For purposes of this question we are defining capital improvements as the expenditure of funds for new, not previously existing, components. Some associations want to include capital improvements in the reserve study. Most do not. In our experience the only reason that associations include capital improvements in their reserve study funding plan is because they [...]
Once you have found the condominium that fits your dreams, one also has to look at everything outside the condominium. Deferred maintenance. As an owner you have a financial obligation to pay for the maintenance. Does the complex looks like its well maintained? Does it look like the maintenance is being postponed or deferred? Deferred [...]
Homeowners occasionally bring lawsuits against condo board of directors, though it's worth noting that these legal actions often prove unsuccessful. Most homeowner's have never used a litigation lawyer and are unaware of the costs of such a legal action. Regardless, as a board member, it's important to maintain vigilance and avoid any misuse of authority. [...]
Our blog has discussed over the years the value of having a Reserve Study. It is, after all, one of the best practices an association can take to protect property values. None of us want to see the value of our home slashed and our home equity vanish. But that’s exactly what happens when maintenance [...]
What happens if our association reserves go to zero and we don't have money to do maintenance? Do we go bankrupt? An association that fails to make adequate contributions to their reserve fund are on a path to insolvency. Could the board take on significant debts that it can't pay for? Yes, they could. There [...]
How should we invest our Reserve Fund? We frequently get the question on what should we do with reserves especially with recent inflation increasing costs. Washington State's Laws governing associations (RCW 64.34) is pretty clear. They don't have any restrictions other than an association needs to have a separate reserve account. So the board has [...]
We have talked previously about reserve fund balances or percent funded. To help you better manage your HOA reserve fund balances, here’s a list of tips to take into consideration: Adjust the budget when needed. Most boards are afraid to increase dues just to fund reserves. Increasing dues incrementally over time is better than asking [...]
A reserve specialist is term used by Community Associations Institute (CAI) to describe a reserve certification they offer. Pacific Crest evaluated getting certified through Community Associations Institute (CAI) but since our Reserve Analysts already exceeded the CAI requirements we felt it didn't offer any benefit A reservist needs a blend of skills to be effective [...]
Do you find that your association constantly has unexpected repair or replacement costs that it doesn't have money budgeted for? Many association boards are afriad to raise dues to the levels needed to avoid special assets and hope nothings breaks until after they are off the board. We refer to this as the "head in [...]
Sellers and/or their agents are required to disclose what they know about the property under the laws of Washington State. Your real estate agent should be aware of disclosure laws but remember their underlying interest is to sell properties. I frequently see the seller's realtors wait until the last minute to provide the disclosure information [...]
