HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - August 13, 2010
Published: Fri, 08/13/10
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New-Owner Welcome Kit: The Whys and Hows
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In this week's tip, we explain why it's important to distribute
a welcome kit to new owners in your homeowners association and
suggest items to include in the kit.
"It's important for a number of reasons to have a welcome
committee to educate new owners about the association and the
community," says Matthew A. Drewes, a partner at Thomsen &
Nybeck PA in Edina, Minn., who represents associations.
"We find a lot that people who move into community associations
don't appreciate a lot of aspects of community association
living. They don't realize there are likely to be rules and
regulations regarding certain things, especially exterior
maintenance or alterations to their property. They also may not
realize it if there are restrictions on rentals or rules on how
units can be rented and even that there can be pet and other
restrictions."
Shouldn't new homeowners have received a copy of the
association's governing documents before their purchase? Sure,
but... "Even though the law in Minnesota--and I'm betting many
other states--requires that buyers receive a current set of
governing documents," explains Drewes, "many in fact may have
received an incomplete or outdated set, or they haven't read them.
Those who have read them don't always fully realize the effects
of the things they've read."
Though not too many of the associations he represents provide
welcome kits, Dennis J. Eisinger, a partner at Eisinger, Brown,
Lewis & Frankel PA in Hollywood, Fla., who currently represents
more than 500 condo and HOA associations, also believes they're
a smart move.
"I think it's a terrific idea. For several reasons it can only
be beneficial to the community. Possibly the forefront is for
getting volunteers. Also, the more you can educate people up
front who haven't lived in a community association before--many
of whom come in and think they can do whatever they want and
don't understand the concept of CC&Rs--that's important.
Finally, it promotes a neighborly feeling."
Here are things to consider including in your new-owner
welcome kit:
1. Governing documents.
Provide a complete set of your CC&Rs and rules and regulations.
"If they're posted online, provide a reference to where owners
can find them online," says Eisinger. "Also include any rules
that haven't been recorded and might not have been provided with
the disclosure package."
2. Forms.
Include the forms owners need to comply with your association's
registration requirements. "For example, under most bylaws,
there's a requirement that people register to vote, to register
their pet or their car, and to provide license information,"
says Drewes. "They can do all those things, and you can make it
easier for them to do that."
Those are just two of the nine resources to include in your
new-owner welcome kit. To learn more about what should be in
your new-owner welcome kit and get great tips on how to present
the kit, see our new article:
http://www.hoaleader.com/members/467.cfm
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President
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Recent articles posted at HOAleader.com:
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What Should Be in Your New-Owner Welcome Kit?
Here, we explain the importance of a new-owner welcome kit and
provide a checklist of what to include, along with information
you should ask each newbie to provide to your board.
Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/467.cfm >
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Selecting a New HOA Board Member: How to Choose
Something unexpected has occurred, leaving you with a vacancy on
your condo or homeowner association board. Now you and your
fellow board members must step up to the plate and appoint a new
member to serve until your next election. In this week's tip, we
show how you can make that decision without causing dissention
among your members.
Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/public/466.cfm >
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What to Consider When You Appoint a New HOA Director; 4 Tips
On occasion, your HOA board will face resignations or, sadly,
even deaths of its members. If your homeowner association
governing documents are like the vast majority, your board will
be required to appoint a new member, who will serve until your
next election. Here, we offer guidance on the factors to consider
when deciding among candidates.
Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/465.cfm >
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When Pets Do Damage in Your HOA
In pet-friendly homeowners associations, fights can erupt over
whether common-area damage is the result of pets--and over whose
pets are the culprits. Here, we cover how to determine the cause
of and get reimbursed for pet damages to common areas.
Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/463.cfm >
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Guard Your HOA's Membership List Carefully
If an owner or someone else asks to see your association's member
list, can you say no? If your state requires that you provide
members your list, can you redact some information? Are there
restrictions on how members can use the list?
Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/462.cfm >
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