Q: How do I find a PM that specializes in HOA management?

You need to find a property manager. But not just ANY property manager. You need an expert property manager that specializes in home owner association management (HOA).

Well, fear not, because finding the right HOA property manager doesn’t have to be as difficult as finding a needle in a hay stack, nor as painful as a root canal!

Just like doctors specialize in different fields of medicine, property managers have a wide field of specialties they may cover, such as investment property management, commercial property management, vacation home management or association management, just to name a few.

Want to Find a Local Property Manager?

With a little due diligence, the search for a good property management company can begin near your neighborhood, be a couple of phone calls away or easily right at your fingertips!

One way to find a property manager would be to start driving around your local area. Seek out developments that are managed by a homeowners association, preferably the kind of neighborhood that looks like it is properly and professionally managed.

Drive through the area. Are the homes well kept? Does the landscaping look like it is tended properly?

If yes, find an owner who may be able to tell you the pros and cons of their HOA management. The best time to find owners out and about is early morning or late afternoon and can usually be found walking their dogs in small packs, pun intended! Strike up a conversation and let them know you are looking for a good HOA manager for your community. This is an easy ice breaker, and they may be willing to direct you to their manager or the management company.

If you prefer a more personal, word of mouth approach, you can also ask for a property management referral by talking with a local real estate agent or broker. Agents who sell in your area will be very familiar with HOA management companies (the good and the bad) and may be able to direct you to a qualified PM.

Be careful though, as sometimes people mean well and just want to help their friends and family get more clients. Even if you get a word of mouth referral, you will want to cross check their background, experience and the types of communities they already manage, even if it is someone’s dear Aunt Edna. Especially if it is dear Aunt Edna!

If driving isn’t your thing, and lifting the phone off the cradle seems too much like work, the next best approach to getting the ball rolling would be to start with an Internet search. Go to a search engine like Google or Yahoo and type in the name of the town and type of property manager you are looking to hire. If you are lucky, you will probably get back over 300,000 results (in a mere 0.46 seconds of course) from which to peruse with all the spare time you have!

Of course, if you want to save on gas, avoid Aunt Edna, and not strain your eyes reading thousands of web links, the fastest way to find a property manager is to utilize a website like

AllPropertyManagement.com.

  Simply enter your zip code and the specific type of property you need managed.  From the list of property management companies in the directory search results, you can learn about professional managers in your area, their expertise and how to have them contact you, at no cost. Boom. Done. Now go enjoy all that time you just saved!

If you value your time,

hiring the right HOA property manager

can be the best time management/investment any HOA board can make on behalf of the owners. It gives piece of mind knowing you have pros watching over and guiding you along the way!

Author Bio
Since 1997, real estate investor and broker Christopher Benedict has been involved in all phases of realty investment and property management. From agent, to broker and business owner, he now focuses on growing his base of investor clientele.