Talk to the complainant and the party in question separately; and remember to be neutral, setting aside your personal feelings or opinions. In other words, be as objective as possible. Your goal is to get to the bottom of the issue/s and not to blame one or the other. 3. Mediate Schedule a meeting between the complainant and the other party, and make sure that only the concerned entities will be involved in the meeting. No family members, relatives or witnesses are necessary at this time. The point of mediation is to help both parties to resolve the dispute as... Read more »

A Look at California’s First Smart Community Are you out looking for a new home for your, shall way say, tech-savvy family? If so, California’s first smart community may interest you. Westpark Maintenance District in Irvine has the distinction of becoming California’s first smart community, using a new smart technology called COMMON SENSE™ that has been specifically developed for HOA use. San Marino Park in Irvine is the first smart community park in the state. California’s First Smart Community From smart homes to smart cities now come smart communities. In California alone there are more than 52,000 HOAs, and they... Read more »

But Maple Park is not part of Walker Lakeshores, and so the couple took the matter to court. It was a long battle that has cost the Pearns thousands of dollars in legal fees. In 2017, the case went to the Court of Appeals. Judge Joseph Kameem ruled that the Pearns owed WLLA only $30 for the accumulated 3-year maintenance fee ($10 per year for maintenance). The WLLA appealed the decision but later withdrew, which means that Judge Kameem’s ruling stands. HOA ignores court ruling present time The couple, however, received another billing from the WLLA, this time, amounting to... Read more »

 So Cal Property News: California HOA Allows Residents to Close Garage Doors In a quiet neighborhood in Auburn, California, residents were mandated by their homeowner’s association to keep their garage doors open from eight in the morning to four in the afternoon on weekdays. The mandate took effect on January 1. Now, said California HOA allows residents to close garage doors. Less than two weeks after the regulation took effect, the Auburn Greens HOA backed down after receiving negative feedback from its members. Homeowners associations keep the neighborhood safe Among the responsibilities of homeowners associations, maintaining the safety of the... Read more »

 Increase the Value of Your Home: A Beginner’s Guide One of the best and most effective ways to increase the value of your home is to make a few improvements to your interior and outdoor spaces. These home improvements don’t have to be expensive. You might be surprised at how a few tweaks here and there can increase the value of your home considerably. Here are a few tips that you can consider: Give your home a thorough inspection Inspect every area of your home; bedrooms, kitchen, toilet and bath, living room, and dining area for the interiors, and roof,... Read more »