HOAleader.com - Practical Advice on Homeowner Association Management

HOA Pet Rules & Required Accommodations: The Facts About Comfort Animals

Is Fido a medical necessity, or are we being taken for chumps? That's the question HOA board members are asking themselves as a growing number of owners claim that their beloved pet isn't a

Love Thy Neighbor? Owners in HOAs Tell All

Your neighbors are a huge factor in whether your home becomes your haven or your hell. Here, homeowners dish about the neighbors who've done things to make their lives better and those who've been so unneighborly that they wish they'd just move away.

Homeowner Harasses HOA Manager--and Pays the Price

In March, a judge held a Southern California homeowner in contempt for violating a restraining order obtained by his homeowners association after the owner relentlessly harassed his association's managers. Here's the back story, and what you should watch out for in your condo or HOA.

Does Your HOA Have Unwritten "House Rules"?

We recently talked to two experts about the problems condos and homeowners associations run into when they rely on unwritten "house rules". If your HOA is in this position, this week's tip is specially for you.

HOA Rules: Don't Let Your HOA Board Get Caught in the Trap of Relying on Unwritten "House Rules

It's common for HOA boards to try to enforce "house rules" that are unwritten but have supposedly been followed since the beginning of time. Two experts explain why doing so is likely to come back to haunt you--and how to fix the situation if this has been a common practice at your condo or homeowners association.

Don't Waive Your Right To Enforce Your HOA's Rules

If you have rules, use them or lose them. "Waiver" is a basic idea in contract law. It means that if you regularly let contract violations pass without complaint, you can't later try to enforce those provisions.

Master Homeowners Associations: Is Your HOA Its Own Master?

Imagine your surprise. You buy a home in a community knowing full well that you'll become a member of your local homeowners association only to learn that your homeowners association is really a subassociation and you're bound to follow the rules of a bigger "master" association. Here's a primer on master associations and how masters and subassociations, often called "subs," interact.

HOA Policies: Do You Have Today's Must-have Policies?

Attorneys who specialize in representing associations say there are some policies your association can't go without. Here are just a few.

Creating Successful Payment Plans for Delinquent Owners: Step One

If you're willing to work with delinquent homeowners, make sure you create a plan that protects your HOA and that homeowners are likely to follow.

HOA Finances: Payment Plan Dos and Don'ts

Sometimes it pays to be nice, and that can be especially true when you've got delinquent owners. Not all people behind in their assessments are lazy deadbeats. Often, setting up a repayment plan is the best solution for your condo or homeowners association and the indebted homeowners.

Sample HOA Collection Policy

Here's an example of wording in an HOA collection policy. Before adopting similar language, be sure to run it by your attorney to ensure it complies with your state law and your governing documents.

Sample HOA Deductible Policy

Here's an example of wording in a deductible policy. Before adopting similar language, be sure to run it by your attorney to ensure it complies with your state law and your governing documents.

Do You Have Squatters in Your Homeowners Association?

Take Back the Land is candid about what it calls its "housing liberation movement." Other groups are acting more secretively. The goal of all of these types of groups, however, is to break into houses abandoned as a result of today's foreclosure crisis and move in homeless families, with many of them returning to the very homes they've lost through foreclosure.

How One Woman Helped Rescue Her Condo Association--and Hit Hard Times Herself

Several years after leading the charge to turn her condo association from a financial disaster into a financial success, Lyletta Robinson's fortunes have turned. Now, a few of her fellow owners consider her a "bad neighbor" because an 11-month unemployment stint forced her to fall behind on assessments. Here's the story of how Robinson spearheaded the turnaround of her association and her thoughts on her current "bad girl" status.

Should Your HOA Have Board Member Orientation?

Does your condo or homeowners association give an orientation to board members? Should it? We recently asked several experts about this topic.

HOA Board Member Orientation: Help New Board Members Hit the Ground Running

Here's what to cover in your new-board member orientation.

Pets and HOAs: Have You Seen These Pet Problems?

Insiders reveal the most common--and the most unusual--pet problems they've seen at homeowners associations. They also offer tips for resolving pet issues at your HOA.

Switching HOA Management Companies: How to Do It Right

If you think it's time to change from your current HOA management company to a new one, be aware of the issues that can arise during the transition, and weigh the work necessary to resolve current problems against the difficulties of transitioning.

HOA Rules: Smart Rules for Home-based Businesses

In today's economy, more and more laid off workers may turn entrepreneurial, using home-based businesses to make ends meet. That may be bad news for your condo or homeowners association if tensions rise over home-based businesses that make your quiet neighborhood seem more like a commercial strip. Here's what you must know about home-based businesses to ensure they don't change the character of your community.

Tensions Between HOA Boards and Managers: The Managers' Perspective

A homeowners association manager offers the management side of the story, explaining what you should expect from your manager, steps you can take to fix problems, and when your HOA should finally walk.