Category: Blog

Are you a self-managed HOA? You’re in good company! The Foundation for Community Association Research estimates that 30% to 40% of community associations are self-managed, meaning they rely on volunteer board members to oversee day-to-day operations.

Having help from a professional property management company is great, and communities tend to be more organized and productive when there’s a property manager around to take care of requests, violations and payments. But this service comes at a cost, which is the main reason some associations decide to manage on their own.

Table of contents

• Self-managed communities often struggle to do it all
• Self-managed doesn’t mean you can’t have help
• The powers of HOA software
• Self-managed HOA software helps everyone

Self-managed communities often struggle to do it all

Self-managed HOAs work very hard to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. But even the most ambitious HOAs face challenges that can impact operations and community satisfaction.

The biggest obstacle is time. Board members are volunteers, and some of them have full-time jobs, families and other responsibilities to attend to.

Board members generally spend 4 to 6 hours a week on association business…if they have help from a property manager. But, that number can increase to 10 or even 15 hours a week if they are self-managed. That’s 40 hours of volunteer work a month, or 480 hours a year. No wonder some board members experience burnout.

Lack of time and resources also makes it more difficult for self-managed communities to:

• *Create or execute long-term plans
• *Stay up to date with new legislation
• *Enforce rules fairly and consistently
• *Collect delinquent payments
• *Address issues or concerns from residents

All of these challenges can drastically impact the productivity of the HOA, and the happiness of owners.

Self-managed doesn’t mean you can’t have help

The good news is that you can be a self-managed community without having to struggle so much.

Self-managed HOA software makes it possible to streamline and automate day-to-day operations, improve communication, and improve owner satisfaction by equipping them with self-serve tools. As a result, inefficiencies, workloads and costs are reduced. 

Find out more about how software like HOA Central makes life better for self-managed HOAs.

The powers of HOA software

Software can’t do it all, but it can do a lot. The technology may have once been considered a luxury, but now it’s becoming a staple for effective association management. That’s because it is affordable, scalable, and easy to use.

 As costs for insurance, materials and services increase, communities look for reliable ways to cut costs or generate revenue.

Software can help them do both.

While this won’t be true for every HOA community, some can save up to 50% in costs when they switch from a property management company to HOA software.

Moreover, if they have premium paid assets, they can set up bookings and payments through the platform.  

Streamline manual tasks

Processing checks, completing bookings for amenities in person, and sending out physical letters to owners are all examples of slow manual processes.

These are things HOAs have done for decades. But these processes are unnecessarily time consuming.

HOA software makes it possible for communities to collect and issue payments online, send out mass communication in minutes, and even book amenities from a phone using HOA Central’s mobile app.  

Instead of spending hours on these necessary tasks, board and committee members only need a few minutes to complete approvals, share information or pay a vendor.

Self-serve options for owners

Speaking of the mobile app, when you use HOA Central, owners gain access to an entire collection of self-serve tools that not only improve owner satisfaction, but reduce the workload for the board, too.

From submitting architectural change requests to looking up rules on their own, owners are empowered to do more for themselves.  

Consistent violation tracking

Managing violations can feel like a full-time job, especially if you’re mailing letters to owners and tracking updates by hand.

Instead, centralize all documentation related to violations on one dashboard and send notices electronically. Owners can respond to violations and even pay fines online.

Once you’ve created violations and steps for each violation, enforcing rules becomes effortless.

Use the HOA Central mobile app to log new violations or follow up on outstanding issues while inspecting your community. Take advantage of geotracking to see your real-time location and identify homes that have outstanding violations.

By enforcing rules, the board establishes expectations. As a result, owners are less likely to break the rules if they know there will be consequences. Fewer infractions equate to less enforcement work for you.  

Effective communication

Other than finances, communication is probably the biggest factor impeding HOA operations.  

Sometimes owners don’t get messages in time. Or, they don’t get messages at all. This hurts engagement rates and can foster apathy.

Moreover, printing and mailing letters, notices, and packages can equate to thousands of dollars every year when you total up the expenses.

Miscommunication between volunteers can also occur, slowing down projects and progress.  

Self-managed HOA software not only makes it easier to communicate with owners and other board members more frequently, but communication errors are reduced by as much as 50%.

Using software, the board can draft messages, select who will receive them, and send them through multiple channels (email, text or voice message). Messages can even be scheduled for a later date.

Suddenly, it only takes the board 5 minutes to reach owners instead of 2 to 3 business days.

When it comes to documenting tasks or voting to approve requests, the board can also do that through HOA Central, meaning you don’t have to schedule a date to meet in person. It’s easier to stay on track when decisions can be made with a few simple clicks.

Easy accounting  

Not everyone has an accounting background. Honestly, most of us do not. But your numbers must be accurate and up to date in order to maintain a financially stable association. It’s impossible to create an annual budget without understanding the HOA’s expenses.

Cloud-based accounting software is designed for non-accountants, and it can be incredibly useful. These programs minimize human error, and make it possible to manage millions of dollars without breaking a sweat.

Since the data is stored securely on the cloud, board members don’t have to worry about losing it, or transferring a file from one computer to another.

Many HOA management and accounting software systems have integration capabilities, allowing self-managed HOA communities to unlock the benefits of both solutions without having to enter and update data in two separate systems.   

Self-managed HOA software helps everyone

Self-managed HOA software gives busy HOAs the tools they need to eliminate the roadblocks and headaches that come with managing an association.

Software allows board members to complete obligations in less time and provides them with opportunities to cut costs or generate revenue.  But, it is beneficial to every member of the community.

Board members

• *Simplify and streamline communication with owners and residents
• *Establish one source of truth for records, documents, contracts, etc.
• *Implement a system that supports organization and transparency
• *Remove barriers that prevent owners from accessing the items they need
• *Improve cash flow with online payments
• *Manage time-sensitive tasks more efficiently
• *Reduce number of hours spent managing the HOA

Committees

• *Access and review documents at any time from any computer
• *Work more cohesively as a team
• *Complete tasks or projects in less time

Owners

• *Self-serve options give owners the power to book amenities, submit service requests, make payments, find documents, and more, all on their own
• *Owners have an easier time staying informed, which can lead to better voter turnout or greater participation in the community
• *Easier to comply with rules since owners have ungated access to governing documents
• *Better living experience
• *Board members are owners too, so they get to enjoy these benefits as well

Conclusion

Self-managed HOA software is an excellent tool for improving communications, automating repetitive tasks, and gaining control over day-to-day operations.

Different platforms have different qualities, but their core objectives are the same. Before investing in a solution, make sure that your top pick has the features that you need to help lighten your workload and improve the owner experience.