A Community Association handbook is one of the best resources you can have in a community.  You should consider carefully its content and it’s layout.  It’s best to form a committee to do this. It will speak volumes about what kind of community you are. It should contain all of the mandatory facts, especially those found in your official community’s governing documents; bylaws, rules and regulations. But it should also contain day to day living information of how your community thrives.

A community handbook is useful as much for existing residents, as it is for potential buyers. It will be important for what it says about you and your neighbors, but also as important for what it doesn’t say. Studies show that the majority of buyers in a community association are coming from another community association, such as a condominium association, homeowner’s association, or cooperative. So most people know what questions to ask to know whether or not your community will be suited for them. Many people that live in a condominium association simply have issue with neighbors and other members, so they leave and search for another similar community association to call home.  For example, some people like communities that have lots of rules and lots of enforcement, and some like communities that don’t. Perhaps one of the first sections a buyer will look at in your book will be the rules and regulations, and they will take notice of the flavor or attitude the handbook is written in.

community handbook

They will also pay quick and close attention to the number of rentals in your association, and the minimum rental periods.  Make sure you declare them clearly, whether it is a positive or a negative, because hiding them is always a negative.  People looking to move to a community know that owner residents take better care of the property and obey the rules and regulations better than renters or investors.  Too many investors and that can be a negative to someone looking for a property with less rentals, and someone looking for a primary residence will look elsewhere.  It is a reliable fact that a homeowner will take care of their property better than a guest or renter.  This is especially true if your board has allowed short term rental services like Air BandB,  VRBO or Casiola into the community.  Even worse with a company like Casiola who caters to international renters, who are known for their culture clashes with US residents.  Short term rentals invite renters that generally care even less about your community, because they will be in and out quickly, violate rules such as noise codes with late hours and all day parties, overuse and misuse the common facilities (pools and clubhouses) and are simply not afraid to offend or annoy people they will probably never see again. This may sound harsh, but you know its true.

If a community has to have rules that say and cover every little thing, that implies that there is less common sense and common courtesy, and they have less care for community living.  When I first drive through a community, I look for how many signs there on the streets, bulletin boards, and windows.  I mean it, literally, I look for how many, what they say, how they say it, and where they are located.  The more signs, the more it indicates to me that that community needs extra management and extra security.  It is a negative, and implies residents and guests have to be told the obvious things, and rules are violated more often than normal.  Signs or for people that are willing to read them and obey them.  Someone who doesn’t care about others or community, ignore signs anyways. If someone is going to drive 30 miles an hour in a 15 mph zone, no sign will help, and they will either read it and do it anyway or just ignore it, as well as other rules.

Consider carefully the content or your community handbook.  Don’t politicize, add things you wish you had but don’t, add rules you wish you had but couldn’t get voted in, expand the existing rules by words you prefer versus what is written, or leave out things you wish weren’t there. Be truthful and accurate with all your information.   Make sure your board of directors approves the final draft, so that your association is covered for errors and omissions in publishing.  Use common sense and common courtesy, keep it positive with the assumption that anyone willing to take the time to read it is going to be a lawful person, abide by your laws, and someone who will improve your community by living there.