Community Association Management

Started by TimB4 • 22 replies • 2819 views

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TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By CharlesB17 on 04/10/2011 4:44 PM
I read so many people recommending to find a CAM (Community Association Management). I so disagree with that line of thought. Why pay a CAM for ???
Most CAMs care less about the community and almost all drive up the cost of the dues. I just met with a friend that is a CAM. And we got on the topic of what he does. And the bottom line was collects the dues,and basically runs the office stuff. So I asked him what he actually does for the community he manages. He said he "is suppose to " ride through the neighborhood and look for CC&R violations and tke notice of the common aereas. So, I asked him if he did that. He replied, as time permits. I asked him to expound upon that statement. He contined on telling me he has multiple associations and spends most of his time behind his desk answering phone calls, crediting accounts. He contineud to tell me he has to consult with the BODs before anything is done on the agenda, and sometimes the common areas go overlooked.
So, I basically said to him, all he did was get paid to be the HOA's personal secretary. He smiled and said "something like that"
I know every association has a BOD and is required to. But, usually I have seen someone on the board is friends with this attorney that is friends with a CAM and they all figure out how to get more money and do the least amount to get it.
For those that have a CAM, go look at the bo0oks and see where your money is going!
Self Manages HOAs are far better off with a private attorney and the software of their choice.
Just my 2 cents

SteveM9 (Massachusetts)
Posts: 3,699

Posted:

Quote:

Self Manages HOAs are far better off with a private attorney and the software of their choice.

Sometimes.... sometimes people in the HOA are all incompetent. And its better to have a middle man such as a manager to keep the peace and keep the finances coming in and bills paid. Many self managed HOA's have a hard time even doing the basic things.

MichaelP6 (Virginia)
Posts: 16

Posted:

Sorry,

But I've come to the same conclusion. Never served on our board and don't know enough yet, but we're looking into everything right now. Our HOA has our own "tea party" that's ready to take over. It becomes painfully clear when looking at finances and MO that CAM's are in the BOD contract addiction business rather than the "service" business. They commandeer to serve their own needs. As a businessman who has stayed out of his own HOA I can tell you that this is going to change...soon.

I've always believed we can manage ourselves, and we'll soon see. Don't know much about what he has to offer but I've made it clear that we're considering all options.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

I copied the initial post from another thread as I thought it deserved a topic of it's own. For full disclosure, I am not a community manger and I do not work for a management company. My Association is self managed (I currently serve on the Board and previously served on the Architectural committee).

Charles,

There are many reasons to hire a MC or various independent contractors. Time management and membership apathy probably being tied as the main reason. Another close reason may be the interruption of activities to answer questions or deal with unexpected issues.

We do hire an independent contractor as a bookkeeper. They check the mail, track assessment payments and deposit the checks. Our Treasurer controls the checkbook and requires a second signature to issue checks.

I agree that various software can certainly make the jobs easier. There are many options available that basically do the basic operations in similar ways. Web sites are also a great tool for Associations. I've read your posts and they certainly indicate that you are very satisfied with a certain product. That's great. However, it still takes the time, energy and volunteers to input the data, maintain paper copies (as web sites do get hacked and hard drives fail) and the willingness to do the research to ensure the State and Federal laws are being complied with.

As you eluded to, Associations should always check to see how many accounts a CAM or MC have and how will the time be divided between them.

Tim

JonD1
Posts: 2,350

Posted:

It's funny the folks who always think there is no need for an MC either have no idea what the MC in fact does or they have never served on the Board and think this would be of little consequence in the amount of time and effort the serving members need to put in.

Several years ago we had a new member join the Board after a few hours after looking over the financial statements she concluded the need to get rid of the MC. My first question "Do you know what they do?" NO was her answer but "look at all the money we would save".

Maybe you should A)find out waht services the MC provides and B) be willing to take over those responsibilities (not dump them in someone else's lap) before you come up with the suggestion the MC is no longer needed.

What's next let the landscaper go? How about the guy who picks up the trash maybe the Board President can haul out the trash in their spare time and save more money...........

JanetB2 (Colorado)
Posts: 4,219

Posted:

There are pros and cons to both sides of this issue.

It is easier for a small HOA to self manage as the burden is not so large being placed upon the few members serving on the board. However, a large HOA has a great burden placed on the few members and after a period of time they can encounter burn out or as Tim referenced apathy.

