The Personality of Home Owner Association / Sectional Title Residential Estates
Close proximity living in residential estate communities is so commonplace these days, we are likely to assume that while the composition, size, location and aesthetics of the scheme may differ, the experience of living there should be similar. Nothing could be further from the truth. In our profession, managing estates at grass roots level, we hold the heart of each estate in our hands, and each pulses to the beat of a different drum, each one has a unique personality. An additional question should be added to the checklists of those looking to buy / rent in residential estates: what is its personality?
The right fit
The reasons why people choose to live in close proximity to each other, are as diverse as the individuals themselves, but in doing so, a new community, with its own unique culture and personality, is created. Being part of a community means that we are connected in some way, and that we (should) share common factors aside from the common property or communal facilities.
Even if we never speak to our neighbours, their positive actions, such as landscaping their garden with eye catching shrubs and bright flowers, or negative actions, such as hosting loud, debauched parties, will impact on us. It is therefore vital to understand, in advance, how these matters are dealt with by management, and how the Conduct Rules and other governance documents are applied.
Having the paperwork in order is all very well, but if the personality (and I use this in a broad sense of the word) of the estate is that of surfer-dude, and the practical application of law and order is not deemed necessary to the survival of that estate and is not part of its social identity, then it is collectively (this factor being vital to understand) going to resist all attempts by your corporate-banker personality to do so.
You aren’t going to fit in, and will most likely end up relocating in the end because the daily fight simply isn’t worth it; fighting for something is far more ‘soulful’ than fighting against it. An estate, which is a living breathing entity, is bigger than one person! I am by no means advocating that one person can’t make a difference, but when it comes to our place of refuge, where we should feel secure, welcome and nurtured, it is far more prudent, and cost effective, to apply due diligence before buying / renting, and to source an estate that matches your personality type.
Going deeper
Ethics are the rules we choose to live by once we decide to live together. So what are the rules that we are going to live by seeing as we have chosen to live together? How do we negotiate living in community with each other? How do we figure out how we live together when we want to live together? Ethics requires us to be concerned about the rights and wellbeing of others. This is not easy because we are self-centred individuals, we live inside ourselves and are driven to be very concerned about self. Ethics requires us to transcend the simplistic equation of me, myself and I, and to be just and reasonable and be our best self with others. (10 Virtues of Outstanding Leaders – Leadership and Character: Al Gini and Ronald M. Green: Wiley-Blackwell 2013.)
Aside from requesting the governance-documentation, an understanding of the ethics of the estate will further reveal the personality type that you are thinking of becoming intimately involved with. Now this is where it gets tricky because some people, no matter which angle you approach it from, should not reside in close proximity to each other as a greater awareness and understanding of community is absent. And wait for it…..that someone could also be you. Entering into a long term relationship with a property is fraught with peril at the best of times, but when it is located within a residential estate, serious consideration and thought must be invested in that decision, before investing in the property.
Conclusion
Being part of any community can either be a rewarding experience, or it can leave us feeling as if we are the ugly duckling. This is not an outcome we desire when it comes to our home, and a few discerning questions, asked of the right people / companies can prevent this. Ask for concrete examples of how specific situations have been managed in the past, pose some what if…questions, and do some research on the outsourced companies employed at the estate, to ascertain if their personalities resonate with you. And when you’re done, complete your investigation by establishing whether or not your temperament would feel at home in that estate.
