Homeowners Associations can sometimes get a bad rap. Many people have had bad experiences with them, and others are all too willing to believe the horror stories they've been told. Get ready to nip potential problems in the board by setting yourself up as a responsible and reliable board member, and an excellent representative of all your community has to offer.

Communication is the Key
This is a main tenet of relationships, but it should be a major tenet for any organization as well. You won't know what's going on with your homeowners if you don't have an official way to talk to them, or a way for them to reach you. Opening channels of communication up and down the line will help build trust.

Everybody Knows Your Name
Get involved with the community! Make sure you're out and about and being seen. Talking to people is one of the best ways to get to know them, and offering them opportunities to spend time with you on a social basis is an even better way to make sure that they get to know you and what kind of person you are.

Level the Playing Field
Favoritism is a major issue that many HOAs face. Don't let it happen to you! Ask yourself what you would do for any random homeowner in a particular situation, take the topic before the entire board, or even consider setting up a basic outline (not a hard set of guidelines) of how certain things are usually handled.

Ready the Reserve
Be prepared before anything goes bad: Having a financial reserve available for repairs can alleviate a lot of the stress that goes into running an HOA. If a sign needs replacing, or repairs have to be done, being able to at least have a down payment on them can save you stress and give you enough extra time to gather all the funds needed. You may need landmark roofing or new windows. Remember that the reserve should always be positive in cases of emergencies like a leaky roof. 

Innovating Through Issues
A major complaint HOAs tend to get is that they don't actually bother fixing issues. Take the time to learn what grievances people have, then work with them as a board to come up with a solution. Even if things are taking a little more time than you hoped, making sure that people feel like they're being heard can help ease some of their concerns.

Take a little time to think about what kind of area you'd like to live in. What kind of HOA would you like your house to be under? You've got an opportunity to help build that. Don't be afraid to take it!