Before signing a contract with a management company you need to spell out all of your requirements and the job duties in writing so there is no misunderstanding about who is to handle what tasks. This may change over the course of time and as it does there should be a new contract or agreement written and signed by both parties or representatives thereof.

Once you’ve hired a condo management company the Board of Directors or the President should not waste their time micromanaging, but trust the company you’ve hired. Initially you’ll need to supervise some activities, ask for resident’s impressions and keep an eye on things, but after that its time for the condo management firm to take over and do its job.

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How to Select Condo Management

If you live in one of these developments the HOA will organize committees or rules which will help keep the shared property and facilities in the best working condition and appearance. They may even arrange for regular maintenance and oversee such activities. An HOA may also be responsible for enforcing local rules that may have been violated by homeowners. Such as subdivisions that have restrictions on hanging out laundry, certain landscaping requirements, abandoned automobiles in driveways, et cetera.

In addition to serving as sort of an ad hoc rules enforcement agency and pseudo property manager, HOAs are often charged with helping developers bring in more clients and show the open properties, so in effect they also act as realtors at times.

If you’re moving into an area with an HOA its important to determine what the reputation of your HOA is and how they work with residents. You don’t want to get into a situation where the HOA makes the living situation unbearable and on the other hand, you don’t want an HOA that doesn’t have your neighborhood’s best interests at heart.

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What is a HOA

Well Thought out Argument?

Come to the group with a well thought out argument that is carefully worded and non-accusatory. If possible, document your attempts to remedy the situation on your own before you involved the HOA.

Listen to the Options

You may know exactly what you want done, but your solution may not be the most practical or even possible. Be willing to hear what solutions are actually available and be prepared to help if you can.?

Follow Through

If you’re able to come to a resolution, hold up your end of the bargain and make sure the HOA or any other parties involved hold up their side as well.

Dealing with an HOA should be treated like a professional transaction, but it can’t be discounted that this is your home and you have a personal vested interest in the outcome. Remember that the HOA probably is not as personally involved as you are and emotional pleas may fall on deaf ears, this is why acting in a professional manner is more likely to get a positive response.

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Handling Disputes with a Home Owners Association

photo credit: Nuneatonolly

Throughout the nation, there are neighborhoods which are set back from the road and surrounded by gates that are guarded by security personnel who monitor the comings and goings of people on the grounds. These gated communities are highly appealing to some home buyers who like the exclusivity, privacy and security that they feel is afforded to them when living in one of these neighborhoods. However, others feel that the drawbacks of living in a gated community actually outweigh these perceived benefits. Whether or not to live in a gated community depends greatly on the things that you value in the neighborhood where you live.

Benefits of Living in a Gated Community

The following are some of the most common benefits that people who enjoy living in gated communities will cite:

• Exclusivity. One of the things that people really like about living in gated communities is that these are considered to be exclusive neighborhoods. They’re kind of like the modern version of the old walled castle where only certain elite people are allowed in. Of course, if you have the money, you can move into a gated community which wasn’t true of old castles but there’s still the feeling that you’re living in an exclusive place. It’s something of a status symbol that people can show off.
• Sense of security. The comings and goings of the neighborhood are monitored which tends to make people feel safer about living in a gated community than they would in a typical neighborhood. These areas tend to have low crime rates which confirms the feeling that these are safe neighborhoods.
• Privacy of the neighborhood. This monitoring of activity does more than create a sense of safety; it creates a feeling that this is a private neighborhood where you can conduct your daily business without a lot of interference from the outside world.
• Quiet atmosphere and general beauty of the area. The gated community tends to be quiet and peaceful with a beautiful appearance. Landscaping is maintained and noise is controlled so it’s possible to feel really at peace even when living in and around large urban areas.

Drawbacks of Living in a Gated Community

Not everything is great about living in a gated community. Some of the most common things about the gated community that people dislike include:

• High cost of the home. The homes in a gated community are going to have a higher value than the homes in a typical neighborhood. This adds to the exclusivity of the neighborhood but can be a drawback at the time of purchase.
• Ongoing cost of living in a gated community. There are additional costs associated with living in a gated community. For example, you may pay higher property taxes to live here or you may need to pay fees to the homeowner’s association here. These cause additional financial drawbacks related to the purchase of the home in a gated community.
• Rules of the neighborhood. There are rules when you live in a gated community. They may vary depending on the community and can be as strict as what color the homes can be painted to as general as requiring that trash not be left out several days in a row. Some people just want to live in their homes and not be bothered with the rules of the gated community where they could live.
• Invasion of privacy in the sense of being monitored. People may like the fact that the neighborhood is monitored in terms of the safety it provides but it’s also a little disturbing to know that a guard is watching everyone who comes and goes from your home. Just the hassle of having to make sure to get visitors approved to be let in is too annoying for some people.
• Sense of elitism. Although one of the main reasons that people like the gated community is because it’s an elite and exclusive community, this is also one of the things that some people don’t like about it. Not all people want to be associated with a home that is “rich”, “snobby” and “elitist”.

Deciding Whether or Not To Live in a Gated Community

For some people, the benefits of the gated community will easily outweigh the drawbacks of living in a place like this. For other people, it’s a no-brainer that the gated community isn’t the right place for them. To determine this, it’s important to consider what you really seek from the neighborhood in which you live. If what you want is what is offered by the gated community, determine whether you can pay the costs that come along with those benefits.

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Pros and Cons of Living in a Gated Community

• Send out custom mailings at the right time, including notices of annual and monthly meetings.
• Provide 24-hour maintenance and emergency repair services.
• Assist with screening and selecting vendors.
• Provide training and education for both board members and unit owners.
• Budget preparation and financial reporting.
• Get your association online, so unit owners can access association documents (such as covenants) and also track and pay their dues.
• Monitor and inspect for CCR violations, to make sure violations are handled in a timely manner.
• Supervise the maintenance of common areas and facilities.
• Maintain association records and files.
• Handle delinquent accounts.
• Attend association meetings.

The administrative burden of running a homeowners association can be pretty heavy, and boards of directors are often not compensated for their efforts, and also have day jobs and families to take care of. It makes sense then, that more associations are hiring management companies to make the day to day running of the association a smooth one.

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Community Association Managers - How They Can Help Your Homeowners Association