1. Make sure your walkways are safe

Walkways during the colder winter months can be a real hazardous zone if not properly taken care of. As icy, snowy and wet walkway surfaces can get really slippery, the members of your community can be in danger of bad falls. In order to prevent this from happening, make sure to always have enough salt to use on icy walkways. Regular cleaning and “watch out” signs should also be a part of your routine. In case you live in an area with lots of snow, make sure that the snow removal equipment is ready. It would also be helpful to have contact information of professional snow and ice removal services, too; just to be on the safe side.

2. Check whether there are some cold rooms

One of the must-do HOA winter practices includes the regular checkups of rooms that may have the potential for becoming unusually cold. In general, electrical rooms, rooms used for storage, cables, gadgets, etc. as well as parking spaces can have their temperature drop dangerously low. Make sure to notify your management company about this issue as soon as you notice it. In case you don’t have a management company, it’s paramount that you take the necessary measures. In the case of neglect, cold rooms can cause all sorts of problems and damage such as false alarms, pipes freezing, issues with HVAC, and so on.  If you’re quick and efficient to solve these problems, your residents will be happy and satisfied as well; not to mention safer.

3. Stay open and transparent in your communication with the residents

If you want to keep your community safe with effective HOA winter practices, you have to remember that your residents need to be informed about potential weather risks, too. Not only that, but it would be extremely helpful and effective to hold lectures that would deal with the basic safety measures during the unfavorable elements. What’s more, keep them notified about the potential safety issues over emails. Also, make sure that your HOA’s social media page is regularly updated. Of course, stay open and transparent when finances are concerned, especially in regards to your safety plans. In the end, it’s essential that everyone in your community understands all of the regulated safety plans.

Don’t wait for winter time to arrive to talk to your residents and HOA members about the potential issues, safety plans, and necessary HOA winter practices. Being prepared in advance also means more time to enjoy the holidays and relax at one’s home when it’s too cold outside. Having a management company assist you would be a great deal of help, so don’t hesitate to give us a call at Boom Properties. We will make sure that your property and community management issues are well taken care of.

The post 3 Main HOA Winter Practices to Keep Everyone Safe appeared first on Boom Properties.

Check and inspect your HOA repair needs

Repairs, improvements, and replacements will always be necessary. The more amenities and common areas you have in your HOA, the financial needs will get bigger. However, you don’t want to settle for anything less than what your community deserves. In that respect, making the most out of your repair resources should undoubtedly be one of your HOA board New Year resolutions. If you’re not too keen on budgeting yourself so that you can accumulate the resources, you can always make use of HOA management companies.

Go through the governing documents again

Why not use this year to have everyone read or remind themselves about the association’s governing documents? After all, many people have never read this, while some new rule changes can always come as a surprise. This is why it’s always better to create an opportunity for your board members to actually read these. It will also refresh your memory. What’s more, when everyone is familiar with the governing documents and the general board rules, you will find it easier to complete various tasks related to your community’s benefits.

Consider forming HOA Committees

If your last year was mostly filled with concern since board members couldn’t find the time to deal with their board duties and you’ve been burnt out as a leader, maybe you should try something new. It’s only natural that board members have to think about their jobs and families first, which is why forming new HOA committees may be the most helpful thing to do. You can even recruit new active members who will assist you with various issues.

Seize the opportunities to boost board knowledge

Educating your board members more when it comes to their skills and knowledge can really come in handy. Of course, the first ones to benefit from this will be the HOA board members themselves. But, this truly is one of the very important HOA board New Year resolutions as it will also leave room for the homeowners to improve and better their own community as well.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at Boom Properties if you decide to seek professional management help!

The post HOA Board New Year Resolutions You Should Keep appeared first on Boom Properties.

You need to know your goals

As a part of your HOA management and growth process, you should definitely calculate the necessary time for social media activity. This will include the content posting schedule as well as the time needed for comment and messages responses. Most importantly, you should have a user-friendly community website that will be linked to your social media channels. Each channel should have its own specific goals as well as a target audience that you need to establish before you start posting and engaging.

It may be necessary to think about hiring a social media manager. After all, once you analyze all the essential steps and goals that come with using social media for growing your HOA, you will be able to see whether this will be possible to achieve on your own, or you’ll have to get a professional to assist you.

Start slowly

If you’re not used to utilizing social media, there’s nothing wrong with starting slowly. This is especially important for those of you who also have a bit of social media anxiety. There’s really no need to force yourself to use too many platforms. After all, Facebook and Twitter are more than enough to start. Not to mention that these two social media channels are generally must-haves in the social media world. That said, growing your audience and HOA on Facebook as well as hashtagging on Twitter can make all the difference for your community.

