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However, they are only as good as your records are. .
That is another problem. I have essentially no records. We do know when the roofs were done but we don't know a lot otherwise.
But I have an announcement --- I have reconsidered! But I chide you all for not pointing out the most important thing... and here it is...
as I have mentioned I think we are over maintained -- but if we are I will have a report to throw at every resident that whines for the zillionth time that we need new roofs -- when we don't.
AND if the report comes back in a way I don't like, I don't have to tell the residents.
Also, another thing we are in need of is inspection -- someone who knows what they are doing that can take at look at things and tell us if we have a problem. Way too often we have had the property company come out and do it and be proved wrong. This will likely have someone who can inspect and say this is in reasonably good shape or not.
A downside is that I understand it can overstate the amount of money needed. For instance we have mail boxes that I am pretty sure have been here since day one and probably will survive the nuclear apocalypse but they study might say it is at its useful life and will need to be replaced for 4K... but it really doesn't.
That is another problem. I have essentially no records. We do know when the roofs were done but we don't know a lot otherwise.
But I have an announcement --- I have reconsidered! But I chide you all for not pointing out the most important thing... and here it is...
as I have mentioned I think we are over maintained -- but if we are I will have a report to throw at every resident that whines for the zillionth time that we need new roofs -- when we don't.
AND if the report comes back in a way I don't like, I don't have to tell the residents.
Also, another thing we are in need of is inspection -- someone who knows what they are doing that can take at look at things and tell us if we have a problem. Way too often we have had the property company come out and do it and be proved wrong. This will likely have someone who can inspect and say this is in reasonably good shape or not.
A downside is that I understand it can overstate the amount of money needed. For instance we have mail boxes that I am pretty sure have been here since day one and probably will survive the nuclear apocalypse but they study might say it is at its useful life and will need to be replaced for 4K... but it really doesn't.
You don’t get to chide me since I suggested a reserve study for exactly the same reason back in post #55.
How are you getting a reserve study done without a vote by the whole Board? Surely your bylaws require an official vote and simple majority for spending on items outside of contracted services. Unless you plan on paying for it yourself, there should be a vote and the resulting report should be shared not just with the Board but the entire community since their dues are paying for it.
Your Board has lacked accountability and transparency. Don’t let that continue by hiding information that the community deserves to be privy to.
How are you getting a reserve study done without a vote by the whole Board? Surely your bylaws require an official vote and simple majority for spending on items out side or contracted services. Unless you plan on paying for it yourself, there should be a vote and the resulting report should be shared not just with the Board but the entire community.
Your being obtuse. Obviously I will get them on board. I will have no problem. This involves spending a lot of money that isn't theirs.. they will be there with bells on.
That is another problem. I have essentially no records. We do know when the roofs were done but we don't know a lot otherwise.
But I have an announcement --- I have reconsidered! But I chide you all for not pointing out the most important thing... and here it is...
as I have mentioned I think we are over maintained -- but if we are I will have a report to throw at every resident that whines for the zillionth time that we need new roofs -- when we don't.
Also, another thing we are in need of is inspection -- someone who knows what they are doing that can take at look at things and tell us if we have a problem. Way too often we have had the property company come out and do it and be proved wrong. This will likely have someone who can inspect and say this is in reasonably good shape or not.
A downside is that I understand it can overstate the amount of money needed. For instance we have mail boxes that I am pretty sure have been here since day one and probably will survive the nuclear apocalypse but they study might say it is at its useful life and will need to be replaced for 4K... but it really doesn't.
Quote:
AND if the report comes back in a way I don't like, I don't have to tell the residents.
You are a horrible board member! Why don't you move to a place that is more 'low cost' living like you want? These people like to 'over-maintain' to have a NICE community, and you don't. They look long-term and you don't.
You are the epitome of the type of person everyone fears will get on their board. Someone who thinks they know better than anyone else and wants to re-make the place the way they want it to be.
Your being obtuse. Obviously I will get them on board. I will have no problem. This involves spending a lot of money that isn't theirs.. they will be there with bells on.
I asked a question based on your plan to hide the study if it didn’t meet with your approval. Is this really the way you think an HOA should be run? You’ve complained about how the Board has been run and yet plan to possibly do something equally inappropriate and shady.
My HOA fees have gone up $5.00 in the ten years I've lived here.
Not something to be proud of. Obviously costs go up for everything, especially in 10 years. So the people running the association are simply not adjusting dues to meet future obligations. Its common. Id be pretty surprised if that property company, insurance, etc hasn't gone up in 10 years.
