2021-06-24
Updated January 20, 2022
Conversations about homeowners association fees can be tricky to navigate between board members and community residents. It's important that homeowners feel comfortable talking to their HOA board members, but it can be challenging to know what they want or need to hear when questions arise.
This blog post will give you four tips for talking with homeowners about HOA fees or community assessments from one of the best community management companies in Bellevue!
1. Define Your Homeowners Association Fees
One of the most important aspects of communicating about HOA management fees is defining what they are for your board and residents. Most homeowners probably have a general idea of what HOA fees are. However, every community has a slightly different approach to what their fees cover and how they serve the neighborhood.
Homeowners association fees are part of the cost of living in your community. When homeowners purchase a property in an HOA-governed neighborhood, they commit to paying association dues to live there. Make sure your official community documents clearly outline what the monthly HOA fees cover, including:
- Water, gas, and electricity for community facilities
- Landscaping and maintenance for common areas
- Garbage or sewer services
- Third-party services like general contractor fees or property management companies
- Annual events or community activities
- Curb numbers for homes
- Community security
- Services provided by an HOA management company
With a documented list of the services provided and paid for by the HOA property management fees, board members have plenty to talk about when communicating with homeowners about these fees.
2. Communicate Regularly About HOA Management Fees
Boards must find the balance between communicating with community members often, but not so much that it becomes annoying for residents. Homeowners need to feel connected to their HOA board, but over-communicating can lead to frustration and losing important details in emails or board postings that no one reads.
An excellent way to keep residents informed about the work their dues do in the community is to let them know! When property management or maintenance crews are in the neighborhood to care for the pool or landscaping, send a community-wide message about the improvements or repairs taking place.
When scheduling and preparing for community-sponsored events for homeowners, make sure neighbors know that they can enjoy these activities thanks to their annual HOA management fees. Holding regular board meetings and community meetings are also excellent ways to keep residents informed about how the board puts their HOA fees to work throughout the year.
3. Set and Manage Expectations Early
New residents often have plenty of questions about the HOA management fee and what it covers. A management company knows that helping them with a clear understanding of the amount they'll pay for dues and what those fees do for their new community is critical from the start.
Association boards can develop welcome materials about homeowner benefits and how annual fees contribute to a thriving neighborhood. These documents can highlight community amenities and the rules and regulations of living in the neighborhood.
Depending on your type of community and association, it's essential to manage expectations for every resident—whether they're new to the community or your board recently passed changes to any fees or services. It's also critical for homeowners to understand that ongoing management fees are not optional when owning and living in the community. However, in return for the HOA fee, residents experience a wide range of services, amenities, and activities provided by the board.
4. Be Open to Questions and Conversation
Your community welcomes homeowners and residents from various walks of life. In many cases, new homeowners might be living in an HOA-governed community for the first time. Learning about homeowners associations, fees, rules, and regulations can be an adjustment for your newest community members. To promote a happy and healthy community, a management company encourages board members to be open to questions and conversations about fees and services.
To help answer questions accurately, HOA boards can assign a leader or several members as the "point people" for fee or service questions. Ensure new community members are connected to email communications, social media groups, or other resources your board uses to keep neighbors informed.
Responding kindly and professionally to questions about fees can go a long way to building positive relationships between your board and community members. If you're not sure how to respond to questions in ways that help foster understanding, a professional community management company can help!
The right community managers can also help you define HOA rules and fees, then develop materials and communication methods to keep residents informed and happy.
A Community Management Company Helps Homeowners Understand Fees
Whether you're a board member or homeowner, it's essential to communicate well about HOA fees. Communication is a necessary part of running an association and ensuring homeowners are aware of the services and amenities your board and association provide to residents. If you struggle with making these conversations happen, consider working with a professional management company like Trestle Community Management.
We offer on-demand, financial-management-only, or full-service community management for associations of different types and sizes. If you could use help talking with residents about annual fees and the services your board provides, reach out to learn more about how we can help!
Learn more about operating an effective homeowners association when you download our free resource, "Best Practices for HOA Operations: A Checklist."
