Frequently Asked Questions
Association Online TM has a solution for the most pressing problems facing all parties dealing with homeowners association information.
See Frequently Asked Questions specifically for:
Homeowners, Managers, Lenders, Title Companies, Realtors/Appraisers/Insurers, and Advertisers.
Need additional assistance? Don't hesitate to Contact us by email or call toll free 866-577-9578 with your questions or to take a tour of the site. Create an account and start using the system today!
Homeowners
Q. Do I need a user name and password?
A. Some associations choose not to secure their information. If your association does not require a user name and password, click Go on the "Homeowner" section of the Home Page, and type in the name of your association in the "Find Association" box.
Q. How do I get a user name and password?
A. If you are a homeowner or board member, please contact your manager for your user name and password. Association OnlineTM does not authenticate homeowners.
Q. What if I don't know who my manager is?
A. Contact Us with your association's name and zip code. We will send you contact information for your management company.
Q. Why can't I find my association on the website?
A. To search our database, enter some of the association's name (the unique part of the HOA name works best) in the search box. If you do not see the association you are looking for listed in the results, add more characters to your search. IF you still do not see the association you are looking for, Contact Us with the association's name and zip code. We try to keep our database current and complete, but every now and then we find associations we need to add.
Q. The posted information is not up-to-date or is missing some items I need. Why?
A. The association's manager keeps this data current. Use "Contact Manager" within the state to obtain further information and ask questions.
Q. I have questions about an HOA. Who do I contact?
A. Contact the association manager. Use the contact information provided under "Association Information".
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Lenders
Q. Do I need to pay a subscription fee to use this service?
A. No. You may use the Lender Questionnaire without a subscription. However, a minimal subscription fee makes such HOA information as as owner-occupancy, delinquencies, and FHA certification data readily available to you. Lenders value having this information at hand, prior to requesting a formal questionnaire.
Q. How do I obtain a Condo Questionnaire?
A. If you don’t have an account, go to Create an account to sign up. Then:
- Log in and “Select Association” from the right navigation pane. Type in a portion of the HOA name, and “Select” the correct association from the search results.
- Select “Questionnaire” from the right navigation pane, then select “New Questionnaire."
- Fill out the request and "Send."
- The manager will complete the request and return the report to you. You will receive an e-mail when the completed report is ready.
- Then, log in and either print or save the PDF version of the questionnaire.
NOTE: If you get the message “This Association Does Not Participate in Questionnaires” when you first begin to request the questionnaire, use the contact information provided on “Association Information” to fax or e-mail a request, or look under “Documents” for a Basic Info or Questionnaire posting.
Q. What information is on the Lender Questionnaire?
A. Click here to view a sample copy of the questionnaire.
Q. What if I need the questionnaire information on my company’s form?
A. We can create a custom form for your company. Contact Us for information on the cost of this service.
Q. There is a question I need answered that is not on the questionnaire. What do I do?
A. Our questionnaire contains a comprehensive set of disclosures and meets the requirements of numerous lenders. If you would like to see additional questions addressed, please submit them to AO and we will consider adding them to the questionnaire.
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Realtors/Appraisers/Insurers
Q. I have a client who is selling or buying a home and I need documents. How do I get them?
A. Create an account and receive access to the HOA documents you need. Unlike most HOA sites that make you pay up front before you can see the documents, our service is subscription-based – your company pays one annual fee for unlimited access.
Q. Can I find HOA information through the state real estate commission?
A. The real estate commission does provide some contact information on HOA’s. However, this data is only updated once a year and often does not include the HOA management company name. In addition to the management contact information, we provide HOA details such as amenities, dues amounts, closing fees, owner-occupancy, and delinquencies, which are not available from the real estate commission.
Q. Can I learn a bit about the HOA before I decide if I want to list a property?
A. Yes! Select the association you are interested in and view its “Association Information.” You will find dues amounts, closing fees, association amenities, and even statistics such as owner-occupancy and delinquencies there.
Q. How do I access HOA documents?
A. Log in and "Select Association" from the right navigation pane. Type in a portion of the HOA name, and "Select" the correct association from the search results.
- Choose “Documents” from the right navigation pane.
- Easily print, download, or save whichever documents you need.
Q. Why don’t some of the associations have any documents?
A. Some HOAs post documents on their own site. In such cases, we maintain their contact information and provide links (under Association Information) to their document location. Our service is structured to meet all of your HOA needs, regardless of where the data lies.
Q. What if the contact information on the website is incorrect?
A. We try hard to maintain this information, but it changes rapidly. If you find an association with incorrect contact information, please Contact Us with the association’s name, zip code, and new contact. If you do not know the correct information, we are here to help. Please provide the association’s name and zip code, and any other information you have, and we will research the association and provide you with what we find.
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Managers
Q. I have an HOA that wants its own website and URL. Do you provide this?
A. For a few HOAs, creating their own Web sites and maintaining their own URL makes sense – primarily those in large communities with numerous amenities. However, our research shows that, for the other 95% of communities, members just want access to documents and forms and to stay current on association issues and happenings. Homeowners do not want a cumbersome process and don’t value the extra expense that goes along with it. As well, managers and board members love the simplicity and features of Association OnlineTM’s enhanced software, not available to small Web sites. Take a look at these features under Why AO?.
Q. I am tired of handwriting and faxing Condo Questionnaires and Status Letters. Can you help?
A. Yes! Our customers are thrilled about the time savings and simplicity of our semi-automated, patent-pending Lender Questionnaire and Status Letter. There is no charge to use this service. Contact Us for more details.
