HOA Webinar

Date Published : Sep-14-2020

Written By : Kim Brown

Every HOA community is unique. Some are small and tight-knit, others are expansive and dynamic. Some have large pools and multiple tennis courts, others have a modest clubhouse. Even the rules will vary from one association to another. Nevertheless, all HOAs require structure and consistent communication to function well. No matter what type of HOA you manage, Condo Control Central can help you minimize all of those tedious, repetitive, and unproductive processes, and give you more time to engage with the community, plan for future projects, or even grow your property management business.

Condo Control Central’s property management software offers value to your entire HOA community. There are special features designed to assist property managers, as well as features made for board members and owners. The software system is customizable, very easy to use, and has the capacity to grow with your community.

We’ve heard the same frustrations and concerns from dozens of HOA property managers and board members, which is why we decided to put together an on-demand webinar. It is free and shows you exactly how the software can help resolve many of those recurring issues that HOAs encounter. The webinar highlights solutions for:

  • Sharing news, updates and instructions with all owners and residents
  • Storing governing documents, amendments to rules and bylaws, newsletters, forms and meeting minutes
  • Processing and tracking work orders
  • Approving architectural change requests
  • Advertising community events
  • Taking online payments for owners
  • Managing violations
  • Analyzing and utilizing data

The features that will help you get from “ugh” to “ahhh” include:

Announcements

  • PMs can use Announcements to send out newsletters, messages about construction or repairs, reminders about a specific rule or bylaw, and updates to policies or procedures, instantaneously
  • Announcements can be sent through your desktop computer, laptop, or mobile phone, and received by residents through email, texts or automated voice messages, depending on their preference
  • You have the ability to schedule announcements for a future time or date, and you can even send announcements to a select group
  • Attachments can easily be added to any announcement

File Library

  • Store any documents, including governing documents, notes from the board, frequently requested forms and more, in the Condo Control Central File Library. You can even include informative documents, such as how to make a payment online, or seasonal rules about the pool
  • PMs can control who has access to folders. This means only the intended recipients have access to sensitive documents
  • Owners have the option of turning on email alerts for new uploads so that they don’t miss anything important

Work Orders

  • Work orders, sometimes referred to as service requests, can be logged and tracked online. No more paper stacks or clunky binders
  • Owners can submit work orders online from their personal accounts. They can even make submissions through the Condo Control Central mobile app
  • Priority options can be switched on so that owners can let the property manager know how urgent the issue is. High-priority submissions receive immediate attention
  • Manage the progress of work orders online, and close them once they are resolved. All work orders are stored in the system, and can be reviewed at any time

Architectural Change Requests

  • Our architectural change requests feature makes it easier for property managers to spot and address these time-sensitive requests
  • If boards must give final approval, each board member can approve or deny the request through CCC
  • There may be a very important reason why a homeowner is asking to make an architectural change. Using CCC, they can submit photos or even videos to their property manager to help them explain why the change is needed
  • Automatic reminders can be turned on so that a request is never forgotten

Events

  • Unlike condo buildings, HOAs don’t usually have a centralized area to share notices about upcoming community events, scheduled maintenance, or meetings. The Events feature gives HOA members a place to keep track of everything that’s happening
  • Events can be created for select individuals, such as board members, or the entire community. Only owners that have been invited to an event can see it on their calendar
  • Send digital invitations and attach professionally designed posters or cards to get members excited about events
  • There are no limits to the number of events you can schedule. Plan one-off events or recurring events such as general meetings/AGMs, monthly board meetings, and even significant maintenance activities

Online Payments

  • Owners genuinely appreciate the convenience of online payments
  • They can take care of association fees, fines and more using credit, debit, direct withdrawal, electronic funds transfer or ACH payment
  • Property managers spend less time collecting and depositing cash or cheques by automating the payment process
  • Our online payment feature is secure and safe, and processes more payments with less hassle

Violation Tracking

  • Violation Tracking is one of our most popular features because it makes this tedious process so much simpler
  • Systematically enforce HOA rules and bylaws, and keep track of every violation online
  • Create customized violation templates, or use our preloaded templates
  • Recipients can respond to warning letters or formal notices through their CCC account, and even pay fines associated with the violation

Reports

  • Using customized reports, property managers can bring concrete data to the board and help make informed decisions for the HOA
  • Easily organize information to identify trends and patterns that can help you prepare for projects, budgets and other plans
  • Reports can be saved and shared in several formats including PDF, Word document and Excel spreadsheet

Other things to consider

Condo Control Central is an exceptional HOA management tool, but it could never replace property managers. Communities still need real people to help them thrive. Here are a couple of other points property managers should take into account when working to help properties and people.

Resolve conflicts asap

There will be conflicts in HOA communities. It happens. While neighbours are encouraged to try and work issues out between themselves, property managers may need to intervene. It’s recommended that managers develop a concrete conflict resolution plan so that owners know what to do if they can’t find a solution on their own. Homeowners are happier when an HOA can resolve conflicts within a reasonable amount of time.

Maintain an appropriate reserve fund

A reserve fund is an essential part of the association’s finances. HOAs need these funds for large projects and unexpected emergency expenses. Most HOAs do have a reserve fund, but often, it’s underfunded. As a result, when there is an emergency or unexpected expense, the HOA has no other choice but to levy a special assessment. This puts a heavy financial burden on the homeowners.

A healthy reserve fund should receive about 30% of the association’s total maintenance fees. HOAs should also conduct a reserve study every 3-5 years to ensure that their reserve fund level is sufficient.

Don’t let HOA payments slip

HOA fees are crucial to the wellbeing of any association. This money is used to pay for maintenance costs, services, and other essential expenses. In rare cases, homeowners may pay late, or disregard fees altogether if they are unhappy about something else. It’s important to take the appropriate steps to collect these fees so that the HOA can continue to operate normally.

You can issue warnings for first-time offenders, but don’t give up if the warnings are ignored. Follow the HOA’s governing documents for direction on how to deal with this issue.

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