Condo Media - December 2019 - 46

Taking Control of Future Fees

Operating Account Fees
$400
$350
$300
$250
$200

2036

2038

2032

2034

2028

2030

2024

2026

2022

2020

2018

$150
$100
$50
$0

Figure 1. No Fee Increases

Operating Account Fund Balances
$500K
$K

46

CONDOMEDIA December 2019

$-2000K

2033

2034
2035
2036
2037
2038

2030
2031
2032

2028
2029

2025
2026
2027

2023
2024

2020
2021
2022

2018
2019

$-2500K
$-3000K
$-3500K

Figure 2. Resulting Deficit Projection

2038

2036

2034

2032

2030

2026

2028

2024

2022

2020

$1,000
$900
$800
$700
$600
$500
$400
$300
$200
$100
$0

2018

Operating Account Fees

Figure 3. No Fee Increases (Just-in-Time)

Operating Account Fund Balances
$60K
$50K
$40K
$30K
$20K

2038

2037

2035

Figure 4. Resulting Operating Balances

2036

2033

2034

2032

2031

2030

2029

2028

2027

2026

2025

2024

2023

2021

2022

2019

$K

2020

$10K
2018

MANAGING FEES
In the extreme case, while not widely advertised,
condominium bankruptcies are not uncommon,
but setting aside the obvious need to avoid these
disastrous situations, there are strong arguments
for including fee management policies in long-term
plans. Among them are the need to keep future fee
levels competitive with other nearby associations;
to not outpace the membership's ability to pay; and
to be sensitive to those members who retire on a
fixed income and prefer to age in place.
Perhaps the strongest argument is that fee
management gives the association more ability to
control its future. In particular, it gives the association some level of control over unit resale prices
because purchasers tend to consider fee levels as
the most significant criterion in the decision to
buy or not buy. The level of capital reserve funds
is important as well, but relatively speaking, it is
the monthly fee level that is dominant. It not only
affects the purchase decision but it affects the price
the buyer is willing to pay. That being the case, more
attention should be paid to the growth in operating
expenses since over any extended period of time,
the contribution of annual expenses to the fee level
is typically much larger than that of the capital
expense component.
Against this background, it's fair to say that budget
planning is common in the HOA industry, but forecasting and strategic planning of future fee levels
is generally absent. Forecasting future fee levels is
complex and tedious, and its benefits have not been
well articulated, so this is no surprise. But with the
ability to now automate the forecasting task, there is
the potential to change the attitude across the industry from passive acceptance of annual fee increases
to active fee management, oriented toward longterm strategic goals.

$-500K
$-1000K
$-1500K



Condo Media - December 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - December 2019

Contents
Condo Media - December 2019 - Cover1
Condo Media - December 2019 - Cover2
Condo Media - December 2019 - Contents
Condo Media - December 2019 - 2
Condo Media - December 2019 - 3
Condo Media - December 2019 - 4
Condo Media - December 2019 - 5
Condo Media - December 2019 - 6
Condo Media - December 2019 - 7
Condo Media - December 2019 - 8
Condo Media - December 2019 - 9
Condo Media - December 2019 - 10
Condo Media - December 2019 - 11
Condo Media - December 2019 - 12
Condo Media - December 2019 - 13
Condo Media - December 2019 - 14
Condo Media - December 2019 - 15
Condo Media - December 2019 - 16
Condo Media - December 2019 - 17
Condo Media - December 2019 - 18
Condo Media - December 2019 - 19
Condo Media - December 2019 - 20
Condo Media - December 2019 - 21
Condo Media - December 2019 - 22
Condo Media - December 2019 - 23
Condo Media - December 2019 - 24
Condo Media - December 2019 - 25
Condo Media - December 2019 - 26
Condo Media - December 2019 - 27
Condo Media - December 2019 - 28
Condo Media - December 2019 - 29
Condo Media - December 2019 - 30
Condo Media - December 2019 - 31
Condo Media - December 2019 - 32
Condo Media - December 2019 - 33
Condo Media - December 2019 - 34
Condo Media - December 2019 - 35
Condo Media - December 2019 - 36
Condo Media - December 2019 - 37
Condo Media - December 2019 - 38
Condo Media - December 2019 - 39
Condo Media - December 2019 - 40
Condo Media - December 2019 - 41
Condo Media - December 2019 - 42
Condo Media - December 2019 - 43
Condo Media - December 2019 - 44
Condo Media - December 2019 - 45
Condo Media - December 2019 - 46
Condo Media - December 2019 - 47
Condo Media - December 2019 - 48
Condo Media - December 2019 - 49
Condo Media - December 2019 - 50
Condo Media - December 2019 - 51
Condo Media - December 2019 - 52
Condo Media - December 2019 - 53
Condo Media - December 2019 - 54
Condo Media - December 2019 - 55
Condo Media - December 2019 - 56
Condo Media - December 2019 - 57
Condo Media - December 2019 - 58
Condo Media - December 2019 - 59
Condo Media - December 2019 - 60
Condo Media - December 2019 - 61
Condo Media - December 2019 - 62
Condo Media - December 2019 - 63
Condo Media - December 2019 - 64
Condo Media - December 2019 - Cover3
Condo Media - December 2019 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202106
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202011
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201911_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201604
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201509
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201409
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201311
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201211
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201109
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201104
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201101
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201010
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201005
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_201001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_200912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_200911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcneill/condomedia_200909
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