Posts in Financial Obligations
HOA New Year's Resolutions to Make Better Communities

2021 is coming to a close, and a new year means it's time to make resolutions. For homeowners associations, it means doing things better in the new year. Here are some of the best HOA New Year's resolutions that boards can make to improve their community!

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To Pay or Not to Pay? How to Handle Failed Payments in your HOA

Homeowners living in HOA Communities face a variety of requirements, regulations, and rules by choosing to live in these private communities. One of the requirements for members is the payment of HOA fees. We want to give members the necessary information concerning HOA fees and the many issues that arise when homeowners fail to pay.

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What Tasks Do Community Association Management Companies Handle?

The board's job is to make decisions. HOA association management companies work on the association's behalf. Management companies have no decision-making power over the HOA. However, they do act at the board's behest. The management's job is to carry them out.

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How to Protect Your HOA from a Data Breach

Associations handle personally identifiable information daily, including homeowner names, addresses, bank account information, credit card numbers, credit histories, and Social Security numbers. Unfortunately, these items are attractive to cybercriminals, and as data thieves grow more sophisticated in their tactics, the potential risks of a data breach increase for an association.

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7 Steps to Keep Your HOA Healthy

Managing the daily operations of a homeowners association can make it hard for Florida board members and community managers to carve out time to evaluate the health of their association. Though it may be one more thing to do, knowing your community’s financial standing, curb appeal, and relationship with residents is well worth the time and effort.

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How to Address HOA Bids for Contract Work

There are good reasons for homeowners associations to obtain multiple bids for contract work. Proposals help the association create a budget for long-range planning and ensure that the board selects the best contractor to complete the required work within the timeframe and contract specifications. Some boards believe they need three bids for every contract, no matter how small or undefined the work's scope. That's not always the right thing to do.

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For Better or Worse—Bill Pay to Strengthen HOA Relationships 

Like any relationship, one built on trust is an important one between an association's board members and its community association management company. It's the primary reason this relationship exists in the first place. A board of directors calls on a management company to help execute the responsibilities it has to its residents. Therefore the way a management company pays its bills can significantly impact the level of trust and overall quality of the relationship—for better or worse.

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Construction Defects and How to Avoid Them

It is necessary to understand that construction defects can occur in brand new buildings, renovations, or small projects such as installing new locks throughout an apartment complex. The most significant challenge in dealing with a construction defect is prolonging the time it gets repaired. Read on to learn more.

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A Healthy Budget in the Time of COVID-19 Part I

The COVID-19 pandemic is creating financial impacts that may change the course of dues in the future. Board members may have to invest in extra cleaning, disinfecting, and other services to help keep residents safe and healthy. At the same time, however, your association's residents may have difficulty making their assessment payments.

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Consequences of Not Having Cash Reserves

Significant expenses in development occur, and homeowners must cover the costs, one way or another. An HOA commonly maintains a type of savings account called the cash reserves or a reserve account for significant, infrequent, or unexpected common area costs.

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All You Need to Know About HOA Loans

If your association requires repairs, maintenance upgrades, or common area improvements, you may want to consider taking out an HOA loan or line of credit. Loans help fund a variety of unexpected projects when the individual assessment cannot cover the expenses. We are here to help you understand the process and answer the most common questions associations have when taking out a loan or a line of credit.

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