Category - HOA Website

Creating an HOA website should be part of every HOA or Condo Association's online marketing strategy. Every board member knows that it takes money, time, and commitment to keep the association's property looking its best for the benefit of all residents. A community website provides an affordable solution to these challenges. Here are five ways a website can enhance your neighborhood:

 

 

This is perhaps the most helpful way an HOA website can help your homeowners association collaborate online. As part of its payment system, the website allows residents to pay their monthly dues or fees with credit cards or electronic check payments in addition to offering an automated billing service for monthly association fees.

Many banks offer free credit card processing for non-profits, but even if your association is charged a small fee each time the online payment service is used, it's still cheaper than writing and mailing paper checks. If you opt to receive electronic check payments instead of credit cards, be sure to have enough funds in your account because sometimes when online payment fails, your bank may return your check for insufficient funds.

 

Online account balances created by an HOA website also allow association members to see exactly what their accounts hold at any given time and review past transactions. In addition, the system will send email reminders when an online balance falls below a certain amount so that owners can add more money before the account becomes overdrawn.

 

 

The homeowners association website allows residents to access important documents and distribute them easily without having to scan and email them one by one. If an owner has, for example, a copy of the architectural review guidelines they need to share with their neighbor or a list of recommended contractors who can help with a renovation project, the owner can upload the files to the website and share them easily with other homeowners.

 

Like online account balances, this solution helps association members avoid costly mistakes like having important documents lost in email spam filters or sent to an outdated email address. The system notifies residents when documents need attention, so they don't fall through the cracks.

 

 

In addition to uploading documents, many community association websites allow owners and board members to communicate with each other about important topics using an online forum. Like a message board or social networking site, the system lets homeowners ask questions, give feedback, and offer suggestions on anything from landscaping projects to improving security.

Online forums make it easy to communicate with a large number of homeowners at once using a service that's already a part of the HOA website. Association members can also share information about local businesses and services they have found helpful, which helps enhance your neighborhood's web presence and visibility online.

In addition to offering online forums, many homeowners association websites have a resident directory that makes it easy for homeowners to find people living in the neighborhood. The system typically includes an interactive map with each owner's home on it, so people know exactly where their neighbors are located before they come over to introduce themselves.

This is another great way for property owners to network offline and build better relationships in the community. It also helps residents connect with others who might be interested in joining their homeowner's association or similar community groups.

Instead of emailing photos back and forth to friends and neighbors, many communities use a photo gallery on their website to upload images that everyone can view and comment on. This is another great way for homeowners to share information about the things they're most passionate about in their neighborhood, whether it's a new landscaping project or photos from a community event.

Online photo galleries are also useful if you need to print large format wall posters or postcards of your community for special occasions like holidays or open houses. You'll need a large printer and a reliable printing company to handle the job, so check out this article on outsourcing print jobs.

The ease of access and convenience offered by online HOA websites make them extremely helpful for homeowners' association members. If you haven't considered using one for your neighborhood already, now might be the time to consider an upgrade to your old system or an entirely new site that offers all of these features.

An election year may complicate matters for the HOA board since it has to contend with the opposing ideologies that run rampant in the community.  In order to retain their authority among residents and to play the role of an impartial mediator during this contentious period, board members must maintain a neutral stance.  Often, they do that by overcoming all obstacles regarding the HOA in a manner that doesn’t empower one side or diminish the other.  The goal is to strike a fair balance which is usually difficult, but it can be done.

 

The easiest way for the board to remain neutral during a campaign season is to show their support for both sides.  A task that can be accomplished by not only highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each political camp on the HOA website but also inviting local candidates to make their case to the community.
This is particularly effective in elections during which measures that could affect the future of the community have taken center stage.  The HOA board should consider inviting the local leaders and representatives to either defend or oppose these measures to residents.

 

Some HOAs have a difficult time with keeping politics out of their communities but most HOA residents will resist any attempt to silence their voices.  For this reason, an HOA board needs to consider spending their resources on defining the rules and regulations that will govern political speech in the community.  The HOA website should list the boundaries within which political views can be expressed to ensure that the constitutional freedoms of residents are protected.

