#HOA Cost Management

[luckywerewolfstrawberry]

Falke HOA

BUSINESS ADDRESS:

1666 Kennedy Causeway Suite 207 North Bay Village

Miami Beach, FL

33141

BUSINESS PHONE NO:

(305) 900-4615

BUSINESS EMAIL:

info@falkehoa.com

WEBSITE:

DESCRIPTION:

FALKE is your trusted partner for Owner’s Representation and Project Management in South Florida. With 35+ years of construction expertise, we specialize in helping HOAs navigate complex projects efficiently. Our tailored approach ensures seamless execution, transparent communication, and expert oversight to keep projects on track.

Why Choose FALKE?

✔ Decades of Experience – We bring deep industry knowledge to handle any construction challenge.

✔ Tailored Solutions – Custom project management services designed exclusively for HOAs.

✔ Professional Oversight – We ensure progress tracking, deadline adherence, and quick issue resolution.

✔ Transparent Communication – Keeping all stakeholders informed and engaged throughout the project.

Partner with FALKE for efficient, professional, and stress-free HOA project management in South Florida.

WORKING HOURS:

Monday- Friday, 8 am–6 pm

Saturday & Sunday, Closed

SERVICES:

Construction Management, Project Management, Development Management, Renovation, Cost Management, Consultation

SOCIAL LINKS:

https://www.instagram.com/falkehoa

[bachassociates1]

Choosing the Right Construction Management Service for Your Project in Seattle - David Bach & Associates

When embarking on a construction project in Seattle, one of the crucial decisions you’ll make is selecting the right construction management service. Whether you’re planning a commercial development in Downtown or a residential project in Capitol Hill, the expertise and efficiency of your construction manager can significantly impact your project’s success. https://bachassociates.com/construction-management-service-seattle/

[phaeton-flier]

So there's been some talk about workplace democracy recently and-

well it does sound good, and make sense, to have your company be ultimately run by an elected board. and there are plenty of organizations — including outright armies! — where the managers on the local level are elected by the lowest level. But what happens when these two organizing principles conflict?

Suppose you work a factory, and there are the line workers and the delivery drivers and the guys who load and unload the trucks and some people in sales and someone to manage purchasing inputs and the normal spread of HR and accounting and janitorial and such. What if accounting keeps sending out checks late, and the manager claims he's doing his best, and on the outside it looks like he's just running a shit ship?

If your department elects their manager and the rest of the organization can override that decision, you don't actually get to elect your manager: You just get to recommend one, and you can 100% end up with the same petty dictator. And they have to, because if the company as a whole cannot fire someone there is zero clear recourse if someone starts to just not show up.

And that only gets worse as the company scales: If you tried this on the scale of a US-state-sized enterprise, much less a multinational, you suddenly have to deal with this kind of thing from groups hundreds of miles away! And while you can get a board that is much more worker friendly, much less likely to vote to cut costs at the expense of the worker, you are still going to end up needing to justify your branch to the rest of the cooperative.

So I sorta don't think this is a magic bullet for the problem of "My local boss is a control freak", and in fact depending on how good you are at navigating office politics you can easily end up with the same sort of HOA type on a power trip. I think we just need better worker's rights and unions and good pay/hours. And much of the rest solved, most importantly, by a social safety net and an economy pointed at full employment. Ultimately, a job where you can leave without worrying about making rent in a month is one that minimizes the stress and bullshit you live under.

[anipgarden]

Adding To or Starting a Garden

AKA, the beginning of the Plants-Related section of this series.

This is my third post in a series I’ll be making on how to increase biodiversity on a budget! I’m not an expert--just an enthusiast--but I hope something you find here helps! 

Got an area of lawn you’d like to convert to a wildlife haven? An area you can stick some hanging baskets in? Want to know how your garden of tomatoes and zucchinis is already putting in a lot of work? This is the section for you!

It would be dumb of me to not acknowledge that the act of gardening can come with a lot of costs. Buying seeds, buying plants, buying soil, raised bed materials, mulch, etc. … it can all get a bit daunting, let’s be honest! But there’s quite a few ways to get seeds and plants for free or extremely cheap, which I’ll be addressing in this section! The next section will be all about addressing the other Costs in gardening and how to mitigate or eliminate them entirely.

Also, do keep in mind; there’s no need to try and convert a whole area from lawn to garden or unused to garden at once. In fact, it could actually be extremely beneficial to do it a little at a time--maybe four or five square feet to start out.

Front Lawn (or Managing Principles)

If you live in a place where you’re required to have a grass turf lawn (HOA’s come to mind…), try replacing it with native grasses instead! You could even possibly use a low-growing ground cover plant like clover to a similar effect! Reseeding/replacing an entire lawn can be a big upfront cost, but even just letting the lawn be a little messy and tall helps. If the lawn gets patchy, leave the bare spots for a little while and something different will likely pop up! Pioneer species will fill the gaps and provide benefits to other plants around them, support animals, and more! If you want to take the guesswork out of it, you could always research what the pioneer species are in your area and plant the ones you like most. 

Obtaining Seeds for Cheap or Free

The cheapest way to start a garden is by far via seeds. However, seeds can be a bit complicated to grow, and some sources make them… way overpriced. Fortunately there are ways to get seeds for little to no cost! 

Some places sell seeds for as low as a dollar, 50 cents, or 25 cents! The packets may not have a lot of seeds, but it’s definitely a good start for a low budget! I’ve personally bought cheap seed packets at Walmart--the Ferry-Morse and Burpee brands are not what we’re looking for here. Typically the cheaper ones I’ve found are American Seed (which is owned by Green Garden Products, which also owns Ferry-Morse, Livingston Seed, McKenzie Seed, and Seeds of Change. Do with that information what you will), but they’re rarely stocked near the Ferry-Morse ones in the Formal Gardening Section. I’ve most often found them on end caps near the gardening section, so you may have to weave through a few aisles to find them, but once you do there’s an array of flower and vegetable seeds to select from! Alternatively, I’ve found seeds at Dollar Tree sold 2 or 4 for a dollar in Spring as part of their seasonal product; however, when they’re out of stock, they’re typically out of stock for the year. Try to check them out early in the year!

Otherwise, other seed companies like Urban Farmer or Botanical Interests will often have semi-frequent sales in spring and fall, when people are stocking up on seeds--joining their email lists can help you be the first to know when a good sale is going on!

Some foods from grocery stores will provide seeds that you can use in the garden as well. I’ve had the most luck with store-bought bagged beans, peppers, and tomatoes. Some people have had luck with watermelons, apples, citrus, squash, and more. Do keep in mind that you likely won’t get the same variety of fruit/vegetable as the one you bought--the resulting plant may look different and taste different.

Give it a shot! Pick some beans you like--if they don't grow well, at least you can eat the rest!

If you live in the US, food-producing live plants, bare roots, and seeds can often be purchased with SNAP benefits. But what does growing fruits, veggies, and herbs have to do with boosting biodiversity? While food crops aren’t typically native, they still provide valuable shelter for native insects. Some plants even have intricate relationships with native fauna--like the squash bee, a solitary bee which exclusively pollinates cucurbits like pumpkins, squash, and zucchini. And we get to benefit more directly as well! If you’re planting a diverse range of foods in your garden (as opposed to the swaths of single-plant farms that typically produce what’s sent to grocery stores), you’re supporting high levels of biodiversity by providing a variety of plants for creatures to live and hunt around.

Most of the time, when we think of boosting biodiversity with a garden, we think of a colorful flower garden teeming with pollinator species. However, if we’re striving to use native species, it can be a bit difficult to find some species in stores. I can say from experience that trying to find any wildflower seeds other than butterfly weed, purple coneflowers, and black-eyed-susans is… challenging, if you limit yourself to stores like Walmart, Home Depot, and Lowe’s. You might occasionally get lucky with an ACE Hardware or a local nursery, but even then sometimes it can be hard to track down who in your area is selling what--let alone if you live in an area where no one really is selling native plants or their seeds. Not to mention, even once you find a local or online store selling the seeds you want, they can sometimes cost a pretty penny. So what do you do?

