Property managers are often employed by owners of rental properties to handle related tasks for them. In other instances, property managers are hired for their services by owners of second homes or vacation homes who can’t be physically present to oversee the maintenance of their property. Whatever the purpose, property managers play a vital role in the upkeep of the property in the absence of the owner.

With that said, it’s important to be selective about your choice of property manager because the wrong one could cause you to lose your investment. While technical skills are critical to their role, soft skills are just as important. For your reference, these are the essential skills that make a successful property manager:

1. Strong communication skills

This is the most essential skill that every property manager must possess because the lack of it could cause a slew of problems for you, especially if their job is to oversee a rental property. With strong communication skills, the property manager knows how to start a dialogue with a tenant, listen when needed, and speak up when necessary. Communication skills will also help in vetting tenants, discussing repairs and maintenance checks with contractors, and talking to every other important personnel related to the upkeep of a property. Likewise, strong communications will help you and/or your tenants with things related to the HOA, if your property belongs to an HOA-regulated community.

You can find out whether or not the property manager has strong communication skills when you interview them for the job.

2. People skills

People skills is a general term used to cover everything about people relations and is closely related to the above. In a nutshell, a good property manager can forge and nurture relationships and partnerships not only with their client/s, which are the property owners, but also with everyone who is and will be involved in all things related to your property, from tenants to contractors, the HOA board, and the like.

Suffice it to say that a property manager who lacks people skills shouldn’t be in any type of job that involves constant interactions with others, especially professionals offering services for the maintenance of your property.

3. Leadership skills

A property manager who possesses strong leadership skills knows when to lead and when to let others take the spotlight. Leadership isn’t focused on managing a team alone; more importantly, it is focused on building and teaching others so they too can become leaders someday. This skill is important in a property manager because it allows them to be open to suggestions from others while also being able to take the reins when necessary. A good leader teaches the team as much as they learn from them.

Homeowners associations are established to ensure the safety of their member-homeowners, protect property value, and maintain the community they serve. To put it another way, homeowners associations are there to protect the interests of both the homeowners and property owners (if these are separate entities).

An HOA is run and managed by volunteer homeowners that make up the Board of Directors. They ensure that the HOA is fully functional and fulfills its duties and responsibilities. And part of their responsibilities is to ascertain that funds are available for both maintenance purposes and emergencies. Where do the funds come from? They come from the community itself; homeowners, in other words.

What every homeowner should know about HOAs is that they too have a responsibility to the association just as the association has a responsibility towards them. Payment of fees and dues is arguably one of the most important responsibilities of a homeowner. Here are some of the fees and dues that homeowners should expect to pay to their HOA:

1. HOA membership fee

Depending on your city or state and the size of your household and property, your HOA membership fee could range anywhere from $300 to $500 per month (some HOAs have a much higher membership fee). A part of the fees collected will go into maintenance funds/daily operational expenses and another portion of it will go into the reserve fund, which can be used for emergency repairs and other unforeseen expenses.

2. Assessment dues

In a nutshell, assessment dues are fees collected from homeowners to pay for expenses that aren’t covered by the membership fee, homeowner insurance, or reserve fund, whichever is applicable. These additional HOA expenses typically include emergency repairs, natural disaster response, and emergency assistance to homeowners the costs for which have exceeded the amount of money kept in the reserve fund.

Understand that for such assessment dues, it doesn’t matter whether or not you’re using the facility that needs repairs or whether or not you were directly affected by the natural disaster/emergency. You, as a member of the association, have a responsibility to the HOA, and this includes payment of assessment fees.

Homeowners may be required to pay assessment dues for a certain number of months until such time when the reserve fund is in the positive again. This arrangement, however, depends on the HOA.

While both financials may seem very basic, there are specific inclusions and considerations for each one and this is actually where the hard work lies. For the HOA membership fee, for instance, the HOA must be able to determine an accurate monthly budget for daily operations as well as allocate a feasible amount for the reserve fund and have a little wiggle room to cover bad debt and deferred equipment repairs or replacement.

Usually, HOAs hire the services of a professional property management company to assist them with their financial duties and other HOA obligations.

If you’re buying or renting a new home in an apartment complex, gated compound or community, multi-family building, or condominium, there’s a good chance that the property belongs to a homeowners association. Most communities in the country have their homeowners association, which means you’ll hardly find a house or residential property that isn’t a part of a homeowners association or similar organization.

Before you sign the contract, take the time to learn about the HOA that covers the property you’re looking to move into for your peace of mind. And if you’re not familiar with the ins and outs of homeowners associations, here’s a short guide to help you better understand what an HOA is all about. Below are the basic things everyone should know about an HOA:

1. HOAs are the gatekeepers of the community

The above statement may seem a little vague but that’s actually what they do; HOAs are the designated gatekeepers of the community. They ensure that the community maintains certain standards to preserve the value of the properties it covers. HOAs also ensure that homeowners are safe and secure in their own homes. And finally, HOAs assist homeowners for their needs, from home repairs to emergency assistance, especially during natural disasters and other unforeseen events.