Make the most out of your blog

In order to utilize social media for growing your HOA, you need to share interesting content. Some of the content has to belong to you. In that respect, sharing the pieces from your own blog will definitely come in handy. Not only will a blog on your website boost your SEO, but you’ll get to make the most out of it when it comes to social media platforms and audience engagement as well. Don’t hesitate to link whatever organization you’re mentioning in your articles and stories. That way, your active blog will help the community, too.

Build your online community

One of the many social media benefits involves the possibility to expand your circle of friends. When it comes to using social media for growing your HOA, this can be irreplaceable. After all, engaging with your audience online via Facebook, Twitter, etc. also means that you’ll be able to focus on your target group, thus building a true online community that will support you.

Building your online presence with the help of social media may take some time, but it will definitely pay off in the long run. If your ultimate goal is to grow your HOA community, you should do your best to utilize social media channels with complete transparency. Feel free to get in touch with us at Boom Properties if you need some professional assistance with community and property management.

The post The Importance of Social Media for Growing Your HOA appeared first on Boom Properties.

1. Encourage garden growing

Obviously, not everyone can grow their own herb and veggie garden. Still, you should do your best to encourage this green project as much as possible. Not only will this lead to an environmentally conscious HOA and community, but it will also act as an effective hobby for the people involved. After all, gardening can be very beneficial for both physical and mental health. Of course, no one expects people to grow everything in their small gardens. But things like carrots, tomatoes, rosemary, oregano, and mint can be more than enough. What’s more, these herbs and veggies can be grown indoors as well. Take the time to encourage the members of your community properly to take up gardening, as it’s very easy to get started. But, learning more about the whole process will definitely help with the eco-friendliness of the HOA, and possibly boost your curb appeal.

2. Try to compost

Even though it may sound complicated at first, composting can be very simple with the right kind of practice. Just make sure to follow the rules and you’ll all easily enrich the looks of your gardens. Essentially, you can make compost by depositing all of the organic waste from your kitchen in special composting bins. Mix these with all the waste bits that you can find in your yard such as leaves and debris. The bin should be positioned somewhere with plenty of sunlight, with ventilation holes. If you’re interested in teaching people more about composting so that they can enrich their home gardens, and create an environmentally conscious HOA along the way, you may want to hold workshops within the community for everyone to join in and have fun.

3. Make use of solar power

It’s perfectly understandable that switching to solar energy completely is far from possible for many communities. However, you don’t have to transition at once. For starters, investing into solar panels that will only be used for the main communal areas is definitely a great way to start building an eco-friendlier community. Outdoor locations should always be properly lit. But if you have some shared buildings and institutions, try to use solar power for their indoor lighting as well. In the end, if solar power is absolutely out of question, for now, you can still insist on energy efficient light bulbs such as LED and CFL. Not only that, but encourage the homeowners to use these bulbs in their own homes as well.

Always strive to make the best out of what you have. This approach won’t only make everyone in your community happy, but, in this case, it will also help the environment. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at Boom Properties if you need any help with HOA and property management.

The post 3 Easy Steps towards an Environmentally Conscious HOA appeared first on Boom Properties.

You don’t have a special committee

When you constantly witness HOA management’s lack of communication and the way it affects the board members, you may find yourself in a tricky situation with no one to turn to for help. This is where a special committee that will deal precisely with these issues can be essential. For instance, this special committee can be responsible for sending newsletters and online updates to all the members and send the necessary info back to the HOA manager. In that respect, you will have a proper communication that goes both ways without the members and the management actually having to discuss things face-to-face. Not only are you saving time but you’re also boosting the efficiency of HOA’s work by catering to people who may not find it that easy to speak openly otherwise.

Important issues are not communicated

One of the biggest issues that stem from HOA management’s lack of communication has everything to do with the matter of importance in regards to the HOA agenda. Basically, failing to notify the members and residents of very big and impactful changes in the community can only worsen your relationship. Everyone in your community has to receive a proper notice about any update that will directly affect their lives, especially if those updates have something to do with finances and general board operations.

The lack of proper assistance

HOA management’s lack of communication can lead to a lack of proper assistance when necessary as well. Essentially, you can’t do everything on your own. HOA management companies as well as contractors, lawyers, and others are all there to help you make your community a better place because this is not a one-man operation. Open communication is an absolute must if your goal is the general betterment and happiness of every member of your community. And if you fail to communicate your needs and actually try to deal with all the different HOA aspects on your own, you’ll only have to deal with much bigger damage later on.

