What Does an HOA Resale Certificate Say About a Special Assessment?

A resale certificate can identify more than the regular dues. Review any listed special assessment, its payment schedule and purpose, unpaid amounts, and the accompanying financial documents. Do not treat a quoted monthly or annual fee as the complete picture.

By Ellen Pool, Pool Realty Group. Brokered by eXp Realty LLC.

Scheduled publication: November 7, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Central Time.

Read the certificate as a dated snapshot

TREC's subdivision-information form for property subject to mandatory association membership asks for regular assessments, special assessments due after delivery, total amounts due and unpaid, approved capital expenditures, and reserves. It also requests information about judgments, pending suits, known violations, and transfer-related fees.

The form expressly warns that subdivision information may change at any time. A certificate describes reported information, not a guarantee that the association will never change its budget or assessments.

Turn each entry into a transaction question

• Is a special assessment listed, and what purpose and payment dates are stated?
• Are amounts already unpaid on this property?
• How does the proposed contract allocate charges between buyer and seller?
• Do the current budget and balance sheet help explain planned expenditures?
• Are there notices or documents referenced but missing from the packet?
• Who can answer a question about current association information before closing?

Do not infer financial strength solely from a reserve balance. Evaluating whether funds are adequate for particular facilities or planned work requires more information and, when appropriate, qualified financial or legal review.

Rules still need their own review

The form requires attachments such as restrictions, rules, bylaws, a current operating budget, and a current balance sheet. The certificate is not a substitute for reading those materials. If your intended use requires approval, resolve that separately from who pays a fee.

Our approach

We prefer an itemized question list over the assumption that an HOA is simply expensive or inexpensive. Identify what is known, what could change, and what the contract actually assigns to each party. See our introduction to HOA and deed-restriction documents for the broader document framework. This article does not determine the validity of an assessment or provide legal advice about an association's authority.

Sources and further reading

• TREC resale-certificate form information
• TREC subdivision information and resale certificate

This is general educational information, not advice for a specific property or transaction. Consult the appropriate qualified professionals about legal, tax, lending, insurance, permitting, or technical questions that apply to your situation.