5 things you need to know about an HOA Property Management

Homeowners Association management companies exist to manage the community areas of a housing division, and to create and enforce the covenants of the community. If you are considering purchasing a home that sits in a community that is governed by an HOA, you want to make sure that you are familiar with how and HOA works within a community. Here are a few things that you should know:

1. HOA’s require each of the residents in that community to pay membership dues to the HOA. These dues are collected and managed by the HOA management company. The management company uses the dues to pay for community maintenance.
2. HOA’s create and enforce rules that the whole community must follow. Failure to recognize and follow the covenants of the community will result in fines to the homeowner.
3. If you purchase a home in a community with an HOA, keep in mind that no matter condition your property is when you complete your purchase,

it is now your responsibility. That means that if the house you now own is violating the rules of the HOA, you will be held responsible. It is always a good idea to find out what the regulations are, such as requirements for the color the house is painted, the type and height of the fence, the condition the yard must be kept in. Many HOA’s will have stipulations on whether or not you can have grass (or if you must have grass) and how often you water your yard. The nicer the community, the more strict the covenants will be.

While some communities may have HOA’s that have very restrictive rules, there are also communities that are under-managed by the HOA. When you are considering a house, make sure to tour the community and see what kind of condition it is in. If you see sidewalks in need of repair, or streets and parks that are in need of being maintained, then the HOA may not be properly managing their community.

HOA’s work because of resident buy-in. An HOA is often run by a third party management company, but many of the covenants are created and decided on by member of the HOA board. The board is usually made up of members of the community. Since the board is made of people that also live there, they are invested in making sure that their community is a pleasant place for everyone who lives there.

Remember, the purpose of an HOA is not to intrude on your home and tell you how to live your life, but rather to make your community a place that you want to live in for a long time. They do what they can to keep it safe and clean, as well as nicely maintained for the enjoyment of all of the residents that live there. A well-run HOA is incredibly busy behind the scenes making sure that the neighborhood is running smoothly, but most of what you experience will be the benefits of that hard work.