Property Walk-Throughs
Summer is a great time to do a walk-through of your properties—the weather is nice, and the green landscape allows you to clearly see what needs work or improvement. When doing a walk-through, pay attention to the following parts of the landscape: Shrubs—do they need trimming? Are they uniform? Grass—is there an irrigation system in […]
What Makes a Great HOA Board Member?
HOA board members take on a lot of responsibility, and it’s important for your board to be made up of qualified individuals. Whether you’re voting for new members or want to serve as one, here are some traits that make a great HOA board member. Enjoy Volunteering First of all, board members need to enjoy […]
Board Tip: Tabling vs. Postponing Agenda Items
While each HOA may conduct business differently, a standard procedure for board meetings is essential to optimize efficiency and productivity, commonly known as Parliamentary Procedure. Some boards use Robert’s Rules of Order to create the meeting format, agendas, motions, and floor discussion, while others create their own procedures. But, even with a solid structure to […]
Summer Construction: Protecting Your Investment
Living in Minnesota, we’re all too familiar with construction in the summertime. After a freezing Winter and rainy Spring, asphalt is ridden with cracks and potholes. Spring and Summer storms can result in serious roof and siding damage. Repaving or remodeling can seem like a real hassle; however, that construction is important to protecting your […]
Understanding Your Wind and Hail Deductible
Hailstorms are an HOAs biggest risk, especially in Minnesota. Here, hailstorms tend to be so damaged that the losses incurred make insuring townhome and condo associations extremely difficult for insurance companies. Wind and hail losses are much more difficult to prevent than other damaging risks like fire and mold. Due to the instances of hailstorms […]
Make a Plan Before Storm Damage Happens
Is your homeowners association prepared to face bad weather? With storm season approaching, it’s important to have a management plan in place before potential property damage happens. The old adage, “Hope for the best but prepare for the worst,” is good advice to follow during storm season in the Midwest. Before the storms roll in, […]
Reviewing Your Dues
Goods and services go up over time. Doing an annual maintenance plan and having a reserve study done every few years will help your board understand what should be charged for dues each month to adequately fund your HOA. The other part of the equation is accounting for inflation of goods and services year-over-year. Opening […]
Updating Governing Documents
A new year is nearly upon us. That means it’s time for HOAs to conduct their annual review of governing documents. As your board takes on this task, there are some key elements to address. Areas to Review in Governing Documents Developer/declarant rights. If your HOA is new, it important to understand what declarant control […]
Maintenance Plan Review
Maintenance plans are very important to the value of each owner’s property in an HOA. We first covered this topic in March of 2020 (read here), but it is worth reviewing again as the year draws to a close. An annual plan to address both regular maintenance like fence repairs/upkeep is critical, but each HOA […]
Welcome Packets and Your HOA
A welcome packet is a nice way to make new families in your HOA feel at home and provide them with handy information about your community. Some ideas regarding items to include are: Welcome letter. It would be expected for a welcome packet to contain a welcome letter from the HOA community. This letter can […]