Hope Rocks
We recently attended the 2021 annual Hope Rocks event, a fundraiser gala that supports Faith’s Lodge. Faith’s Lodge supports parents and families coping with the death or medically complex condition of a child. At Faith’s Lodge, these families can escape to a peaceful environment and spend time with others who are going through similar experiences. We are proud to have donated $10,000 to this amazing, life-changing organization.
The Responsibility of an HOA Management Company
Sometimes, the roles of an HOA and an HOA management company can get confusing. Questions about what we do are common, and the answer varies depending on each association and their needs. Some associations need help in certain areas, while others need full-service management. Here’s a quick look into our two service packages: Financial-Only Services Assessment collections Budget preparation Accounts payable Accounts receivable Reserve transfers and management Tax prep assistance Resale disclosures Coupon book management Free banking Full Service Plan If your HOA needs a full-service plan, the above services are offered, in addition to: Meeting coordination Maintenance requests (mostly light work) Vendor negotiations Enforcing rules and regulations Insurance reviews Newsletter creation Builder transitions Communication services (board e-mail) Spring inspections Contractor bidding A dedicated community manager For a full list of financial-only vs full-service packages, check out the chart on our website. Sharper Management handles the details so that you can enjoy living in your home. Give us a call today to discuss our services!
Budget Season: Prepping for Spring
Many outdoor maintenance services are slowing down or stopping due to cold temperatures and winter being right around the corner, so now is the time to start budgeting for spring maintenance and repairs. If your board performed a property walk-through this summer, you’ll know what will need attention once the snow melts. If your roads, parking lots, or pathways weren’t in the best condition before fall came, they’ll only be worse when it warms up again. Due to the freeze-thaw effect, any cracks or potholes in the pavement will expand, causing further damage to the asphalt. Many paving companies honor 2021 pricing if your association signs now, but the work can’t be done until 2022. Proposals should also be requested for repairs to outdoor structures like fencing, decks, roofing, and siding. Winter storms may also damage structures that were in good shape before, so get in touch with a contractor immediately after to get it repaired in the spring. Big repairs aren’t the only type of maintenance that should be budgeted for—regular maintenance, such as lawn care, also requires your attention. Are you sticking with your current lawn mower contractor? Do you have a company doing landscaping and tree care, or is that also something you need for the spring? Anything that requires regular maintenance should be discussed. If budget is truly an issue for your HOA, prepare contracts for the most pressing repairs first. Review last year’s financial reports—are there other areas you can cut back in to allow for more money to go toward maintenance? When you’re budgeting this winter, don’t hesitate to reach out to Sharper Management for vendor referrals or any other questions!
Winter Prep: Snow Removal Contractors
Minnesota winters can be pretty unpredictable, but your snow removal rules shouldn’t be. Don’t wait until the first snowfall to have your snow removal contracts set in place—the specifics need to be created ahead of time so that you aren’t flooded with questions and concerns about policies. If you don’t have a snow removal contract in place yet, now is the time to do so. But, what does the contract include? The services performed. Your contract should include what services the contractor will be doing for the community, as well as what the homeowners themselves should be doing. The snow removal company will be responsible for cleaning roads, pathways, and parking lots, but it’s up to the board to decide if residents should shovel their own sidewalks and driveways. Timing. When will the company come to remove snow? Many companies require at least two inches of snow in order to come remove it, but discuss this with your contractor, as they may have different requirements. Cost. Some companies charge a fixed amount for each time they come to remove snow, while others charge per hour. It’s difficult to predict what our upcoming winter will be like, but if it’s anything like the past few winters, a fixed price may be the better way to go. Liability information. If the contractor falls on ice and hurts themselves, you need to know who is legally responsible. The company themselves should have proper insurance for instances like these. Pre-treatment services. We recommend that you choose a company that offers pre-treatment services, like salting the roads before an upcoming storm. This is typically done a day or two before the storm hits and can reduce the chances of accidents. Contact information. When the weather is unpredictable, you need to be able to reach the company 24/7. In addition to their regular office number, make sure you have a number for emergency services. We certainly hope for a mild winter, but if we’re in for a rough season, make sure to hire a snow removal company that you can count on
Board Meetings: Virtual or In-Person?
After a year and a half of virtual meetings, many HOA boards are going back to in-person now that COVID-19 vaccines are widely available. In October, many meetings will involve homeowners as well, as the fall is a common time for board elections. If you’re on the fence about whether your meetings should be held virtually or in-person, here are a few things to consider that will help inform your decision. Virtual: Pros and Cons Pros: More people can attend. Virtual meetings allow people to log on just a few minutes before the meeting starts, rather than having to worry about getting to the in-person meeting on time if they have a busy schedule. Immunocompromised individuals or those who don’t feel comfortable attending in-person can still be part of the meeting. Information can be shared easily with screen-sharing, and attendees can take screenshots of important points. Cons: There’s chances of technical difficulties, like internet connection. It can be harder to keep the attendees’ attention. Without that in-person interaction and physical presence, attention span drops. Talking over each other can become an issue. Even with an organized agenda, slight lags in video can cause attendees to talk over each other without realizing. In-Person: Pros and Cons Pros: Better connections can be formed. Residents want to get to know their board members, and this is easier to do when meetings are face-to-face. It’s more organized. Communication is better, agendas are clear, and the meeting can still run even if there’s a technical difficulty along the way. Attention is improved. Since the chance to do work or shop online is eliminated with an in-person meeting, you have the full attention of attendees. Cons: It’s not as inclusive. Those who are not comfortable attending in-person get left out of the conversation if virtual isn’t an option. It takes more time. In-person meetings tend to take longer—some think that in order for the meeting to be worthwhile for in-person attendees, it has to be long. This isn’t true, however, but it can be hard to shake that mindset. Attendance may not be as high. Some people don’t have the time to get to a meeting after work or other commitments, whereas attending virtually can be done up to the last minute and not cause any disruptions. So, how do you make the decision? If possible, give attendees the option. Meetings can be held in-person while still allowing people to attend virtually. This is typically done on a large screen so that in-person attendees can still see and hear those online. If you do make the call to go in-person, be safe. Practice social distancing and provide masks and hand sanitizer to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. Lead by a team of industry experts, Sharper Management is proud of both the caliber of clients that we serve and the Minnesota marketplace that we call home.