HOA Management Blog

Planned Unit Developments and Condominiums with attached walls tend to have more challenges around confining issues like infestation to just one unit. Bed bugs could have a devastating impact on these communities and it’s good to be aware of just how likely these critters could affect you. 

As homes in your homeowners association begin to thaw from the cold months, it’s time to start thinking about preparing your home for spring and summer! The steps you take now can help avoid costly maintenance and repairs later.

Homeowner Associations with common area buildings and structures are required to stay up to code and should schedule their local fire inspector to assess buildings on an annual basis. One item on that inspection will be an assessment of the HOA smoke detectors. One major safety concern to consider is carbon monoxide, or CO. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that can be particularly dangerous because it is colorless and odorless. Headache, nausea, dizziness and even permanent brain damage or death can occur. Hundreds of people die each year from accidental CO poisoning, many of them while using portable generators during severe weather.

It’s that time of year—you’ve exchanged your swimsuit from long days at the community Association pool for sweaters and scarves just in time to roll down your sleeves and prepare your home for cooler weather. As we watch the warm days fade into the sunset, consider adding the following items to your winterization checklist, and ensure your home is in tip-top shape for the fall and winter seasons in your homeowners association.

Many times, I will get asked the question,” What Does the HOA maintain in our Community?” Usually, this comes with a bit of anger behind the question. Unless the CC&Rs provide otherwise, the homeowners association is responsible for repairing, replacing, or maintaining the common areas, and owners are responsible for maintaining their separate interests and any exclusive use common area.

How is your homeowners association holding up? Do you have buildings in need of repair? Has the HOA board set aside funds for inevitable future repairs? If you don’t know the answer to these questions, then it’s time to find out. Why? Because it’s the Board’s job to protect and maintain the association and keep it safe. Sometimes, the safety of lives is even at stake. You don’t want to wait for something bad to happen before taking action, like one homeowners association did in Florida. Read more in the article excerpt below.

One common subject that often causes confusion in a homeowners association is grasping the difference between the maintenance responsibilities of an association and the items that are covered by the association’s insurance policy. Often owners and even HOA board members may not understand the differences between these two subjects.

We want you to be the first to know about some exciting changes over at The Hignell Companies. Last year we launched the website www.ExpertsinyourHome.com, created to make it easier for our current and future customers to see everything that we offer to help you take care of your home maintenance, remodel, and construction needs.

Now we’re taking the next step and launching Experts In Your Home as a full company under The Hignell Companies umbrella!

To enhance something means “to increase or improve in value, quality, desirability, or attractiveness.” In a homeowners association the property can be physically enhanced or maintained, but enhancing can also refer to building community among the HOA board and members of the Association.