If you have the option to, consider gathering native seeds yourself! Get good at identifying the native flora and fauna--or at least, a few target plants and their lookalikes--and get ready to go! Learn where they tend to grow, when they’ll be seeding, etc. Try to identify the plant before it goes to seed (for most plants, it's easiest to identify when flowering), then check back regularly to gather seeds. Typically, if I want to learn how to collect seed from a specific plant, I just search it on Google or YouTube--oftentimes, I'm lead to the GrowItBuildIt Youtube page, so it may be a helpful resource for you as well! Of course, make sure to leave plenty of seed behind so the wild population can repopulate, and seed can feed other creatures in the area. A good rule of thumb is to take no more than 1/3rd of what's available.

Buying seed in bulk is an option if you can afford the upfront cost. Try teaming up with a few friends to buy some bulk seeds and split them amongst yourselves--you’ll get tons of seed! Prairie Moon is a popular site that'll sell seeds by the pound if you can afford the price--though they're in the US, and I believe they focus on Midwest and East Coast natives.

If you want to cheat the system, don’t buy bulk sunflower seeds--buy bags of sunflower seeds being sold as birdseed. They’re typically all black oil sunflower seeds, but they’ll sprout, and they’re fairly cheap for the amount you get!

However, beware generic wildflower seed mixes! Many brands like to sell wildflower seed mixes in big box stores like Home Depot, Target, or even Dollar Tree, but they’ll often include flowers that aren’t native or possibly even invasive in your region! Before you make any purchases, double check to make sure the contained seeds won’t do more harm than good! A quality source of native seeds will provide English and Latin names for all seeds included, and will be native to the region or at least non-invasive. 

See this? I don't trust this.

There’s a good handful of programs online that’ll send you free seeds if you’re planning to start a native habitat project! Poke around online and see what you can find; you might get lucky! The best time to start looking for these is fall and winter, I find--by early spring, many of them are either done or beginning to wind down... though some also start up in spring. Ultimately--just check regularly! You never know what you can find!

Other Ways to Get Plants

Don’t want to start from seed? That’s fair! You can try cuttings! Just be sure not to take too much of the plant while you do so. Make sure you’ve gotten a few leaf nodes on your cutting, and cut any flowers you may have gotten. Make sure to leave some blooms and foliage on the original plant for the creatures in the current habitat--you don’t want to destroy one habitat to make another in your garden. There’s tons of methods of rooting cuttings, many of which have different efficacy rates for different plants, but that’s a topic for another post.

If you find seedlings growing in a place where they won’t be able to sustain themselves long-term, or are in danger of being destroyed, consider relocating them! You may be able to gently dig up and transplant the seedling to your garden. Don’t do this if they’re in a place where they can easily survive--ideally, you’ll be taking plants from sidewalk cracks, heavily maintained public gardens, roadsides, etc. Do be careful while doing this--ensure your safety first!  

You’re totally allowed to join gardening communities like clubs, facebook groups, and more before you’ve even put a trowel to the dirt. These are great places to learn information and advice! Many gardeners are more than happy to help out a new gardener, and will eagerly provide seeds, cuttings, or even baby plants! Talk to some people about your gardening journey and what you’re hoping to do, and you just might find some kindred spirits--or at least get more people interested in the topic! 

Seed and plant giveaways and trades happen all the time in gardening clubs, as well as online! Just poke around and see what you can find! Some are explicitly trades, meaning you’re expected to send something in return, but once you get your feet on the ground with some plant knowledge you’ll be stellar! You may be able to explain you’re just starting out, and someone may send you seeds without expecting a trade, but I’d suggest trying giveaways first. 

Poke around online and see if there’s a local chapter of your state’s native plant society. From there, you’ll likely be able to find a calendar of events--many of them will host plant sales in the spring, with a bunch of native plant seedlings ripe for the pickings if you can make it out and have some money to spare! Fair warning, though, you’ll want to get there early if you can. If they say they’re starting at 10, try to get there by 9:45. Year after year, there’s always record turnout, and they sell out of plants faster than ever. Just trust me on this. I’ve been let down; hopefully you won’t have to be.

Some libraries are beginning to host seed libraries! Check around and see if your library has one! Ideally, the system works best if you also have seeds to contribute in return, but if you’re just starting out I’m sure they won’t mind you taking some seeds! Just consider saving some seeds to contribute in the future and pay it forward. If your library doesn’t have a seed library? Consider asking if they’d be willing to start one! Community interest is a great way to get the ball rolling on projects like these, but they’ll only know the community is interested if the community tells them they’re interested!

Volunteer to Garden for/with Someone Else

Maybe someone in your area wants to garden, but is struggling to find the time/energy. Many elderly people who used to garden simply can’t anymore but still would like a garden. Other people may love to have a helping hand in their garden. You might even find a few people in your area interested in renting and sharing a community garden plot with others, so they don't have to handle it all on their own! They may be interested in increasing biodiversity right now, or may be willing to if it’s brought up to them. You might be just the kind of person someone needs! Since it won't be your garden, you’ll likely need a bit of permission and collaboration to get anything in particular going, but it’s worth a shot and a way to maybe even make friends! 

Again, your mileage may vary with some of these. You may not know where there's a bunch of wildflowers growing in your area, or maybe your local library doesn't have a free seed library. That's okay! Do what you're able to, find what you can find, get what you can get! And there's never any shame with starting small--in fact, starting small can make the project easier to manage and expand when you're able!

That's the end of this post! My next post is gonna be about ways to start growing plants cheaply--low cost seed starting set ups, essentially. There's a lot of good options, many of which I've used myself even! Until then, I hope this advice is helpful! Feel free to reply with any questions, success stories, or anything you think I may have forgotten to add in!

[posttexasstressdisorder]

The GOP’s 43-year tax-cuts-for-billionaires-while-we-ignore-the-needs-of-the-country grift has an analogy in condos and homes across America that might help voters understand how it works and how they’ve gotten away with it.

Fully 84 percent of all homes and apartments built and sold in 2022 came with a homeowner’s association (HOA), and an estimated 27 percent of all homeowners nationwide currently live in a property controlled by an HOA.

And many are very unhappy about the experience.

According to a survey by Rocket Mortgage, only 47 percent of HOA residents think their HOA has made their community better, only two-thirds (64%) believe their HOA “honestly handles its finances,” and one in ten people nationwide who have an HOA cite the HOA itself as their main reason for moving.

How and why is this?

Louise and I have lived in five communities with HOAs in two different states. Three (including where we now live) were well managed, kept up the community, and set aside money from the dues every month for the inevitable future maintenance. I was on the board of one of them. The other two ran, essentially, a shell game or reverse Ponzi scheme, which led us to eventually quit those communities and move.

READ: Deep-red 'Republican stronghold' thought to be 'easy win for Trump' is now a swing state

I remember attending a board meeting in one of those “shell game” HOA communities we’d lived in. There were multiple common-area maintenance issues needing attention, but a group who called themselves “low-tax conservatives” had run the board for over a twenty years.

There was almost nothing in reserves, so maintenance had been continuously postponed until things hit a crisis level. Then they’d hit us all with a series of “special one-time assessments” ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars to pay for the upkeep. They refused to raise the monthly HOA fee, referring to it as a tax, because, they said, they were “low-tax conservatives”; in fact, they were just cheapskates.

That HOA board had been, in the past and the present, stealing from future homeowners.

They did it so they could enjoy the community during the first 30 or so years — when maintenance costs were minimal — without setting aside money for the future, when things would rot or wear out and need replacement or upgrade.

