We know thinking about community financials can be stressful. It’s probably the most essential element when determining your association’s success. By employing an all-inclusive accounting software solution, your management team can transform these stressful situations into simple daily tasks. All while pushing your management company to grow, streamline processes, and get on track for greater profitability. There is so much that goes into creating a successful accounting process, it can be overwhelming. Today, we’ve categorized three crucial aspects you should put at the top of your list when ..read more

Management companies are at their best when common day-to-day processes are streamlined and automated, creating a more efficient way to run communities, and simultaneously keeping homeowners happy.  In today’s digital workplace, the best way to achieve this level of performance is by choosing the right software tool for the job. That tool is a community management software suite specifically designed for the association space, ensuring it has all the features management companies need, and none they don’t.  What is HOA community management?  Today’s management companies need way ..read more

Processing community assessment payments is a critical offering of community management companies, especially when it comes to establishing homeowner trust. Community members have to be sure the company they’re working with is able to handle their money in a secure and convenient way when they pay online, check a balance or set up an automatic payment.  How do management companies process HOA payments online?  When property owners and homeowners have to pay assessments, what payment method do they use? For companies that have adopted the FRONTSTEPS payment portal, these community mem ..read more

Being an effective management company in the homeowners association space means finding better ways to handle the everyday issues that come up between residents and HOA board members. The more streamlining and automation you can introduce into systems, the better the everyday resident experience will become — and the more effective you’ll become as a partner for HOA boards.  One of these everyday experiences ripe for revision is HOA violation management. Every element of the violation process, from listing HOA rules and making governing documents to actually collecting payment, can be ma ..read more

When homeowners move into a neighborhood overseen by a homeowners association, what do they expect? They’re looking for convenient amenities, a clean, orderly environment and, above all, safety for themselves, their family members and their property. The most direct way to make sure residents feel safe is by implementing neighborhood security systems. These include both technologies and policies, encompassing everything from digital security cameras to occupancy and tenancy ledgers that will provide an accurate log of which properties are in use at any time. As living patterns change — driven ..read more

First-time homeownership surged after COVID-19, fueled by pent-up demand and historically low mortgage rates. Many of these homeowners are young and will own homes for decades. Their loyalty is enormously valuable to management companies, but it won’t come easy. Young consumers are tech-savvy, independent, and impatient. Modern tech is increasingly important in creating the community experience that residents crave. In our conversations with management company executives, they increasingly stress the importance of putting tools into homeowners’ hands to manage community living on their schedul ..read more

Supply Chain Shortage of Security Hardware During the months of December 2021 through March 2022, there was a glimmer of hope. Global supply chain pressures showed signs of easing. Unfortunately, in April 2022, as renewed strains came about, conditions worsened. A gated neighborhood protects the people who live in their community. However, what happens when the gated neighborhood security hardware is not functioning, and due to supply chain issues, cannot be fixed right away? Then what? Here are some tips for making the best of a difficult situation. Balancing Safety With Convenience Home ..read more

Tips for Switching HOA Management Software Providers Is your current HOA management software falling short of your expectations? Here are three tips to consider when switching HOA technology providers. Focus on the Big Picture See the forest, not the trees. When deciding between HOA technology providers, it can be easy to get bogged down by minute differences in functional details between one system and another. The fine points and features of a new piece of software are important. However, when switching technology providers, it’s far more beneficial to focus on your overall needs. Ever ..read more

Benefits of Homeowner Portals for Management Companies What if, as a property management company, you were already behind the times? Like many management companies, you may use five or more different software products to help deliver a smooth customer service experience. However, change is in the air. More management companies are beginning to invest in new tools, including useful homeowner portals that change their entire approach to customer service. Why are these portals a major game-changer for property management companies like yours? Let’s take a look. Getting the Edge Over Your Com ..read more

Homeowners associations are growing in popularity. Recent statistics find that 65% of new homes are a part of an HOA community. This growth creates a lot of room for new association board members.  However, the role of board member can be a daunting one. Their relationship with the community association manager, or CAM, is crucial. Here are three ways a CAM, and the management company that the CAM works for, can help new board members ignore the noise and accomplish their goals of improving the quality of life for residents in their community. 1. Adopt Technology When new board members st ..read more