Being a board member of a homeowners association means you carry many responsibilities. There are plenty of tasks to perform, but you might not possess the necessary skills for them. In this case, the HOA may consider hiring an HOA property manager to handle the day-to-day operations.

Why hire an HOA manager

There are many good reasons why you should hire an HOA property manager. As we’ve covered in a previous blog post, they’re capable of handling a wide array of tasks, be it in general management, administration, property research, legal documentation or marketing.

If you can’t decide between hiring locally and outsourcing to an offshore specialist, know that you may enjoy the following benefits with the latter:

• Access to global talent
• Flexibility for changing needs
• Streamlined operations
• Work-life balance
• Guaranteed confidentiality
• Reallocation to development
• Business growth
• Money savings

What are the duties of an HOA manager?

As mentioned above, the HOA manager is someone hired by the board. They act as an agent of your association so they perform the following duties:

Oversees the financial decisions

They ensure that the budgeting and financing is done in a sensible and transparent manner. Their objective is to check that every dollar is spent as wisely as possible. Also, they’re entrusted with decisions affecting the values of the properties in the community.

Facilitates community enjoyment

This includes setting the regulations and rules for the conduct of the residents. It covers the standards for landscaping, the usage of common spaces like the clubhouse, and everything else that affects the overall enjoyment within the residential environment.

Recommends based on experiences

A good manager has enough experience to bring ideas to the table. They share practices and policies that they’ve seen other boards adopt so you won’t have to make everything from scratch. These include rules for things like clubhouse rental and parking spaces.

Ensures legal compliance

It’s their job to check that the HOA board complies with tax laws, local statutes, and civil codes. They make sure that tax returns are filed on time, that the corporate status is updated, and that the corporation is operated as a legal business, among other things.

Supervises communication lines

Often, this involves contacting homeowners directly through phone or email and preparing internal communications like newsletters, flyers, and signs. For the HOA board, they take meeting notes, recap emails and phone calls, and organise information from various sources.

Partners with the board

They understand your objectives and make plans to help you realise them. Even if the board members change, they are capable of adapting to the changing needs and demographics in the community so it remains possible for you to achieve your goals.

Provides administrative support

Though they are more than assistants, they are able to perform secretarial duties too. These include managing correspondence for the board members, placing orders for construction materials, keeping records of vendors, and making visual presentations for new residents.

Manages resolution of disputes

Should there be any conflicts and disputes between neighbours in the community, it’s the job of the manager to mediate. For instance, you might investigate and handle complaints about rule violations, property encroachment, and excessive noise while working directly with the homeowners in question.

Coordinates board meetings

When you need to hold a meeting with the rest of the HOA board, have the manager take care of it. Let them schedule the right date and time as well as distribute the notices, materials, and reports in advance. If you need them to research and prepare data related to community issues, they can do that too.

Handling maintenance and upkeep

Another part of their responsibilities is the general upkeep and maintenance of common areas in the community, such as the lobby, swimming pool, tennis court, sports complex, or park. They might arrange for a landscaping company or a pool-cleaning agency to help them with routine checks.

What qualities should an HOA manager have?

There are plenty of candidates out there who are ready and willing to become your next HOA property manager. If you want to narrow down your choices, check that they possess the following qualities then:

Good communication

Communication is essential when it comes to community association management. They have to communicate with your residents, board members, and vendors on a regular basis. Hence, they need to be able to articulate what they are thinking and properly respond to others.

Quick response

Any problems brought to their attention must be dealt with efficiently and quickly. A good manager remains organised despite having a lot on their plates and is prepared to respond to issues in a timely manner. If residents see the manager is quick to respond, they are more likely to approach them for their concerns.

Natural leadership

One of the things that makes a good manager is confidence. This means they must be able to voice their side. Some members of the board have strong opinions so the manager must know how to respond appropriately and stand their ground when they have to.

Accounting experience

While they don’t need professional bookkeeping skills, it’s helpful that they have general accounting knowledge. This is because the manager handles the monthly, quarterly, and yearly budget for the HOA so these financial services will come in handy for those.

Mediation

When overseeing a community association, the manager will have to face a diverse range of people. It’s expected that there will be some dissension and disparities. For proper dispute resolution, the manager has to know how to negotiate between parties to come to a compromise.

Multitasking

It’s overwhelming for anyone to have many tasks, but a successful manager knows how to handle multiple responsibilities at the same time. Attending to one task at a time is ideal but you want someone who may multitask during busy times.

Willingness to learn

Finding a perfect manager is impossible, especially when this is the first time you’ll be working together with one. However, one of the qualities you want in a manager is the willingness to learn. They may make mistakes but they must know how to learn from them.

Where to find an HOA manager

You want to hire a manager who possesses the right skills and qualities to meet the expectations of the HOA board. Limiting yourself to your locality means you may not find a candidate who meets your standards though.

In this case, get our help here at Remote Workmate. We connect employers like you to reliable offshore specialists, including HOA property managers. If we can’t locate anyone in our existing talent pool, we’ll perform applicant screening for you.