2. HOAs have a special set of CC&Rs

Every HOA in the country has its own set of covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs). Within these CC&Rs are ruled that homeowners must follow. These rules cover everything that has to do with the property, homeowners, and the community; from the color of the exterior walls to landscaping, street parking, bikes and other toys in the front yard, garage gate, to the number of people in the household and everything in between.

3. HOAs collect fees

HOAs collect membership fees either monthly, quarterly or annually depending on what’s stipulated in the CC&Rs. Bear in mind that the bigger your property and household, the higher the fees to be collected from you. In other words, HOA dues/fees aren’t standard for every homeowner in your community.

4. HOAs can evict homeowners

In cases where the homeowner was found to violate one or several rules covered in the CC&Rs, the HOA has the power to evict them. But rest assured that eviction is the last course of action. In general, the homeowner will be approached by the HOA first to talk about the supposed violation. A written warning is also usually given, and finally, a hearing with the HOA Board of Directors could ensue to put the issue to rest and resolve it once and for all.

Review the HOA’s CC&Rs before signing the lease/deed of sale. Buyers whose offer to buy has been accepted have the legal right to these HOA documents.

When the World Health Organization announced that COVID-19 has escalated to such proportions that it has become a pandemic, countries were quick to enforce rules and restrictions to curb its spread. This meant businesses closing their physical locations, individuals staying home, and social events had to be canceled. For HOA communities, these restrictions meant keeping homeowners safe inside their homes.

As HOAs grapple with these unprecedented changes, they acknowledge the fact that they are responsible for the health and safety of their respective communities. The following are some of the ways HOAs are keeping their communities safe:

1. Strictly enforcing physical distancing

Living with the threat of COVID-19 in the air means normal things suddenly became taboo. Shaking hands, holding hands, hugging, and sitting side by side suddenly became a thing of the past. As health experts advised individuals to practice physical distancing (at least two meters apart) to help prevent the spread of the virus, public spaces were ordered to close down for the time being.

For HOA communities, these meant gyms, pools, and spas. Some HOAs chose to keep their parks open with physical distancing still strictly enforced.

2.Restriction on visits and gatherings

In keeping with the physical distancing protocol, HOAs have opted to restrict outside visitors except when an emergency calls for it. This includes medical personnel for health emergencies, caregivers, and other guests/personnel needed to assist a homeowner.

Gatherings, however, are strictly prohibited. This means parties for birthdays, anniversaries, and milestones will have to be postponed until local governments, upon the advice of health experts, lift such restrictions on group gatherings and events.

3. Postponing construction work and other contractual jobs

Construction work will have to be postponed as well except for emergency repairs. Construction work covers renovations and remodeling work both on homes and common areas. On the other hand, if the HOA has contractual employees for specific tasks or jobs, it is up to them to allow employee keep working or freeze the job order until such time when they deem it necessary (and safe) to resume work at the physical location.

4. Keeping homeowners and other stakeholders informed

Understanding that these are unprecedented times, homeowners associations double their efforts to communicate with the homeowners and other stakeholders. Keeping everyone informed about the goings-on in the community, particularly about changes in safety regulations, COVID-19 updates, emergency plans, and disaster management, is critical to preventing transmission within the community.

As HOAs grapple with the effects of COVID-19, it is their duty and responsibility to mitigate risk and keep homeowners informed at all times.

The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging everything we know about health and safety. And though states across the nation are beginning to ease restrictions, we shouldn’t expect an immediate return to the way things were before the outbreak.

HOAs are gearing up for the new strategies they’ll have to employ to ensure the protection of everyone in the community. With that in mind, here are 4 changes homeowners and HOA board members are likely to see in HOA living in the new normal.

1. New public space usage regulations

The safety of every resident is among the chief priorities of any HOA, so anticipate the enforcement of temporary rules that’ll reduce your exposure to crowds. Don’t be surprised to find regulations concerning social distancing and the wearing of PPEs to be in an application in common areas such as streets, parks, and clubhouses. You should also expect new systems to limit the number of people using specific facilities or amenities at any one time. For example, you may have to make a reservation before the HOA permits you access to the swimming pool or basketball court.

2. Increased board meeting flexibility

As physical gatherings are best avoided, HOA board meetings will be conducted using online technologies such as Skype or Zoom. The convenience these technologies provide will grant board members greater flexibility when it comes to scheduling and attending essential conferences. It will also make it easier for residents to participate in such online assemblies, allowing for information to flow more freely between every member of the community.

3. The reallocation of HOA resources

HOAs will undoubtedly reallocate additional funds to safety measures, with a larger percentage of the budget going to cleaning crews. As such, expect costs to rise concerning such services. However, the decreased usage of shared facilities also means a reduction in other expenses, giving HOAs and homeowners several cost-saving opportunities.

4. Extra opportunities to improve your home

The current situation is affording us more time to ourselves and our personal goals, so it will be common to see homeowners busying themselves with various home improvement projects, from trimming the lawn, to planting a garden, to making minor architectural upgrades to one’s place of residence. To make sure they aren’t breaking any rules, it will benefit homeowners to familiarize themselves with HOA guidelines and communicate their intentions to the community manager.

Do you have any questions about HOAs? If so, kindly contact us through our corporate website or give us a call at 951-270-3700. We’d be happy to answer all your questions!