Processing Home Sales

When you closed on your home, you left the title company's office with a sore hand from signing all the documents and a stack of paper in your arms. Title companies do a great job coordinating all the parties with an interest in the sale, ensuring the buyer gets a clean title and completing the necessary paperwork. Community associations play a role in the closing process.

There are several things that can help potential purchasers learn about their future community association. The Texas Property Code (TPC chapter 209.004) requires that every mandatory membership, property owners association file a "management certificate" in the public records of the county in which the subdivision exists. The management certificate lists the location of the community's declarations and plats in the public records. It also contains the name and address of the association's designated representative. With this information, anyone can locate key documents or contact the association in advance of purchasing a property. All communities managed by C.I.A. Services also have a web presence through our website so potential buyers can read about the community.

Under the law (TPC chapter 207), potential purchasers may also find out more detailed information about the community and the specific lot they are considering by obtaining a "resale certificate". A resale certificate is actually requested by the seller (or their agent) who can give it to any potential buyer. The resale certificate contains information about the association's assessment, budget, capital reserves, insurance and governing documents. It also contains specific information about the specific property relative to the status of assessments and rules violations. A number of attachments can be requested as part of the resale certificate package. C.I.A. Services provides resale certificates upon request. A few communities require that resale certificates be provided in advance of every sale. In communities that don't, a relatively small number of purchasers take advantage of obtaining resale certificates.

Since communities have lien rights on land within each subdivision, title companies check to make sure all assessments are paid prior to closing. In advance of each closing, the association contact, from the management certificate, is contacted for a "maintenance fee quote". The maintenance fee quote shows any assessments or other fees that are due on the property. It provides special instructions that the title company may need for the closing. In 2009, C.I.A. Services provided 14,046 maintenance fee quotes to title companies and tax services. Since there were 6,574 home sales in all of our communities last year, you can see that we frequently provide multiple quotes for a specific closing or for sales that don't go through.

Once a closing occurs, the title company sends information regarding the closing (seller name, buyer name, buyer mailing address, closing date, etc.), checks for outstanding association fee and a transfer fee check for the management company. Management companies charge a transfer fee to provide information to title companies and assist them in processing the closing. After we receive the closing information, we update our records and send the new owner a welcome package.

Community Association Fundamentals

Even though you live in an association, you might be surprised how many of our neighbors - owners and renters alike - don't really understand the fundamental nature of common-interest communities. And we know that many others, including the media and government officials, lack a true understanding of the community association (or condominium) concept.

Community Associations Institute (CAI), a national membership organization that represents the best interests of common-interest communities like ours, developed 10 basic principles that answer three essential questions: What is the basic function of a community association? What are the essential obligations and expectations of homeowners? What are the core principles that should guide association leaders?

We're confident you'll recognize our community while reading these principles.

1. Associations ensure that the collective rights and interests of homeowners are respected and preserved.
2. Associations are the most local form of representative democracy, with leaders elected by their neighbors to govern in the best interest of all residents.
3. Associations provide services and amenities to residents, protect property values and meet the established expectations of homeowners.
4. Associations succeed when they cultivate a true sense of community, active homeowner involvement and a culture of building consensus.
5. Association homeowners have the right to elect their community leaders and to use the democratic process to determine the policies that will protect their investments.
6. Association homeowners choose where to live and accept a contractual responsibility to abide by established policies and meet their financial obligations to the association.
7. Association leaders protect the community's financial health by using established management practices and sound business principles.
8. Association leaders have a legal and ethical obligation to adhere to the association's governing documents and abide by all applicable laws.
9. Association leaders seek an effective balance between the preferences of individual residents and the collective rights of homeowners.
10. Association leaders and residents should be reasonable, flexible and open to the possibility-and benefits-of compromise.

Fundamentals can be downloaded at www.caionline.org/governance/fundamentals.pdf. For more information about Community Associations Institute, go to www.caionline.org.

In Memoriam

Bill McCormick
05/24/1940 - 04/09/2010

We wish to extend our condolences to the family of Bill McCormick. William Thomas McCormick, age 70, of Baytown, passed away on Friday, April 9, 2010 at his home. Mr. McCormick was a Director of the Eastpoint Subdivision Homeowners Association of Baytown for the past 4 years, President for the past year, and the Committee Chair for the Beautification Committee all of which he served with great care for the community as a whole. The Eastpoint community will miss him greatly. Mr. McCormick was a proud veteran of the US Navy, having served on the USS Yellowstone as a machinist. He was loved by everyone and will be missed deeply. Thank you Bill for making the world a better place.

