Moving to a new home may have only rated a 20 on the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale – that 70s-era psychological study in which researchers related common life stressors to illness – but anyone who’s moved knows that it’s never easy. Packing and unpacking, new schools, new jobs, upended schedules and routines, too much […]
How does an HOA collect during this volatile economic time? Nana says, “You Get More Flies With Honey Than You Get With Vinegar” We know and may have personally experienced the economic downturn of the past few years. When the downturn hit, many families were literally choosing which bill to pay and which bill to […]
It’s hard to believe that 1995 – the year we said goodbye to everything from “Full House” to Operation Desert Storm, and hello to “Toy Story,” the World Trade Organization, and a little online bookseller called Amazon – was twenty years ago. But we’re ready to embrace the passage of time, because 1995 is also […]
HOA Community management: the job may not be glamorous, but community managers just might be the unsung heroes of the real estate and property management worlds. Think about it – a good HOA community manager plays a huge part in the safety, comfort, living arrangements, and finances of large groups of people. If they’re not doing […]
Whew! That’s what you call getting down to business. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, along with the Arizona legislature, recently jumped headfirst into what the Arizona Republic called a “whirlwind 81-day session” with a $9.1 billion budget. The result? More than 300 – yes, you’re reading that right – new laws on the books. Technically, they’ve […]
“There’s no business like show business, but there are several businesses like accounting.” That’s talk show host pioneer David Letterman, who recently left his post at “Late Night,” joking about the oft-maligned work of accounting. And though he’s not the only comedian to make wisecracks about it, the truth is that accounting is a vitally […]
Managing the collections process of your homeowners association can be a dicey undertaking when unpaid dues increase in frequency (or length of delinquency). However, if you self-manage your HOA collections, it’s especially important that the process is done, and done well. If there’s one thing that will make your homeowners angry, it’s the delinquent dues […]
Got Noise? A Guide to Handling Noise Disturbances in the HOA The 2 a.m. blast of music coming from an adjacent home, the constant yapping coming from a neighbor’s adorable but excitable dog, the loud peacock (yes, we’ve had complaints of this before!), the click-clack of high heels on marble that comes from the upstairs […]
Why should my HOA complete a Reserve Study? A reserve study is a budget planning tool. It reviews the major capital systems in the homeowners association. The study evaluates how much life is left and how much items are likely to cost when they wear out. It calculates how much money the HOA needs to […]
When (and why) does an HOA use a consent agenda? First, let’s define consent agenda: A consent agenda enables HOA members to vote on a block of items that are noncontroversial without a lot of discussion. They are useful to free up valuable time during your board meeting. What belongs on a consent agenda? Typical […]