Of the 74 million Americans living in HOAs, just a small percentage actually decide to become major decision-makers in their communities.
Being a part of an HOA brings with it a number of perks, from increased property values to safe community living. When you join your HOA board, you get to see how much work goes into it.
There's nothing easy about being on an HOA board. You've got to be able to balance tasks while maintaining relationships with your neighbors.
Most people aren't cut out to be HOA board members, but if you want to make a positive change, it might be the perfect move. Keep reading and learn what it entails.
1. HOA Board Accounting
One of the most important tasks for an HOA board is to collect HOA fees from every member of the community. These fees are integral to maintaining and improving the community in a variety of ways. Everyone is responsible for paying their fees for the greater good of the HOA.
This is just one aspect of accounting, however. If you're appointed treasurer, you'll need to prepare annual budgets, manage financial records, file the association's taxes, and oversee a variety of other financial matters.
You'll also need to inform homeowners when fees go up and why. Transparency is important in an HOA - members should never be wondering where their fees are going.
2. Enforcing HOA Rules
Living in an HOA comes with a set of rules for everyone in the community. It might involve parking in designated areas, keeping noise down after certain times, and caring for common spaces.
Sadly, there are always community members that don't feel that rules apply to them. These people can be tricky to deal with, but that's exactly what an HOA board member must do. Often, this can create tension between neighbors, which needs to be resolved in a peaceful manner.
Rule enforcement is one of the main reasons why HOA boards will decide to hire outside management. When a third party is the one enforcing the rules, it allows for more harmony in the community.
3. Dealing With Vendors
Last, but definitely not least, HOA board members need to coordinate with vendors to make sure the community is cared for. Well-maintained common spaces-parks, sidewalks, recreational areas, etc. - are a major reason why people like to live in HOA communities.
If you fall behind on maintenance, not only are community members going to complain, but it can actually make your community less desirable. When this becomes a long-term problem, property values can actually decrease.
Having good relationships with local vendors will prevent this from happening. You'll need to coordinate when vendors are scheduled to come, keep up with vendor contracts, and put in special service calls when homeowners make requests.
How HOA Management Can Help
If being a part of an HOA board sounds like a lot of work, that's because it is. Fortunately, you don't need to deal with all of this when you hire a property management company to help. They'll work alongside the HOA board to ensure everything is taken care of on a fundamental level.
One of the best Jacksonville HOA management services in the country comes from PMI Property Management. Contact us today to find out about our services and how we can help your community.