Need help with managing your HOA? Don’t hesitate to give us a call at Boom Properties. Also, try your best to improve communication with your board members and residents, and everyone else involved in the HOA. Being open with others will only make your life easier. Not to mention that you’ll also appear trustworthy and diligent.

The post The Biggest Issues Caused by the HOA Management’s Lack of Communication appeared first on Boom Properties.

Change the meeting hour

It’s not uncommon for HOA board meetings to take place in the evening after work hours. This truly seems logical as it’s more likely for all HOA board members to attend during this time of day. However, this also means that everyone’s concentration and energy levels will be rather low. Try your best to schedule your meetings during the day, even if you have to do it during the weekends. The more focused you all are the faster different issues will be resolved.

Prepare the board members

If you want to keep your HOA board meetings under one hour, it’s not enough to just prepare for the meeting yourself; you have to prepare the members as well. This is a rather simple practice which can make a huge difference. Remember to send a detailed itinerary to the members so that everyone’s aware of the pressing issues that need to be discussed without distractions.

Follow a schedule

Together with the itinerary, you send out to the board members, it would be useful to add a specific time frame for every topic of discussion. That way, everyone will be aware of how much time you expect the discussions to last. And if anyone has something more to add, they can email you before the meeting.

One important topic at a time

You can’t expect people to be motivated or focused enough to discuss several different and very important topics during just one meeting. There are always things to fix when it comes to HOA, but not all of these things are pressing. Therefore, reserve just one hot topic per one meeting so that the hottest issues are more effectively solved.

Step up when necessary

Board president or community association manager can also help keep your HOA board meetings under one hour. Don’t hesitate to encourage them to break the conversation if necessary in order to get back on track. It’s not uncommon for these meetings to last a long time simply because the discussions drifted off from the main topic completely.

Keep track of time

Another useful practice for holding hour-long board meetings involves keeping track of time. Have someone mark the time that was spent discussing each topic on the schedule for every meeting. This will give the members a better understanding of how they should use their time during these meetings, while the community will also have a better insight in how the issues are being solved and discussed at the meetings.

Need professional help with your HOA and property management? Then don’t hesitate to give us a call at Boom Properties! We will help you aim for the efficient, happy and engaging community!

The post How to Keep Your HOA Board Meetings under One Hour appeared first on Boom Properties.

Rules shouldn’t be changed too often

If homeowners in your association have trouble following the rules properly, even though they actually try, the main reason for this may be the frequent change of the rules themselves. Of course, sometimes, changes will be necessary. But it’s important that you introduce the homeowners to these changes slowly and gradually. Now, if the rules change too often, it’s no wonder that people will find it hard to keep track of them all.

Simplicity is the way to go

If you want to help homeowners follow the HOA rules properly, you should try to make the rules as simple as possible. This means that your responsibility is to take the existing rules and formulate them in a way that everyone can easily understand. Go through the rules to see whether there are some that are really difficult to grasp with an unnecessarily complex explanation and simplify them.

Be consistent with enforcing the rules

Enforcing the rules doesn’t have to be unpleasant, but you have to keep in mind that the change should always start with the board. So, if the board didn’t pay much attention to HOA rules before, you have to be consistent in rules enforcement now so that the homeowners can get used to this idea. Remember, consistency is the key but in this case, you also have to be patient.

Communication and transparency

You can’t expect homeowners to follow the rules of HOA if they’re not sure why they should or what the rules are.  This is why open communication is absolutely necessary. Send out newsletters and emails and stay active on social media. Moreover, keep the rules updated on your website. Finally, homeowners should know that they can come to you for whatever they need clarification with.

Treat everyone equally

If people notice that you’re being partial, they will be more likely to ignore the HOA rules as well. Actually, this can break your community apart, which is precisely why you should always enforce the HOA rules impartially and completely fairly. When rules are concerned, everyone has to be equal.

Fix an unreasonable rule

In case you notice that people mostly have issues with one (or maybe two) specific rule, it may be because of the rule itself. To help the homeowners follow the HOA rules, you should make sure that the rules indeed are reasonable. So, if you too find a certain rule completely unmanageable, you may want to see how to change it in a way that will serve everyone in your community properly.

In case you’re having trouble dealing with HOA rules and their enforcement, and want to do what’s best for your community, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at Boom Properties.

The post What You Can Do to Help Homeowners Follow the HOA Rules appeared first on Boom Properties.

