There are 55,000 homeowners associations in California, making it the most HOA-heavy state in the country.
If you're thinking about buying a home in an HOA, it's important to educate yourself as much as possible. Joining an HOA comes with a specific set of perks, many of which are unique to the community that you join.
One universal benefit of HOA living is having property and community maintenance taken care of. You pay your monthly dues and in return, you enjoy HOA property maintenance.
In today's post, we'll cover three things you should know about property maintenance before you join a community. Not every community is run as well as the next, so keep reading and learn what you should expect out of HOA maintenance.
1. You May Have Responsibilities
Before you join an HOA, it's a great idea to take a look at the governing documents for the community. These outline the various rules and guidelines that all homeowners are expected to abide by, but they'll also tell you more about how the maintenance works in that specific community.
Most good associations will take care of maintenance for all common areas and amenities. This includes things like road work, landscaping for parks, and garbage removal.
Some associations will take care of maintenance for individual homes as well, such as gutter cleaning, lawn mowing, and exterior paint. This isn't always the case, which is why you need to read the documents to understand what you're responsible for.
2. Good Maintenance Comes Down to Good Vendors
Routine maintenance is scheduled by your HOA board, which is made up of volunteer homeowners. They're responsible for collecting HOA fees and creating a budget that makes room for maintenance, among other things.
To ensure that the community's maintenance plan is on schedule, they must build relationships and contracts with local vendors. Failing to do so could leave the community in disrepair. In the worst cases, poor maintenance could affect home values, which should be up to four percent higher in HOAs.
3. HOA Property Management Services Help
Many of the 55,000 HOAs in California employ HOA management services to help with running the community. HOA managers can handle all of the responsibilities that an HOA board deals with, but they usually act as a support system for the board.
With regards to HOA property maintenance, HOA managers come with long-standing vendor relationships. This alone takes a huge burden off of the HOA board's shoulders because they can rely on reputable vendors who have worked with the HOA manager before.
Prioritizing HOA Property Maintenance in Oakland
Now that you know a bit more about HOA property maintenance in Oakland, you can determine whether or not you're ready to join one of these communities. Having maintenance dealt with is what makes HOA living so enticing, but make sure you understand what your community provides.
If you're unsatisfied with the leadership in your Oakland HOA, it's time to hire a property manager. At PMI Oakland, we're a full-service HOA property manager who can make sure property maintenance is always a priority at your HOA. Contact us today to learn more about what we do.
