Six tools every homeowner association cannot do without

Written by Posted On Friday, 25 October 2019 08:16

How well a homeowner association is run can have a big impact on the quality of life for its resident members. If it is run properly, the neighborhood will be a pleasant place for everyone to live. But, to run a homeowner association (HOA) properly its members and leaders need to have access to the right tools. Below are details of the most important of these.

Specialist HOA management and accounts software

It is a good idea to invest in HOA accounts receivable software . One of the biggest causes of arguments and disharmony, in any organization, is money. So, keeping track of membership fees received, expenses and where the cash has gone is vital. If you do not do it properly things can soon unravel.

The software needs to enable you to track who has paid the fees and who has not. It will enable residents to make payments 24/7 and do so electronically. This feature alone will save the governing body many hours. There is no longer any need for them to go door-to-door trying to collect the fees.

You will want to be able to produce invoices as well. Modern HOA software enables you to track everything from any device.

There are other extras you may want to look for when choosing your HOA software. For example, a calendar all residents can access remotely to see when important events like community meetings and social occasions are being held. If there are communal areas that can be booked a reservation system would be useful.

A way for residents to report issues as they happen will prove helpful. Work order management is also a valuable feature.

A good printer

These days most of the communication can be done electronically. But, occasionally it will still be necessary to print off certain documents or photocopy things. So, any HOA needs a good quality printer that is capable of photocopying and high-resolution scanning.

A phone

It can be handy for the HOA to have a phone to provide a point of contact for residents. This can also be used for notifying people and reminding them of events and sharing other important information.

A laptop or tablet

A tablet or laptop is another essential tool. Just make sure that the operating system is compatible with the software the HOA is already using.

A way to backup information

It is a good idea to back everything up each day. You can do this using the cloud. But, it is usually best to have the information stored on a physical drive as well.

A safe way of storing people’s personal information

The HOA will be holding a lot of sensitive personal information about each member. It is very important that this is held in a way that makes it hard for it to be stolen or copied. You need to encrypt the digital versions and have a way of locking any physical documents away from prying eyes.

Guidance on how to set up and run an HOA

Setting up and running a decent HOA is not as complex as many people think. This easy to follow article sets out the 12 simple steps that have to be taken.


Rate this item
(0 votes)
James Stevenson

Hi, My name is James and I've been involved in the property and real estate industry for 10 years now. I hope people will like to read about my thoughts and experiences in the industry and please contact me if you want to discuss my articles further!

Realty Times

From buying and selling advice for consumers to money-making tips for Agents, our content, updated daily, has made Realty Times® a must-read, and see, for anyone involved in Real Estate.

Joomla! Debug Console

Session

Profile Information

Memory Usage

Database Queries