About Community Associations
The essence of community associations is self-governance, with the aim of preserving the nature of the community, protecting property values and meeting the established expectations of owners.
Homeowners choosing to live in a community association neighborhood elect volunteer leaders from among their neighbors to set, follow and/or oversee community policies.
In many communities these Boards of Directors hire professional services to help manage and support the association. However, smaller associations with limited budgets often rely on resident volunteers for various management responsibilities, while very large homeowners associations typically hire full-time, on-site professional managers.
Whether a community is self-managed or able to hire professional management services, homeowner involvement is essential. Buyers should learn all they can about a community before purchasing a home there.
In the US, state-level laws control how 365,000+ homeowners associations, condominium communities, cooperatives and other planned communities are developed, governed, and managed - see NC’s laws.
Free Download: "About Association Living"
Free Download: "NC Community Association Facts & Figures"
Free Video Download: "Community Living"
Free Video Download: "What is a Community Association"
Free Download: Guide to Community Association Living
Why Choose a Planned Community?
Community associations offer choices, lifestyles, and services plus a range of amenities that most Americans cannot afford on their own such as landscaped grounds, pools, recreation courts, playgrounds, lakes and ponds and clubhouses.
Community associations also extend some degree of protection against neighborhood degradation and deterioration—eyesores like cars on cinder blocks, dilapidated homes or yards that are not maintained.
This requires not only creating reasonable community standards, but also enforcing rules articulated in the association's governing documents. Community associations occasionally face complicated issues, none more common than balancing the best interests of the overall community
with the preferences of individual residents.
According to 2023 national data, 30% of Americans reside in community associations. Many of today's homebuyers are purchasing homes in associations for the second time. They value the benefits of living in a planned community and understand the obligations of that choice.
Free Download for Homeowners: "Before You Buy"
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