Millie had had it with the Board! Every time she dealt with them, she found them arrogant, self-serving, argumentative and condescending. This time, she was going to do something about it! Within a week, a For Sale sign went up in front of her home, a buyer was found and Millie started packing. She had already located a beautiful condo not far away at just the right price.

She moved in, settled in but it wasn’t long before trouble brewed again: She found this Board was just like the last one: arrogant, self-serving, argumentative and condescending. She couldn’t believe her bad luck! And after all that trauma of moving! It was not long after that she decided another move was in order.

This time, however, she was going to do her homework. Besides finding the right home, she spent quite a bit of time talking with her future neighbors. She asked them how the Board ran things and if the community was happy. All the neighbors responded that the Board was great...they were humble, altruistic, conciliatory and deferential. What a relief!

As Millie was moving in, the Board President came out to greet her. She was impressed! Soon she was bending his ear about all the trouble she had had with previous HOA Boards. “I heard that I would find it different here” she finished.

The Board President reflected for a minute and said, “No, I think you’ll find the Board is arrogant, self-serving, argumentative and condescending here too.” “What?” she gasped. “How could I get stuck three times with a lousy Board?” He replied, “The Board isn’t lousy. The Board here is great. You asked me how you would find the Board.”

Moral of the Story: It’s important to remember that the community is made up of neighbors usually doing their best to live and let live. If you have a hostile approach, you’re sure to find the hostility you expect. On the other hand, if the attitude is conciliatory, you’re likely to find that too. It takes two to tangle.

For more innovative HOA management solutions and resources, visit www.regenesis.net

Published: July 24, 2002

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Richard Thompson owns Regenesis, a management consulting company that specializes in condominium and homeowner associations. He is a nationally recognized expert on HOA management issues. Regenesis publishes The Regenesis Report, a monthly newsletter for HOA boards, developers and managers. To subscribe, go to Regenesis.net. He can be contacted by email at .