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Reserve Study | BarreraCo

Should HOAs Invest Reserve Funds?

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Investing Reserve FundsCommunity Associations, at various times, collect money to fund reserves and/or for working capital. Is it wise for Associations to invest these dollars while they are accumulating for future repairs and replacement of the Communities’ assets?

The answer is yes – but through well-informed decision making.

The first important thing to remember is that Reserve Studies assume some level of interest is being earned on reserve account balances.

However, these assumptions are relatively conservative with respect to the interest earned. Typically it will range from one to three percent.

But it’s important to note – the interest-earned component is an integral part of the funding plans for reserves. Therefore the Association should always have in place a policy or strategy for keeping the reserve balance in some low-risk, interest bearing account.

Put simply – Your HOA should seriously consider developing and approving an investment policy to help maximize the interest income while minimizing risk. For example, your policy should list types of acceptable investments as approved by the HOA Board of Directors. They might include Certificates of Deposit (CDs), Money Market Accounts, FDIC insured banks or other investment companies that are pre-approved by the Board.

The idea here is to make sure your money is always working for you but don’t lose sight of the inherent risk involved with investments. Always consult the appropriate professionals when setting up your policy.

Read More:  The role of an HOA board


Interested in getting a Reserve Study for your community? Click here to get a proposal!

The Importance of a Reserve Study

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Reserve StudiesA reserve study is a snapshot of the costs associated with replacing and/or repairing common area components over the long term.(think roof, pavement, pool, HVAC etc.)

A comprehensive study should cover all major repair and replacement costs and funds should be set aside (known as Reserve Funds) by the Home Owners Association.

To put it simply, Reserve Studies help you plan ahead and protect your property value.

In order to do this effectively a Reserve Study specialist will do the following:

  1. Examine the association’s repair and replacement obligations.
  2. Determine the costs and timing of replacement.
  3. Determine the availability of necessary cash resources.

Because the HOA board has a fiduciary responsibility to manage association funds, a replacement reserve budget is extremely important.

Not only does this information inform the annual operating budget by providing owners with necessary financial information; the study is also an important management tool as the association aims to balance and optimize long-term property values and membership dues.

An up-to-date Reserve Study and a healthy budget are important for prospective homeowners because it allows them to evaluate property values in a more effective manner.

They are equally as important for association members, because reserve planning helps protect against declining property values due to deferred maintenance and unforeseen special assessments.

A good reserve study shows owners and potential buyers an accurate and complete picture of the association’s financial strength and market value. It should also function as a maintenance planning tool for the association and property managers.

Interested in getting a Reserve Study for your community? Click here to get a proposal!

HOAs – Don’t Let This Happen to You

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At Barrera and Company, we’ve helped thousands of clients anticipate and prepare for their community’s major repair and replacement costs by providing them with affordable and accurate Reserve Studies to meet their needs. In doing so, we’ve saved them tons of time, energy and money.

However, this economy has some HOAs struggling to make ends meet. As a result it’s way to easy to adopt the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality. Skipping your next scheduled Reserve Analysis is bad but underfunding your Reserve and ignoring upcoming repair and maintenance costs is even worse.

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

We’ve seen this time and time again. You may think you’re saving money but you are setting your community up for failure in the long run. Failing to plan ahead does not make the issues go away. In fact, they’re getting bigger and more expensive by the minute.

Short-sided community management will inevitably culminate in the form of Special Assessments, or worse, devalued real estate.

After looking closely at roughly 1000 past clients, we made a startling discovery.

Watch as our Chairman of the Board, Damian Esparza reveals our findings at recent conference for HOA board members.

HOAs, don’t let this happen to you!

At Barrera and Company, we complete thousands of Reserve Studies each year which have helped our clients comply with the law and prepare for upcoming expenditures. But don’t take our word for it, check out some of our projects and recent reviews.

Interested in getting a Reserve Study for your community? Click here to get a proposal!