Pacific Reserve Studies will prepare your homeowner association's reserve study fast and economically.
  • Our sophisticated computer software uses the "pooling method" to calculate reserve requirements. Unlike simple spreadsheet programs, our specialized software is capable of minimizing reserve contributions.
  • Our detailed 30-year, monthly cash flow projection proves the accuracy of our conclusions and assures a positive cash flow.
  • Complies with all government and AICPA audit requirements. Adjustments for inflation, income taxes and interest earnings are always included for maximum accuracy. Never accept a report that omits these important factors.
  • Provides your association the ability to maximize interest income over the life of your buildings.
  • Our staff includes a general contractor, accountant, real estate appraiser and Certified Property Manager®.
  • No additional charge for fast service.

     

    Reserve Study Questions and Answers


    Requirements of Reserve Study

    Q.

    How often is a homeowners association required to obtain a reserve study?

    A.

    The California Civil Code requires associations to complete reserve studies every three years and to review them for accuracy each year. Reserve studies are excellent for planning and generally eliminate the need for special assessments as well as the liability associated with special assessments.

     

    What is a Reserve Study?

    Q.

    What is a reserve study?

    A.

    It is a written report that evaluates the common area of the association. It provides guidance on how much your association should be setting aside each month for reserves so it can meet its future obligations without special assessments. Reserves are needed to pay for the replacement of common area components such as roofs and parking lots and to pay for major maintenance items such as exterior painting. The California Civil Code sets forth the minimum requirements for reserve studies. Your association’s management company should have the in-house expertise to prepare a reserve study since it is part of the budgeting process.
     

    Investment of Reserve Funds

    Q.

    Our homeowner association recently lost money on its mutual fund account. Is a board of directors allowed to invest association funds in a mutual fund?

    A.

    Absolutely not. All funds must be placed in an insured account in a bank, savings and loan association or credit union.
     

    Waiving Reserve Study

    Q.

    We live in a small homeowners association. Can our board of directors waive the legal requirement for a reserve study?

    A.

    No.
     

    Accuracy of Reserve Studies

    Q.

    Our homeowners association has not obtained a reserve study for more than four years. We do obtain audits each year. Can an audit report be truly accurate if we don’t have a current reserve study, when the audit is completed?

    A.

    No. Without current reserve study, the balance sheet included in your audit report will reflect the numbers on your books, but it will not reflect your association’s current, actual liability for future replacements. This liability may be substantial.

    The California Civil Code requires associations to complete a reserve study every three years and to review it for accuracy each year. Not only are reserve studies required by law, they are excellent planning tools.


    Negligence of Board

    Q.

    Our board of directors refuses to obtain a reserve study for our homeowner association. Can board members be held legally liable for negligence if they won’t obtain a reserve-study?

    A.

    Yes. Negligence is a civil wrong (tort) that has the following elements:

(1) The defendant must owe a legal duty to conform to a certain standard of care for the protection of the plaintiff.
   
(2) The defendant must have breached his duty by failing to conform his conduct to the required conduct,
   
(3) The breach must be a legal cause of the plaintiff’s injury, and
   
(4) The plaintiff must have suffered actual harm.


The California Civil Code, with few exceptions, requires the board of directors of an association to obtain or prepare a reserve study at least once every three years. Whenever a board is required by law to do something, it owes a legal duty to act accordingly. Failure to obtain or prepare a legally required reserve study constitutes a clear breach of duty. If such a breach causes harm to members of the association, the legal elements of negligence have been satisfied and the members may successfully prevail in a suit.

Failure to obtain a serve study can result in any one or more of the following types of harm:

(1) It may result in a large special assessment being imposed which some members of the association may find difficult or impossible to pay.
   
(2) A member of the association may find it difficult to sell or refinance his or her home which may cost money or even result in a foreclosure. Buyers and lenders are becoming more knowledgeable and are often refusing to become involved with associations that do not comply with the law.
   
(3) Owners may suffer the consequences of being a member of an association involved as a defendant in litigation brought by another member.


    



*Failing to comply with the California Civil Code requirements for reserve studies may subject the officers and board of directors of an association to liability for negligence. See your attorney if your association is not in compliance with State law.




Areas Served:


Los Angeles County:

