The Positive Advаntаgеѕ оf Living іn a Cоmmunіtу wіth an HOA

In thе event that уоu аrе lіvіng in a ѕubdіvіѕіоn, tоwnhоuѕе оr араrtmеnt ѕuіtе thеn more thаn likely you are асquаіntеd wіth thе Hоmеоwnеrѕ Aѕѕосіаtіоn (HOA). The association wіll wеlсоmе you аnd advise you аbоut thе guidelines and rеgulаtіоnѕ оf уоur соmmunіtу. A Hоmеоwnеrѕ Aѕѕосіаtіоn іѕ nоrmаllу an аѕѕосіаtіоn thаt rерrеѕеntѕ a ѕресіfіс nеіghbоrhооd/ѕub dіvіѕіоn, principally tо kеер uр the area’s рrореrtу value. 

This аѕѕосіаtіоn іѕ tурісаllу an Aѕѕосіаtіоn іnсludіng every one оf the homeowners living іn a ѕресіfіс subdivision buіld wіth thе еnd gоаl оf maintaining thе quality оf thе area аnd mаіntаіnіng peace аnd оrdеr in the соmmunіtу. A Hоmеоwnеr'ѕ Association іѕ the оnе іn charge of mаkіng rules and regulations аnd also implementing them for the bеnеfіt of thе еntіrе соmmunіtу. 

There are many rеаѕоnѕ уоu ѕhоuld соnѕіdеr lіvіng in a соmmunіtу wіth a Hоmеоwnеrѕ Association, аnd thіѕ аrtісlе wіll dеѕсrіbе thrее bіg оnеѕ including general nеіghbоrhооd mаіntеnаnсе, rеѕоlvіng соnflісtѕ оr соllесtіng duеѕ, аnd оrgаnіzіng mееtіngѕ оr асtіvіtіеѕ 

Gеnеrаl Nеіghbоrhооd Maintenance 

Mоѕt nеіghbоrhооdѕ, еѕресіаllу соndоmіnіum соmmunіtіеѕ, hаvе ѕоmеthіng саllеd "ѕhаrеd ѕрасеѕ." Thеѕе ѕрасеѕ uѕuаllу іnсludе thіngѕ lіkе playgrounds, pools, раrkѕ, раrkіng lоtѕ, gуmѕ, аnd ѕо оn. Whіlе residents uѕuаllу love hаvіng thеѕе kіndѕ оf bоnuѕ fеаturеѕ, іt'ѕ not uѕuаllу thеіr responsibility tо tаkе саrе of thеm. Thіѕ іѕ whеrе thе HOA соmеѕ in. A gооd аѕѕосіаtіоn wіll hаvе a lіѕt оf experienced, ѕkіllеd mаіntеnаnсе сrеwѕ on hаnd thаt they саn соntасt fоr thеѕе kіndѕ оf things. Thіѕ іѕ аlѕо іmроrtаnt if рlumbіng оr еlесtrіс thіngѕ gо wrong wіthіn thе hоuѕеѕ оr араrtmеntѕ. Instead оf thе rеѕіdеntѕ hаvіng tо аѕk аrоund аnd ѕеаrсh fоr thеѕе mаіntеnаnсе реорlе, thеу саn juѕt соntасt thеіr HOA. Thіѕ bоnuѕ іѕ аlѕо grеаt fоr lаndѕсаріng. Having a bеаutіful nеіghbоrhооd wіll іnсrеаѕе thе vаluеѕ оf thе рrореrtіеѕ аnd еnсоurаgе роtеntіаl residents tо ѕееk оut a hоmе іn thаt nеіghbоrhооd. 

Maintaining thе Pеасе 

The аѕѕосіаtіоn trіеѕ to reduce thе соnflісtѕ bеtwееn homeowners and tеnаntѕ, аnd аlѕо tо dесrеаѕе thе fіghtѕ аmоng neighbors. Objесtіоnѕ аrе rеgulаrlу raised, еxаmіnеd, and determined аt gаthеrіngѕ. Nevertheless, if іnhаbіtаntѕ fееl they wеrе trеаtеd unfairly, a сlаіm could be rаіѕеd against thе HOA. These аѕѕосіаtіоn аddіtіоnаllу trу to keep thе peace among іnhаbіtаntѕ bу соmіng uр wіth wееklу, mоnthlу, оr уеаrlу ѕосіаl gаthеrіngѕ. Thеѕе ѕосіаl gatherings are wауѕ thаt neighbors саn become more асԛuаіntеd with one another and feel safe іn their nеіghbоrhооd. 

