THINGS TO CONSIDER IN JOINING HOA

Excited, nervous, confused, stressed, happy or maybe even a little sad, all of these emotions plus a few more are the feelings you might feel when you move to your newly purchased house. You are also somewhat excited about the opportunity to experience a life in a different environment with different new people around.

If you are moving to an HOA community, consider joining your board, attending meetings and/or getting involved in neighborhood events. Not only does this make it easier to meet the neighbors, but it also gives you the power to review and change community rules that you find unreasonable since HOA responsibilities and rules vary from property to property.

Homeowners associations provide a lot of great benefits such as community upkeep, neighborhood events and guideline creation for the area that can help keep your property value high. HOA is a great way to make sure community voices are heard and it can even offer protection for incidents that occur in public areas. However, to get these benefits, there is usually a yearly or monthly fee involved. To find out more about your HOA specifics, call the property manager for details and/or ask neighbors for information.

What is an HOA?

A homeowner association is an organization that makes and enforces rules and guidelines for a subdivision, planned community, or condominium building. Members shall work together to address issues that come up within their neighborhood and enforce the established rules for the community to follow. HOA must make sure that the neighborhood is running smoothly and everyone is doing their part. It is run by a board of directors that are often chosen through an election process. Moreover, homeowner association typically collect monthly or annual fees to pay for common area maintenance and the upkeep of facilities. It may also impose fines on non-compliant homeowners.

Things to Consider Before Joining HOA

Know the Rules

Every HOA is different. Thus, you should make sure that you understand the rules and they should be reasonable enough for your lifestyle. Moreover, learn how the HOA is organized, how often it meets, what happens when rules aren’t met, and the procedure for changing the rules.

Know the Fees

You should know how the fees are collected and how often. Is it annually? Quarterly? Or monthly? What do fees cover? How stable have their operating budget and financial statements been over the last few years? Are there funds in reserve for emergencies? The answers to these questions will help you gauge how well your HOA is managed.

Know your Coverage

You must know the coverage of your HOA fees. Many condo associations cover much of the external maintenance of homes. For single- family home communities, your individual maintenance is likely not covered, but you may receive other seasonal services. HOAs can also cover community buildings, clubhouses, or other communal facilities.

Be Involved and Sit in on a Meeting

Understand the culture and general practices of your HOA by sitting in on a meeting and seeing the committee in action. It is also important to voice your opinion about matters that are important to you. If you can’t make it to a meeting, ask for a copy of the minutes from the last meeting so that you’ll stay updated and informed.

Get to Know your Neighbors

Get to know your neighbors and learn their tastes and motivation. Stay informed on any changes to the HOA rules. If necessary, your neighbors could be a great source of support if there are measures within the HOA that you’d like to change.

Respect the Rule

If you have complaint about your HOA, follow proper procedures in addressing them. On the other hand, should you find yourself on the other end of fines or complaints, accept them professionally. The HOA works for the good of the community. As a positive community steward, you should strive to pay fees and dues on time.

Living in a harmonious community is one of the important things to consider in moving. Nothing beats to the thought of leaving for work and leaving your family around with people/ neighbor you trust with.

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