Ownership 

Condo Association

In a Condo Association, a homeowner has ownership over their unit and they share ownership with the association over the common areas available like the lobby, restaurant, court, etc.

Every resident in this association is a member and shares what it owns.  

HOA

An HOA, on the other hand, is independent or it is owned by the developer of a community. This means that, apart from owning their property and unity, residents don’t own common areas. 

This difference is quite significant since it can impact how certain procedures and policies work as well as determining taxes and insurance, for example.

Management

Condo Association

Since a  Condo Association manages structures with various units included, like a high rise with condo apartments, or a mixed community with townhomes.

Often they have lobbies, hallways, roofs, elevators, swimming pools, etc.

A community association manager, as previously mentioned, is a demanding job that requires a variety of skills in order to successfully manage their community. 

Time management, adapting to problems and situations, communicating with residents, and digital skills are all some examples of qualities a manager can have in order to increase their chances of being more successful.

Condo inspections are also extremely important when managing your condo association. It ensures that every aspect of your COA is in great condition which reduces security issues and can save costs. 

Click this link if you want to know more about condo association management!

HOA

An HOA, however, doesn’t manage an individual’s homes, which is why their maintenance is prioritized to the common areas and amenities.

For instance, there are often a variety of amenities such as a community garden, meditation area, and a space for recreational activities. 

Common areas, which include amenities and shared areas in a community (such as sidewalks), all need maintenance. These can include irrigation, sewage, trash collection, and landscaping. 

HOA asset management is also extremely significant to any association. It helps the board know what the HOA owns, making it easier to keep track of everything, makes budgeting more organized, and it helps with planning. 

If you want to find a company that will help manage your HOA then click this link.

Fees

Condo Association

Every year the board of directors plans the annual budget, This includes the expenses that the common areas will require. Unit owners will pay for part of the upkeep through their fees.

They may be calculated using the percentage an owner has of the common area.

This means that the bigger the common area owned, the bigger the expenses.

Because condo owners will have to pay for professionals who help maintain their units as well as the common areas, their fees tend to be higher than HOA fees. 

In short, condo fees are paid monthly, quarterly, or annually and will cover the maintenance, common area utilities, inspection, property management company fees, security, and repairs – this cost will be split up amongst all the condo owners.

HOA

In HOAs the board of directors determines the amount of fees, enforces rules/guidelines for residents to follow, and maintains the HOA. Condo Association fees are usually more expensive because every resident has to pay to maintain the building and unit they’re living in.

In an HOA, residents often don’t have to pay as much because the community doesn’t have to pay to maintain each home.

Owners are responsible for the maintenance of their lot and home.

HOA fees can be monthly, quarterly, or annual charge that is used to maintain the common areas, facilities, reserve funds, gardening, and employees’ salaries.

Depending on the location of the HOA, and how many amenities it has, fees can go as high as over $4,000/month, but they typically range from $100-$400/month.

Rules

Condo association

Since everyone in a condo association lives in the same building, architectural guidelines aren’t as strict as the ones in HOA. Instead, they mostly enforce rules regarding noise levels, smoking, and pets.  

A condo association will have governing documents that contain its responsibilities and restrictions.

The Declaration, Bylaws, and Condo Rules are all included in these governing documents. Other rules that can be addressed include the disposal of trash (where residents will dispose of their garbage), recreational areas (who is or is not allowed to enter), vandalism, and parking regulations.

HOA

An HOA, on the other hand, is quite strict regarding the architectural guidelines since every person has their own house.

The reason for this is that in order to increase property value, everything must be as polished and aesthetically pleasing as possible.

So you could have limitations to the type of color your house would be painted, fence height, length of grass, etc. 

You can find these rules in the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, CC&Rs, and rules and regulations.

ther rules the board can impose include holiday decorations, regulation of signs, and limiting pets. It’s very important to check all HOA’s rules before deciding to live there.

Final Points

While both HOA and COA provide a closed area for residents to live in, we could see that each one has its own differences.

The main one includes that a Condo Association is a group of buildings where residents own common areas.

On the other hand, HOAs are a group of houses where, apart from their property/unit, don’t have ownership over their amenities. 

This causes impacts on how both of them are organized/managed. An HOA has strict guidelines towards the aesthetics of each home, while a COA doesn’t need to (since everyone lives in the same building) and instead enforces noise levels, pets, smoking, and more. 

If you want to learn more about HOAs, download our glossary on HOA and Condo Terminology.