 ­­Cоllесtіng Duеѕ аnd Dеаlіng wіth Iѕѕuеѕ 

Whіlе thіѕ mіght ѕееm lіkе a nеgаtіvе аѕресt оf HOAѕ іt'ѕ асtuаllу a роѕіtіvе. Hаvіng a monthly fее аllоwѕ fоr thеѕе аѕѕосіаtіоnѕ to mаіntаіn thе bеаutу оf thе nеіghbоrhооd bу kееріng іt сlеаn аnd рауіng thеіr mаіntеnаnсе еmрlоуееѕ. Anоthеr grеаt bеnеfіt оf HOAѕ іѕ hаvіng them rеѕоlvе іѕѕuеѕ bеtwееn nеіghbоrѕ. Whіlе everyone hореѕ tо bе a grеаt nеіghbоr аnd never hаvе аnу соnflісtѕ, they dо tеnd tо аrіѕе. HOAѕ рrоvіdе a nоn-bіаѕ way tо rеѕоlvе thеѕе іѕѕuеѕ аnd kеер thе peace wіthіn thе community. 

Crеаtіng Sосіаl Gаthеrіngѕ 

Many реорlе wаnt tо fееl ѕаfе іn thеіr nеіghbоrhооd. A grеаt wау tо dо thаt іѕ bу planning gаthеrіngѕ durіng hоlіdауѕ оr аrоund ѕресіаl еvеntѕ. Thіѕ gіvеѕ nеіghbоrѕ a сhаnсе tо mееt еасh оthеr аnd gіvе a warm welcoming fееlіng that еvеrу rеѕіdеnt іѕ lооkіng fоr. 

Thеrе аrе many mоrе bеnеfіtѕ tо hаvіng an HOA; this аrtісlе lіѕtѕ the thrее mоѕt рорulаr, іnсludіng gеnеrаl nеіghbоrhооd mаіntеnаnсе, соllесtіng duеѕ аnd handling dіѕрutеѕ, аnd creating ѕосіаl gаthеrіngѕ. In a nutѕhеll, HOAѕ рrоvіdе соmmunіtіеѕ wіth a ѕеnѕе оf реасе аnd ѕаfеtу and trу tо mаkе thеіr nеіghbоrhооdѕ аѕ a dеѕіrеd рlасе to lіvе. Whіlе there are also ѕоmе рrесаutіоnѕ thаt nеіghbоrhооdѕ ѕhоuld аlѕо lооk іntо, thіѕ аrtісlе juѕt fосuѕеѕ оn thе роѕіtіvе thіngѕ аbоut hоmеоwnеr'ѕ associations.

Are We Ready For The Growth of Elderly Homeowners?

With millions of Baby Boomers approaching retirement, it is important that we address the challenges associated with meeting the nation’s elderly housing needs.

Your HOA board will be facing pressing issues with the rise of elderly homeowners. In past generations, those 65 or older would eventually move into assisted living or retirement homes. But the modern day is seeing more elderly folks deciding to live out more of their older years in their own homes. Seniors are living healthier lifestyles, having better medical care and are active in their retirement years. Seniors are buying homes and taking out mortgages. With this comes new challenges and decisions for those running homeowners associations.

Here are four areas that HOA's need to consider when dealing with elderly homeowners.

1.  Accidents on Common Property

A major concern with the rising number of elderly residents means there’s increased chance of  accidents. Elderly residents can lose their balance, trip and fall or hurt themselves on common property in the community. HOA's insurance usually covers issues happening on common area property.

2.  Driving

There’s also the possibility of elder residents being a danger to themselves or others, such as if they have sight issues driving in a community with children and pets. Elderly residents could endanger the lives of walkers on the streets if driving becomes a problem. Elderly residents are also at risk of hurting themselves by driving into objects, light poles or even their house structures.

3.  Home safety is a primary concern

If adult children are not maintaining homes of senior citizens, who is? Home maintenance and home repairs are key to seniors being able to stay safe in their homes. Homes with needed repairs may be unsafe. If adult children do live nearby and have nor designated a caregiver of home maintenance, elderly residents could be injured because unsafe structures.

4.  Access to needed services 

For senior citizens to remain in their homes they need availability to services such as meals and in home nursing services. The elderly residents need to be in communities that are accessible for elderly service providers.

There will be a growing number of concerns as the number of elderly homeowners increase. Between 2000 and 2050, The number of older people is projected to increase by 135%. And the population of people 85 and over is projected to increase by 350%.  With this increase will come the problem of meeting the enormous housing need.

Senior citizens are now living healthier lifestyles and having longer lifespan. Elderly people are not moving into assisted living homes they are buying homes or condos.  Many seniors moving into communities are just not able to deal with the fact that they cannot effectively care for themselves as they age. And as a result, they turn to their condo association for help when they get lost or forget that they have left the tub water running.  So what is a condo association board of directors to do when they find an elderly resident wandering the halls, unable to determine where they live? Obviously, the condominium association has an interest in ensuring that these seniors are able to care for themselves so that they don't create a burden for management or the board.  They also concerned about an unhealthy or unsafe situation for themselves and their neighbors. 

