Usually, a homeowners’ association (HOA) has rules and regulations that you need to follow once you join the community. These rules can dictate what you can or cannot do with your property. Because of that, knowing more about these regulations before buying a house is a good idea. Also, by understanding why the rules exist, you can follow them more easily. So, before moving in, you must know some questions to ask the HOA. Here are 10 that can help you:

1. How Much Do HOA Fees Cost? 

Homeowners associations typically charge fees to homeowners. These fees usually cover the maintenance of common areas. The cost can vary depending on factors such as the type of property, its location within the HOA, and the amenities included. It’s important to find out the exact amount of these fees so you can plan and budget accordingly.

2. What Do the Fees Cover?

Besides knowing how much the fees are, you must know why they are charged. Knowing where the money is invested is one of your rights. Is it to take care of the landscaping? To the maintenance of common areas? Is it to cover the needs of the HOA to keep the community organized, clean and safe? Understanding what the fees cover is important so you can know that your money is being used in the right way. 

3. How Can The Fees Be Paid? 

Knowing how the fees can be paid is important so that you can plan ahead and find the best payment method for you. Not all HOAs accept the same form of payment. Knowing whether payment is made by cash, credit card or by check is useful information for your personal and financial organization. 

4. How Are The Fees Charged? (annual, monthly, bimonthly, quarterly)

Some HOAs charge fees annually, others monthly and some use other methods. Knowing how often you have to pay is also important for your financial planning. Besides, if you don’t pay the fees on time, you could be fined and/or penalized. 

5. How do you handle the late fees? 

Each HOA deals with late payments in a different way. In some cases, only fines are applied. In others, you may be deprived of reserving common areas such as swimming pools, gyms or sports areas. Dealing with delinquent HOA dues is an important topic for the board and so it should be to you. Being aware of your duties, rights and penalties is really important, not only when moving into an HOA, but for your life. 

6. How Can I Have Access To The Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions, and Easements? 

Understanding what Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions are is important to understanding how the HOA works. That way you can read and understand a little more about the association. If you’re looking for a house with an estate agent, you can ask them to contact the HOA and ask for the documents. Alternatively, you can search for the contact information of the HOA’s board and reach out to them directly.

7. Is There a Reserve Fund?

Some HOAs have a ‘savings account’ for emergencies. If something happens, like a rainstorm that damages the roof or walls, the board would use the money in the fund to make repairs. If the HOA doesn’t have this fund, when something unexpected happens, you will probably be charged more than the regular fees. It’s important to understand how the association behaves in these situations to know if you agree with the policy. 

8. How Does Voting Work?

In HOAs, various votes can take place: to elect board members, to make decisions that affect the community, to organize events.  Before joining the community, you should know what these voting situations are. Knowing how decisions are made is very important to understanding HOA processes.  That way you know how things work.

9. Are Rentals Allowed? 

Renting a property in an HOA is not always possible. So if you’re looking to buy a house in an association to have a tenant, maybe that’s not the best idea. Ask the HOA what the rental policy is like to understand what the possibilities are, if any. Many associations don’t allow short-term rentals, for example. 

10. What Are the Pet Rules?

If you love pets, this is an extremely important question. Depending on the HOA, animals are not always welcome. There may be size, breed and species restrictions. So it’s important to make sure your companion can live in your HOA property. 

Wrapping up questions to ask the HOA

So, now you have an idea of what questions to ask the HOA. This will help you assess whether moving into this association is the right choice for you or not.  There are many benefits to HOAs, but to take full advantage of them, it’s important to understand how they work.