For the first three decades, they were able to coast with $200/month in dues and no assessments; by the time we arrived when the units were pushing 35 years old, though, the assessments were hitting $3000 to $9000 a year, and, when the buildings’ roofs need repair (soon) it’ll be twice that amount or more.

Fortunately, once we saw the handwriting on that particular wall we were able to sell our condo and move to a well-run community. Americans, though, don’t have that option: Republicans have been running this same shell game or reverse Ponzi scheme against all of us (except the very rich) across the entire country ever since Reagan successfully pitched trickle-down economics to the nation in 1981.

If you’ve ever lived in one of these shell game HOA’s, you now perfectly understand Reaganomics and why it seems that America has deteriorated so badly over the past 40 years.

You could call it the disaster of pothole economics: all across America, roads, bridges, water systems, schools, and other vital public infrastructure have been underfunded and neglected ever since Reagan popularized the idea of “austerity” among Republicans.

In order to pay for the second most massive tax cut for the morbidly rich in history (Reagan cut the top tax bracket from 74% down to 25%), his administration cut spending on education, housing, roads and bridges, and pretty much every other aspect of America’s infrastructure. George W. Bush did the same thing, and Donald Trump tripled down on the scheme.

The result was a $51 trillion transfer of wealth — over a mere forty-three years — from the homes, retirement accounts, and savings of average working families into the money bins of the extremely wealthy. Thirty-four trillion of that transfer show up as our national debt, which was a mere $800 billion ($0.8 trillion) when Reagan first came into office and started this scam.

President Joe Biden and his Vice President, Kamala Harris, ran the first administration of either party to significantly repudiate Reagan’s neoliberalism by injecting trillions into rebuilding our nation (over 35,000 projects) while raising taxes on rich people and corporations to pay for it.

The result was immediately visible, just like in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s: we now have the best economy on planet Earth with unemployment lower than any time since the 1960s (and lower than any time in history for women, Blacks, and Hispanics). Inflation has been at or below 0% for the past two months and is annually running around 3% (Reagan never got inflation below 4.1% in his entire 8 years); all across America we’re putting our rural areas, towns, and cities back together.

For the past forty years, Republicans and their administrations have focused almost entirely on taking cash away from working class people and handing it off to the billionaires who own and finance their party. At the top of the list of ways they did this was a series of five tax cuts for the morbidly rich and big corporations adding up to over $30 trillion since 1981.

But they’ve also been cutting spending to compensate for their tax breaks for the billionaire class: They blocked extending the child tax credit this year, throwing millions of American children back into poverty. They’ve fought lifting the cap on Social Security taxes so people making over $168,600 will begin paying on all of their income (millionaires and billionaires currently pay only a tiny fraction of the percentage to support Social Security that the rest of us do).

Fully 100% of congressional Republicans voted against Biden’s Build Back Better program that’s now putting America back together and his American Rescue Plan that lifted millions out of poverty and put millions more back to work. They successfully blocked the Paycheck Fairness Act that would have penalized employers for wage discrimination based on gender; they’ve refused to expand Medicaid in almost a dozen Red states; they even filibustered an attempt to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10.

For the past forty-plus years, Republicans — just like these dysfunctional HOAs — have been stealing from America’s future; our infrastructure deficit alone is several trillion dollars, meaning Americans will be paying more in taxes to make up for all those decades of neglect.

Democrats want those tax increases to hit people earning over $400,000 a year; Republican tax proposals, on the other hand, mostly focus on increasing income taxes and fees on working class people while continuing or even expanding tax breaks for the very wealthy.

One of the “low tax” HOAs we used to live in, instead of raising their monthly fee or instituting an assessment, recently negotiated a million-dollar-plus 20-year loan with people’s properties as the collateral to fund painting and repairing serious rot on the buildings.

This should have been paid for with an increase in HOA fees twenty years ago, anticipating the future maintenance and upkeep needs.

But instead they kept the fee low, never built up a reserve, and are now borrowing from the bank. In other words, they’re continuing the all-too-common HOA board scam of requiring future generations to pay for current repairs, just like the GOP budget proposals we’ll see when they return from summer vacation in September will require future generations to pay for their past tax cuts.

It’s the equivalent of Reagan, Bush, and Trump jacking up the national debt to keep things glued together, forcing future generations to pay it off when the bill comes due, while their wealthy corporate funders rob us blind.

Homeowners across America are waking up to these toxic HOA boards, as social media sites for HOA members are forming and local homeowner uprisings are happening against boards, either replacing the board members or, in some cases, even suing them. Some states are even starting to require they build up reserves for future maintenance.

Hopefully, Americans will realize how successfully Republicans have inflicted this very same scam on voters and working class people over the past forty-plus years and vote the bums out this fall.

ALSO READ: Mike Johnson's now-deleted Trump social media post sparks controversy

[rosethornewrites]

T & G reading since 11/10

Tumblr has issues with imbedding links, so sometimes the URL is included.

Finished

Teen:

後悔莫及 (Too Late for Regrets), by liverbiver9 (7 chapters)

Jiāng Yànlí dies and wakes up outside Lotus Pier fifteen years before the Massacre at Nightless City. Armed only with Chénqíng and her wits, she attempts to change the events that led to so much death, at the cost of never seeing her family again. She doesn’t expect to find love along the way.

i want the storm inside you awoken now (i want your warm bright eyes), by Ariaste (2nd in a series) (https://archiveofourown.org/works/27657362)

Meng Yao is 99.999% certain that absolutely no one from the HOA (and specifically none of the board members) will even be aware of tonight's event, let alone in attendance. Thus, the extremely rare opportunity to enact a particular gremlin move (as Wei Wuxian would call it) that he has been sitting on for some time.

***

Two gremlins, having muttered conversations in the back seat of the car, five feet apart cause they're totally not friends.

The Little Lost Piece..., by Liebing (https://archiveofourown.org/works/32414491)

As Lan Zhan and A-Yuan drove away, the little boy shook with excitement. He was going to see where his father worked. He was going to get to see his dad’s office and where he ate his lunch and where he kept all his important work things. A-Yuan reminded himself that he had to be good. He remembered that daddy had told him he had a really busy day and he needed A-Yuan to be very, very well behaved. A-Yuan straightened up in his car seat. Today, he vowed he would be on his best behaviour...

Explosion, by angel-loving-star (xASx) (🔒, 2 chapters) (https://archiveofourown.org/works/38708748/chapters/96782808)

She had never heard her laugh like this before. Nobody had made her laugh like this before.

The wind picked up and they were close. Giggling pattered off into the calm sounds of Yunmeng’s summer; the lapping of water against wood, the creaking of the bamboo shades hanging from above, the jiggling of Jiang spirit bells in the wind.

Their eyes met just before their lips did and suddenly it was no mere peck anymore. Suddenly the world was full of colours Qin Su had never dared to see before.

King of the Impossible, by sami (3 chapters, part of 2 series) (https://archiveofourown.org/works/48345499/chapters/121932874)

mei

I should inform you that I have threatened baby and bunny with my wrath if they talk to you about work in any non-emergency situation for at least three months. You are on holiday until further notice.

General:

awakening that was due to me, by Kieron_ODuibhir (https://archiveofourown.org/works/60217663)

It was a testament to the regularity of the Lan Sect lifestyle that Lan Wangji woke up and began his day without noticing anything out of the ordinary. It was only after he had set his morning tea to steep that he realized there was no evidence of A-Yuan in the house.

A Very Welcome Visitor, by Liebing

Lan Zhan is preparing for Wei Ying’s arrival…and when he doesn’t come, Lan Zhan is crushed. The third time Lan Zhan is disappointed by Wei Ying, Lan Huan decides to take matters into his own hands and sets out to find the black robed scoundrel who keeps breaking his brothers heart.

Dawning, by Onomatopoetikon (https://archiveofourown.org/works/39392772)

Lan Wangji wakes up. Wei Ying is there.