As a general rule when this type question comes up from a new HOA starting out, my usual recommendation is if you have the members willing to participate to potentially self manage in the beginning. Reason being that the money you would pay to a CAM instead will more quickly help build the HOA reserve fund. After the reserve fund is built to an appropriate level, then decide if you would like to continue self management or hire a CAM to relieve some burden from the association board.

I believe where some HOA’s run into issues with their CAM is because they have in essence given them cart-blanche control. When you hire a CAM it should be done with the realization that the CAM is an employee of the board, answers to the board, and potentially not be given too much control. They are supposed to be in place to relieve some of the everyday burden not completely run the show.

MichaelP6 (Virginia)
Posts: 16

Posted:

No idea what Charles' SW does or whether it's any good. But what I can tell you is that aside from just bookkeeping we would have no need for our CAM. He has never responded to a single call of mine(and others!) and IS associated with lawyers and contractors who feed him a cut. Our HOA isn't that big, and I personally just can't see why we hire this co who's fees are almost the sole reason for our rate increases.

If your assoc. is big, there might be a need for a CAM. We're fairly small, and to date our CAM has done very little but line the pockets of his CO. He's also commandeered the association meetings and narrative so his/his company's performance is never on the discussion table. He even counts the vote with no disclosure so that he can be sure our board is favorable to him/his company. .

CarolR11 (Colorado)
Posts: 2,563

Posted:

Say, Michael, what size IS your HOA? Detached homes? Condos? For what common areas is you HOA responsible?

MichaelP6 (Virginia)
Posts: 16

Posted:

Not much. Not sure of the size of the common area, but with town homes there is never much. WRT paying our bills and managing HOA fees, a bookkeeper could handle both. Our MC has both and literally controls us. IMHO we really only need a bookkeeper and an BOD with some gumption.

GlenL (Ohio)
Posts: 5,491

Posted:

This is one of the most reasoned responses I've seen here over the years on the MC vs Self Manage argument:

Quote:

Posted By RobertL3 on 01/05/2006 1:01 PM
Self management can be a costly mistake for homeowner Associations. Volunteers often lack the experience to effectively take on the duties of Association management; collecting dues, paying bills, handling maintenance, record keeping, and rules enforcement.

A much more beneficial and sustainable situation is one in which service to the community does not diminish the volunteer's ability to enjoy living in their community. The best way to take pressure off your volunteer Board is to hire a professional to manage the day-to-day affairs of the association. Start by considering the four reasons why you might want to hire a manager:

Reason 1: Time

It takes time for volunteer board members to run their association. On any given day these volunteers might be responding to homeowner calls, arranging maintenance appointments for various everyday repairs, writing enforcement letters, dealing with the grounds contractor, posting assessment payments and preparing financial statements, and consulting with the association attorney on collections and other legal matters. If this sounds like a full time job, you might want to let your homeowners be homeowners and hire an experienced agent to perform these duties.

Reason 2: Knowledge

In addition to technical specifications and various questions of law, finance, and governance, you need to have more than a passing familiarity with local, state, and federal laws that apply to everyday workings of your community. Yours would not be the first board to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of knowledge it must possess. Good professional managers bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, making them a valuable resource for the board.

Reason 3: Continuity

Board members might come and go, but a manager can offer a common thread that links one administration to the next. Why does this matter? Think about the importance of continuity when it comes to record keeping, budgeting, dealings with contractors, suppliers, and professional service providers, and even the relationships with your residents.

Reason 4: Convenience

The board should be a decision-making body, but too often the day-to-day distractions of educating residents and attempting to meet their expectations can pull managing board members away from the big picture. Professional management can provide an administrative buffer, giving your residents the attention they deserve and freeing the board to focus on those decisions that affect the long-term viability of the community.

Professional property managers bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table that can end up saving homeowners thousands in unplanned expenses and lost property value at a cost to each homeowner of just pennies a day. (If it sounds like a plug, it is. Full disclosure requires that I admit to being a professional property manager who once took my own community down the self-managed route. ;)

Experience with insurance, contractors, maintenance, enforcement, and legal issues can save an inexperienced volunteer hundreds of hours of research. Professional property managers can keep issues of assessment billing and rules enforcement from becoming “personal”. Finally, a well run, professionally managed Association can retain its attractiveness to potential buyers, resulting in higher property values.

While it is true that homeowner volunteers can perform some of the functions of a professional property manager, it is also true that volunteers often lack the experience to effectively take on the duties of Association management; collecting dues, paying bills, handling maintenance, record keeping, and rules enforcement. A professional manager can help your Association avoid costly mistakes.

