HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - January 8, 2011

Published: Sat, 01/07/12

HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - January 8, 2011

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Kick Off 2012: Learn from Other HOAs' Best Moves in 2011

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In this week's tip, we give you a jump on smart
homeowner association management in 2012 by revealing
some of the best moves HOA boards made in 2011.

1. Fired underperforming service providers.

"The best thing our associations did in 2011 was to really
take a look at their vendors and jettison the dead weight,"
says Nathaniel Abbate Jr., a partner at Makower Abbate &
Associates PLLC in Farmington Hills, Mich., who represents
associations. "They got rid of suppliers, vendors,
attorneys, and others who weren't getting the job done."

2. Cut costs to build goodwill.

"We've made cuts to try to save money," says Jessica Rider,
treasurer of the 116-lot Bryan Springs Subdivision
Association in High Ridge, Mo. "We're working to earn the
trust of neighbors so they'll continue to pay their dues,
and when we try to raise dues, people will agree.

"When we initially took over the board, we had a company
that had been taking care of all the collection of payments
and payment of bills for the subdivision. We discontinued
their services, which is saving us about $1,200 per year.
Also, instead of mailing out newsletters and other
communications, we decided to walk them around to each
house; instead of printing so many documents, I put up a
sign at the front of the neighborhood saying HOA statements
are available and people can call if they want one. We also
changed the snow-plowing company, which is saving us
additional money. Finally we got neighbors together to do
street repairs ourselves instead of hiring a company, which
saved on labor costs."

Those are just two of The Best Moves HOA Boards Made in
2011. Read the rest in our new article and get inspired to
make your association even better in 2012:
http://www.hoaleader.com/members/668.cfm

Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President

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Recent articles posted at HOAleader.com:

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Can Your HOA Get a Judgment Instead of a Lien?

A HOAleader.com reader reports that his new HOA management
company wants to change the wording in the HOA's 10-day demand
letter so the HOA would get an automatic judgment, not a lien,
when a home owner doesn't pay. What's the difference? And do
state laws allow that?

Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/663.cfm >

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Keys at HOAs? They're So Early 2000s!

In this week's tip, we sing the praises of keyless entry systems.

Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/public/662.cfm >

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The Pros and Cons of Keyless Access in HOAs

A HOAleader.com reader reports that his HOA is considering
keyless access--like swipe or insert cards--for elevators to help
increase building security. His board is particularly concerned
about those who may have avoided proper screening or requested
additional keys to allow unauthorized access for friends.

Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/661.cfm >

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Hiring HOA Vendors: Is a Delinquent Owner's Employer Off Limits?

This week's tip will help you determine whether you should raise
red flags about hiring a company at which a delinquent owner
works.

Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/public/660.cfm >

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Should Your HOA Board Refuse to Hire a Delinquent Owner's
Employer? Discussion Forum Follow-Up

An HOAleader.com reader asks: "One of our residents moved out of
his house, but it's still in his name, and he owes $2,000 in back
dues plus attorneys' fees. This person submitted a bid to do the
snow removal. Some board members decided that since he is only
the vice president of the snow removal company, they hired the
company to perform our snow removal. Three people voted against
the hiring, and four people voted to hire the company. I say this
is 100 percent wrong, but I need something to support my feelings
about this hiring."

Click here to read full article:
< http://www.hoaleader.com/members/659.cfm >

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