HOA Red Flags to Lookout for Before Purchasing a Home

If you purchase a home in a community or building with a homeowner’s association (HOA) and intend to rent out that property, you must evaluate the HOA to understand if they will be supportive. A homeowners association or HOA is responsible for managing a community or building. Generally, HOAs are led by a board of directors, and the association’s members are residents of the community or building.

Common HOA reg flags 

While HOAs can be a vital part of a thriving community, a poorly run HOA can cause headaches, fines, additional costs, or even require a homeowner to engage in legal action. Several things may indicate issues or prompt future consideration if you purchase a home with an HOA. 

Low reserve funds 

HOA reserve funds are set aside for unexpected costs or maintenance. The HOA budget and this reserve are comprised of member fees. If an HOA does not have a healthy reserve in its budget, it could indicate improper budgeting or that its expenses exceed its member dues.

If there is a limited reserve fund and unexpected costs arise, members of the HOA could face a special assessment. In the case of a special assessment, the HOA would require homeowners to pay an additional fee on top of current monthly or annual payments to cover the unexpected cost. 

To better understand the HOA’s financial situation, consider asking if they have any renovations planned in the coming months or years. Asking this question can help you assess their approach to large maintenance projects. Do they plan for major repairs or renovations, or do they rely on special assessments rather than a well-planned budget? 

If you are considering buying a rental property inside a larger building, it’s wise to inquire about the roof and other major systems like HVAC or a boiler. If the building needs to make a significant replacement or repair, you could be facing a special assessment if their reserve funds won’t cover the entire cost. 

Excessive or strict maintenance rules

Community guidelines can be a helpful way to ensure that the neighborhood or building remains in good condition and is well maintained. However, unreasonable or excessive rules may indicate a likelihood of issues or conflict in the future. Well-intentioned maintenance rules help to keep a homogenous look and feel within a community. However, these guidelines can sometimes be outdated or fail to account for new trends and approaches.

For example, does your HOA entirely prohibits the use of xeriscaping instead of providing helpful guidelines on how you can execute it? As a homeowner who plans to rent the property, consider how you might expect the residents of your home to maintain the landscaping. If xeriscaping is part of your maintenance plans for a rental property, you’ll need to review the HOA guidelines closely. 

You will also want to review maintenance rules and potential consequences or fines carefully. Keep in mind that you will ultimately be responsible for those fines. You may also consider including HOA guidelines in your future lease agreement. 

Amending HOA rules is difficult or prohibitive 

The purpose of an HOA is to protect the best interests of the community it serves. As with any organization, the governing documents should be regularly reviewed and updated. It’s prudent to carefully review HOA documents, looking for the process by which an association member can amend rules. 

If a policy change requires a vote with 75% support, you may be looking at an HOA that is unwilling to change to adopt new guidelines. For most associations, a majority vote is an excellent way to gauge the communities desires and respond to the evolving needs. 

You will also need to watch out for issues with quorum. Quorum will be defined in the HOA documents and may require that a certain number of people vote among the total number of possible voters. Quorum policies can quickly complicate or make rule changes more difficult. 

Escalating fines 

While it’s not uncommon to see consequences or fines for the rules outlined by an HOA, it’s wise to keep an eye out for escalating penalties. These types of fines double or increase significantly every time they are issued. For example, the first maintenance fine might be $25, the next might be $50, and the third could be $100. 

Escalating fines could indicate that residents are apathetic about penalties issued by the HOA. The HOA may feel it’s necessary to increase the fines to gain the attention of residents. In this case, closely inspect the neighborhood or building. Does the community seem well-maintained? 

Escalating fines, especially if they are excessive, could also suggest that the HOA is a bit overzealous. Are fines issued for significant violations, or do they seem petty? If it looks like the HOA has a nit-picky approach to penalties, you may spend excessive time and money addressing violations. 

Rules limiting the number or percentage of property permitted to be rentals 

In some communities or buildings, HOAs have implemented amendments that restrict leasing. These changes are designed to improve the community’s financial strength but can impact how you move forward. 

If they permit you to lease the home you are planning to purchase, you may be at an advantage since there will be limited competition in the immediate area. However, the HOA may not be able to guarantee you will be permitted to lease the property, or they may have already reached their leasing percentage limit.

Read More: How To Rent Your Home and Stay HOA-Board Approved

HOA is currently under litigation 

If the HOA is currently facing a lawsuit, you may want to investigate further before moving forward with your purchase. Litigation is expensive, so most people will not proceed with a case unless they think they have good reasons. Carefully research any pending litigation to understand the scope and origin of the issue. For example, a slip and fall claim may not be alarming, but keep an eye out for anything that may be more substantial.

Suppose there is pending litigation against the HOA. In that case, insurance will likely cover the costs associated with legal proceedings. Still, you can expect that the HOA’s insurance will increase the following year and that the HOA will extend those costs to association members. 

How to learn more and assess an HOA

Once you know how to identify concerning trends, you’ll need to complete a careful assessment of any potential HOA. You can learn more about the HOA and gather the information to help decide if the association will support your investment property in their community. 

HOA financial documents

Financial documents can provide significant insight into how an HOA approaches its responsibilities. As discussed, you want to look for reserve funds that equal to or exceed 10% of the monthly/annual dues. You can also verify that reserve funds are allocated in the budget to cover any overages. 

HOA financial documents should also indicate the number of units or homes delinquent on dues. If there is a significant number of delinquent association members, it may be difficult for the HOA to meet its financial obligations, and the HOA may pass on those additional costs to homeowners. 

Similarly, you’ll want to look for a record of how many units or homes in the community are currently in foreclosure. If many residents default on their loans, they are unlikely to have paid their association dues. Further, this may indicate more significant issues in the community. 

Finally, you should verify that the HOA has fidelity coverage which protects them from theft or embezzlement. 

HOA board meeting minutes and recordings

In recent years many HOAs have begun to record their meetings, and viewing or listening to these recordings can give you significant insights into the association’s state. If you see the same issues coming up monthly, you can expect those same things to be a problem if you purchase in the community or building. You can also look for mentions of recent fires or other insurance claims. If the association recently made an insurance claim, you can expect their insurance costs to go up the following year.

Chat with neighbors or building residents

Don’t be afraid to talk with people you see in the neighborhood or building. Most people are happy to share their experiences. If they negatively perceive the HOA or have had bad experiences, they will likely share it openly. In contrast, you may find that neighbors speak positively about the community. 

Get guidance and support from Belong 

A successful real estate investment strategy requires the right support. Once you've identified the ideal property with a supportive HOA, consider building a team of experts to support your next steps. Belong offers homeowners an alternative to traditional property management. We’re not a property management company but a complete residential network and service that goes above and beyond for homeowners and their residents. 

With guidance from our team of real estate and maintenance professionals, your home will always attract the best price and the best residents. With Belong, you can expect fewer vacancies, good people who care for your home, and profitable rental income. 

Learn more about Belong and see its role in your real estate investment strategy.