She said they do have a property manager, but he’s useless. We had one like that when we took over from the builder. We fired him and hired a well respected, very professional company. Our rep attends our monthly Board meetings so she’s there and knows everything that’s going on. In addition, her professional advice has been invaluable. The company provides education and training for board members. They have a website where all the minutes, financials, HOA documents, contracts etc. can be viewed by any resident at any time. Yes, they cost more than the useless outfit we inherited, but they’re worth every penny.
I think where HOAs go off the rails is when residents and Boards are OK with them being loosely run. Professional management, if done correctly, helps prevent that. The CC&Rs explain in detail the expectations of the Board and the structure of the association. Good property management will insist a Board follow this document.
The problem with this, is that the property management companies are in a very good position to rip off HOAs. Not saying they all will, but if you look at their position, it's easy for them to be able to really run the show and hand out sweetheart deals to their associates in, say, the pool maintenance business or driveway pavers or landscaping - you name it.
Because most of the board members are only qualified to help run a HOA, simply because the only requirement is that they be an owner. They do not have to have any knowledge of real estate or property management or fiscal management or maintenance, or landscaping, etc.
So, what I saw happen when I got on the board at my HOA, was that the board members, most of whom have no idea what they're doing and only got on the board because of some pet peeve or agenda, like wanting to get rid of the cat lady or to get people to stop growing tomatoes on their balconies or to penalize people who don't pick up their dog's poop --- is that they pretty much just end up doing whatever the manager tells them to do.
And the manager will bring to the board meetings suggestions, like the pool needs maintenance or the driveways need to be repaved, etc., etc., and they will have someone they know who can get the job done.
The year I was on my board, the pool needed an insane amount of maintenance, to the point where I started saying, what the heck? And the other board members didn't want to deal with any kind of potential problem, so just voted to do whatever the manager suggested.
I felt sure the manager was either financially involved in these maintenance businesses or was getting some kind of kickback.
If you think about a HOA logically, and put it into a different scenario, it's really insane. Just imagine investing in something to the tune of a quarter of a million dollars or more or less -- and allowing total strangers the ability to make financial decisions that could destroy your investment. And not only strangers, but strangers with absolutely no experience or knowledge in managing your investment. But, majority vote rules on all decisions that affect your investment. And if they destroy your investment, they are not liable.
It's really nuts. I think they're a really poor investment. Right up there with "buying" a mobile home on land you don't own and with rent and HOA rules that can change and go up and up and up, with no future security whatsoever.
Plus, they're really hard to sell! And sometimes the board can also prevent you from selling to anyone you want to sell to.
I always advise people to not buy anything if you don't own it free and clear (fee simple) without any HOAs involved. That's the only way you have total control over your investment.
You are the epitome of the type of person everyone fears will get on their board. Someone who thinks they know better than anyone else and wants to re-make the place the way they want it to be.
Yes, just like the many other people who have gotten on the board in the past and ruined things. Why are you so sure that the condo isn't over maintained?
I just found out in addition to a trustee paying for someone to get their condo fixed after it was in a non conforming condition... he locked us into a 3 year contract that isn't clear as to what they will do and doesn't save us money. But it was easier for the lazy trustee to do. And frankly, I am starting to wonder if this guy isn't getting a kick back.
One bad trustee can really mess things up.
Last edited by Arya Stark; 01-24-2018 at 03:59 AM..
The problem with this, is that the property management companies are in a very good position to rip off HOAs. If you think about a HOA logically, and put it into a different scenario, it's really insane. Just imagine investing in something to the tune of a quarter of a million dollars or more or less -- and allowing total strangers the ability to make financial decisions that could destroy your investment. And not only strangers, but strangers with absolutely no experience or knowledge in managing your investment. But, majority vote rules on all decisions that affect your investment. And if they destroy your investment, they are not liable.
I used to be in a condo like this. The board just did what the condo manager said, all the time. There was no doubt in my mind that the condo manager was getting rich that way. My medium condo company is a little better in that they charge to manage a project for the board. So the board is motivated to do it themselves. My last condo trustee started a big project and seems to lose his mind whenever we suggest that it be cut back or not done. I do suspect he is getting a kick back from the vendor but have no proof.
It also seems the only people who will be on the board are people who will ruin it. No one seems to want to do the work. No one seems to want to get things done that are necessary. I had concerns when I moved here but decided to give a small condo a shot. What a mistake.
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