Glossophobia, also known as the fear of public speaking, is something that many people experience. If you’re part of the homeowners association (HOA) board — where the ability to communicate is crucial to fulfilling your duties — it can be scary and intimidating to overcome this fear. Keep in mind that public speaking is a…
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What are HOA assessments, and why do homeowners have to pay for them? That’s a question that crosses the minds of some homeowners, given they are already contributing to community management in the form of regular monthly HOA fees. Most homeowners do understand to an extent that homeowners association assessments, on top of HOA dues,…
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For an HOA board with a lot of questions, hiring a property management company can be a great way to iron out any issues or uncertainties. Sometimes, though, board members want to do their own research and educate themselves further on running an HOA. For these instances, there are some great online resources for HOA…
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What is an architectural review committee or ARC? It’s the HOA body that enforces the architectural community standards in your neighborhoods and developments, to keep them uniform and visually standardized to a reasonable extent. A resident that wants to make a change or addition to their property may need to secure approval from an HOA…
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Many states require an HOA board to set aside comment time for each member to speak during open meetings, including North Carolina. While this a great feature to have in your HOA because it gives each member a voice and opinion about the community they live in, you’ll also want to have an understanding of…
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Homeowners associations (HOA) have many responsibilities when it comes to protecting the assets of the community. Using the best accounting method for HOAs comes along with that engagement. Before putting any of that into practice, however, you must first understand the three methods of HOA accounting and then learn about the best accounting method for…
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At a glance, it can be hard to tell whether an HOA community is being run well. Sure, everything looks good on the outside — the sidewalks are clean, amenities are well-maintained, and the landscaping is beautiful. But, looks can be deceiving, especially if they are outward appearances. From an insider’s perspective, things could be…
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If you’re running your homeowners’ association (HOA) like a business, it’s important to conduct performance reviews on all your employees, especially your HOA manager. While nobody really likes being scrutinized, routine evaluations are a healthy practice. It’s an opportunity for the board to be open about their expectations and provide valuable feedback that your HOA…
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You’re about to call a new landscaping company to book their services when, suddenly, a fellow board member stops you. He says you collectively decided during the last meeting to keep your current vendor for landscaping services. However, you remember the discussion going differently. Neither of you budges and the argument reaches an impasse because…
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Part of the American dream is to become successful enough to purchase your own house. However, for a variety of reasons, you may want to rent it out to someone else. It’s not uncommon, though there may be more hoops to jump through — such as HOA rules for renters — when your property is…
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