QuickBooks Users

From what I remember the online and Mac versions are pretty much the same and lack a lot of features of the windows version. Should be able to handle simple HOA bookkeeping though

Why are you managing your HOA accounting? That is something that almost every management company does? If they are not good enough at it themselves, no BS fire them now and find someone that does. Its really not that difficult, furthermore a board member really should not be managing the money IMO. You are setting yourself up for a TON of flack from owners and any mistakes can easily land you in legal trouble. If you were an accountant or book keeper that's one thing because you do that as your job, but you must not be in order to ask these questions.

Given that, yeah I'd go with QBO. I access it from my wife's Mac Book, my surface, my work comps, etc. I even use the app's on my Ipad occasionally.

FWIW I've been on multiple HOA boards. If your HOA can't afford to pay a management company to do the book keeping, you need to raise the dues. You are offering a free service that should be paid for by the owners. All I'm saying, is I've seen it over and over when owners try to save money by doing things themselves the first small thing that goes wrong makes a huge PITA for the board and said owner.

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Why are you managing your HOA accounting? That is something that almost every management company does? If they are not good enough at it themselves, no BS fire them now and find someone that does. Its really not that difficult, furthermore a board member really should not be managing the money IMO. You are setting yourself up for a TON of flack from owners and any mistakes can easily land you in legal trouble. If you were an accountant or book keeper that's one thing because you do that as your job, but you must not be in order to ask these questions.

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Lets just say we "fired" the management company and I was appointed treasurer. This is a new HOA and there wasn't a clear line between the developer and the management co. Some owners organized a mutiny and we have about $15k of outstanding dues. They wanted to run it themselves before paying, so I agreed (to stop all the flack) to jump on as treasurer-Not a member of the board, but an officer. Being a small HOA (43 owners), I dont see that it will be a problem after i get the quick books up and running.

Thanks for the input, though. I will go the online route. Also, I hate hoa's.

I've never dealt with the transition from developer to PM company, but I can imagine that's a PITA.

Do you have any big community common areas or projects? If you don't, its really pretty simple. Upkeep on things like pools and clubhouses is generally where the PITA is.

I was just saying that usually HOA's are 501(c)3s and require a certain % of the money go into reserves and you also have to spend within a certain percentage of your budget or that money can be taxed. Budgeting, taxes, and what not are where you really need the professionals. Mostly because if something goes wrong your HOA carries insurance on them and they don't on you, so you are opening yourself up to liability.

Given that, for 43 lots its probably fairly easy. You may want to seek legal counsel also in dealing with the transition. I estimated that about 30% of dues go into management/ legal. Usually you put 10-20% into reserves, and the rest is your operating budget. Also, be very careful on the bidding. Even though you aren't on the board which I don't understand as the treasurer? You may hold some liability seeing the money go in and out.