HOA Management Blog

As homeowner association annual budget items go, those related to the association’s swimming pool, when totaled, are typically the largest expense category. Individual budget categories, such as pool chemicals, pool furniture and lifeguards can add up substantially. While the pool management contractor expense is often thought off, obscure other expenditures may not be so evident....

We learned, one hopes and expects, from the 2008 Subprime Mortgage Crisis and the resulting deep recession known as the Great Recession. The ramifications of this crisis were so dramatic to the overall economy that one would believe this would resonate for generations to come. This crisis impacted all homeowner associations. If the overall home...

Water rates between 2010 and 2015 increased by 41% according to circleofblue.org. Reasons for this increase vary from the replacement costs of the aging water infrastructure to that raising water rates is less controversial than raising property taxes. Another reason for increases is reportedly the reduction in water consumption by the government-mandated water reduction regulations....

Reserves for homeowner associations are funds set aside for future capital improvements or repairs. The purpose of reserve funding is to ensure that the future expenses are paid by those who enjoyed the benefit of the capital item. A reserve study is a formal review of the capital items and related infrastructure of the HOA....

There is no typical homeowner association irrigation system. Some homeowner associations will have systems at their front entrance. Others will have irrigation systems at their clubhouse and other common areas. Some homeowner associations even have their entire property covered by an irrigation system. Compounding this, there are different system configurations with different types of sprinkler...

A loss run report may be one of the least known components of an HOA's insurance policy. However, this report can be the costliest of almost all other factors affecting the expenses of an HOA. Being that a loss run report can cost your HOA many thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars if...

The topic of HOA message boards comes up from time to time. Usually this arises at a board meeting or during the HOA's annual membership meeting. What precipitates this topic is the concern about communication within the HOA.   A message board (also known as a discussion group, discussion forum, discussion board, and online forum)...

Bank loans may be a consideration when HOAs look to secure funding for a capital improvement or an emergency repair. While many times loans are viewed in a negative light as taking on debt, loans can grant breathing room to an HOA with budgetary constraints. Sound reason and judgment should be exercised in taking on...

We have HOA clients with ponds that were in place before the HOA was formed and ponds that were created by the developer for fishing, irrigation, wildlife, and water runoff. What all ponds have in common is they almost all require regular maintenance, even if the pond is doing no more than enhancing the appearance...