Lula Woods
02/02/1960 - 04/27/2010

We also wish to extend our condolences to the family of Lula Woods. Lula Marie Woods, passed away on April 27, 2010 at the age of 50. She was the President of Hunters Glen 5 Homeowners Association in Missouri City. Mrs. Woods attended Jesse H. Jones High School in Houston, Texas and earned an Associate Degree in Accounting from the Texas School of Business. Mrs. Woods strong work ethic and talent for organization propelled her to the top of her field as an Executive Administrative Assistant at Bechtel Corporation. Mrs. Woods was very active in her community and was elected as President in November 2009. Mrs. Woods was admired by the residents for getting the job done and bringing the community together. As an advocate for the residents she will be missed dearly in her community.

Upcoming Seminars

The C.I.A. Services Seminar Series has two great seminars in May and June. This is our 7th year of presenting educational seminars for our board members and other community volunteers. Each seminar concentrates on the practical aspects of the topic and provides board members with background knowledge to help them in their decision making. We consistently receive positive feedback on the content and presentation. To view the seminar descriptions and full schedule, click here or visit the Library page of our website.

Each seminar begins at 6:00 p.m. and runs 2 hours. We provide deli sandwiches so you won't have to rush to eat dinner beforehand. You'll leave with knowledge you can use immediately and a great notebook with the seminar slides, samples and reference materials for your future reference and to share with others.

Essentials of Architectural Control Your governing documents provide authority to regulate design and appearance of any construction, improvements or alterations within the community. This is a powerful authority with an obligation that it be used sensibly. This seminar will explain the range and limits of this authority, demonstrate the role of architectural guidelines, describe the interplay between deed restrictions issues and ACC issues, and touch on handling the tough ACC problems. May 10, 2010 (Monday), 6:00 p.m. — Southwest Office May 20, 2010 (Thursday), 6:00 p.m. — North Office

Advanced Topics for Board Members After you've been on the Board a few months or a few years, you realize that some things are pretty complicated. This seminar has a legal and legislative orientation. We'll dissect the lawsuit process, review foreclosures and bankruptcies, and discuss significant portions of the Texas Property Code and federal law. After all the legal stuff, we'll touch on aspects of risk management which includes insurance, reserves and budgeting concepts. June 14, 2010 (Monday), 6:00 p.m. — Southwest Office June 24, 2010 (Thursday), 6:00 p.m. — North Office

You can register at any time by calling 713-981-9000 or emailing seminars@ciaservices.com.

Community of the Month

We are proud of every one of our communities so it is always hard to find just one to highlight. We start by having each of our Community Managers write a nomination for one of their communities. We then read them and take a vote. Here are our most recent selections:

• May - Ridgepoint Community Association
  North Office - Anna Quiroga, Community Manager
• April - Atascocita West Community Improvement Association
  North Office - Brenda Alvarez, Community Manager
• March - Traces Section II Community Improvement Association
  North Office - Brenda Ellington, Community Manager

To see the full story on these communities and to see the past winners, visit the Community of the Month page on our web site.

Anniversaries

Every month we appreciate the communities that are celebrating their anniversaries with us. Here are the clients that started with us in May.

• Sterling Green Village Community Improvement Association — 24 years
• Sugarwood Community Association — 17 years
• Bay Pointe Community Association — 11 years
• Crystal Lake Property Owners Association — 10 years
• Eagle Springs Community Association — 9 years
• Cinco Ranch Residential Association II — 2 years
• Cinco Ranch Commercial Association II — 2 years
• Cinco Ranch Southwest Community Council — 2 years

Our goal has always been to create a positive, long term relationship with all of our client communities. We are very proud to be managing all of these communities.

Employee Spotlight

• Congratulations to Renea Miksch, an Executive Vice President, stockholder and community manager at our North Office, on her 25th anniversary with C.I.A. Services.
• Congratulations to Laura Tate, a Vice President, stockholder and community manager at our North Office, on her 17th anniversary with C.I.A. Services.
• Congratulations to Margie de la Cruz, a stockholder at our Southwest Office, on her 10th anniversary with C.I.A. Services.
• Welcome back to Nancy McGinnis who has rejoined our North Office as the Customer Service Center team leader. Mary Brantley has also joined our Customer Service Center.
• We are pleased to welcome Martha Perkins who has joined our Southwest Office as a community manager and Kerry Dowda who is now with our Bandera accounting office.
• Thank you to Linda Morris for teaching our April Board Member Orientation seminar from our C.I.A. Seminar Series.



Renea Miksch		Laura Tate

Margie de la Cruz		Nancy McGinnis		Mary Brantley
Martha Perkins		Kerry Dowda		Linda Morris





C.I.A. Services, Inc. www.ciaservices.com Toll Free: 866-219-0563
Southwest Office 9800 Centre Parkway, Suite 625 Houston, Texas 77036-8294 Phone: 713-981-9000 Fax: 713-981-9090	North Office 8811 FM 1960 Bypass, Suite 200 Humble, Texas 77338-4023 Phone: 281-852-1700 Fax: 281-852-4861	Bandera Office 465 Bear Springs Road Pipe Creek, Texas 78063-3178 Phone: 830-535-6222 Fax: 830-535-4265


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