The GnomeOwner blog
Plain-English guides for self-managed HOA and condo boards — written by someone who runs one.
Two HOA Laws That Don't Exist — and What Actually Governs South Dakota and Wyoming
Multiple HOA websites cite a 'South Dakota Planned Community Act' and a 'Wyoming Planned Community Ownership Act.' Neither exists. Here's what the states' own statute text actually says, and how we checked all 50 states against it.
What an HOA Compliance Calendar Can Actually Do (and What It Cannot)
An HOA compliance calendar is a shared record of recurring and triggered board work. It can keep deadlines, sources where available, and handoffs visible. It cannot make a board legally compliant or replace a lawyer.
What Does an Ohio HOA Have to Do Every Year? A Planned-Community Checklist
For an Ohio planned community, the recurring statutory work includes an annual owner meeting and annual budget/reserve decision, plus ongoing records and insurance duties. This is the plain checklist, with Ohio's own code linked.
Handling a Delinquent Owner: the Process We'd Use, Not the Threat
A calm, six-step process for handling a delinquent owner that recovers more money and preserves the neighborhood relationship, not a legal escalation script.
What HOA Software Actually Costs (Once You Count Every Fee)
The subscription price on the homepage is rarely the number you pay. A line-by-line look at PayHOA, Buildium, and KindHOA's real costs against ours, sources included, admitting where they win.
Where Your HOA's Dues Actually Land (and Why We Never Touch Them)
A plain explanation of how our payment setup sends dues straight into your HOA's own account, never through ours, plus the real class-action case that shows why the distinction matters.
Georgia Just Gave Your HOA a Second Registration: What SB 406 Actually Requires (With the Statute's Own Words)
Starting January 1, 2027, most Georgia HOAs and condo associations will face a choice: file a new $100/year registration with the Secretary of State (on top of the $30 corporate registration you al…
So You're the New HOA Treasurer: the First 30 Days, Calmly.
You need exactly four things from the old treasurer: the bank access, the ledger (any format), last year's budget, and the governing documents. Everything else can wait a month.