1. Clubhouse renting

There are many benefits to having a proper clubhouse in your community. For starters, this is one of the most effective ways that can ensure a steady flow of extra money to your HOA. Basically, you can rent out the clubhouse for various occasions, from birthdays and fundraisers to business meetings. Don’t forget to spread the word about its availability for rent though!

2. Newsletter Ads

If you don’t send out your own newsletter regularly, it’s time this changed. A newsletter can be very profitable, especially considering just how much space they provide for advertising. Essentially, you can have your HOA make extra money by offering to put paid ads into your newsletter space to local businesses.

3. Consider a cellular tower

Unused roof space can use a cellular tower, but this is definitely a project that you need to consider very carefully. After all, cellular tower comes with both pros and cons, and it’s up to you to decide what works the best for your community. But, the fact of the matter is that a cellular tower would definitely bring in some extra cash every month.

4. Utilize natural features

Take the time to really look around. The natural area that surrounds your community may be a lot more profitable than you have been giving it credit for. Grassy hills can be used for sledding and gardens, while rivers and ponds can be turned into fishing and even rafting spots. This particular project may require a bit more investment, as well as prep and organization on your part, but if you’ve got the natural gift in your community, don’t hesitate to use it.

5. Make the most out of anything unused

If you want your HOA to make extra money you need to plan extra hard. After all, you know your community the best, which gives you the possibility to assess all the unused areas and buildings. If there are such spaces in your community, feel free to brainstorm and think of ways that they can be utilized in a profitable manner.

HOA and property management don’t have to weight you down. You can put your time, effort and creative ideas into constructive work and leave the rest to management companies such as Boom Properties.

The post 5 Ways for Your HOA to Make Extra Money appeared first on Boom Properties.

Check the governing documents

It’s essential that you give a proper look to your governing documents. After all, these contain a detailed description of how to set up your HOA budget. In order for the budget to get adopted, it either has to be accepted by the HOA board, or voted for by homeowners. In some cases, however, it will require both.

Keep in mind your reserve studies

Your reserve studies are an important part of the annual HOA budget as they will tell you about the pressing issues in your community. This usually includes details about repairs and updates. Together with information on just how much money there is in the reserve fund, you’ll be able to estimate the budget a lot more precisely.

Determine the assessments

This step has to be taken very carefully and analytically as it impacts the homeowners directly. Basically, when you set up your HOA budget for the year, you also need to determine the assessments. This means that you’ll have to decide between the two options: charging all homeowners in the community equally or charging them based on the property percentage.

You can negotiate contracts

It’s important that you know and understand that you have every right to negotiate contracts if you don’t think that the first estimate is appropriate for your community.

Don’t hesitate to offer saving tips

When setting up a yearly HOA budget, you only want to do the best for your community. In that sense, there’s nothing wrong with offering the homeowners some extra money-saving tips that can help them greatly during the year.

Be open and communicative

One of the most important things in any community is complete transparency and proper communication. Therefore, make sure that everyone in the community understands the numbers involved in the annual budget. This also goes for their responsibility together with HOA duties as well.

When dealing with the annual HOA budget, you have to be very thorough. Under no circumstances should you rush this process because it can affect your community negatively. For any advice and professional help, don’t hesitate to contact us at Boom Properties.

The post How to Effectively Set Up Your HOA Budget appeared first on Boom Properties.

Property management company helps HOA with insights, suggestions, and ideas – but never decision-making

Property management company will offer guidance, solutions, and advice to the board. But, in the end, it is the board that will make the final decision in regards to every single issue.

Also, a property management company assists with accounting

HOA’s accounting business is no small task and it can require a lot of time to get done. This is where management companies step in and extend their help in the form of accounting services as well. This allows the board members to properly focus on other crucial elements of bettering their community. Such services involve payable and receivable accounts, collection and reconciliation of due, ACH online payments, monthly financial reports, and general budgeting.

By brainstorming ideas property management company helps HOA build a stronger community

Aside from the regular checkups in regards to HOA’s day to day operations, accounting, and other tasks, property management companies are also responsible for proposing new ideas that would make the most out of the community. This involves general improvement of the community area as well as interesting ways that bring the community together. It’s very important to choose a good personality fit when looking for a property manager. After all, you need to rely on someone whose creativity and innovative thinking will match your own ideas about the community you wish to improve.

Property management company helps HOA in many different ways, and it’s important for the residents to know the extent of the help as the board members will always be responsible for the final decisions. But, in order for the board members to focus on the community, complicated and tedious tasks that take a lot of time can be sourced to the management company. For everything that might interest you in this regard, feel free to contact us at Boom Properties.

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