San Bernardino County Community Association Management

I want to share with you what buying into a community association means. To effectively get that point across I will compare being a member in an association to marriage. Please keep in mind that this read is meant to provide some laughs, and lighten the load of finer details that many really do not care to read or hear about. With that opening I hope the dialogue provided below will help you better understand what buying into a community association really means.

Love & Marriage & Community Associations:

I will be responding as a property manager to a potential buyer in a community association. Take some time to enjoy, laugh, and digest the life decision I'm depicting below. My responses will be detailed in italics.

What does it mean to buy into a community association?

Have you ever been married or considered marriage?

Yes. I've been married to my husband for 20 long years, and battling with his terrible family that I have loved for the same amount of time.

Good. You will be a natural at living in an association.

What?

Well, think about what you have been presented with. This park has twenty-five different owners that all pay into the same bank account to pay for shared expenses. Buying a unit in this association means you will be married, through a non-profit mutual benefit corporation, to every owner/member in this park.

What if another owner fails to pay their association dues?

Good question! You and your husband both work, correct?

Yes.

If you quit your job then who do you count on for money to pay the bills?

My husbands income.

Same thing runs true in an association. If one owner stops paying then all the other owners are responsible for picking up the slack. You are married to each other, need to co-exist in this park together, and have a fiduciary responsibility to each other.

Am I married to you?

Yep! For now we are engaged, but think of me as your psychologist, or trusted friend that is here to help if you ever run into a problem. Do you lease your space?

Yes. The property manager is terrible and the owner of the property I lease from is a dictator.

Associations are a function of democracy. You have a voice as a member of the corporation, and you no longer have to deal with a property manager that is implementing the rules of a dictator. My function is quite different. I work for each owner in the association/corporation, and enforce the rules created by the board that you elect annually. You have a voice in this community, and you can use me as an extension of your voice if you need anything.

Conclusion:

Marriage can be tough, but, in the end, it's all about compromise and understanding. Take the time to understand what you are buying, and if you have questions, please feel free to contact me.