Just a few moments of fluff.

had a marvelous time ruining everything, by livinginaworldofnoise (2 chapters) (https://archiveofourown.org/works/57018637/chapters/145003936)

“Great news, though—well, actually, it may depend how you define ‘great.’” Wei Wuxian folds himself into a cross-legged position and makes a sweeping gesture with one arm toward the closet, from which Lan Wangji can now hear a strange rattling noise. “While you were gone I managed to catch another one!”

“Another . . . cat?” Lan Wangji pulls the closet door open wider and stares at the cage he finds there, inside of which a small black cat is clinging to the ceiling bars with all the desperation of a cornered wild animal.

“That’s Volcano!” Wei Wuxian says by way of explanation. “She’s a little spicy.”

OR: 5 times wangxian's feral kittens get in the way of lan wangji proposing + 1 time they help

the serpent of fate, by littledust

When Zhao Zhuliu is a child, a fortuneteller predicts that his death will take the form of a serpent.

Orchid at the Foot of the Mountain, by stiltonbasket (49th in a series)

“Xiongzhang and Gege and Jueying all know where they come from,” Shuilan said to herself, on a chilly green morning in the spring of her ninth year. “And Qing-jiejie didn’t come to the Cloud Recesses until she was almost grown up, so it’s different for her.”

And then, very quietly, she whispered:

“Everyone’s parents died but mine, and Chun-bao never had any others to start with. I’m the only one of us who was sent away.”

Or: Wei Shuilan contemplates the secrets of her past, and grapples with the prospect of never learning anything more about them.

Unfinished

Teen:

so i cut the shackles and changed my name, by MichelleFeather (https://archiveofourown.org/works/58005280/chapters/147671179)

“A-Ying, should anything happen, should you be separated from us or find yourself in need of help, find Lan Qiren in Cloud Recesses. No matter what’s happened, he will keep you safe. He has sworn to me his home will always be open to you, no matter what.”

Following the advice of his late mother, Wei Ying runs away from Lotus Pier, knowing that if he were to stay, he would likely die at the hands of Madam Yu.

And, he finds, the Lan Clan is the place where he was always supposed to be.

Something Told Me It Was You, by lordhuachengzhu (https://archiveofourown.org/works/39404898/chapters/98615043)

Wei Ying believed in the myth of past lives. Mostly because he could remember his.

Even when he was young he knew something was off in his heart. There was a piece missing, and he wanted to find it.

He wanted to be complete.

“Wei Ying, it’s going to be alright.” The voice was warm and calming, and Wei Ying felt as if he had waited every life just to hear it.

He opened his eyes and met Lan Wangji’s intense golden ones.

“Lan Zhan, you don’t know what I did.”

Song of Clarity, by vicchan (https://archiveofourown.org/works/29266413/chapters/71868411)

Hanguang Jun, one of the Twin Jades of Gusu, had a pristine reputation for ‘being wherever the chaos is’ and is both revered and respected throughout the cultivation world as the perfect example of what a cultivator should be. What was not so well known, was that Hanguang Jun had made one great mistake in his overwise exemplary life, one that had cost him dearly. Thirteen years later, that very mistake returns to haunt him. This time, however, Lan Wangji will not allow the tragedies of the past to repeat themselves.

A retelling of MDZS from Lan Wangji's perspective.

General:

This is My Best (But It's Still Not Enough), by piecrust (https://archiveofourown.org/works/30209718/chapters/74438730)

The thing is, is that his wife is almost right.

Almost.

Jiang Fengmian did find and bring Wei Wuxian to Yunmeng because of old love.

But it wasn’t Cangse Sanren. He had been in love long before she came down from the mountains.

---

A Canon-Divergence where Jiang Fengmian survives but it doesn't fix anything at all.

An Unforseen Shift, by Remma3760 (https://archiveofourown.org/works/59157619/chapters/150841318)

Wei Wuxian found a resentful sword deep in the bowels of a famed beast. He took it. That turned out to be fortunate since, it would seem, the sword had more than one purpose. That sword was the key to their escape from certain death trapped in the cave of the Slaughter Xuanwu.

[breelandwalker]

Our AC still isn't fixed and it's going to be in the 90s for the next week. 😭

There's nothing for it, unfortunately. The service contractor our home warranty company assigned us to was TERRIBLE and I had to chase them down for two full months to get appointments and updates, and six weeks after we finally got a tech out, they STILL hadn't sent the report to the warranty company so they could order parts. No wonder all their Google reviews are 1 star. (Like seriously, what part of "Our HVAC system doesn't work at all and the temperatures upstairs are rising to a dangerous level on hot days" says meh, this can wait? Fuck you, Reliance.)

Thankfully, I was able to get us assigned to a different company and they were at the house the very next day and had the report in and parts ordered by the end of the week. So we're waiting on delivery and a repair date. But because of that two-month delay, we're kind of screwed here. Seriously, we put the request in in MID-APRIL hoping this could be resolved before the summer heat waves hit.

On top of that, our HOA doesn't allow window AC units because Gentrified Aesthetic Bullshit. So I called and explained (read: gave somebody a barely-polite earful) about our situation and our request was still denied, but we have until mid-July to remove the unit we put in our bedroom so that the upstairs doesn't get hot enough to be a health hazard for us and the cats.

(The HOA does allow indoor units with a low-profile window exhaust panel, but they cost twice as much as a window unit and we could only afford the cheaper model at the time that the temps were really starting to rise and we had pest control coming so the cats HAD to be upstairs overnight. I'm holding aside a little money just in case we need to get one.)

We'll manage though. We have proper curtains now and plenty of fans, and if worst comes to worst, I'll just spend the weekend in the bedroom with the cats and the AC. It's currently a toss-up as to whether we'll have thunderstorms or just swampy humidity.

I do not enjoy summer. 😑

[gwydionmisha]

Personal: Clothes Washer Update

The honest contractor turned up! On a Sunday! (It was a time too early for me to be up, but too late to get back to sleep. This is not a complaint, as honestly, getting the aggregate out this time was a herculean task, but this + being ill is not great for my brain. I apologies for any posting errors, etc.).

So the leak is far worse than thought. It is coming from inside the washing machine. He has turned the water off to stop further leaking, which it has been doing slowly even when not in use. He has advised us to get a new washer, as fixing it via a good repairmen is close to the cost of a new clothes washer. Fuck!

On the upside, it's the cold water leaking, so theoretically, I can wash in hot. Cautiously. I wash exclusively in cold normally, both for environmental reasons and because it's better for my clothes (which are all dark colours). I should do it as little as I can get away with. This means amoung other things leaving the soiled pads on the sofa as long as I can manage it, despite the smell. I've been moving them to do things like eat and do lungs, then putting them back. This led to Tavy sneaking in during lunch under a guise of wanting a pet to successfully soil the back side of a pad. And my arm. Ugh. At least he still deposits solids in the boxes.

On the upside, it's 2025 (A sentence I'd never thought I'd be writing). It is five years between applications for the city to fix things around the apartment exactly. A few months earlier and we'd have to replace it ourselves as with the fridge and stove. If it were next year, I couldn't risk and as as HOA requires us to buy a new water heater every 10 years and I need that to come up the same year as a city fix it application can be filed.

Assuming the funding has not been cut, I can theoretically go down to City Hall for an application Tuesday and get started on it. Which puts me into a queue once I turn it in, as this is not an emergency. I have a list of other things needing doing anyway, though they are smaller. The dishwasher breaks every year and is not in great shape, a bunch off smaller things like a replacement silverware drawer, interior door knobs, etc.. (My brain tends to switch dish and clothes washer. I'm really hoping I haven't done this in my post as I did yesterday. My brain is full of goo).

This is a Process, though, and not guaranteed. Stand by for more news, I guess. Let's hope I'm well enough for paperwork this week.

