HOA is an acronym for Home Owner’s Association. If you buy a condo or a home or an apartment in a planned community (if your property looks like your neighbor’s property), there’s a good chance that you are part of an HOA. The home owners (but NOT the renters) usually pay monthly or (rarely) annual dues.

HOAs are designed to protect the value of your home, maintain order within the community. There is strength in numbers — the small contributions of each member added together generate a fund to be used in the maintenance of common facilities and emergency situations. HOAs select volunteer officers among the homeowners. Then Alpha Management works with these officers and attends to the pressing issues.

Alpha collects the monthly mortgages and manages the property, pays the utilities of the common area (like water bills or electric bills) and negotiates with reliable contractors.

HOAs follow agreed upon rules and regulations that are in a thick binder called CC&Rs or Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions , some fondly call it the Bible of the HOAs. Be sure to request for it before you move in. Read it!

In the CC&Rs you will find generally accepted rules regarding HOAs. Here’s an excerpt:

• No parking in front of the garages. It’s a fire hazard.
• No pets over 25 pounds.
• Please be considerate of your neighbors. No loud music past 10 pm.