 

An HOA board is discouraged from enacting rules that contradict the established laws of the country as those attempts could attract a variety of consequences.  During matters such as these, boards are encouraged to consult with an experienced attorney that will guide their actions, even where political yard signs are concerned. Regardless of what the HOA board does, it should notify residents of any changes in the protocols governing their actions during a campaign season.

An HOA board maintains the assets of an association, setting funds aside to carry out repairs where and when they are necessary.  It also puts in place rules and regulations that will protect residents in the event of an accident.

However, some HOA boards are not as diligent as their community website claims.  This is why individual members have to remain alert, responding to any signs of trouble they encounter and holding the board accountable so the association is properly maintained.

 

The objective of carrying out proper maintenance is to either prevent the wear that assets eventually suffer or to identify repairs that must be done to prevent them from being a safety concern.  When the HOA board fails to maintain the assets, an infrastructure breaks down and accidents may start to happen.  It isn’t just a simple matter of retaining the aesthetic value of the community as injuries can make the HOA vulnerable to lawsuits.

 

The easiest way to determine whether or not an HOA has been properly maintained is to find out if the board has recently performed a reserve study. Chances are this is posted on the HOA website. Reserve studies are used to analyze the state of the community, identifying assets that require future maintenance, and estimating the costs the association will incur to do those repairs. The presence of a reserve study shows that the HOA board has adequately prepared for the maintenance needs of a community.

 

In many places, reserve studies are a legal requirement and negligent HOAs tend to ignore this law even though it exposes the community to costly ramifications. Often, you can determine if the board is aware of their legal responsibilities by looking at the HOA website.  In the end, an association that has chosen to neglect their legal obligations can’t be trusted with the maintenance demands of the community.

A reserve fund is supposed to prepare the HOA for replacement and repair costs that will come along in the future.  Reserve funds are crucial because they ensure that a community’s assets remain operational regardless of the deterioration that might occur over the years.  The rules pertaining to how these funds get used are quite strict as they are meant to cater to specific issues and needs.

But, sometimes a problem arises that the reserve fund did not account for or isn’t listed in the reserve study.  What happens then if no answer can be found on the HOA website? Can the HOA board take funds from the reserves to meet this unexpected expense?

 

Some people fail to understand why such situations occur since reserve funds are crafted by experts.  They should account for every repair and any replacement cost the HOA might encounter.  Residents presume that unexpected repair and replacement costs only happen in cases where the reserve specialist made a miscalculation.
However, this isn’t the case as not everything can be accounted for when analyzing an HOA.  It’s almost impossible to identify all the potential failures.  The good news is that reserve funds are flexible since they are prepared in a way to react to unforeseen circumstances.

 

When board members encounter an emergency, they are likely to feel more encouraged to seek expert assistance.  Once the board has received guidance from a specialist, they can proceed by adding the new component to the reserve study.  After that, the board can use the reserves to finance the new component but only if the reserves are well funded and can meet the needs of the project.

Many HOAs have strict rules governing the use of reserve funds and a majority of them can be reviewed from the HOA website.  Other communities are more flexible when it comes to the way they handle matters in this area.  Regardless of the situation, most homeowners wouldn’t object if the board used their power to resolve key components not included in the reserve fund!

Homeowner associations are expected to maintain the assets of a community but that often involves going to the residents for funding.  The more involved a maintenance project is, the more money your HOA will typically demand.  But, did you know that it is possible for the HOA to meet any maintenance goals without raising HOA fees?

In fact, they can reduce maintenance costs altogether and those lower costs will result in lower HOA fees.  The key is to make a few basic considerations that will have a significant impact in the long run.

 

When it comes to reducing costs, a great place to start is by protecting the landscaping throughout the neighborhood.  Use the HOA website to encourage residents to respect all the flowers, bushes, and lawns in the common area.  Any area that needs work directly impacts the labor costs the community will incur to make replacements.  If residents do a better job of respecting the landscape, maintenance costs could drop considerably.

