Wilson Property Management

single-family home for rent

5 Things Your HOA Wishes You Knew

As a homeowner, one would think that rules are a thing of the past. You can make as many holes in the wall, complete numerous house renovations, and make your property exactly how you want it, however, if you have an HOA, your largest and craziest dreams may come to an end as soon as you move in. Not every association is a headache waiting to happen, especially when they are managed by the experienced team of Wilson real estate management at Wilson Property Management. The experienced managers of WPM are here to tell you five reasons why your HOA does what it does, and give you some insight into what any Homeowners Association wishes you knew.  

 

  • Negative stereotypes are just that.. stereotypes. 

 

      1. HOA’s have some pretty aggressive and nasty stigmas about them, that aren’t always true. Yes, most associations have their seemingly unreasonable rules and can be a bit of a pain-in-the-butt for homeowners and tenants, but for the most part, all of the regulations an HOA has in place is to simply keep the harmony of the neighborhood upbeat and friendly. We are the ones who are keeping your neighbor’s trees from hanging over your freshly washed car, solicitors from knocking door to door, or other horrific and bothersome events from taking place. 

 

  • You can and SHOULD attend HOA meetings, even before you move in. 

 

      1. The Wilson real estate management and HOA team at WPM suggest attending the community Homeowners Association meetings before you decide on moving into an area to understand if that area and their HOA is exactly what you are looking for. We aren’t denying that there are some HOA’s out there that aren’t the best, which is all the more reason for you to want to experience what you will be dealing with before making the final decision to move. More private neighborhoods tend to have more controlling HOA’s, while non-private neighborhoods can be less active in regulations. Attending a meeting will allow you to experience exactly what you will be dealing with if you do move into the area and can help you figure out the HOA’s style, and will give you the opportunity to ask questions. 

 

  • The rules typically are there for a reason. 

 

      1. HOA’s were created to have some sort of enforcement within neighborhoods, meaning that most of the rules that are in place were once and are still necessary. The Wilson real estate management and HOA team at WPM logically place rules to protect homeowners and tenants from wild neighbors and to keep property values correct. If there is an instance where a resident doesn’t agree with the policy, speaking with your HOA, or legally battle them to change the rules. It all depends on how serious the situation is, and how much you are willing to go through. 

 

  • HOA board members can be friendly. 

 

      1. Most tend to keep their distance from their Homeowner Association board members, to refrain from feeling as though they are breaking the rules. However, the members of the HOA are human too and are more than willing to inform and dissect a wordy policy document, or even reach the extent of shooting you a text about a rule that you are breaking rather than filing paperwork about it. All in all, it helps to have friends wherever you can, especially on your HOA. 

 

  • If you break the rules, you’ll pay for it. 

 

    1. We are all aware that Homeowners Associations provide and regulate the “laws of the land.” Whether you are aware that something is a rule or not, if one is broken there will be consequences, and that should be expected. In most cases, your HOA will give you a notice or warning on smaller guidelines that are not being followed such as not keeping up with your landscaping, or parking on the street. However, if you choose not to pay dues, completely disregard a clearly stated regulation such as no painting your house bright purple, or multiple noise complaints, you can predict some heavy fines to come your way. 

A Homeowners Association is in place to protect your property, regulate the rules of the area, and to keep the neighborhood in check. While some are extreme, there are plenty of ways to know exactly what you are getting into before you move. If your neighborhood is in the market for a HOA and can’t seem to get the right group of people to join, contact Wilson Property Management. Our team of experienced Wilson real estate management is ready and prepared to handle any type of HOA jumble thrown our way. 

Wilson Property Management

Established in 1989, Wilson Property Management is a full-service management company offering both homeowner association and rental management. Wilson Property Management currently manages 16 associations, approximately 1000 individual rental units, and currently has four on-site offices. Contact us today to learn more about the Wilson real estate management and other property services we offer in the Triangle such as managing your HOA.