East Valley HOA Boards are Asking: How Do We Choose the Best HOA Management Company?
There are a number of factors to consider when East Valley and specifically Mesa HOA boards are hiring an HOA management company. This decision can have long-term and resounding effects on the entire community. An excellent HOA management company leads to happy residents, balanced and accurate books, compliance, a well-cared for community, and holistic solutions to any problems that arise.
An ineffective property management company can create bad blood between residents and the HOA board and cause long-term issues with finances, shared community spaces, vendor relations, and compliance.
The pressure is really on for any HOA board to choose the right management company. It’s even more critical in Arizona where HOA fees are some of the highest in the country. The last thing a Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert or Mesa HOA board wants to do is choose poorly and have homeowners feel their fees are being wasted. If you’re an HOA board member, keep reading to learn how to choose the right partner.
Go for HOA Management Experience
As industry veterans, we are here to tell you: do not to let an HOA management company cut their teeth on your community. It’s one thing to have some fairly new employees. But an HOA management company should have someone with experience at the helm. There is so much to learn and be responsible for when managing an HOA; a newbie simply won’t be able to deliver appropriate, well-thought-out solutions.
The best case scenario, of course, is an HOA management company in which everyone has extensive experience. That way, their combined knowledge ensures that they have a tried-and-true solution to any issue that may arise in your community or with the city or state governments.
The United Community Management team has a combined 80 years of experience. Our founder alone has been in property management for 30 years.
If it could happen in a community, it has happened to one of us. We frequently pool our knowledge on behalf of our clients. If you’re searching on behalf of a Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert, or Chandler HOA board, be sure to choose a property management company in the East Valley that can offer the wisdom of hands-on experience.
Check their Reputation with Other Mesa HOAs
There are more homes managed by HOAs in Arizona than almost any other state. Furthermore, the majority of those HOAs are supported by HOA management companies. This creates a high demand for HOA management companies in Mesa, the East Valley, and the entire Phoenix Metro.
One would think all this demand would create competition among HOA management companies that would cause every single one to level up their customer service.
Unfortunately, the competition created by a large market has not ensured the excellence of Mesa HOA management companies or any others. Instead, it has allowed for some companies to engage in “churn and burn” tactics. This means they take the HOA board’s money, and deliver mediocre service for as long as they can. When they are finally found out and fired, they simply move onto another one of the countless communities seeking a property management partner. They can get away with this for a long time, because Phoenix Metro is so large.
It’s very important to ask around about an HOA management company’s reputation before hiring them. Don’t just take their word for the level of service they deliver. Read their reviews. Ask for referrals and actually contact the referrals. Look them up on the Better Business Bureau. Dig into their reputation and find out how they have shown up for past clients, not how they tell you they will show up for you.
Pay Attention to their Communication
It’s a good rule of thumb that if a business isn’t responsive during the sales process, they aren’t going to be more responsive once you’ve hired and paid them. From the moment you reach out to a Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe or Mesa HOA management company, observe how responsive they are.
It’s important to not only pay attention to the speed of their response, but also the nature of how they interact with you. Do they ask questions about your property? Do they provide you with a detailed, thoughtful proposal or presentation? Or do they speak in generalities and not refer to the needs of your specific community? These early interactions can tell your HOA board volumes about what they’ll be like to work with in the long run.
What’s Their HOA Management Philosophy?
Do your best to get a sense of the approach and values of the HOA management company you’re considering hiring. Do they understand that while they report to you, your residents are also their direct customer? With so many choices for Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert, and Chandler HOA boards, you should pick a company that is going to serve the best interests of the board and the residents.
At United Community Management, we never forget that we are caring for people’s homes and communities. It’s right in our name: We are united with the HOA board in supporting the community. A community is made up of people and their property. We take our responsibility of supporting them very seriously. We are helping to ensure the safety, aesthetic, value, and sense of community for individuals’ and families’ greatest investments: their homes.
Be sure to partner with the Mesa HOA management company that respects and reveres the role we have in the lives of each of your residents: United Community Management.
Contact Us
It’s time to put the above recommendations to the test. We hope you are discerning and now empowered to choose the best property management company for your community. If you give us a chance, we can show you why we have been successful for so long in the East Valley. To get started, call our office or use our simple Request a Proposal form. We look forward to speaking with you!