Community associations are a common feature of urban and suburban neighborhoods. With good community management, these associations protect land values and make their communities safer and more pleasant. Here are four ways a community association can benefit homeowners and community members:
1. Maintains Common Areas
One advantage of living in an association with good community management is well-maintained common areas. Not every community has amenities like gardens, swimming pools, or clubhouses, but there are typically pathways and other common areas that must be maintained. Beautifying these areas benefits community members by contributing to the community’s visual appeal.
Well-maintained common areas can help keep members safe, making the community a more pleasant place to live. Maintaining these areas also protects the value of the individual homes within the neighborhood. Common areas that appear neglected may hurt the homes’ resale values in the future.
2. Sets and Enforces Community Standards
A community association helps homeowners protect the value of their homes. They do this by enforcing maintenance standards for their community. Restrictive covenants about lawn care and home maintenance help keep the area beautiful, boosting the value of the surrounding homes. Holding all homeowners in the community to the same standards prevents a poorly maintained home from decreasing the value of neighboring homes.
The benefits of community standards extend beyond the appearance and value of homes. A community association’s restrictive covenants often contain provisions that govern activities within the neighborhood. Leash laws and pet restrictions protect members and their properties from pet-related harm. Noise and speed limit regulations help keep the community quiet and safe. These standards can make life in a community association more enjoyable for members and prevent conflicts between homeowners.
3. Brings the Community Together
The relationships within communities can impact the quality of life in a neighborhood. Community associations are a great way to bring neighbors together through community activities and social events. Giving people opportunities to interact is a big part of bringing people together and creating a close-knit community.
Events such as block parties and holiday celebrations are a great way to provide these opportunities. Community associations can ease the burden on members by providing resources to help organize and carry out these events. If a community lacks a clubhouse or other venue for social events, the association can provide solutions so members can still attend the activities.
4. Fosters Communication
Unity among community members begins with proper communication. There are several ways that a community association can foster communication with and among members. One of these is simply introducing residents to one another and the association’s management team. Social activities are one way to achieve this, but the day-to-day operations of running the community association also allow for interactions and communication. Regular association meetings also provide opportunities for members to meet one another and get to know their community management members.
A community association can also provide ways for residents to contact one another. The most basic form of this is a physical or digital community directory. A community association typically maintains contact information for community residents. Some associations make this information available to other residents, allowing them to contact their neighbors when needed. Some community associations also maintain bulletin boards, forums, and other social networking tools to improve communication within the association.
Professional Community Management Enhances Associations
There are many benefits to living in a community association. The association and its rules beautify the neighborhood and protect land values. They can help build community relationships and promote social interaction. Many community associations are operated by volunteers drawn from the residents, but there are many benefits to hiring a professional community management team. These professionals have specific skills that community member volunteers may not have. These skills include business management, accounting, conflict resolution, landscaping, and legal knowledge. Even if the committee volunteers have access to these skills, professional assistance can make running a community association easier. By providing accounting services, community management services can help homeowners get more value from their association dues. Many management firms can negotiate bulk rates with landscaping contractors and provide third-party mediation during homeowner conflicts. Contact a professional management company today to learn how your community association and members can benefit from their services.
