As Community Association leaders and property managers, you should always be vigilant to avoid rules disputes and misunderstandings with residents regarding deed restrictions. Here are some quick tips* to keep in mind when reinforcing this notion:

Pre-emptive Strike
Make use of all available marketing materials to explain your community to prospective buyers and/or real estate agents. This includes websites, brochures, videos and welcome packets or any other communication that folks might use as an information-gathering tool about your community.

New Residents 101
After move-in, be sure and follow-up with new residents by holding orientation sessions, visits by the welcoming committee, and other social events to better integrate them into your community.

Now that I have them, what do I do with them?
Don't stop! Keep up the pace and periodically refresh residents' knowledge by publishing the rules in your community newsletter, blog, website, marquee or other distributed communications.

*Excerpted from Cecilia Gutierrez, "Spell It Out", Common Ground, July/August 2005