There is also the issue of fairness and risk. Association management is a mandated function under most Association CC&Rs. Asking a single member to provided mandated services free of charge places an unequal burden and costs on that member (fairness) while the costs of errors and omissions on the part of that volunteer are borne by all (risk).

When you consider the potential costs to the Association of poor or inconsistent management, financial mismanagement, poor record keeping, inadequate reserves or insurance, inadequate maintenance, volunteer burnout, inconsistent rules enforcement, and falling property values then the advantages and true value of professional management become more and more apparent.

This is not to say that self-management does not work. I headed up a Board that successfully managed a single family association. But it was a LOT OF WORK to do the job right. There are thousands of associations across the country that successfully self manage. The question any Board needs to ask itself is, are the costs worth the benefits? If the answer is yes, then by all means, go for it. In many smaller and single family associations without many amenities, self management is the only thing that makes sense. Understanding the pitfalls will hopefully allow you to make the best decision for your community.

Studies show that 5 out of 4 people have problems with fractions

GlenL (Ohio)
Posts: 5,491

Posted:

Also while there are very many well run self managed HOA's, too often self management results from a group of H/O's seeing what they take as a waste of money and so the rallying cry goes forth: "Let's self manage and save a ton of cash." This works for a few years until the volunteers start falling by the wayside. Fast forward a couple of years and you have an incident like what happened to a local HOA. The members awoke to the news that their president and one man band of a board had sold his house and moved. They found this out because someone walking their dog found piles of the Association records sitting on the curb waiting for the trash collector. They recovered most of them but they never did find all of them.

Studies show that 5 out of 4 people have problems with fractions

DavidW5 (North Carolina)
Posts: 565

Posted:

We are a larger HOA - 800 single family homes. We were very dissatisfied with the off-site community manager who was employed by the management company hired by the developer. Our first elected board hired an on-site, full-time general manager who has 20 years experience. He is a direct employee of the association - no intervening management company. The contract with the Mgt. company was rewritten to only include financial services such as collection and depositing of dues, accounting and financial reporting, tracking delinquencies, etc.

This not only saved the association money, but also gave us much better control over day to day management of our extensive facilities and common area.

FredS7 (Arizona)
Posts: 927

Posted:

> our CAM has done very little but line the pockets of his CO. He's also commandeered the association meetings and narrative so his/his company's performance is never on the discussion table.

If you've got an association and BOD that can't tell the CO what to do...when they are paying him and have every right...are they going to have the skills to manage the association?

CharlesB17
Posts: 112

Posted:

I was not going to get into this deeply. However, I am going to address the post as they came down, as most are a rebuttal to my previous statement.
SteveM9 Writes,
Sometimes people in the HOA are all incompetent. And it’s better to have a middle man such as a manager to keep the peace and keep the finances coming in and bills paid. Many self managed HOA's have a hard time even doing the basic things.
• My response is, this is the reason when a self managed board members are running for the position, it is the responsibility of each owner to make an intelligent choice based upon the candidates qualifications. If everyone relies on someone else to make the decisions that affect them, then they can set back and take whatever some corporative person makes that effects their life style and live under those terms.
TimB4 writes, there are many reasons to hire a MC or various independent contractors. Time management and membership apathy probably being tied as the main reason. Another close reason may be the interruption of activities to answer questions or deal with unexpected issues

We do hire an independent contractor as a bookkeeper. They check the mail, track assessment payments and deposit the checks. Our Treasurer controls the checkbook and requires a second signature to issue checks.

I agree that various software can certainly make the jobs easier. There are many options available that basically do the basic operations in similar ways. Web sites are also a great tool for Associations. I've read your posts and they certainly indicate that you are very satisfied with a certain product. That's great. However, it still takes the time, energy and volunteers to input the data, maintain paper copies (as web sites do get hacked and hard drives fail) and the willingness to do the research to ensure the State and Federal laws are being complied with.

