Important questions to ask your HOA property manager

1. 1. How responsive will you be to our board and our residents?

   You want a manager who responds in a timely way and deals with issues head on.

   We aim to return every email, call and portal message within 24 hours, and never longer than 48 depending on urgency. Communication is our highest priority, because we know how frustrating it is when a management company does not respond.

2. 2. How will you manage our association's finances and budget?

   Every association deserves transparency: a defined budget, dedicated accounts and financial statements the board can read.

   Your association's operating account is linked to the resident portal, so every dues payment is recorded and deposited into your account automatically. We build the budget from your financial history and the expenses we can see coming, and we send a monthly financial packet with every invoice paid, all income received, and the allocations to reserves or loan payments. Every dollar is accounted for, and the packets sit in the portal where trustees and residents can check them any time.

3. 3. How do you handle maintenance requests and vendor relationships?

   Good maintenance protects property values and keeps small problems from becoming expensive repairs. Vendors need to be managed, and small and large projects handled in a timely way.

   As part of the monthly fee we manage your recurring vendors and keep those relationships in good shape, whether it is the landscaper, the plow contractor or the common-area cleaners: paid on time, the work checked against the invoice, and dealt with professionally. For smaller one-off jobs we have our own maintenance team, and for larger ones, or when a recurring vendor needs replacing, a long list of subcontractors we know.

4. 4. How will you help our association stay compliant?

   Boards carry real responsibilities: the governing documents, rules and regulations, meeting requirements, and state and federal law.

   We help the board make sure the documents that have to be recorded are recorded correctly and on time, that new lender requirements for budgets are met, and that votes are held properly and only when needed. When an amendment to the master deed, trust or other condo documents calls for an attorney, we tell you and help you get it done.

5. 5. How do you handle owner complaints, disputes and violations?

   A community is a mix of personalities, concerns and expectations. Ask how complaints are documented, how violations are communicated and how disputes are handled fairly and consistently.

   We take the diplomatic route first, and we know it does not always work. When warnings, fines or liens become necessary, we act within the rules in your master deed, declaration of trust and any recorded amendments. Sometimes those rules need updating for how people live today, and we can help with that too, but until they change we are bound by what is recorded. We are here to help you through all of it.

6. 6. What technology do you provide to our association?

   Communities today expect easy access to their records, an easy way to pay dues and a simple way to reach their management team.

   We run on Buildium, one of the most widely used property management platforms in the country. Trustees and residents can see financial statements, meeting documents, governing documents and other records online. Residents pay dues and submit maintenance and other requests through their portal. Buildium is also how we build budgets, track every dollar and produce the monthly financial packets.

7. 7. How do you prepare for and run board meetings?

   Meetings are where decisions get made and the community moves forward. Preparation and organization make the difference.

   We prepare the agenda, send out the materials, attend, take the minutes and follow up on the action items. A board meeting usually comes before the all-resident meeting so the agenda is set together. For annual meetings we prepare the agenda and the annual budget, take minutes, keep the sign-in sheet, and keep the meeting organized, professional and productive.

General information, not legal advice. Ask the association's attorney about any agreement before the board signs it.

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