[henrypreppy]

Barrington Estates: Prologue

Barrington Estates is the gem of the tri-county area for gated living communities. It has everything a member of the upper echelons could want: large, beautiful houses; meticulously manicured landscapes; fantastic schools; and the exclusive Barrington Country Club to rub shoulders with the elite that all but govern the southeast from its private rooms and putting greens. Not many make it here without significant contributions to the HOA. Grant and Jennifer Dean, however, were one of the few exceptions.

The Dean family was one of the founding families of the club and community. They had the house on the hill that was envied by everyone. The late Donald Dean, grandfather of Grant Dean, made sure to keep it immaculate. It was a sort of slap in the face to Truman McMaster, the general manager of Barrington Country Club; the house on the hill—the one all the pictures and magazine spreads loved to showcase—was owned by the board member who opposed McMaster at every turn. Rumors abound regarding their feud. Some speculated it was a result of a business deal gone awry, others posited that they needed some form of drama to keep themselves entertained. Only Donald and Truman knew the truth of the matter, and now one half of that truth was buried with Donald.

Grant was not particularly familiar with Barrington Estates, his father, Don Junior, being the prodigal of the family. Junior let his father’s house at eighteen with a large sum to his name and spoke to his father only two years later when it was nearly gone and Grant was on the way. Junior refused to move back in to the estate, but was funneled money from Donald so that Grant may not have to bear the sins of his father. Junior, ever-bent on regaining what he had, drove his wife Therese away when he began selling drugs.

“I don’t care if Grant is at college!” Therese would scream again and again, “I don’t want to have that dangerous business near me or my son!” After many of such arguments, she filed for divorce and cut Junior off.

A year later, Junior’s hand was cut off for stealing five kilos from the wrong cartel. He didn’t die immediately, though he couldn’t clap as his son walked across the stage to graduate. Only a few short months later, his stump turned septic and the infection withered the rest of him away. Had he less pride, perhaps Junior could have lived. Nevertheless, Grant turned to his grandfather for assistance with the funeral costs—which was all-too-high for the all-too-low head count—and moved in with his grandfather, who died all-too-soon from the grief of having failed to save his only son.

Now, upon returning from their hasty honeymoon and keeping with his grandfather’s request to not cohabitate with his college sweetheart, Grant was helping Jennifer move in with him.

Jennifer was a curvy woman, the areas under which she calculated from the nudes she sent Grant in their senior year. She graduated with a degree in physics and landed a job as a teacher in a high school one district away. She was smart, witty, and had green eyes that seemed dull unless they were in the right light; her hair was a wavy dark brown butterfly cut that flowed just past her shoulder blades.

Grant, by contrast, was plain but not unattractive. He kept his black hair in a shaggy mop and had nice cheekbones covered by a short scraggly beard. His gangly appearance frequently made others think of him as a stoner, which seemed fitting for a political science graduate. Though, a stoner could have never kept up with the stress of his internship as an aide to the governor. So far, that was his only achievement of note, outside of getting to marry the nerdy firecracker, Jennifer.

Jennifer didn’t have much of her own to move in; she was barely out of college. Still, a beat pickup truck packed with boxes is bound to look out of place in Barrington. Jennifer barreled up the large circular driveway to the McMansion, the rusted sides of the old Ford a stark contrast to the immaculate ivory-colored pillars she pulled toward.

Grant had already emerged from the house, having heard the beater booming a mile away. The houses were spaced out well enough, but the sights and sounds certainly brought some attention. He glared at the rustled curtains that indicated they were being watched from neighbors’ windows. As Jennifer approached, he waved and jogged toward the truck to open the door for her.

“M’lady,” he snickered with equal parts irony and sincerity as he opened the driver side door.

“M’sir,” she retorted, rolling her eyes. She stepped out of the truck and slammed the door behind her. Stepping forward, her mild exasperation faded to a wide smile and then to a kiss for Grant.

Grant embraced her, and his hand drifted from her back to her ass as he attempted to go for more than a gentle peck.

Still smiling, she pushed him away playfully. “Babe, didn’t you say your neighbors are super nosy?”

“Yeah, but what are they going to say? We just got married.” Grant planted a kiss on her cheek before breaking the hug.

Jennifer chuckled lightly. “I’d at least like to wait before hearing them ask about kids, though. I can already hear some old heiress down the street: ‘I saw that hussy from the other side o’ town pull up in a rusted out truck and start trying to make love right on the concrete!’” She said mimicking an elderly raspy voice.

“The neighborhood is not like that. They’re older and they’re traditional, but we’re married. So, it’s fine. Either way, you live here now, and they can’t change that.” He pecked her again on the cheek and began leading her inside by the hand, a middle finger raised to the neighbor’s window with the other hand.

Jennifer gave another signature eye roll and followed Grant. “You’re ridiculous,” she chortled crossed the threshold. The large foyer opened before her, decorated with a combination of farmhouse and mid-century modern decor. “This…” she announced, hearing her own echo, “This is also ridiculous.”

“Yeah, my grandfather was a pretty wealthy dude, but not out of touch. He wasn’t stodgy or anything. Still feels weird with him gone,” Grant trailed off and sighed.

“You okay?” Jennifer asked.

“Things have just been moving too fast. Graduation, a funeral, a wedding, another funeral, and a honeymoon all in like four months.”

“It’s okay, baby,” she assured him. “We’ll get settled in and settle down for a moment.”

“I know. I just want to slow down for a bit. You just mentioned it, but can we hold off on baby talk. I know I’ll hear enough of it from the neighbors.” Grant suppressed a grin.

“There’s a smile. I knew you still had some wit in you,” Jennifer prodded. “Now, where’s the bathroom?”

“First hallway on the left, first door on the left. I’ll start unloading your truck in a moment.”

“Thanks,” she cooed before pecking him on the cheek and rushing briskly around the corner. “This place is huge,” she bellowed back.

“Yeah, just like my—“

Ding dong! The doorbell chimed.

“You’re a child.” Grant heard before a door closed.

“Were get already walking up the fucking driveway?” Grant grumbled to himself. He gathered himself before yanking the door ajar. “Hey!” He said, shifting to a bright chatter. “How can I help you?”

Grant was greeted by a man and woman appearing to be in their late thirties or early forties. The man stood tall and was slightly overweight. His chestnut brown hair was in a generic left-parted business cut. A thick chevron mustache rested above his light smile. He wore a white golf shirt with the country club’s logo—a “B” with two smaller “C”s stacked directly to the right—on the chest, and pleated khaki pants that did little to hide the two huge lumps at the top of either leg. The woman had red hair pulled back into a sporty ponytail. Her cheekbones were high on her slender face, and her makeup was subtle outside the fiery red lipstick. She was dressed more casually in a bright athletic top, black leggings, and neon running shoes.

The man spoke in a low tenor: “Hey! Welcome to the neighborhood. I’m Franklin and this is Jess. We live just next door to you.” He gestured to his right, even though the next house was a good hundred yards away. “We’re the Mullinses.” Franklin continued, extending his hand, and growing his light smile to a bleached Hollywood grin.

“Thanks for the introduction,” Grant offered cautiously but genuinely. “I’m Grant. My wife Jennifer has just started to move in. She stepped off to explore.” He turned around and called back into the house, “Honey! Come meet our neighbors, the Mullinses!” Turning back to the new neighbors, he gestured, “Come in! Come in!” The couple crossed the threshold and was guided toward the kitchen.

“Why, thank you!” Jess said brightly with a slight southern twang. The Mullinses took an extensive look around the house as they walked, noting the decor and size of the house. “Y’all have a lovely home,” Jess continued as they began to settle into the kitchen.

The small talk continued in the kitchen over some coffee and tea. A toilet flush and sink running announced Jennifer’s impending arrival. As her footsteps approached, Grant approached the doorway, made a grand gesture and announced his wife’s less-than-grand entrance: “Introducing, the reason for hastily closed curtains and prying eyes, my lovely wife, Jennifer!”