As you eluded to, Associations should always check to see how many accounts a CAM or MC have and how will the time be divided between them.
• My reponse Let me address this part first, the reason so many associations are in the mess they are in today, in my humble opinion, is much like the mess our government is in economically now. We the people depend on someone else to do the job that is never done to our satisfaction. And then we complain and yet depend, I said DEPEND! On them to get us through. That is why civilizations have failed. Example = USSR.
A bookkeeper is a good idea, but really, do you hire someone else to manage your money, or do you receive your pay check and write your own checks to pay your own bill? A CPA is the person that needs to look over the accounts at the end of the year to ensure you are within the legal guidelines and to insure against embezzlement.
The product you refer to that I am very satisfied with virtually takes care of the everyday mundane office work. 99% of all communications are dealt with via E-Mail. This way we have a record of what was said and what was responded to. We have a forum that gives everyone an anonymous voice to be heard, in the event someone fears retaliation. As I said before, we have approximately 2000 homes in our association. That is large. 2 years ago, before this product, we had law enforcement at almost every meeting to keep the peace. Since we self manage and use this product, we have very few complaints, especially when you have a transparent association to monitor the board.
GlenL Writes Also while there are very many well run self managed HOA's, too often self management results from a group of H/O's seeing what they take as a waste of money and so the rallying cry goes forth: "Let's self manage and save a ton of cash." This works for a few years until the volunteers start falling by the wayside. Fast forward a couple of years and you have an incident like what happened to a local HOA. The members awoke to the news that their president and one man band of a board had sold his house and moved. They found this out because someone walking their dog found piles of the Association records sitting on the curb waiting for the trash collector. They recovered most of them but they never did find all of them.
• Again, my answer comes to the same as I am always saying. The software product we use keeps the files in a redundantly backed up location. And makes the association management transparent. And because of the situation you described, we chose this product so that the transition of the BOD is painless. If someone passes, or moves, another person can step right n and continue were the previous left off, knowing what they were doing previously and carrying forward.
We don’t need some CAM to write checks and pay our bills. We do not need them to send billing statements, our system does it automatically. In fact the software we selected tells us when a person sells, who bought, sends billing out automatically, sends late notices out, sends lien notices out, sends the liens to the attorney to be filed automatically. And we can view our account online 24/7. We can make payments online. We get our CC&Rs sent via E-Mail and we see their charges on our account. And since the system automated us, everyone realized the system does not see individuals, it sees accounts. This is not to say that the BOD or president cannot over ride, but if they do, the system logs the person, date, time and requires them to make a comment to justify their action.
All this is permanent record. We see the Treasures report and the secretary’s meeting minute’s online moments after the meeting. And everything can be printed from the server.
I cannot see any justifiable reason that any HOA cannot be or become a self managed association.
The Masons, Shriners, Rotary Club, Lions Club and many many more associations do not have a Management Company managing their business.
I think some of the people may be self promoting their occupation. I am merely a member of an association that we took control of our own business ans destiny.
'nuff said - just my 2 cents

CharlesB17
Posts: 112

Posted:

I am getting alot of questions as to what software we are using. mycomplus.com is the location to find more information.
I am going to gratiuosly bow out of this converstaion at this time. Everyone has an opinion. My is I do well managing my personal business, retired at 45, and our association went from having less that $50000 collected annualy with our prevoius CAM to collecting over $100,000 in dues and past dues since we took control. We have not increased our dues in 3 years now. It is your community, your money, your association. Live in what you will and pay as you wish. GOD Bless and Good Day! "nuff said.

MichaelP6 (Virginia)
Posts: 16

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By FredS7 on 04/11/2011 7:08 AM
> our CAM has done very little but line the pockets of his CO. He's also commandeered the association meetings and narrative so his/his company's performance is never on the discussion table.

If you've got an association and BOD that can't tell the CO what to do...when they are paying him and have every right...are they going to have the skills to manage the association?

If we manage this ourselves, this board won't be seated as they're responsible for this debacle. That's the plan if it happens.

CharlesB17
Posts: 112

Posted:

TimB4, You asked me if I was invested in the company and I replied no. I am here to attempt to offer some insight and perspective from a member of an association that I have been actively involved in for years. I chose to live in an association for specific reasons.
But, in all fairness, what company are you invested with? You made a comment that I made on a different thread into a new topic on an new thread. Now, I know enough about forums to know usually an administrator of a forum possesses that authority, not som poster as myself. So, that would indicate you are in someway affiliated with the host of this forum. I noticed, as you stated, you have followed all my post and apparently read them. How do I follow all of your post without adminstrative privledges?
Thanks in advance for all you have done and will do.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Charles,

Any member of this forum can do what I did. Hit Quote to reply to someone. This will place the entire message in the reply box. Then highlight the entire message and copy it (cntl c). Then go back to the forums main page and click on start new topic. Then paste what you have copied (cntl v). I used html editing to bold your name. I suspect that Glen used the same copy and paste procedure when he copied RobertL3s' posting from 2006 into this thread.

