Next Generation Homeowners: Life in an HOA

Millennials now represent the largest group of homebuyers in the country. The Gen Z crowd is also getting in on the action and starting new chapters as first-time property owners. 

As this fresh generation of homeowners grows, so does the prevalence of homeowner associations. More and more communities are managed by HOAs, providing residents with an alternative to traditional property ownership. 

Living in a neighborhood run by a self managed HOA offers a high level of support and a sense of belonging. It also comes with rules, responsibilities, and social expectations. Don’t let this scare you away – HOAs are there to keep the engine oiled. 

However, it doesn’t hurt to know what to expect and how you can get involved in your new community. You may find that you can bring something to the table. 

Become an HOA All-Star

There’s a common misconception that HOA boards are for retired residents with plenty of time on their hands. While many older people enjoy working for their HOA, younger generations are starting to discover how rewarding it can be. 

If you recently purchased a condo or home in a self managed HOA and aren’t sure how things work, attending meetings is a smart first step. This will familiarize you with the HOA board and give you a better sense of how they manage the community. 

The Role of the Board of Directors

A self managed HOA needs a board to manage the community’s day-to-day and long-term operations. This involves many moving parts, including: 

• Enforcing policies and rules 
• Managing the community’s budget 
• Collecting dues from residents 
• Conflict resolution
• Organizing community events 
• Ensuring the upkeep and safety of the property 
• Making important decisions that affect the community and its homeowners

All these functions require full-time management, data tracking, scheduling, and outreach. That’s why so many boards use self managed condo association software to help them streamline operations. 

Bring Your Skills to the Board

With HOAs replacing their outdated systems with new technology, younger generations have an opportunity to make their mark. As a Gen Z or Millennial homeowner, you can bring your knowledge of technology and communication to the table. 

For example, HOAs across the country now use message boards, automated SMS, and online portals to engage with residents. Growing up with these tech tools and using them in your career means you’ll be able to quickly adapt to an HOA’s system. There’s a good chance you can offer assistance and advice that leads to positive change. 

If you enjoy social engagement, this is your chance to organize events and bring residents together. This helps foster a strong sense of community, something the HOA board will appreciate. 

Be a Good Citizen 

A valuable HOA board member needs to feel passionately about their community. If you plan on getting involved, start by being the best resident you can be. 

If you recently bought a condo or home, learn as much about your new neighborhood as you can. This will give you a sense of how much your HOA has to handle and how they use their self managed condo association software to get things done. Familiarizing yourself with the neighborhood also allows you to form relationships with residents who have common interests. 

Once you understand your community, you can volunteer to help the HOA board out. This could be as simple as offering to maintain the grounds, doing a little painting, or ensuring the community pool stays clean and safe. These things won’t take up much of your time. 

If you feel strongly about environmental issues, think about ways your new community can become more sustainable. Organize projects aimed at reducing your carbon footprint, such as recycling campaigns. You could even propose larger green initiatives like solar panels or community gardening. 

Match Your Skills

Once you understand your community, you’ll have a better sense of how you can assist your HOA. When approaching the board, lead with your strengths and let them know how you can improve things. This may mean getting acquainted with the self managed condo association software to understand their process. 

If you start volunteering as a board member, you can put this technology to use in many ways. 

Communication 

The best homeowner associations are those that are transparent with residents. Keeping the community up to date on news and events instills trust and limits conflict.

Software allows for automated outreach so homeowners know when their fees are due and if they’ve committed a violation. Communication technology also keeps residents engaged so they have a voice. If you enjoy things like event planning or social media marketing, this may be right up your alley. 

Financial 

Want to use your experience in finance to help your HOA board? Ask if you can learn about their invoicing system, accounting tools, and bank integrations. You may discover better ways of executing effective financial management. 

This is an area where some HOAs are still in the dark ages. Instead of using self managed condo association software, they rely on Excel spreadsheets. Take this opportunity to offer ways to modernize. 

Management or Leadership 

A well-run HOA requires daily operational management. Overseeing vendor relationships, maintenance requests, and document storage is ongoing. 

With most board members of a self managed HOA only volunteering part of their time, the right technology is key. If you have experience with project management, offer your insight to help the board make productive changes to their system. 

Bookkeeping 

Every homeowners association must keep accurate financial records and file taxes each year. If you have bookkeeping knowledge, help out by taking a look at the board’s data to determine if there are holes. 

HOA Tech Assistance 

As a young homeowner with a career, you likely won’t have the capacity to help your HOA full-time. That’s okay. You can offer your assistance on an as-needed basis. This is a perfect situation if you have a tech background. 

Many HOAs are only now upgrading their infrastructures with tech tools. But there’s often a learning curve. They may be shopping around for self managed condo association software that suits their needs. Or, they may have acquired new tools but aren’t using them to their advantage. 

Offer your services and spend some time helping the board optimize their use of tech tools. There’s a good chance the software is easy to use but isn’t set up for efficient use. In very little time, you can help streamline your HOA’s management process and contribute to a well-oiled community.  

HOA Member and Good Neighbor 

When moving into a new HOA community, your only real requirement is to pay your dues and be a good resident. If you do that, you’ll find you have a support system in the HOA and your neighbors. 

Your level of involvement as a board member is entirely up to you. However, if you feel you have the right personality and background, working for a self managed HOA offers a level of fulfillment outside of your career. 

PayHOA’s Self Managed Condo Association Software Makes Community Life Easy

Have you decided to become a member of your new neighborhood’s HOA? Make the right changes by integrating our self managed condo association software into the current infrastructure. 

Contact us to learn how we can streamline your process. 

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ayHOA offers an HOA management software solution for HOAs of any size or managerial priorities. To find out if PayHOA fits all your HOA management needs, try our software free for 30 days.