Acton, Agoura, Agoura Hills, Agua Dulce, Alhambra, Altadena, Arcadia, Arleta, Artesia, Avalon, Azusa, Baldwin Hills, Baldwin Park, Bassett, Bell, Bell Canyon, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Beverly Hills, Bouquet Canyon, Box Canyon, Burbank, Calabasas, Calabasas Hills, Canoga Park, Canyon Country, Carson, Castaic, Century City, Cerritos, Chatsworth, Claremont, Commerce, Compton, Covina, Cudahy, Crystalaire, Culver City, Del Sur, Diamond Bar, Downey, Duarte, East Los Angeles, East Rancho Dominguez, El Monte, El Segundo, Encino, Firestone Park, Flintridge, Gardena, Glassell, Glassell Park, Glendale, Glendora, Granada Hills, Hacienda Heights, Hawaiian Gardens, Hansen Dam, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Hidden Hills, Highland Park, Hollywood, Huntington Park, Industry, Inglewood, Irwindale, La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta- Montrose, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, La Puente, La Verne, La Canada, Lake Hughes, Lake Los Angeles, Lake View Terrace, Lakewood, Lancaster, Lawndale, Leimert Park, Lennox, Leona Valley, Lincoln Heights, Littlerock, Lomita, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Lynwood, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Marina Del Rey, Maywood, Mission Hills, Monrovia, Monte Nido, Montebello, Monterey Park, Mount Baldy, Mount Wilson, Newhall, North El Monte, North Hills, North Hollywood, Northridge, Norwalk, Pacoima, Palisades, Palmdale, Paramount, Pearblossom, Pico Rivera, Pomona, Quartz Hill, Rancho Dominguez, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rancho Park, Redondo Beach, Reseda, Ritter Ranch, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rosemead, San Dimas, San Fernando, San Gabriel, San Marino, San Pedro, Santa Clarita, Santa Fe Springs, Santa Monica, Saratoga Hills, Saugus, Sherman Oaks, Sierra Madre, Signal Hill, South El Monte, South Gate, South Pasadena, Stevenson Ranch, Studio City, Sun Valley, Sun Village, Tarzana, Temple City, Toluca Lake, Topanga, Torrance, Tujunga, Universal City, Val Verde, Valencia, Valley Village, Van Nuys, Venice, Vernon, Walnut, Walnut Park, West Covina, West Hills, West Hollywood, West Los Angeles, West Toluca Lake, Westchester, Whittier, Wilmington, Windsor Hills, Winnetka, Woodland Hills.

Ventura County:

Camarillo, Channel Islands, Faria Beach, Fillmore, Moorpark, Newbury Park, Oak Park, Oak View, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, Saticoy, Somis, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Ventura (San Buenaventura), Westlake Village.

Orange County:

Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Balboa Island, Brea, Buena Park, Corona Island, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Dana Point, Foothill Ranch, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forrest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Orange, Placentia, Rossmoor, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Santa Ana Heights, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Tustin Foothills, Villa Park, Westminster, Yorba Linda.

San Bernardino County:

Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow, Big Bear, Big Bear City, Chino, Chino Hills, Colton, Crestline, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Hesperia, Highland, Joshua Tree, Lake Arrowhead, Landers, Loma Linda, Montclair, Morongo Valley, Needles, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Rialto, Running Springs, San Bernardino, Twentynine Palms, Upland, Victorville, Yucaipa, Yucca Valley.

Riverside County:

Anza, Banning, Beaumont, Bermuda Dunes, Blythe, Cabazon, Calimesa, Canyon Lake, Cathedral City, Cherry Valley, Coachella, Corona, Desert Hot Springs, East Blythe, East Hemet, El Cerrito, Glen Avon, Hemet, Highgrove, Home Gardens, Homeland, Idyllwild-Pine Cove, Indian Wells, Indio, La Quinta, Lake Elsinore, Lakeland Village, Lakeview, Mecca, Mira Loma, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Murrieta Hot Springs, Norco, Nuevo, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Pedley, Perris, Quail Valley, Rancho Mirage, Riverside, Rubidoux, San Jacinto, Sun City, Sunnyslope, Temecula, Thousand Palms, Valle Vista, Wildomar, Winchester, Woodcrest.

Santa Barbara County:

Ballard, Buellton, Carpinteria, Gaviota, Goleta, Guadalupe, Hollister Ranch, Hope Ranch, Isla Vista, Lompoc, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Mission Canyon, Mission Hills, Montecito, Orcutt, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, Solvang, Summerland, Toro Canyon.

San Diego County:

Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Coronado, Del Mar, El Cajon, Encinitas, (Cardiff-by-Sea, Leucadia, Olivenhain), Escondido, Fairbanks, Ranch, Fallbrook, Imperial Beach, Julian, La Mesa, Lake San, lakeside, Lemon Grove, National City, Oceanside (San Luis Rey), Poway, Romona, Rancho San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach, Hidden Meadows, San Diego County Estates, Spring Valley, Vista.

San Luis Obispo County:

Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Avila Beach, Baywood-Los Osos, Cambria, Cayucos, Grover Beach, Lake Nacimiento, Los Osos, Morro Bay, Nipomo, Oceano, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo, San Miguel, San Simeon, Santa Margarita, Templeton.


Alameda County, Alpine County, Amador County, Butte County, Calaveras County, Colusa County, Contra Costa County, Del Norte County, El Dorado County, Fresno County, Glenn County, Humboldt County, Imperial County, Inyo County, Kern County, Kings County, Lake County, Lassen County, Los Angeles County, Madera County, Marin County, Mariposa County, Mendocino County, Merced County, Modoc County, Mono County, Monterey County, Napa County, Nevada County, Orange County, Placer County, Plumas County, Riverside County, Sacramento County, San Benito County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County, San Francisco County, San Joaquin County, San Luis Obispo County, San Mateo County, Santa Barbara County, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, Shasta County, Sierra County, Siskiyou County, Solano County, Sonoma County, Stanislaus County, Sutter County, Tehama County, Trinity County, Tulare County, Tuolumne County, Ventura County, Yolo County, Yuba County


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