 

More people are recycling and this is a habit that needs to gain traction in many communities.  Some areas have laws in place that expect communities to recycle and failure to do so results in a substantial fine.  This isn’t the only reason to recycle though.  Doing so reduces your waste which affects the amount of money the HOA spends on waste disposal services.

 

You should also use the HOA website to fully understand the rules and regulations and make it known to the community when you have the chance.  This ensures that more residents fall in line when it comes to recycling, protecting the landscape, and keeping debris away from the common areas.  Teach residents what they have to do so HOA fees don’t increase and they almost always comply.

 

If you opt for a sustainable and renewable way of living, you can cut your costs drastically through recycling and the use of energy-saving techniques.  Emphasize the importance of green programs such as this and show residents what they can do to participate.  In most cases, it’s easier to lower maintenance costs and keep HOA fees under control when all residents get involved.

Most residents know that the homeowners association board oversees all the decisions of a homeowners association. The homeowners association website goes into detail about it, though many people never realize that the board is also expected to protect the association.  This is why some board members think of their roles in a light manner.  It takes them a while to realize the responsibility they have within the association and its future.  Additionally, they are supposed to play a role in keeping it safe from internal and external threats.

 

Legal matters should always be considered as some people neglect to fulfill their responsibility even though it can disrupt the association.  Of course, a homeowners association has rules and they are governed by laws that vary from state to state.  The board is not only expected to fully comprehend these laws but to also ensure that the homeowners association is adhering to all requirements.  This prevents the association from incurring complaints and lawsuits.

 

The homeowners association is expected to maintain and enhance the community.  Associations usually struggle to achieve goals on their own which is why the board works to locate and hire experts such as lawyers and accountants.  They review the operations of the HOA, then provide advice and assistance when necessary.  While it would be easy for the homeowners association to reject any help in favor of the knowledge of their members, the HOA knows that professionals will guide them to make wise decisions.

 

Almost every homeowner association website goes to great lengths to assure residents that all decisions made and implemented by the HOA are objective.  Sometimes it’s difficult for homeowners association members to make choices that benefit the entire community rather than their own interests.

A competent homeowners association board will intervene when necessary to ensure that members always remain objective.  The homeowners association plays an important role in the prosperity of a community and it wouldn’t be possible without protection from the board.

Every condo website you visit will probably have a different perspective on what percentage is healthy regarding the reserve funds.  Yet, most of them agree that you can’t base your decisions on the percent funded because it rarely stays the same.  Fluctuations happen all the time due to a variety of factors.

Even when a condo is funded 100 percent, an unexpected project could suddenly come along and throw the condo into disarray.  Fortunately, there are ways to resolve such situations without depleting the reserves.

 

The law is surprisingly flexible where assessment issues are concerned.  Basically, it permits the board to raise assessments by 20 percent and this can be done without voting on the matter.  If the condo keeps doing this every year, they might raise enough funds to resolve all emergencies.

The board can also take advantage of a special assessment, which is usually restricted to 5 percent (of the current assessment) when being enforced without a vote. Most homeowners are given the option to pay the amount in full or over a period of several months depending on the association.

 

A condo can borrow money from the reserves but only after voting on the matter and putting in place a repayment schedule that returns all the funds.  It is more common for condo associations to take out loans, especially if the emergency is much worse than the board anticipated.

As far as the ideal percentage for the condo reserve fund is concerned, an average condo website has posted that 70 percent is a good starting point.  Naturally, every condo prefers to have their reserves funded 100 percent.  It would give the board peace of mind to know that they have the financial means to meet all the anticipated costs in the future.  Aside from that, there’s no need to panic about the percentage unless the reserve fund is less than 70 percent!

In many homeowners associations, specific technical expertise isn’t usually required to become a homeowners association board member.  Anyone that has ever attempted to review the homeowners association reserve study might disagree with that sentiment since it isn’t easy or enjoyable.  Unfortunately, homeowners association reserve studies are an essential aspect of the planning, allocation, and collection of reserve funds.  Therefore, you should always ensure that you interpret and utilize the reserve study to the best of your ability.