Jennifer silently walked through the display to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup. She leaned against the counter, took a small sip, and acknowledged the guests in stark contrast to her husband’s introduction: “Hey. I’m Jennifer.” Her face contorted, suppressing a smile that turned into a chortle.

The stark facade broke after the Mullinses introduced themselves and realized the humorous intention behind her introduction. They actually got along quite well, despite worries of stuffiness from both parties. As it turned out, Franklin was an investor and Jess was close to launching her fashion line of women’s clothing with actual pockets. Grant had to fill in the history of his last four months and his relationship with his late grandfather. Grant himself had only dropped off his things two weeks ago and was still settling in. Jennifer, of course, had just arrived that day; so, her few items from the bachelorette pad were still in the truck.

Mr. and Mrs. Mullins helped them bring in the boxes—only around twelve in total. It was light work, but stomachs grumbled by the end of it. Reading the room, Franklin spoke up, “How would you like to join Jess and I for dinner?”

“Someone finally suggested food!” Jennifer immediately replied. “I’m down. Are you, babe?” She turned to Grant.

“Let’s do it. You a good cook, Jess?” Grant challenged.

“I’m awful, but Franklin is worse,” Jess laughed. “We were going to the club tonight.”

“Ohh! The country club! Excuse me!” Jennifer mocked.

Jess shrugged and smirked. “We make due.”

“My grandfather said just a little about the club before he passed. I’m sure you do,” Grant intuited. “We’ll have to change before we go, though.”

“Of course!” Franklin said. “Jess will have to as well. Just come over to our place in a few and we’ll head down together.”

“Hell yeah! I’m down for some bougie food,” Jennifer announced before hoisting a wardrobe box and hiking upstairs.

Grant walked with the Mullinses to the door. “We’ll be over there in just a few. Next house down the road, right?”

“Yep! 127,” Franklin confirmed. “See you soon!” He called, walking out the door with his wife.

Grant waved after them, watching them walk down the driveway before shutting the door.

Grant changed from his regular streetwear to a pale blue dress shirt and khakis. Jennifer stripped her sweats and was in a day dress within three minutes. It was not long before the Deans were knocking on their neighbors’ door, eager for food. Inside, the sound of hard-soled shoes echoed through the hall like a metronome. The rhythm concluded as the door opened and the tall Mr. Mullins stood before them, having only changed into a pair of black penny loafers.

“Come on in,” he said, ushering the Deans over to a couch. He himself sat in a chair opposite them, legs spread, and abnormally large bulge all the more defined. “Jess should be down in a moment.”

Grant and Jennifer had a hard time not sneaking glances at the pronounced moose knuckle in front of them. Grant blushed as Franklin noticed and locked eye contact with him. Eventually, Grant broke the silence: “So how long have you and Jess lived here?”

“I’ve lived here since I was a kid,” Franklin replied without breaking eye contact.

Heels clacked down the stairs as Grant finally looked away, peaking at the bulge again. His eyes immediately darted back up to see a smile and wink from Franklin.

“Sounds like she’s ready,” Franklin said, rising from his seat. Grant attempted to sneak another glance as the bulge settled into place before rising himself.

Jess reached the bottom of the stairs and announced herself, “Ready to go.” She wore a pale green blouse, black skirt, and black heels. She shook her head, showing off her wavy red hair released from its workout ponytail. She impatiently waved the lot to the door as she proceeded.

Franklin took the opportunity to put his arm around Grant and began walking him out, declaring with a grin: “You’re going to love steakhouse Fridays. They’ve got every cut of meat you could want.”

[oscarjcarlisle]

This is Rose, the other half of my fursona/Oscar’s girlfriend. When I say “other half” I’m not being metaphorical, as in like, his partner, I consider them both equally representative of me, just in different ways, different aspects of me.

Oscar and Rose live in a near-post-scarcity world, where nearly all manufacturing, logistics, and resource management has been turned over to a benevolent, extremely powerful artificial intelligence and automation. The result is that 80% of the global population is basically… unemployed. Housing, medical care, basic groceries, and other basic goods have all been decomodified, they’re available to everyone on earth, no cost. Goods that are considered a luxury, such as narcotics without a prescription, some hard-to-automate grocery items like meat that isn’t lab grown, or things that still require labor to produce like nicer housing, boats, etc are available for purchase. Money is entirely digital, and everyone gets a basic monthly stipend, which can decrease as a punishment for crimes, or increased as compensation for voluntary labor.

Oscar and Rose are both unemployed, and are pursuing a developing lifestyle called Hobbyism, spending their stipend on materials and equipment for their hobbies which they may or may not find a way to monetize. There are still private marketplaces where creators sell their goods, which is another way of making additional income.

The wealthiest people in the world are now all artists of one kind or another, and athletes, who make most of their money as compensation for pieces of public art or performance such as statues, architecture, playing basketball really well, etc. and the rest from commissions by other private individuals. Capital owners essentially don’t exist, except as far as you might consider an artist’s tools and material capital. All private business ventures are cooperatives, there are a couple “private” housing communities that are basically just an HOA, rent has been abolished, either you own your house, or you live in free housing.

Some areas are heavily overpopulated, due to an increased general global population with a lot of people gathering in nice places to live with temperate weather, and the AI isn’t a god, it can’t manifest resources out of thin air, so it’s been having trouble keeping up with housing in those areas, but rather than homelessness this tends to result in people over sharing their housing, having maybe 10-12 people living in a three bedroom house and the like, not because they can’t afford to move out, but because they don’t really want to move somewhere else. Housing is available for free in less desirable places.

[northstarreserve]

Smart Communities Rely on Smart Data: How North Star Reserves Helps Meet Washington’s HOA Reserve Study Requirements

Managing a homeowners association (HOA) in Washington State isn’t just about day-to-day maintenance—it’s also about preparing for the future. One of the most critical aspects of that preparation is complying with Washington State HOA reserve study requirements. These studies help ensure long-term financial health and infrastructure planning for residential communities.

But preparing a reserve study isn’t just a matter of filling in numbers. It involves careful data collection, formatting, cost projections, and compliance with state laws. That’s where North Star Reserves steps in.

We provide engineering data entry services and reserve report formatting tailored specifically to the evolving needs of HOA consultants, property managers, and engineering firms across Washington. Our expert support helps communities stay compliant, accurate, and financially sound.

🧩 What Are Washington State HOA Reserve Study Requirements?

In Washington, HOAs are required to conduct a full reserve study every three years and update it annually. This mandate is outlined under RCW 64.34 and RCW 64.90, depending on the type of community association. These laws require HOAs to:

Inventory all major common area components (like roofs, siding, roads, plumbing systems, etc.)

Provide current and projected repair/replacement costs

Estimate remaining useful life of components

Develop a funding strategy

A reserve study must be both accurate and legally compliant, or the HOA risks serious financial issues and liability. That's where many associations and consultants struggle—not with the fieldwork, but with the reserve study data entry and formatting side of things.

🛠️ North Star Reserves: The Backbone of Accurate HOA Documentation

At North Star Reserves, we help clients meet these complex requirements by handling the critical back-end of reserve studies. We work closely with reserve analysts, engineers, and HOA boards to produce clean, professional reports—fast.

Our services include:

Component inventory data entry

Milestone report support and formatting

Reserve fund calculation structuring

Formatting for legal compliance

Report standardization and quality checks

We eliminate errors, speed up turnaround times, and ensure your documentation aligns with the legal structure required by Washington State.

🎯 Why Choose North Star Reserves?

We’re not just a general data entry company. Our focus is on the unique needs of the HOA, engineering, and reserve study industry, especially for clients in highly regulated states like Washington. Here's what sets us apart:

✅ Industry Expertise

We understand the language of reserve studies, engineering data, and HOA management. You won’t waste time explaining your process—we already speak your language.

