A Homeowners Association website can be a community’s greatest tool for both business communication and social communication within the community. Oftentimes, an excellent HOA website can mean the difference between a community that clearly interacts with residents and enjoys a healthy sense of community, and a community that is slow to move and respond with outdated means of communication.
Why Homeowners Will Appreciate Your HOA Website
First and foremost, it’s a place for the homeowner to make their assessment payments. Offering this service is a must these days, and including it on your community website makes it that much easier for residents to pay every month. Homeowners will also appreciate the ability to look at outstanding items, information, and upcoming notices regarding their home; especially their assessment balance, violation information, and payment details.
Secondly, your HOA website is a place for community information. Homeowners will appreciate having direct access to HOA documents; including the CC&R’s, by-laws, rules and regulations, election rules and any resolutions. All of these documents can be uploaded to the site so that residents have access to them at all times. You can also post all-important community meeting dates, as well as any other pertinent information that you would normally have to email or mail out separately.
Benefits of Having an HOA Website
Having a communal, up-to-date website can end up saving your HOA valuable time and money in the long run. A website removes the need for extra money spent on mailing out informational materials, newsletters, and invoices for assessment payments — since everything will be paperless. All of these tasks can be done directly on the website, making updating and sending information a breeze. Day-to-day administrative tasks can be completed more efficiently and with less hassle.
Along the same lines, resident directories can be easily updated and added without having to print an entirely new directory book. Before HOA websites were even around if the resident directory was printed and someone left or changed their number, the directory had to be updated with additional printing costs. Online resident directories let your residents share as much or as little about themselves and their contact information as they please, and updating them takes just seconds of your valuable time.
Additionally, all of your Association’s notes and documents will be better and more efficiently organized. HOA Board Members can store all document revisions, notes, and meeting minutes on the website, and can be given access to manage those files online. This is especially useful when board members change and historical documents don’t always get transitioned to new board members.
Last but not least, having an easily accessible HOA website will allow residents to reserve amenities 24 hours a day online without having to speak to a Board or staff member; ultimately saving time and smoothing out the entire process. The ability to pick a facility (i.e. a tennis court, clubhouse, or the golf course.), instantly see what times are available, and then sign out time (or send a request for approval to reserve a time), can be a huge time saver and major convenience for every community.
Overall, having an HOA website is a big investment for your Homeowners Association or HOA Management Company. Not only will it save the Association money in the long run but, it will also increase effective communication between you and the residents; make updating and sending out pertinent information easier; facilitate day-to-day administrative tasks; and allow residents to reserve facilities and ask questions directly online 24/7. Perhaps most importantly, an HOA website will foster a greater sense of community among residents.
