Goodwill is defined as friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitudes. Regarding businesses, it can also be defined as the favor that a business has acquired through its good reputation. Having a good reputation means that people believe in you. You can be counted on to follow through and make good on your word. When things go wrong, you can be counted on to make it right. If you gain a reputation for treating people fairly, you will be afforded more goodwill when problems or disputes arise. However, the reverse is also true. If you have a bad reputation, it is much more difficult to ..read more

There is a lot of confusion about the difference between property management and Homeowner Associations (HOAs). While there are many similarities, the association and property managers offer different services and benefits to homeowners. Both are designed to protect property values and ensure safe and well-managed communities. The primary goal is to provide residents with the services and amenities they desire and pay for in their monthly dues.  In this blog post, we will clear up the confusion and give you a better understanding of both. In the end, you will understand the difference and ..read more

Understanding Your Options If you’re ready to start looking for a new house and you find one in a Homeowners Association here are some things you should know. You’ll need to get familiar with what it means to live in an HOA, and then you’ll need to understand the guidelines behind buying into an HOA. You might find that living in an HOA isn’t right for you or you might decide that living in an HOA is exactly what you and your family want! If you’ve decided that you can’t pass up your dream house opportunity, then this handy guide should be your first stop before you begin your home purchase. I ..read more

The Benefits of Joining your HOA Board Like any organization, HOAs are only as good as the people who run them. However, HOA’s can be difficult to manage. If you think you have what it takes, then you should carefully consider becoming part of your HOA board. For HOA’s to be successful there needs to be dedicated individuals to manage and maintain the organization. Before becoming an official member, be sure you get a clear understanding of how your specific board works. Talk with current and former board members. Learn what they liked and did not like about being a board member. Figure out h ..read more

Solely having a management company doesn’t always help the HOA when it comes to workers’ comp. For instance, the association could still be fully or partially liable for injuries that happen to contractors on the job. Even if the management company handles all of the outside hirings. In addition, don’t forget about the board members themselves! If an injury happened to a board member while working, they could be eligible for compensation. It may seem hard to imagine at first, but there are times it is necessary. For example, while conducting routine inspections, the board member trips on uneve ..read more

We’ll be honest– HOA boards haven’t always received the greatest reviews. Historically, homeowners tend to look at their HOA boards as grumpy rule-makers. Eager to enforce their guidelines and keep you from having the home of your dreams. Of course, this is mostly a stereotype from movies or stories you heard from a friend of a friend. After all, the community is much more than a neighborhood. In reality, HOA boards have the potential to truly transform neighborhoods. They have the potential to act as the backbone of a thriving community. For people that have lived in neighborhoods with a robu ..read more

One requirement that comes with joining most organizations is their meetings. And this is true for HOAs as well. The HOA is a categorized non-profit corporation under the law. So, HOA board meetings are required. Just like a regular corporation must hold regular meetings of its officers and shareholders, the HOA must hold regular meetings of its board members and homeowners. In addition to the law requirement, board meetings are necessary for a happy and healthy HOA. In addition, meetings that are well-run reap more benefits. These benefits ultimately help reach the HOA goals. Successful meeti ..read more

Do You Have Dementia in Your Community? Let’s discuss a scenario that might occur in the average neighborhood anywhere in America. A couple in your community has taken in one of their aging parents, who is now living on their home. One day, the elderly parent leaves the house and becomes disoriented, wandering around the neighborhood in an attempt to find their way home. They come across some children playing in the street and accidentally frighten the children in their confusion and desperation to find their home. The children’s parents are now looking to the HOA board to do something about t ..read more

Living in a homeowners association is often an advantage when selling a home. Homeowners associations typically set standards and help with appearance and outside maintenance. HOA’s do this in order to up your curb appeal and raise your chances of successfully selling your home. Because there are many benefits to living in an HOA, housing prices in these types of communities normally stay consistent or increase in value over time. Before you begin the process of selling your home, it is a good idea to first consult a real estate agent and the homeowners association. Normally HOA’s have a proto ..read more

If you live in a community that a Homeowners Association manages, part of the responsibilities includes charging HOA fees to all residents. This money is used for keeping the property well-maintained and desirable.  However, not all HOAs manage communities in the same ways, and some will increase the dues regularly, even if you don’t think it is necessary. This article will give you tips on handling raising HOA fees and any steps you can take to prevent it from happening unfairly.  What Are Homeowners Association (HOA) Fees? Homeowners association fees refer to the amount of money th ..read more