The duties and responsibilities of an HOA board

An owner of a property governed by a homeowner’s association (HOA) automatically becomes an HOA member with detailed obligations. But what about a board member of an HOA—what are the duties and responsibilities attached to the role?


HOAs are created under and regulated by state laws, which typically require the first HOA meeting to be held within a certain period of time after the first unit in a development gets sold. The first governing board is elected at this meeting, with all positions filled and information about the candidates circulated prior to the meeting.


The HOA board is expected to take the lead in the maintenance of common areas and building exteriors, as established in the declaration or bylaws. In most associations, parts of the property shared between homeowners are maintained by the HOA. The board is also tasked to manage budgets and assessments, from establishing a budget to collecting assessments. Other common duties include compliance with federal and state laws, managing financial health, making business judgment, and adopting and enforcing rules.

Common examples of these are paying taxes, contracting for insurance or good and services for common areas, preparing budgets and financial statements, and conducting disciplinary proceedings against members for violations.


Above all, the board is expected to have a good grasp of the concept of an HOA, which is the cornerstone of a planned residential community. Among the major objectives is to bring order and continuity to this community, as well as promote a sense of community while protecting the property values of the neighborhood.


AMMCOR, Inc. has been providing top-notch service to Orange County homes since 1979. A Homeowners Association management company servicing over 15,000 homes, AMMCOR has grown in size and quality. Read more about its services on this page.

A Walkthrough On Homeowners’ Associations

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When a person buys a house, townhouse, or a condominium, they are obligated to join a community’s homeowners’ association or HOA and pay monthly or annual HOA fees for the maintenance of common areas and amenities. Thus, before deciding to buy a property managed by an HOA, it’s best to learn its basics.

As a legal entity, an HOA governs a community of homes, which include subdivisions, townhomes, condominiums, or planned communities. It operates within state laws to enforce regulations and collects assessments from homeowners to shoulder maintenance repairs of common areas.

Generally, HOA fees range from $200 to $400 per month, depending on the property, community, and its amenities. On top of the monthly dues, HOAs can charge homeowners an extra assessment if a major expense like the need for a new elevator or a new roof arises and the HOA’s reserve funds won’t be enough to cover the payment. As numerous families and parties live in the same complex or building, the responsibility to maintain common areas such as elevators, swimming pools, landscaping, clubhouses, parking garages, sidewalks, fitness rooms, security gates, roofing, and building exteriors is shared by all the residents.

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HOA fees assist in maintaining the quality of life for the residents of the community, protecting property values for all owners. Additionally, HOAs present specific rules that every resident must follow called covenants, conditions, and restrictions, or CC&Rs. These rules are the same as the type of rules apartment residents must adhere to. In buying a house, choose one that isn’t already out of compliance with HOA rules.

AMMCOR, Inc. has been providing top-notch service to Orange County homes since 1979. A Homeowners Association management company servicing over 15,000 homes, AMMCOR has grown in size and quality. Learn more about the company here.

Giving Back To Your Community Via Your Hoa

Giving thanks need not be limited to Thanksgiving; the spirit of giving back to your community should be a year-round endeavor that instills bonding among community members. This is made easier if you are a member of a homeowners association, as infrastructure should already be in place for community involvement and charitable causes.

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The simplest way to give back is to show that you truly are concerned about the welfare of the association. Do your best to attend HOA meetings regularly, since you are an integral part of it. Your ideas and perspectives count; voice out your concerns and suggestions. The important thing is that you show support by being an active presence in the association.

Secondly, get more involved by joining an existing committee or suggesting the forming of a new one within the HOA. The community can benefit hugely from your areas of expertise. If you can’t commit to regular meetings, then simply volunteer at particular events, activities, or drives.

Assisting neighbors is a very concrete way of giving back. Ask your HOA about those members that can use your help. You can, for example, help your neighbors in cleaning the backyard during Autumn, offering to water their plants, or collecting their mail while they are out of town. It’s often the simplest gestures you do for others that count; these small acts of kindness form the backbone of a taut and truly admirable HOA.

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Established in 1979, AMMCOR is an HOA management company works with the Board of Directors in the enforcement of the association governing documents benefitting all members, provides a responsive 24/7 customer service, and deals with full-scale financial management and reporting. More info on the company’s services here.

The Homeowner’s Role In a Homeowner’s Association

Each year, more people buy homes and join a homeowner’s association or HOAs. These communities hold a lot of promise for homeowners, not just with the quality of living but with future reselling as well. The rules and regulations of HOAs allow for property values to go higher over time, and many potential buyers have been swayed by the allure of being part of an HOA.

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But what exactly is the homeowner’s role in an HOA? 

