditor with the lien must be […]
Got Conflict? Get Mediation!
Understanding what mediation is, how it works, the benefits for all parties, and the types of disputes that can be resolved with mediation, demonstrates how mediation can be an effective alternative to litigation. Read the article………….
Rehabilitating the HOA Image One Person, One Deed, and One Community at a Time
So last month I was at the doctor’s office, and as I was making small talk with the nurse she asked “So what do you do?” I responded “I’m an HOA attorney.” She actually grimaced. It was a clear knee-jerk reaction. And then she laughed, said sorry, and made some comment about her friend’s trash […]
Managing Your Vendors in an HOA Community
As a board member, you are responsible for many aspects of your association. One of these tasks is selecting projects to complete and the vendors who will work on these projects. Whether it’s scheduling routine pool maintenance or arranging for new trees to be planted in the community park. Below are some step-by-step tips for […]
Is Your Dog a Good Citizen? You’d Better Hope So, for Insurance’s Sake
This seems to be particularly favorable with homeowners association, co-op, and condo boards, according to Loretta Worters, vice president of communications for the Insurance Information Institute. “Many insurance agents will accept certificates from AKC’s Canine Good Citizen Program and other dog training programs,” says Worters. Read the article…………..
What is an HOA Reserve Specialist?
An HOA reserve specialist conducts a study of the major capital systems within an homeowners association. The specialist evaluates the condition of major items, estimates when the item will need replacing, and projects the cost of replacement. The purpose of such study is for associations to decide how much money to set aside for major […]
6 Tips on Preparing HOA Vendor Bids and Evaluating Responses
HOAs exist for the benefit of all the HOA’s homeowner members. The elected Board takes care of the day-to-day business of the HOA. Of course, the Board cannot complete every maintenance job or other work that the HOA needs. So, one of the Board’s duties is to hire the best people (or company) for the […]
What an HOA Board Should Do Now at the Start of the New Fiscal Year
If your homeowners association operates on the fiscal year, then you’re already a month into the new year – Happy New Fiscal Year! Have your fellow HOA board members asked this question: how did we do last year? If not, then now’s the time to re-evaluate and ask the following questions so your Board sets […]
Can My South Carolina HOA or Condominium Charge a Transfer Fee?
I often receive questions from managers and board members about fees that homeowners associations and condos can and can’t charge to homeowners and to prospective purchasers in their communities. One of the most common questions goes something like this: “Our covenants say that we can charge a capital contribution fee / transfer fee / some […]
Can My South Carolina HOA or Condominium Charge a Transfer Fee?
I often receive questions from managers and board members about fees that homeowners associations and condos can and can’t charge to homeowners and to prospective purchasers in their communities. One of the most common questions goes something like this: “Our covenants say that we can charge a capital contribution fee / transfer fee / some […]
Lightning and Your HOA Community
When most of us think of summer, we think of hot sunny days by the water, but the summer months in Texas are also known for their wild storms. It can be hot one minute, and the next second the black storm clouds start rolling in. When planning outdoor activities, consider any looming storms on […]
Obtaining Prescriptions for ‘Therapy Pets’ Is Easy; Rejecting Accommodations Based on Them Is Not
We face many challenges in life. Obtaining a doctor’s note certifying the need for an emotional support animal isn’t one of them. And for condo association board members and managers, this is a source of considerable and increasing frustration. Read the article……………
The Pesky Nuances of the HOA Collection Policy
If the phrase “assessments are the lifeblood of a community association” passed your lips at the last board meeting, you either have 1) a puzzling penchant for perplexing prattle (what?) or 2) your HOA collection policy isn’t keeping up with costs, resulting in painful financial straits. Either way, you have a problem. Read […]
How to Find New HOA Board Members
Many homeowners association boards ask us how they can get more people involved in their community’s HOA management. The inherent issue is that an HOA board is pulling from a group of people who already lead busy lives. Serving on the board is a volunteer position with no pay and no huge incentive, other than […]
Kick the Can and Deferred Maintenance
In the childhood game of “Kick the Can”, one person is designated It and an empty can is placed in the open playing field. With eyes closed, It counts to an agreed upon number, and the other players run and hide. It then tries to find and tag each of the players, always keeping a […]
Mother May I? Coping with Permissions in Community Associations
Everyone remembers our parents’ favorite retort: “When you’re 18 and on your own, you can do what you want, but when you’re in my house, it’s my rules” or something similar. No matter what we wanted to do as young people, there was always someone who had to give us permission to charge ahead. Many […]