CCMC is governed by US and NC statues in providing information to homeowner association board of directors, association members, and the general public.
CCMC provides, via its website (ccmc-nc.com), select information for the general public, including realtors and their prospective buyers, about an individual homeowner association, such as: association features and amenities, approved assessment amounts and timing, items included in assessments, declaration and bylaws, rules and regulations, maintenance responsibilities, etc. Based on attorney advice, we cannot provide information on assessments proposed, discussed, or rejected.
Certain information is restricted distribution to homeowner association members only. The seller may be willing to provide this type information (ie, meeting minutes, budgets, financial reports, capital reserve plans) to a prospective buyer.
Confidential information (eg, completed ballots, delinquency lists, lawsuits) is private and provided on a need-to-know basis only to board directors.
INFORMATION FOR BUYERS
Our website (ccmc-nc.com, click on Associations tab, click on Association name) provides information about each of our homeowner associations (ie, building features and pictures, property amenities, approved regular – insurance – special assessments, what is covered by regular assessments/dues, and downloadable files of the Declaration, Bylaws, Rules and Regulations, Property Map, Maintenance Responsibilities). In addition to this public website, there is a private website, with individual homeowner passwords, which contains meeting minutes, budgets, financial reports, financial audits, capital reserve plans, project plans, correspondence, newsletters, etc.
CCMC provides minutes, financial reports, capital reserve plans, etc. to Members (Sellers) only. Buyers should seek this information from the Seller.
ASSESSMENTS
For closings, CCMC provides the closing attorney with a Certificate of Assessment. This document is an invoice explaining the assessment amounts, currently approved and due, to be collected at closing. This is NOT a disclosure document about future assessments.
Based on attorney advice, CCMC provides Non-Members with information ONLY about regular, insurance, and special assessments which have been APPROVED by the Board of Directors and, if required, APPROVED by the Association Membership. We cannot disclose assessments which have been proposed, discussed, considered, or dismissed. Buyers should assume that a homeowner association will have a dues increase and/or special assessment of some amount at some point in the future.
NEW ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
Closing information should be sent to CCMC promptly. In turn, with legal confirmation of the ownership transfer, CCMC will send a packet to the new homeowner.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The association’s Declaration defines the rights and responsibilities which are exchanged between the Association and its Members. As such, it is a contract and by their purchase, Buyers automatically become a Member with obligations to the Association. Buyers should understand and appreciate that living in a homeowner association community requires cooperation, compromise, and tolerance which may not be to everyone’s liking.
RULES COMPLIANCE
Associations have Rules and Regulations which are expected to be followed by Members, Guests, and Renters. The Rules are set by the Board and the Association Manager has no authority to disregard rule violations. Rental agreements obligate the renter to comply with the association’s rules.
Rental agents should consider if their prospective renter is a good fit for a particular association and its rules. Rental agents should try to prevent problems rather than later becoming continually involved in violations with associations that demand tight rules enforcement.
UNIT DAMAGE
Associations do not provide total maintenance for the Member’s unit. Normally, the association is responsible for the building exterior while Members are responsible for their unit interiors plus windows and doors. Likewise, Members should insure their unit for wind driven rain (ie, hurricane) thru an HO-6 policy as the association cannot procure this coverage.
If one unit causes damage to another unit, each owner is responsible for their own repairs. If the aggregate damage is greater than the association’s insurance deductible, the association will file a claim. In some cases, owners involved in an insurable event are equally responsible for paying the association’s insurance deductible which can be a substantial amount ($2500 to $25,000), in addition to their own HO6 policy deductible. Some HO6 policies can cover the association’s deductible.
If one unit does leak into another unit, please contact the association manager immediately so we can start mitigation to prevent further damage in that unit and adjacent units.
LINE OF COMMUNICATION
Renters are a rental agent’s client, not association members, and have no legal standing with the association. Rental agents should address renter concerns by contacting the association directly, not by having the renter contact the association.