✅ Washington-Focused Support

We’re familiar with Washington state HOA reserve study requirements and the nuances of RCW regulations. That means our reports are formatted correctly and ready for submission.

✅ Precision and Speed

We implement strict quality control standards, allowing us to deliver documentation that's both accurate and timely.

✅ Flexible Service Packages

Whether you need support for a single report or ongoing monthly assistance, our services scale with your needs.

🧠 Smart Data. Stronger Communities.

Proper reserve planning ensures that communities can maintain property value and avoid costly special assessments. But reserve studies are only as good as the data they’re built on.

North Star Reserves is here to make sure your reserve reports and milestone inspections are backed by data that are accurate, organized, and compliant. From engineering firms to HOA managers, we help professionals across Washington meet their regulatory obligations with ease.

📞 Ready to Strengthen Your Reserve Study Process?

Don’t let documentation bottlenecks slow down your projects. Let North Star Reserves be your trusted partner in accurate, compliant reporting.

👉 Visit northstarreserves.com.

[anipgarden]

How to Increase Biodiversity on a Budget - Masterpost

It cannot be stressed enough that supporting native wildlife is important, wherever you are and however you can. But it can feel a bit daunting to think about doing, especially if you’re operating on a smaller budget. It’s not uncommon to hear about someone’s success story and think how much did it cost to do that?

I’m hoping that I can provide a good bunch of ideas on how to help heal the world around you without hurting your wallet. Feel free to use this as a guide, or a bouncing-off point to do actions in your own style!

Before we get Started

I want to make it clear that this is not a checklist of things you are required to do in order to be ‘helping.’ This isn’t an ‘all or nothing’ kind of deal. Every little bit you do helps. Being aware of these options and spreading awareness helps. Doing even just a handful of these options as you’re able to helps.

With that being said, we need to acknowledge that not everything in this list is feasible for everyone. Some people have a fenced yard in the suburbs. Some people have an unfenced yard with judgy neighbors and/or a restrictive HOA policy. Some people can’t directly control their own landscaping, whether that be because of an external lawn maintenance ruling or something like ‘living with your parents.’ Some people have a 4th story apartment with a small balcony. Some people rent and can’t grow directly into the ground. If the best you can do is put up a bird feeder, or grow a few pollinator-friendly plants in pots? I see you. I feel you. I’ve been there. I appreciate what you’re doing, and you know what? So does the wildlife.

Un-actions, or Restriction of Activities

Things to Do that Aren’t Related to Growing Plants

The Plants-Related Section

Adding To, or Starting, A Garden

Cheaply Starting

Supporting Your Plants for Cheap: Composting, Mulching, and Trellises

What Plants to Add

What to Do Once Things Are Planted

The Secret Other Thing - Managing Invasive Plants and Animals

Parting Words and Sources

If you’re interested in joining a group of gardening enthusiasts who are always down to talk about biodiversity, project ideas, and native plants, feel free to hop into my gardening discord! 

[optimumpm]

Seeking reliable HOA property management in Orange County? Trust our dedicated team for efficient, transparent, and cost-effective services tailored to your community's needs. For #HoaAssociationManagement, visit: https://www.optimumpm.com/hoa-community-management/

[realestateamron]

Understanding HOAs (Homeowners Associations)

A Key Factor in Buying and Selling Property

When buying or selling a property, there are a variety of factors to consider: location, price, condition, and more. One often-overlooked aspect is whether the property is governed by a Homeowners Association (HOA). Understanding the role of an HOA is essential to making an informed decision, as it can have a significant impact on the buying and selling process, and on your daily life as a homeowner.

In this post, I’ll discuss what an HOA is, the costs associated with it, and how it affects property transactions. We’ll also break down the pros and cons of buying a property that is within an HOA.

What is a Homeowners Association?

A Homeowners Association (HOA) is a governing body in a residential community, typically in neighborhoods, condominiums, or townhouse developments, with the goal of maintaining and enhancing the property’s value and ensuring that the community runs smoothly. The HOA enforces rules and regulations known as Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs), which are designed to protect the interests of homeowners within the community.

The main responsibility of an HOA is to oversee common areas (such as parks, pools, and landscaping) and enforce property maintenance standards within the community. HOAs are usually run by an elected board of homeowners, but in some cases, property management companies can handle day-to-day operations.

How Do HOAs Affect the Buying and Selling Process?

1. Monthly HOA Fees

One of the most important factors to consider when buying a property within an HOA is the monthly fee. These fees are collected from homeowners to cover the cost of maintaining common areas and other shared amenities. The amount of the fee varies depending on the size and location of the property, as well as the amenities provided by the HOA.

For example, in a community with multiple amenities such as a pool, fitness center, and landscape maintenance, the monthly fee might be higher to cover those services. On the other hand, a community with fewer amenities may have a lower monthly fee. It’s important to factor in this cost when determining your budget for a new home.

In addition to monthly fees, buyers should also consider potential increases in HOA fees over time. HOAs can raise fees to cover increased maintenance costs, unexpected repairs, or to build up reserves for future projects. As a buyer, it’s essential to ask about the HOA’s history of fee increases and whether there are any planned increases in the near future.

2. Transfer Fees

When selling a property within an HOA, you may also need to pay a transfer fee. This fee is charged by the HOA to process the paperwork and officially transfer the ownership of the property. Transfer fees can vary widely depending on the HOA, but they are generally a one-time expense, and can range from a few hundred to several hundred dollars.

As a seller, it’s essential to budget for this cost as part of your closing expenses. As a buyer, it’s a good idea to ask if the seller will cover this fee or if it will be passed on to you.

3. CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions)

The CC&Rs are the rules and regulations that govern the community. These guidelines outline what homeowners can and cannot do with their property, including restrictions on exterior alterations, landscaping, parking, and the types of pets allowed. CC&Rs are meant to maintain the aesthetic appeal and order of the community.

As a buyer, it’s important to review the CC&Rs before finalizing your decision to purchase. You should be aware of any rules that might impact your lifestyle, such as restrictions on parking, noise, or exterior modifications to your home. In many cases, the HOA will provide a copy of the CC&Rs upon request, or they may be available on the HOA’s website. If you’re working with a real estate agent, they should also be able to help you obtain these documents.

Pros and Cons of Buying a Home in an HOA Community

When considering whether to buy a property governed by an HOA, it’s important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages. Here’s a breakdown of some of the key pros and cons.

Pros of Buying a Home in an HOA Community

Consistent Property Standards One of the biggest benefits of an HOA is that it helps maintain a high standard of property upkeep. This ensures that the neighborhood remains visually appealing and that property values are protected. With an HOA in place, there are rules that govern the appearance of homes, landscaping, and exterior maintenance, preventing any homes from falling into disrepair.

Access to Amenities Many HOA communities offer amenities such as swimming pools, fitness centers, walking trails, parks, and event spaces. These amenities can enhance your quality of life and provide convenient recreational opportunities without having to leave the neighborhood.

Community and Social Events HOAs often organize social events for residents, such as neighborhood parties, holiday celebrations, or group fitness classes. These activities help foster a sense of community and make it easier to connect with neighbors.

Reduced Maintenance Responsibility In HOA communities, the association typically takes care of landscaping and maintenance of common areas. This can be a huge advantage for homeowners who don’t want to deal with the hassle of yard work or upkeep of shared spaces.

Better Dispute Resolution If a neighbor is causing an issue, such as violating property rules or causing disturbances, the HOA can step in to resolve the matter. This can be especially helpful in maintaining peace within the neighborhood without homeowners having to deal with conflicts themselves.

Cons of Buying a Home in an HOA Community

Monthly Fees As mentioned earlier, HOA fees are an ongoing expense that homeowners must budget for. While these fees go toward maintaining the community, they can add up over time and may increase annually. Depending on your financial situation, these fees may be a burden.