 

The first order of business is to learn and understand why a homeowners association has a reserve study.  Most of the time, the homeowners association website will inform you that the reserve study lists every major component in the community that eventually needs to be repaired, replaced, or requires some maintenance.  This is assembled by performing a visual inspection of the landscaping, roofing, and other significant assets in the area.

Such visual inspections are typically performed every three years, though an annual review is also necessary to make funding adjustments.  These type of lists are only effective if they are generated by a professional that has expertise or experience with managing funds in homeowners association.

 

In order to get a complete understanding of the figured outlined in the reserve study, it’s essential that you review it annually.  For instance, if you decide to replace the roof of a building, you need to know the exact amount that will cost so you know the funds that need to be collected to reach the target amount.  This is one reason why annual reviews are necessary and this information is posted on the homeowners association website.

Calculations should be kept unbiased and that can be done by ensuring everyone contributes their fair share even if some homeowners association residents intend to depart the community before costly repairs are completed.  Though reserve studies can be complicated, they are crucial towards shaping the community’s future so remember this advice when interpreting a homeowners association reserve study.

At some point, there may come a time when an HOA board member needs to be replaced and an HOA should carefully consider this decision as members directly determine the effectiveness of the homeowners association.  This is why the HOA website emphasizes the importance of finding and retaining competent board members.

However, anyone that has ever attempted to fill a position on the board is well aware of the challenges a new prospect can attract.  You may be questioned about this from many people and the way you answer them will have some impact on your overall success.

 

When you ask a homeowner to join the board, they might ask why they should consider it.  If your prospect in mind has the technical experience required, inform them about all the ways a board member has an influence on the decisions that get made.  This includes matters regarding the budget, legal issues, and discussions surrounding the bylaws.

If they lack the technical experience that’s required, just explain to them that their involvement will motivate them to make a difference in their community.  They can learn all this from the HOA website but it helps to hear such a message from an actual member.

 

An HOA board needs to ensure it has enough members for a quorum so it can make decisions in a timely manner.  If others want to know what happens when the board fails to attain a quorum, inform them of the possibility that an outsider will be appointed that likely has no interest in the future of the HOA.

 

Some people might have excuses rather than legitimate objections.  One excuse is that they claim to not have time for such a commitment so outline the schedule.  List in detail how much of their time the HOA would consume so they can make an educated decision.  For others that claim they don’t care enough to participate, show them exactly how the presence of board members affects their amenities.

If they don’t want to deal with politics, emphasize that your HOA has far less conflict.  You should never force a homeowner to become a board member against their wishes as they will ultimately neglect their duties.  But for those that are merely hesitant, there are ways to gently nudge them in the right direction.

An HOA website usually does a decent job of keeping residents informed about what’s going on in the homeowners association.  Yet, some of them ignore members, failing to build the connection it normally takes to make a members’ participation in the HOA a more enjoyable experience.  If you are one of those individuals that want the association to have a greater significance, don’t wait for the HOA website to help you.  Instead, use the following as a guide to make your life as a member as enjoyable as possible.

 

One of the first steps towards ensuring you get the most out of your HOA is to attend meetings.  These provide an ideal opportunity for you to learn about the developments that are happening in the community.  You can also voice your opinion on matters like HOA fees and special assessments.  If you don’t know other members already, HOA meetings provide the perfect setting for you to meet them.

 

HOA meetings provide a great environment for members to interact with one another.  However, you need to plan, coordinate, and execute a social event in order to form a meaningful bond with many residents.  Think of a fun activity that will bring the entire community together such as a sporting event.

 

Even though social gatherings are an effective tool for meeting other residents, some of your neighbors won’t be able to attend.  Reach out to them through social media or use another opportunity to introduce yourself.  Neighbors that are acquainted with you are more likely to alert you if they notice suspicious activity around your home.
All of this might sound like a lot of work but the results make it well worth it.  Often, you gain a greater appreciation for all the work the association does after participating in a few activities.  Beyond that, the newly formed relationships with other residents could shape your life for decades to come!