Being exclusively in HOA and condo association management, we have learned over the years that it takes a unique skill set to be a great association manager. An individual manager must serve a variety of people, with many different needs and wants, and deliver results in a very timely manner, all within budget and executed with a smile. The position requires organization and focus along with a balance of a variety of property management skills.
When it comes down to it, an association manager is really 5 jobs in 1. We’ve compiled a list of essential professional skills that help make a good HOA manager.
counter
An association manager must have a thorough understanding of the financial basics of an HOA or condominium association. They must know the standard monthly, quarterly or annual cash flow coming into an association. Of course, knowing these basics is crucial when creating your association’s annual budget. Without basic knowledge of accounting and finance, it is very difficult to plan maintenance and other projects related to the association. Most importantly, they must be able to answer the one question that all HOA managers constantly face: “Where is all our money going?” A good manager will always have a good and comprehensive answer to this question.
Contractor
Now obviously not all association managers need to have their contracting license. What we mean is simply that managers are familiar with contractors and how they operate. This means remembering a few key things to help projects move smoothly and quickly. Your contractors are professionals in their line of work just like you are. They deserve to be compensated for their time when they help you. At the same time, the more you know about fence replacement, concrete work, landscaping, etc., the better you will be as a manager. Understanding the approximate costs of small projects and the timelines associated with them will help you as an HOA manager better understand job specifications and project bids.
communication specialist
One thing we realized very quickly when we got into the association management business is that we are not really “property managers” but rather “people managers”. A good manager must be able to communicate and work with people of all backgrounds, shapes, and sizes. Some boards have a low-touch or hands-off approach, while others love to be really involved, maybe even overly involved at times. When you involve contractors and other homeowners, things can get messy at times. An experienced manager will find the right mix of communication based on their audience and working with them over time. The better the communication between the HOA manager and the community board of directors, the more secure they will feel with you as their community manager.
Consultant / Advisor
Being a consultant and adviser is an important aspect of good community nutrition. Many times I will see managers play the role of order takers instead of truly advising the community. This happens for a few different reasons. The manager could simply be taking the path of least resistance and taking as gospel what the board wants or needs. The board of directors could also be a very direct group that thinks they have all the right answers. A veteran manager is not afraid to speak up if he sees the community heading towards a bad or risky decision. Simply sitting back and watching a community make mistakes that could be prevented is simply wrong. Again, there is a good balance between acting as a quality advisor and helping a community versus trying to make the decisions yourself.
Deal maker
Denial skills are something you would expect an agent or lawyer to have, though not necessarily your community manager. Because quality HOA managers have to answer to many people with many different agendas, being able to negotiate and mediate on different issues is very important. Weather is negotiating a better rate from the contractor, settling a neighbor vs. dispute between neighbors, or pleasing 7 different personalities on your board of directors, the ability to solve problems is priceless. Unfortunately, it is impossible to please everyone. Our job as HOAs or Condominium Management Professionals is to please as many people as possible while remaining true to the responsibilities for which we were hired: maintaining and enhancing property values and helping to run a community efficiently and punctuality while still obeying and complying with the regional and state laws of your land.
It takes a variety of unique skills to be a well-rounded HOA community manager. Not all HOA managers are the same just like no one on our earth is exactly the same. Many have a special skill set that we don’t discuss here that only adds to their overall value as a manager of an association. We believe that deep down, many proven managers and management companies embody these essential skills and characteristics.
