What should I look for in an HOA Property Management Company

What should I look for in a professional HOA management company?

While the HOA property management company you choose should have all of the practical property management skills that come into play when managing a single family home or apartment complex, homeowners association managers need to be especially expert at interpersonal relations.

As Richard Thompson says in his Realty Times article "The Myth of HOA Self-Management", "an HOA manager needs the diplomacy skills of Henry Kissinger and skin thick as a rhino's." While renters come and go---and can be evicted if they don't follow the rules---homeowners have a much bigger stake in the decisions made, and actions undertaken by, the HOA board. And, as Thompson points out, "owners can't be evicted."

With this in mind, it's important to hire an HOA management company that has proven methods for managing group politics and negotiating agreements among members with conflicting points of view. As you interview potential HOA managers, be sure to focus a significant portion of your discussions on understanding each manager's typical communication methods and tactics for conflict resolution.