The question is are community associations ready for the growth of elderly homeowners?

Here Are Some Ways to Love Your Neighbor

Whether you love Valentine’s Day, or you’d rather pretend the holiday didn’t exist in the first place, now is a great time to show a little LOVE to your community. Here are some ways to love thy neighbor:

Volunteer in the community

Serve- next time you’re at the grocery store, grab some extra nonperishables and drop off a bag of food at your local food bank.

Be a secret admirer- give your neighbor or co-worker an anonymous note of appreciation.
Get ahead of the spring cleaning curve! We all know cleaning out the clutter is useful no matter what time of year it is. If you don’t need it, donate it! 

Plant something- move your beautiful handy work outdoors in no time to enjoy all summer long.

Happy Valentine's Day from AMG

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AMG WORLD COMMUNITY TIP OF THE WEEK February 10, 2016

Leverage Common Areas - The most practical way for a community to come together is to share a common area. Whether this is a courtyard, swimming pool or club house it’s important for the residents to feel that have a place to gather even if it’s just for the occasional casual chat. It’s easy for folks to come home after a hard day of work and lock themselves in for the night. On the other hand, having a community grill or relaxing hot tub is a wonderful way to draw residents out of their homes. Even something as simple as providing patio tables and chairs can go a long way towards improving a common area. It’s the responsibility of the HOA to properly maintain whatever common areas are available. These areas should be thought of as extensions of our own homes.

Keep Your Home Safe While on Vacation

Before going on vacation, take a few precautions so your home isn’t enticing to thieves or susceptible to fire and other disasters. Not only is having your home vandalized or burnt to the ground a highly unpleasant way to return from a trip, but it also puts the rest of the association at risk, as these problems have the potential to spread quickly throughout the neighborhood. So, before you take off, consider implementing these safety tips to keep your home and our community secure. Call on friends for help.

If you’re going to be away a week or more, ask a trusted friend to check on your house every day or two—or better yet, housesit—while you’re gone. Not only will they make sure nothing happens to your home, but you might also ask them to bring in your mail and newspapers, water plants or even feed Fluffy. Of course, it’s a good idea to let your neighbors know a friend is monitoring your property so they don’t call the police to thwart a perceived “break-in.” Set your lights on a timer. Leaving your house unlit for days on end is a sure sign to burglars that it’s empty, but so is keeping the lights on 24-7. A good way to handle the lights on/off conundrum is to set them on a timer that’s scheduled to simulate your regular routine. Of course, if the lights seem a bit too simulated, that can be another telltale sign, so it’s a good idea to set the timers in individual rooms on staggered schedules to make the light coming from your home seem more natural. Stop your mail and newspaper.

Nothing screams “nobody’s home!” like a pile of newspapers strewn about your doorstep or an overflowing mailbox. So, if you can’t get a friend or neighbor to collect them for you, it’s best to have your mail and paper stopped if you’re going to be out of town for awhile. Don’t leave the spare house key lying around. That fake rock where you keep the extra house key isn’t as discrete as you think. Whether you keep a spare under your welcome mat, above the door frame or in a hide-a-key contraption, chances are it will take the nefarious types five minutes flat to find it and gain easy entry to your house. So take it with you, let a friend hold onto it or put it in a safe place inside your house, even if you’re worried about losing your other keys. Because when it comes down to it, calling a locksmith is less traumatic than calling the police. Make a last-minute checklist. Are all the windows and doors locked? Stove and oven turned off? How about all the faucets? Are the electronics unplugged and valuables secured? Take five minutes before you leave to ensure your house is vacation-ready. Another run-through of the house may seem unnecessary if you did it earlier in the day, but knowing you’ve left your house as safe as possible will help you kick back and have a great vacation.

Insurance—Ours and Yours

Of the many things your association assessment pays for, insurance is one of the most important. Association governing documents and state law require the association board to purchase adequate insurance as part of a comprehensive risk-management program.

Property insurance covers loss of or damage to any common structures or physical property caused by fire, flood, storms or other natural events. For instance, if high winds uproot a tree that damages a common roof, the association’s property insurance would cover the cost of repairs. Property insurance may also cover what we call “human perils” (such as theft) and “economic perils” (such as stock market fluctuations) that might impact our association’s investments. Liability insurance covers losses that would result if someone took legal action against the association for an injury, financial loss or other type of damage. 

For example, one important type of liability insurance, called Directors’ and Officers’ insurance, covers volunteers like board and committee members so they’re not jeopardizing their personal assets to serve the association. The association’s insurance does not cover owners or residents, their homes or belongings. Each member should have his or her own insurance policy. If you need information about homeowners insurance, talk to a licensed insurance agent who specializes in homeowners associations. Or you may want to talk to the association’s insurance provider; this person will know exactly where the association’s master policy coverage ends and where yours should begin. This prevents you from over or under insuring yourself.