Rules and Restrictions One of the main drawbacks of living in an HOA community is the restrictions imposed on homeowners. Whether it’s rules about parking, outdoor decorations, or remodeling your home, the HOA has the power to limit your freedom. If you value autonomy and prefer a more relaxed environment, these rules might be frustrating.

Lack of Control Over Decisions The HOA board makes the decisions regarding community maintenance, fees, and changes to the CC&Rs. As a homeowner, you’ll have some input through meetings or voting, but ultimately the board makes the final call. This lack of control may be uncomfortable for those who prefer to have more say in decisions that affect their living environment.

Potential for Poor HOA Management Not all HOAs are well-run, and in some cases, you may find yourself dealing with mismanagement or poor leadership. An HOA with ineffective management can lead to higher fees, neglected common areas, or unresolved disputes. It’s important to research the HOA’s track record before buying a property.

Transfer Fees As a seller, you’ll need to factor in the HOA’s transfer fees, which can add to the closing costs. These fees can be a burden if you are on a tight budget or if they catch you off guard during the selling process.

Conclusion

HOAs are an integral part of many communities and can play a significant role in the buying and selling process. They offer benefits like consistent property standards, access to amenities, and community events, but they also come with restrictions and additional costs. As a buyer, it’s important to do your due diligence by reviewing the CC&Rs, understanding the monthly fees, and factoring in potential transfer fees. As a seller, ensuring that the property is in compliance with HOA rules is crucial to a smooth transaction.

Whether or not an HOA is right for you will depend on your lifestyle, preferences, and willingness to adhere to community rules. By understanding how HOAs work and their impact on property transactions, you can make a more informed decision when buying or selling a home.

Looking for more advice on buying your next home, check out my Buyer Resources page

Read this 2025 National Association of REALTORS® Consumer Guide on Homeowners Associations below.

[webmarketingar]

ReadyCOLLECT: The Smarter Way to Manage HOA Collections & Case Workflows

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Mortgage and Homeownership Guidance: Advice on Securing Mortgages and the Financial Implications of Homeownership

Introduction

Buying a home is one of the most significant financial decisions you'll ever make. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or planning your next move, understanding how to secure a mortgage and manage the financial responsibilities of homeownership is crucial. This comprehensive, SEO-optimized guide offers actionable mortgage and homeownership guidance to help you navigate the process with confidence.

In this guide, you’ll learn: ✅ How to prepare for a mortgage ✅ Types of home loans and which one is best for you ✅ Tips for getting approved ✅ The true costs of homeownership ✅ Financial planning for long-term success as a homeowner

What Is a Mortgage and How Does It Work?

A mortgage is a loan from a bank or lender that helps you finance the purchase of a home. You’ll repay the mortgage over a period—typically 15, 20, or 30 years—with interest.

📌 Key Mortgage Terms:

Principal: The amount you borrow

Interest: The cost of borrowing money

Term: The length of the loan (e.g., 30 years)

Down payment: The upfront payment you make (usually 3%–20%)

Escrow: Funds held to pay taxes and insurance

💡 A lower interest rate = lower monthly payments and less paid over the life of the loan.

How to Prepare for a Mortgage

✅ 1. Check and Improve Your Credit Score

Lenders look at your credit score to assess risk.

Good score = better interest rate

Aim for 680+, though FHA loans may accept lower scores

Pay down debts, avoid late payments, and limit new credit inquiries

✅ 2. Calculate How Much House You Can Afford

Use the 28/36 rule:

Spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income on housing

Total debts should be no more than 36% of income

📌 Example: If you earn $6,000/month, your mortgage payment should not exceed $1,680.

✅ 3. Save for a Down Payment

Typical down payment amounts:

Conventional loan: 5%–20%

FHA loan: 3.5%

VA/USDA loans: 0% (for qualified borrowers)

💡 Don’t forget to budget for closing costs (2%–5% of home price).

Types of Home Loans (Which Mortgage is Right for You?)

🏡 1. Conventional Loan

Not backed by the government

Requires higher credit score

Best for buyers with solid financial profiles

🏡 2. FHA Loan

Backed by the Federal Housing Administration

Low down payment (3.5%)

Easier approval with lower credit scores

🏡 3. VA Loan

For veterans and active-duty military

0% down payment

No private mortgage insurance (PMI)

🏡 4. USDA Loan

For rural and some suburban areas

0% down for qualified buyers

Income limits apply

🏡 5. Jumbo Loan

For homes that exceed conforming loan limits ($766,550 in most areas for 2024)

Stricter credit and income requirements

Steps to Get Approved for a Mortgage

Get Preapproved

Submit income, credit, and employment info

Shows sellers you’re serious

Shop Around for Lenders

Compare interest rates, fees, and loan terms

Don’t just go with your bank—explore credit unions and online lenders

Submit a Full Application

Provide documents: pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements

Loan Processing and Underwriting

Lender verifies all details, assesses risk, and approves final amount

Close the Loan

Sign documents and pay closing costs

Get the keys to your new home!

Financial Implications of Homeownership

Owning a home is more than just paying a mortgage. Be prepared for ongoing costs and responsibilities.

💸 Monthly Costs:

Mortgage principal + interest

Property taxes

Homeowners insurance

Private mortgage insurance (PMI) if down payment <20%

HOA fees (if applicable)

🛠️ Maintenance and Repairs:

Budget 1%–3% of home value annually for maintenance

Unexpected issues like plumbing, roofing, or HVAC repairs

📈 Property Value Fluctuation:

Home equity grows over time

Market downturns can affect your home’s value

💡 Tip: Build an emergency fund to handle unexpected home-related costs.

Pros and Cons of Homeownership

✅ Pros:

Builds equity and long-term wealth

Stable monthly payments (with a fixed-rate mortgage)

Potential tax benefits (mortgage interest & property tax deductions)

Pride of ownership and personal freedom

❌ Cons:

Large upfront costs (down payment, closing fees)

Ongoing maintenance and repair expenses

Less flexibility to move quickly

Property taxes and insurance can increase

Tips for First-Time Homebuyers

✅ Get preapproved before house hunting

✅ Stick to your budget—even if you qualify for more

✅ Consider a home inspection a must-have

✅ Don’t forget about closing costs and moving expenses

✅ Research local grants or down payment assistance programs

💡 Bonus Tip: Look into first-time buyer programs in your state for potential perks like tax credits or 0% loans.

Need Help? Need A Personal or Business Loan? Need Debt Consolidation or Credit Repair? We can help. We Offer over 30 Personal and Business Funding Options. Programs for Good and Bad Credit.

Book A Free Consult - https://prestigebusinessfinancialservices.com

Email us- anthony@prestigebfs.com

Final Thoughts: Make Smart Moves with Mortgage and Homeownership Planning

Buying a home is a huge milestone, but it comes with significant financial responsibility. With the right planning and mortgage guidance, you can:

✅ Secure the best loan for your needs ✅ Understand the long-term costs of homeownership ✅ Build wealth through real estate ✅ Enjoy the pride and stability of owning your own home

🎯 Ready to take the next step? Start by checking your credit and speaking with a trusted mortgage advisor.

Need Help? Need A Personal or Business Loan? Need Debt Consolidation or Credit Repair? We can help. We Offer over 30 Personal and Business Funding Options. Programs for Good and Bad Credit.

Book A Free Consult - https://prestigebusinessfinancialservices.com

Email us- anthony@prestigebfs.com

💬 Have a question about mortgages or your first home? Drop it in the comments below!

Prestige Business Financial Services LLC "Your One Shop Stop To All Your Personal And Business Funding Needs"

Website- https://prestigebusinessfinancialservices.com

Email - anthony@prestigebfs.com

Phone- 1-800-622-0453