Q. We already have our documents on our own website but the automated Lender Questionnaire sounds good. Can I use just that piece?
A. Yes! With Association OnlineTM, you can use whichever features make sense for you. Pick and choose the services you want. Take a look at your options under Why AO?.
Q. What is HRAP? Is this something I need to worry about?
A. HRAP stands for HUD Review and Approval Process, and is a method for obtaining FHA Certification for condominiums. The FHA has become the primary lender, and condominium HOAs must have certification for a home within it to obtain FHA financing. Condominiums without certification, therefore, may limit the potential buyer pool for their homes by more than 50 percent.
Q. How do I get FHA Certification/HRAP?
A. Rest easy – we know what to do. Contact Us to help. Our prices are the best in the industry, and our systems take the burden off of you.
Q. How long does it take to get FHA Certification/complete the HRAP process?
A. With our systems, we can complete and submit the package in a matter of days. We typically hear back from HUD within 30 days. So, expect to have the process completed in four to six weeks.
Q. How much time will I need to devote to the FHA Certification/HRAP process?
A. Our efficient systems and expertise take the burden off of you. We gather all the information and organize all the disclosures. We ask you to review certain disclosure items through our online interface. Managers spend less than an hour (and often only minutes) of their own time.
Q. What does it cost to have you prepare our HRAP/FHA Certification Package?
A. For less than $1,000 we will gather all the information and prepare and submit the entire package for you. Per the 2009 ruling, an attorney is no longer required in this process.
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Self-Managed HOAs
Q. We are a small HOA with a limited budget. Is an HOA Web-site service expensive?
A. Our prices are the best in the industry. The size of your HOA and the features you choose affect your price, but many features are free to you. Prices for self-managed associations start at $60 per year.
Q. How hard is it to implement this service?
A. Our site is extremely user-friendly, built with the novice computer-user in mind. We can have your association website up and functioning in minutes. See for yourself – Contact Us and we will let you test drive it for free.
Q. How will an Association OnlineTM HOA website benefit my community?
A. We help you manage the association like a pro:
- Easily manage the hard stuff with our covenant violations, liens, and group e-mail features.
- Rely on Status Letter and Lender Questionnaire notifications, since you aren’t always available to receive a phone or fax request. Fulfill these requests online, in a snap.
- Rest assured you can meet your legal requirements of response and disclosure – the software leads the way.
- Save time and printing costs - members easily access association documents and notifications; real estate agents and lenders get what they need directly from the site without needing your help.
Q. What is HRAP? Is this something I need to worry about?
A. HRAP stands for HUD Review and Approval Process, and is a method for obtaining FHA Certification for condominiums. The FHA has become the primary lender, and condominium HOAs must have certification for a home within it to obtain FHA financing. Condominiums without certification, therefore, may limit the potential buyer pool for their homes by more than 50 percent.
Q. How do I get FHA Certification/HRAP?
A. Rest easy – we know what to do. Contact Us to help. Our prices are the best in the industry, and our systems take the burden off of you.
Q. How long does it take to get FHA Certification/complete the HRAP process?
A. With our systems, we can complete and submit the package in a matter of days. We typically hear back from HUD within 30 days. So, expect to have the process completed in four to six weeks.
Q. How much time will I need to devote to the FHA Certification/HRAP process?
A. Our efficient systems and expertise take the burden off of you. We gather all the information and organize all the disclosures. We ask you to review certain disclosure items through our online interface. Managers spend less than an hour (and often only minutes) of their own time.
Q. What does it cost to have you prepare our HRAP/FHA Certification Package?
A. For less than $1,000 we will gather all the information and prepare and submit the entire package for you. Per the 2009 ruling, an attorney is no longer required in this process.
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Title Companies
Q. I need a Status Letter/Estoppel Letter (Demand Request). How do I get one?
A. Log in and “Select Association” from the right navigation pane. Enter a portion of the HOA name and “Select” the correct association from the search results.
- Select “Status Letter” from the right navigation pane.
- Select “New Status Letter.” Complete the request and “Send."
- The manager of the HOA will complete the report. You will receive an e-mail when the Status Letter is ready.
- To view the completed request, log in and see your status letter log on your home page. You can print or save the PDF form.
Q. Do I need to pay a subscription fee to use this service?
A. No. You may use the Status Letter service without a subscription. However, a minimal subscription fee allows you to also access association documents.
Q. Do I have to pay anything if a deal falls through or I need to resend a Status Letter request?
A. No. We do not require up-front payments. If a sale date gets pushed back, just request another Status Letter. We expect payment for Status Letters to be collected at closing.
Q. My closing is in a few hours and I need the information now. What do I do?
A. After you select the association you need to work with, you will automatically be taken to their contact information. Just give them a call and ask them to expedite the request, or ask them to expedite the report in the notes section of the Status Letter request.
Q. I also need association documents. How do I obtain these?
A. Select the association and choose “Documents” in the right navigation pane. Easily print or save them to a CD. This feature is available to annual subscribers, and is reasonably priced.
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Advertisers
Q. We have a great product or service that HOAs need. Can I use your service to contact HOAs and let them know?
A. Sorry, we do not allow vendors to use our service for solicitation. We take great measures to ensure our HOA contact information is kept confidential and accessed only by parties involved in HOA transactions.
Q. Can I pay to advertise on your site?
A. Right now we have an advertisement-free site. Our developer thinks we are nuts to not offer advertising, considering the traffic our site gets every day. We are considering the possibility of adding this feature, on a limited basis, at a later date.
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