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HOA Software

Started by PaulP17 • 17 replies • 345 views

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PaulP17 (Louisiana)
Posts: 14
Posted:
We are looking for recommendations for a community software package.
Being fairly new to this PM role, I am looking to enhance transparency to residents and provide better historical/legacy retention in document control and communication capturing.
Would like e-voting, as well as a security, vehicle database. Also a work order and violation tracking. Any recommendations?
Thank you
TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059
Posted:
Paul,

Posting rules prevent the mentioning of names or products.

You might want to provide an email and those that have recommendations can email you directly.
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
Are you sure LA allows voting for , say directors at annual meetings?
PaulP17 (Louisiana)
Posts: 14
Posted:
TimB4,
Thank you for the information, I apologize for posting inappropriately.
My email is [email protected]
Thanks again
PaulP17 (Louisiana)
Posts: 14
Posted:
Our covenants have language that opens that door provided other elements are met.
MaxB4
Posts: 3,513
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By KerryL1 on 11/19/2022 12:56 PM
Are you sure LA allows voting for , say directors at annual meetings?

????????
DonnaR5
Posts: 162
Posted:
Our HOA adopted an online system being marketed to HOAs. I can't say I think much of it. Some concerns to look out for:

Does it require that homeowners sign themselves up? For a year and a half our board has been saying "We're getting more and more people signing up!" But currently we're at 40% of homeowners. We will never get over 50%, in my opinion. So, if you think it's a great way of getting news, announcements, and important information to all homeowners, it won't work.

Supposedly we will be getting online voting soon, but how will that work when less than half of homeowners use it? I can just see a more complicated process and more reasons for homeowners to not vote at all.

Since I'm not on the board, I don't know how their violation tracking etc is working, or even if it's up and running yet.

Make sure that these pitfalls are not present before you buy.

If you get the software through a management company that has been using it for some time, you'll be able to talk to other communities that contract with that company to see how well the software works, and how well the management company uses it.

DavidG45 (Delaware)
Posts: 994
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By DonnaR5 on 11/19/2022 2:26 PM
Our HOA adopted an online system being marketed to HOAs. I can't say I think much of it. Some concerns to look out for:

Does it require that homeowners sign themselves up? For a year and a half our board has been saying "We're getting more and more people signing up!" But currently we're at 40% of homeowners. We will never get over 50%, in my opinion. So, if you think it's a great way of getting news, announcements, and important information to all homeowners, it won't work.

Supposedly we will be getting online voting soon, but how will that work when less than half of homeowners use it? I can just see a more complicated process and more reasons for homeowners to not vote at all.

Since I'm not on the board, I don't know how their violation tracking etc is working, or even if it's up and running yet.

Make sure that these pitfalls are not present before you buy.

If you get the software through a management company that has been using it for some time, you'll be able to talk to other communities that contract with that company to see how well the software works, and how well the management company uses it.



Any system will require homeowner signup. I would argue that even if only half your residents signup, it’s still a great way to disseminate information in an inexpensive and timely manner. Those who can’t be bothered to register clearly don’t really care about HOA stuff, anyway. They will get the occasional snail mail and they can vortex the old fashioned way. Im pretty sure any HOA that offers online voting gets a higher turnout than they otherwise would.
DavidG45 (Delaware)
Posts: 994
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By PaulP17 on 11/19/2022 12:12 PM
We are looking for recommendations for a community software package.
Being fairly new to this PM role, I am looking to enhance transparency to residents and provide better historical/legacy retention in document control and communication capturing.
Would like e-voting, as well as a security, vehicle database. Also a work order and violation tracking. Any recommendations?
Thank you

Whatever you do for the management software, I would recommend using a company that specializes in online voting for a secure, auditable, vote. Google search HOA online voting software will yield most of the top choices.
JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265
Posted:
An aside. I was astonished when our PM recently told us they have Email addresses for over 90% of our owners. I had thought 50% at best. We are going to do more Email mailings.
MichaelT21 (Arkansas)
Posts: 462
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By JohnC46 on 11/21/2022 7:31 AM
An aside. I was astonished when our PM recently told us they have Email addresses for over 90% of our owners. I had thought 50% at best. We are going to do more Email mailings.

We're about the same.

We recently started asking homeowners to opt in to electronic mailings in lieu of paper mailings (allowed by state law), and 55% of our homoewners have opted in already. Our property manager thinks we'll get to about 80% within a year.
JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By MichaelT21 on 11/21/2022 8:09 AM
Posted By JohnC46 on 11/21/2022 7:31 AM
An aside. I was astonished when our PM recently told us they have Email addresses for over 90% of our owners. I had thought 50% at best. We are going to do more Email mailings.


We're about the same.

We recently started asking homeowners to opt in to electronic mailings in lieu of paper mailings (allowed by state law), and 55% of our homoewners have opted in already. Our property manager thinks we'll get to about 80% within a year.

The only general paper mailing we must do (via USPS) is notification of our Annual Meeting 30 days in advance. We occasionally did some General Information paper mailings but now that we have Email addresses of over 90% of our owners, we will use Email instead of paper.
MichaelT21 (Arkansas)
Posts: 462
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By JohnC46 on 11/21/2022 8:34 AM
Posted By MichaelT21 on 11/21/2022 8:09 AM
Posted By JohnC46 on 11/21/2022 7:31 AM
An aside. I was astonished when our PM recently told us they have Email addresses for over 90% of our owners. I had thought 50% at best. We are going to do more Email mailings.


We're about the same.

We recently started asking homeowners to opt in to electronic mailings in lieu of paper mailings (allowed by state law), and 55% of our homoewners have opted in already. Our property manager thinks we'll get to about 80% within a year.


The only general paper mailing we must do (via USPS) is notification of our Annual Meeting 30 days in advance. We occasionally did some General Information paper mailings but now that we have Email addresses of over 90% of our owners, we will use Email instead of paper.

Yes, our CC&Rs require annual meeting notice and budget ratification meeting notice to be mailed out, but the state law allowing homeowners to opt out of the mailings is what I'm referring to. So right now we only have to mail those notices to 45% of our owners. It's free for us (our property manager handles keeping track of the opt-ins at no extra charge, and also does all of the e-mail blasts, etc, encouraging people to opt in), so it saves us a little money. More importantly, we are reducing an unnecessary waste of resources since many people prefer electronic stuff these days.

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