I have seen many threads go off the initial topic and personally find that it makes it difficult to locate things by just reading the title of the thread. Therefore, right or wrong, when I see an interesting topic that could take the initial thread off topic, I do what I did with your posting. Copy it and past it into a new topic. Again, something any one who is a member of this forum has the capability to do.

As for following posts, Glen pointed out awhile back that you can use the search function of this forum to look at posts done by an individual. I could never get that to work for me but discovered the following procedure that does work. Click on "my profile" under the search icon (looks like a magnifying glass) near the top of the page. This will show your profile and within the profile next to "posts" click on "view posts by user". This opens up a page showing all of your posts. Now at the top of that page replace your name with the name of any other member of the forum. Click on "search" and you will see the posts that that individual made to the forum. You had so few posts that it was a simple matter of looking at them. Again, this is something any member has the ability to do.

I didn't intend any disrespect when I asked if you were invested in the company. As you know, many forums have spammers and this site is generally self policing and most of your posts eluded to being happy with the software. Hopefully you can see how this might have caused one to wonder.

For the record, as I've stated before, I work in Broadcasting as a maintenance engineer and occasional fill in for studio, field and master control operations. I'm also a retired Navy Chief.

I, like many others, got involved in their Association because I believed I was wronged by the sitting Board of Directors. This led me into a three year campaign of educating the membership by publishing my on newsletter about the board. During that time I attended every board meeting I could and volunteered to be on various committees and work on various projects. This led to one long time member of the Board refusing to run again. I was elected to the Board and am currently serving on my second term. I am also managing the Associations web site.

Again I didn't intend any disrespect but I do see how it might have been taken that way. I apologize for that.

Tim

CharlesB17
Posts: 112

Posted:

No harm, no fowl. I was not really offended. Apology accepted, but none required. I have been on numerous forums over the past 10 years or so.
I am retired Navy Trident sailor and retired law enforcement. I am active with the board as you are for the same reasons.
We had tried everything, and this company came in and has helped guide us. They are always there, they use their corp attorney to get asdvice to help us and the software keeps track of the finacials we need. Maybe I like them so much because of their support. They alsways answer us ans if we need a tailored module, they whip it out for us and never cost us a thing. If they update the software or add a module for another association, it is available to aall to us at no additional cost to us. So, maybe I am tooting their horn a little. But, hey they did a lot to get us straightened out.
I have experienced about every pitfall with this association I can imagine, So, I will be glad to offer advice. It is free. Take it or leave it.

JoO (Maryland)
Posts: 1

Posted:

I am new to the HOA Board and would like to know what software program you use? Thank you.

CharlesB17
Posts: 112

Posted:

Our Association uses mycomplus.com.
I know we got onboard a few years back when they were in the beta testing phase. At that time, they were looking for HOAs to use their software for a minimal fee and provide them feedback. We took the chance and have not looked back since. I suggest if you do not see something you think is important, contact them and ask them about it. I know we have asked for certain things and told them our needs and they have developed the and enhanced the software for us. I know of another HOA that is using their software locally, and they have reported the same level of support.
The bottom-line to what I am really trying to convey to the owners is not the software as much as no one will take care of your community better than the ones that live there. I look at our community as my child. I am the one responsible to provide, nurture, discipline, correct, plan for their future, and insure their safety. And no one will do this for my child's best interest better than me. I di not move into an association liking the idea someone else can tell me what to do with my property I paid for. I moved into an association for the community and to insure my investment would grow. I pay the association my dues to insure the streets are lighted, the sidewalks are in good repair, the common areas are maintained in good shape, and that I do not live next door to someone else's trashy yard. All these things and more are the reasons I live in an association and I believe no one will take care of my community better than I. And I am only one of many that have that belief. We the association and each member of our community is ultimately responsible for our community and the safety thereof.
The software we use has just enabled us to be self managed and to focus on the other important things in our community that needs attention.
Here is a great example of what the software did for us. In 2006, we have approximately 2000 units, and we had approximately 900 plus delinquent dues. A great job or CAM was doing huh? Since we went to this system, last year we were at 196 delinquent accounts. Not only did we collect a lot of delinquent accounts, we collected interest on those accounts and delinquent fees, attorney fees recovered, all certified mailing fees recovered, and realize $14,000 additional funds we realized. We went from having a budget of around $40,000 a year to a budget of over $100,ooo last year.
We have just started our dues billing cycle for this fiscal year, and 2/3 of all the accounts have been paid to date. What was owed to the association went from over $250,000 last year at this same time and is reduced to less that $70,000. And because of what this software did for us, we are now in the correct legal position to begin foreclosures on certain homes. However, it is worth mentioning, we had some members that had never paid dues, have showed up at the association meetings and boasted they had never and will never pay these fees. Now, they are contacting us asking how to remove the liens, how to stop the foreclosure, and asking how they can make payments to catch up the arrearages. So, Maybe I sound like I am promoting the software, maybe I am a little,. But, only because it has allowed us from being held hostage by the CAM and by some of the owners. before all this, we felt we were in a hopeless state of despair.
We found our solution, we have capitalized on it and I guess I am shouting from the mountain top that we are liberated.
So, if you are an association that is in the same place we were a few years back. There is hope. The moral to this story is truly, mycomplus.com and the people that work there, took a great deal of time, energy, and effort to work with us so we could achieve our freedom from suppression. Find software that works for your needs. We found ours and they have always been there on the other end of the line when we called in need. We looked at all the top players. In fact, here is a list of the top players in the market.
212 - formally tops. Always had to leave a message. The software needs a bookkeeper or someone that has accounting background. Has been bought and sold a few times.
Promis - way top heavy and cumbersome to work with.
Jenark - they even suggest you hire a bookkeeper to run their system

