Many homeowners have a difficult relationship with their homeowners association. On the one hand, the HOA helps your community stay safe, clean, and makes it a desirable place to live which improves the property value of your home. But, on the other hand, homeowners associations can be a problem if you want to make a change to your property that they disagree with.
In this article, we’ll talk about some common issues that homeowners face in their dealings with homeowners associations and give you tips on how to handle them so that you’ll have the best possible outcome.
It may seem like a nuisance, but your best defense when dealing with the homeowners association is to understand what’s expected of you. Not only will it help you stay on good terms with the HOA, but it will also make it easier to understand what your options are.
It’s a good idea to understand these rules and bylaws before you ever move into the neighborhood, but it’s never too late to learn them. It might help you later on down the road should you want to paint your house or build a new structure in your yard.
It’s best to get off on the right foot with the other members of your homeowners association. You don’t want your first meeting to be a complaint against you, nor do you want to introduce yourself to someone only to make a complaint against someone else.
It will also give you a chance to ask questions about the community and to get an understanding of how easy or difficult it is to deal with the regulations of the homeowners association.
If you find that a complaint has been raised against you, don’t act immediately. Take some time to compose your response and be sure to acknowledge the complaint. Odds are that the other members of the HOA aren’t there just to give you a hard time.
There are some things worth fighting for when it comes to your home. However, you don’t want to be repeatedly challenging the HOA on small issues. Stick to the rules on the things that aren’t hugely important, that way other members won’t come to expect issues from you.
When you’re required to get permission from the board before making a change to your property, be sure you follow the steps laid out in your agreement. Doing so will avoid any unnecessary conflict.
Even if you are in the middle of a disagreement with the HOA, it’s better to continue paying your dues and fines that to leave them outstanding. If you don’t pay, you risk further penalty, including fees.
If you’re dissatisfied with some or man of the rules of the homeowners association, odds are you’re not alone. First, start by talking with other neighborhood members. If they have similar views on the rules in question, you can bring them up collectively at the next meeting.
Your second option would be to run for the board and try to enact the changes yourself. However, you should never seek a position out of spite or anger. Only volunteer your time and effort if you want to lend a hand in your community and make life better for all of the inhabitants.
Browsing through the kitchen gadgets or perusing the tech isles for the lasts and greatest little gizmos to make your life more comfortable you will find all sorts of items that make you wonder if they are worth the money. Maybe you wish you were living in the real-life version of some futurist cartoon you grew up watching where the robotic maid does all the chores, and the house itself provides your meals. While that scenario may be a bit out of reach as of yet, it may soon be available.
Little Things, Big Help
The kitchen, known to be the "heart of the home," is one place you can find many useful gadgets to help create that feeling. Some items are daily use and others, just once in a while, but all need to be stored and sometimes space is limited. Americans love their morning ‘cup of joe,' so coffee makers seem to be the standard operating procedure for most households. Programmable coffee makers have been on the market for a while, but now they have an app for that coffee maker. So, if you have an urge for a coffee on your way home from work with certain tech coffeemakers, you can simply order one up, and it will be ready as you walk in the door. If coffee is not your thing, maybe having your bar-b-qued burgers cooked just right is more your speed. There are now meat thermometers, that with an app on your phone, will tell you when that meat is at an optimal temperature. No more opening and closing the BBQ lid and messing with the heat levels, Bon Appetite!
Smart Fridges
What about smart tech for appliances, like your refrigerator? A fridge with an internet connection can keep track of the food inside, but some can also connect to other smart technology throughout your home. Some smart refrigerators can allow you to communicate with your smartphone while you are out and about, thus enabling you to check on how many eggs you have left or whether you need pickles. Some models have whiteboards so you can leave messages, or screens that can keep schedules to help you and everyone stay in the loop. Command Central, located in your smart refrigerator, making the kitchen indeed the heart of the home.
Check out some model homes and see what technology is being built into today's homes.
