HOA Misconceptions Dispelled

With hundreds of thousands of HOAs in the United States, there are plenty of misconceptions about them in the wild. With education, these misconceptions can be dispelled and the reality and usefulness of HOAs can be further explored.  Here are some of the common misconceptions about HOAs that should be dispelled followed by reality and fact.

• My association will fix everything in my home if anything is damaged.  Associations are not intended to serve as an insurance policy or fund from which to draw when damage occurs at an individual owner’s residence.
• My association will fix my lights and my flooring if there is damage. Associations are not intended to act as landlords.
• My association will fight my battles for me and evict neighbors I do not like. Associations are not intended to act as mediators to resolve disputes between neighbors.
• My association will be the pulpit from which I rule my empire! Associations are not intended to serve the whims and personal agendas of board members or individual owners.
• My association sucks and ruined my life!  Associations are not intended to be a source of hatred and discontent in owner’s personal lives.
• My association dues are too high and don’t serve any purpose. Assessments in HOAs are designed to allow your association to manage the community and carry out is essential purposes.

An association is a tool and serves a couple of very important purposes. Used properly, the association can serve the needs of and greatly benefit the owners within the community. Used improperly, an association can be an owner’s worst nightmare. By understanding the function of an association, owners can use the association as a tool to foster good-will within the community and to maintain and enhance property values.

There are plenty of misconceptions out there.  Those listed above are only a few of them.  What misconceptions have you run into or do you run into on a daily basis.  What steps have you taken to try to dispel them and to educate owners and the general public?  Please share!