FAQs
A homeowner's association is created by the community's developer as an entity to uphold the community's deed restrictions and maintain any neighborhood common area or grounds such as entrances, parks, pools, etc. Not all associations have a common area, but most do. After the development and sale period, anywhere from a few months to multiple years, the Board of Directors is elected from amongst the homeowners to govern the HOA.
Each homeowner also pays a portion of the costs to maintain the shared spaces and manage the community. Typical HOA costs are insurance, management, postage, and cost to conduct business of the association, pool maintenance, playgrounds maintenance, landscape maintenance, community events, etc. These expenses vary community to community widely.
HOA fees vary widely based on the costs of the association. Some associations may have fees that are only $100 per year, and others may be several hundred dollars per month or even more. Condos and townhomes are likely to have higher HOA fees due to the costs of maintaining a shared building, higher insurance costs, etc. Larger communities with more amenities and programs will likely have higher maintenance fees.
In general, HOAs help ensure owners are properly caring for their homes, and that a consistent look and feel is maintained throughout a given neighborhood. This can include regulating what color you can paint your house, or how often you should mow your lawn. Specific rules will be outlined in the governing documents which can be viewed upon request before purchasing a home.
The group of people assigned to run an HOA and act on the community's behalf is called the board of directors. A board is composed of volunteers from the community who are elected to their positions by other association members. Volunteers serving on the HOA board are known as board members, and every board has four central officer positions:
President
Vice president
Treasurer
Secretary
Sellers must disclose to buyers that the home is part of an HOA. However, the best way to find out for yourself is to contact the county recorder's office and look up the deed for the address.
Generally speaking, the HOA fees for single-family homes go towards the maintenance and upkeep of common areas, like shared parks, pools, and other areas. For condos and townhomes, fees include insurance and maintenance for buildings with shared walls.
A quorum is the minimum number of residents needed to hold a meeting. Established to ensure all decisions reflect the majority, meeting a quorum is critical whenever the board wants to facilitate official business, change rules, or vote on new officers.
Paid by all residents, HOA assessments, sometimes called fees, are dues collected monthly, quarterly, or yearly. These fees go towards association operations like insurance, landscaping, maintenance and the funding of reserves.