Running an effective homeowners association takes a lot of work. HOA boards are made up of volunteers who often have other responsibilities outside of their board service. Plus, they may have limited knowledge when it comes to accounting, legal issues, insurance, or vendor management. Partnering with an HOA management company such as Kuester can provide associations with the guidance and support they need to operate as efficiently and effectively as possible.
But what is an HOA management company, and what do they do?
First and foremost, it is critical to understand that HOA management companies do not make decisions for the HOA. This is the job of the board. The management company may provide resources or insight to help the board make a decision, but their role is to carry out or enforce the rules, not create them.
Here are a just a few of the ways management companies help HOA communities:
- Enforcing rules: Each community has a list of rules and expectations that must be followed. HOA managers ensure that all members remain in compliance and send out violation notices if rules are broken. It is up to the board to decide what the consequences are, however.
- Managing collections: Every homeowner is expected to pay dues, and the management company typically collects these funds, deposits them into the HOA’s accounts, and sends out reminders about overdue payments. They can also generate financial reports for review by the board.
- Disseminating communications: The management company can work with the board to develop and distribute communications about upcoming events, changes to rules or regulations, important reminders, meeting notices, and much more.
- Assisting with meetings: A lot of work goes into planning board meetings, but a property manager can help. They can assist with setting the time and location, drafting and distributing the agenda, taking minutes, and overseeing elections.
- Overseeing vendors: The HOA employs the help of numerous vendors to take care of the community’s needs, including landscaping, maintenance, pool management, renovations, and security. A property manager can serve as a key point of contact for vendors and ensure that contracts are being properly executed. They can also solicit bids for new vendors so that the board can review its options.
- Providing information to homeowners: The board can get bogged down with members asking for copies of the rules and regulations, meeting minutes, newsletters, architectural review forms, and other documents. Or, they may have basic questions about HOA operations or their responsibilities. A property manager can handle many of these requests and allow the board to focus on more important issues that cannot be delegated.
In addition, the HOA management company can provide general oversight of the property to make sure it is always looking its best, and any problems are quickly resolved or brought to the board’s attention. If your board could benefit from professional assistance with day-to-day activities and guidance when it comes to complying with governing documents and state or federal regulations, it may be beneficial to partner with an HOA management company. Contact Kuester today to find out how we can help.