To reap the rewards of being part of an HOA, a homeowner has to be committed to the rules of the community. Most of the regulations take almost zero effort to follow and in fact are things that people do on a regular basis. While following the restrictions for some homeowners, may take a bit of getting used to, unreasonably and overly restrictive rules are very rare and are almost always up for contestation. 

The first thing future homeowners should do is to look up the rules and regulations of an HOA, even before they decide to buy the house. Once all necessary documents have been signed, homeowners should then should fulfill their responsibilities such as keeping their homes presentable at all times. Typically, schedules and time frames for renovations are part of an HOA’s list of regulations. 

Homeowners can also suggest and recommend ways to enhance the quality of living in an association such as having neighborhood watches and sporting events in nearby parks.

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AMMCOR, Inc. is a Homeowners Association management company that provides services for over 15,000 homes in Orange County. For more on AMMCOR and its high-quality service, visit this website.

Addressing Common Concerns Among New Homeowners

Owning a home is the dream of many Americans. And it would do well to be aware of common questions about finances (like tax alleviations) and maintenance requirements so one can better adjust to homeownership.

The first thing to consider is the strategy that will be used in handling finances post-ownership. A good advice is to make a list of regular bills and their respective payment dates and ensure that you pay these on time. This way there will be money reserved for savings and home maintenance.

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It’s essential as well to understand that one’s credit score will decrease during the first months of buying a house. But paying mortgage regularly and on time will quickly help it go up anew. Unless it can’t be helped, don’t be tempted to open new credit accounts. And maintain a low credit-account balance.

As far as improving equity, always keep the house in tip-top shape by having preventive maintenance in mind. One can make a checklist of things to regularly monitor in the home, from potential leaks and roofing to overgrown grass in the backyard.

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Finally, be aware that homeownership can ease taxes. An important perk that comes with homeownership is that both property tax and mortgage interest get deducted from annual tax returns.

AMMCORis a Homeowners Association management company that provides services for over 15,000 homes in Orange County. The company has been giving clients quality service since 1979. For more insights on homeownership, visit this blog.

How To Foster a Sense Of Community In Your Hoa

Some homeowners don’t feel a sense of community or see value in their homeowners’ associations. But A community spirit can encourage them to get involved and work for the common good.

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Promote open communication

A community association could work towards and promote open communication among members, with the board and management providing avenues for feedback and suggestions from everyone. They Board should be open to ideas, not just talk to members.

Create fun events

Help neighbors get to know each other, especially in communities that are quite large that only immediate neighbors’ names and faces are familiar. Organize enjoyable events on holidays, special times of the year, or during the HOA anniversary. Come together regularly and interact!

Form a welcoming committee

Establish a voluntary Welcoming Committee that will help create goodwill among new homeowners and will better persuade them to become active in the association in the future. It doesn’t have to be much elaborate: come over with a fruit basket or other small gestures to welcome them in the community.

Communicate HOA rules in new ways

Have a Committee Member Create a Newsletter that will report what’s happening with the Board and the HOA, as well as offer news and updates about the community. Create a special Website, too that will give members access to HOA documents and information on upcoming events and activities.

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AMMCOR, Inc. is a Homeowners Association management company that provides top-notch services for over 15,000 homes in Orange County for more than 30 years now. For related reads, click here.

Housing Outlook And Trends For 2018

2018 is here, and with it comes significant and most-welcome shifts in the housing industry, including an ease in the housing inventory shortage. The industry would see more manageable increases in home prices and an acceleration of home sales. Hereunder are more trends to watch this coming year.

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Analysts from Realtor.com, the popular real estate listings website, predict that millennials will begin to increase their market share of homeownership in 2018. They also see home prices appreciating by as much as 3.2 percent this year. Because of this, home sales are seen to pick up by 2019.

Existing home sales are forecasted to rise 2.5 percent as the trend in low inventory begins to reverse its course. In line with this, mortgage rates are expected to average 4.6 percent throughout the year but reach 5 percent for the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage by the end of 2018. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, these rates will continue to rise and could pass four or even five percent over the next few years.

Even as existing home sales increase, new home sales will increase further, meaning housing projects will also rise. Housing starts are predicted to increase by 3 percent over the year, but single-family home starts will increase more at 7 percent. The same 7-percent trend is expected for new home sales.  

Finally, one bit of good news: homeownership rates will stabilize at 63.9 percent after having hit rock-bottom in the second quarter of 2016.

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Homeowners Association management company AMMCOR, Inc. is a gem to the community as it holds memberships in various organizations such as the Rotary Club, American Humane, ASPCA, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Mission Hospital, and South Coast Literacy Council. More housing news via this Twitter page.