Property value is something that every homeowner wants to maintain and increase. After all, increased property value means greater potential for financial gains if a sale is in the homeowner’s future.

While most homeowners may have a hard time simply keeping up with maintaining property value, those who live under an HOA actually benefit from naturally increased property value over the years. Here’s a look at how your HOA helps maintain and improve your property’s value.

Assured Upkeep of Your Home

Although your association’s bylaws and regulations may seem like ordinances that hold back creativity, the truth is, they are in place to ensure the overall upkeep and uniformity of your home.

Externally visual aspects of your home like lawn care, the state of your fencing and prominent external damage to the home, all influence your property value, as well as the property value of neighboring homes.

Therefore, when rules are enforced and owners are requested by the HOA to make any exterior improvements, homeowners should view these requests as assurance that their property maintains its value.

We Invest in the Best Vendors Possible

A planned community is only as good as the vendors used to improve the neighborhood. Your HOA’s association management team has access to only the best vendors that help maintain the upkeep of shared common areas like parks, community buildings and swimming pools.

The value of your property extends beyond your lawn. So, as long as your personal property and its surrounding public areas are well-maintained, the more your property value grows over the years.

HOAs Have the Community Planned Out for Years

Even before homeowners become members of an HOA community, the HOA and its management team have already planned out the visual aspects of the community that will financially benefit it for years to come.

From the paint used on the exterior of homes to the trees and bushes used throughout the overall landscape of the community, your HOA Board has likely researched what will maintain its value over the years. This planning also leans towards the requirements for uniformity that homes must maintain during ownership.

We Prevent Neighborhood Problems

A homeowner may not even be the root of external problems that occur on their property. Your property value can suffer if neighbors allow trees to overgrow onto your property or trash up their yards to the extent that it impacts the visual appearance of your own.

If talking to your neighbors can’t resolve the problem, your HOA management team can step in to provide extra motivation for your neighbors to act more neighborly. A great HOA knows that all properties are connected to their overall value, and won’t let neighboring problems become an issue for a concerned homeowner.

Further Increase the Value of Your Community With Goodwin & Company

An HOA board has a lot to keep up with when it comes to maintaining property values and their other numerous obligations to the community they serve. Many HOAs look towards Goodwin & Company for help because we make the difficult parts of managing a community smoother through bountiful resources and years of experience in our field. If you’re ready to make your neighborhood as valuable as it can be, and more, we’re ready to help! Contact us today to learn more about our services.

It IS easy to be green, no matter what Kermit the Frog says.  You already know turning down the thermostat helps. How about replacing incandescent light bulbs with LEDs and opening the window shades to let the sun lighten things up. Whether you live in your own home or manage property in a Texas community, solar power cuts down on electricity and helps reduce that carbon footprint.

Solar Panels

Solar panels are quite popular now and are being installed in new home construction. With tax incentives available in Texas, what was once out of financial reach for many, is now a real possibility — and well worth it. Harnessing the sun’s energy can save thousands of dollars over a 20-year time span.

Solar Smart Home

Smart and solar have come together to manage appliances, locks, video doorbells, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, and irrigation systems. Through a communication system called the Internet of Things, the solar power in your home works with an app on your phone.

Water Heaters

Heating water every day can be rather pricey, depending on how many people take a daily bath or shower.  And then there’s the washing machine and dishwasher, too. Solar-powered water heaters help you to cut down on the natural gas and electric bills. The average solar water heater will cost $5,000 with the installation. But your water heating bills can go down by as much as 80 percent a month. No, it’s not the most attractive piece of equipment on your property, but a good installer can find an inconspicuous place for it where it can harness the sun’s energy.  Be sure to submit a request to your Association’s ACC prior to purchase though!

Lawn Mowers

Technology has given us solar-powered lawn mowers! And they can do the job themselves. Solar-powered robotic lawn mowers usually run for about an hour before needing a battery recharge.

Cell Phone Charger

We all have a cell phone charger lying around somewhere, and chances are, you’ve misplaced it a time or two. Solar-powered cell phone chargers provide battery juice on-the-go. Charge up in your car and at home — some units work next to clear glass windows.  Solar cell phone chargers are great for spending long periods of time outdoors.

Outdoor Lighting

Solar energy will light up your home’s exterior … from pathways to string lights to floodlights and then some. Solar pathway luminaries brighten dark walkways.  Floodlights expose unwanted visitors who may be lurking around the house. Solar-powered string lights create a cozy outdoor space, too. Solar sticks and garden lights are available at your favorite home improvement store.

“Greening” up the items within your home and drawing the sun’s power is an ecologically sound way to update your property.  Consult a solar energy expert for specific suggestions.

Tori Fuller is a DIY enthusiast, taking any trash she can get her hands on and turning it into a luxury item to envy. When she doesn’t have her hands in a tin of paint, you can find her perfecting her nature photography techniques.

2020 is going to be a great year for introducing new members to your Community Association. However, everyone knows that sometimes ‘keeping up with the Joneses” is essential for drawing in new members and interest. Make sure that your Board puts its focus on the right aspect of the community to improve, in order to ensure that your neighborhood stands out to 2020 house hunters!

Prepare to Welcome the Millenials

The next wave of homeowners and Association members will inevitably be the Millennial generation. Keep in mind that this generation of members is one that comes with high technological expectations within any association that they join.

Be prepared to meet their needs on a mobile-level and have your processes and paperwork completely digital in order to keep the convenience factor high. Expediency is key for the Millennial generation, and a potential member is likely to walk away from an Association that still relies on filing large packets and delivering physical newsletters. If you know that your Association needs to catch up with the times, hiring a new association management team that is tech-savvy can help get your neighborhood headed in the right direction.

Stay Up-To-Date on HOA Management Software 

Association management can be very adept at helping your Community Association find the right software to assist in day-to-day operations. In the past, property management software was viewed as an extra boost to a community’s amenities. In 2020, this type of software is now the industry standard.

There are several reliable vendors on the market that can keep your association from falling behind in the pack. Management software can help you speed up processes and let your Board focus on being the face of the community.

HOA Management software can help your association with:

• Online forms and applications
• Creation of payment portals
• Communicating to residents via their preferred method (text, facebook, email, etc.)
• Custom websites
• Meeting and Social Event notices
• Ease of access to information

Keep Your Amenities Ambitious

Most associations have a clubhouse, pool, gym, or extensive common areas. Sure, these are still attractive amenities, but they’re what new members have already come to expect. Take some time in 2020 to meet with your fellow association members and association management. Carry out a reserve study to start preparing for making your community even more attractive to buyers.

Consider amping up your gym by adding in new equipment, creating small “pocket parks” for families, or adding in a beach style entry pool if your association doesn’t already have active water features. The possibilities for improvement within your community are endless, so always be on the lookout for how your amenities can get a boost.

Follow the Right Technology Trends with Goodwin & Company

Staying ahead of trends is much easier with the right management association team by your side. Goodwin & Company is a Dallas-based Association management group that can help lighten the load of financial bookkeeping and more so that your community can focus on what really makes it great. Contact us today to find out more about the services we can bring to your neighborhood.