These three are the leaders in the industry.
None work in the clouds. Non have intelligent data gathering features to help us keep our members mailing addresses correct. Non send us an alert when the property sells so we can contact the new members and welcome them and encourage them to be happy. All three work on a single PC and push / pull reports to and from a website. If you have a website, Tops doesn't developed one for you, you purchase that in addition to the software by a third party. And likewise for the reports.
We liked the fact that mycomplus gave us the website, cost included, and we only deal with one company. We also liked the fact we did not have to charge for the documents, they were uploaded to the site for all members to get for free.
Every piece of software we looked at, with exception of MyComPlus, always seemed like too many pieces were farmed out to others trying to get some of the action.
Example, 212 TOPS wanted $6000 for the entire package and then $600 a year for a website and then the company that "Sells" the documents wanted additional fees.
MyComPlus cost us $1200 a year and we can walk anytime we wish with our data.
I believe if an association wants to be successfully self managed your BODs and all transaction must be transparent to the community. And that my friend is what MyComPlus did for us.
Made us transparent with real time data
Increased our communications and removed the road blocks the prevented it in the past. No More Hecklers!! Hurray!!!
Increased our net worth
increased our collections
reduced delinquencies
And on and on and on.

So, You can become a self managed HOA with the proper software, guidance, and support.
We pay our vendors online and receive payments online.
Very little effort goes into the daily operations of our community due to the software and the way we have a transparent association. The community basically self polices, if I (we) see a CC&R violation we can report it to the BOD and the notice is sent almost immediately to the property owner and is advised the report was made, no one is ever mention who made the report (because the system doesn't tag your name to the report to the BOD), and that it will be investigated by a BOD member with in 24 hours. Usually that alone gets the attention of the property owner to resolve it.

Become self managed, by what ever means you find, wish, or can afford.
I heard a wise man state once, "If you don't like it - change it. If you don't want to change it -sit down and shut up about it" So true words spoken.

DanielH1 (California)
Posts: 482

Posted:

I've lived in both self-managed (6 years) and professionally managed HOAs (6 years).

In my professionally managed HOA, Board Members will volunteer to do work and then not do it. When asked, they will just make up some excuse or just shrug. Without professional management, the taxes just wouldn't get filed, the budget wouldn't be done, meetings wouldn't be held.

One guy in my HOA is totally in favor of self-management and he's just the kind of guy who talks a lot and then would completely disappear when it came to work. To him, self-management means just keeping the money that we'd pay out in fees and then hoping that somebody else would care enough to step up and do it all for free.

CharlesB17
Posts: 112

Posted:

It is truly like this. There are pros and cons on everything. You have people that are reliable and then you have those that aren't. You don't have up with out down, left without right or good without evil. You choose your own poison. If you have irresponsible people running the association, nothing gets accomplished. If you have people that are responsible that want to make the community a better place you self manage. One cost more to the entire group with nothing accomplished when using a CAM than, and nothing is accomplished using an irresponsible BODs.

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