Choosing a manager for your building isn’t a paperwork chore. It’s a quality-of-life decision. The right pro keeps costs steady, vendors honest, and board meetings civil. The wrong one turns minor leaks into special assessments. Here’s how to choose with confidence.
1. Match the manager to your building’s reality
Choosing the right owners corporation managers starts with defining scope, scale, and style. A 120‑unit condo in Chicago with elevators, a roof deck, and a gym needs on‑site presence and deep vendor ties. A 12‑townhome HOA in Scottsdale may need light‑touch financials and seasonal landscaping oversight. One handles boiler permits and Local Law 11 cycle timelines, the other tracks tree trims and gate remotes. List what actually happens in your community each month, then engage an OC manager who fits that list. Write down must‑haves, nice‑to‑haves, and deal breakers before any interviews.
2. Verify credentials, compliance, and coverage
Credentials signal discipline. In Florida, community association managers require a CAM license under Chapter 468, Part VIII. Nationally, look for CMCA, AMS, or PCAM designations from CAI, which require continuing education. Insurance matters more than logos. Ask for certificates showing general liability, workers’ comp, and fidelity/employee dishonesty coverage sized to your reserves, for example, coverage equal to or greater than your $600,000 reserve balance. Ask who audits their trust accounts and whether they follow GAAP. One Phoenix firm shares annual CPA reviews and AM Best A‑rated carriers, which calms boards and lenders alike. Request license numbers, designations, and policy limits in writing.
3. Demand financial clarity and modern tools
Money management is where managers prove value. Require monthly financials by a set date, say the 15th, including bank reconciliations, variance notes, and year‑to‑date budget vs. actual. Separate operating and reserve accounts with dual signers to prevent “oops” moments. A Brooklyn co‑op avoided a $37,000 roofing deposit loss because its manager insisted on a separate escrow and a three‑bid policy documented in the minutes. Technology helps. Portals like AppFolio or Buildium let owners pay online, submit work orders, and see announcements without endless email replies. You reduce late fees, eliminate guesswork, and replace mystery with dashboards. Ask for a sample financial packet and a demo log‑in before you sign.
4. Test communication and service levels
You’re hiring responsiveness as much as expertise. Set expectations: routine owner emails answered within 1 business day, emergency calls live‑answered 24/7, board packets delivered 5 days before meetings. During a Denver snowstorm, a strong manager texts plow ETAs within 30 minutes and posts garage alerts, which beats the rumor mill by about two days. Meeting minutes should land within 72 hours and read like records, not a stream‑of‑consciousness novel. Ask how they triage after‑hours issues, who covers vacations, and what CRM they use to track tickets. Put the standards in the contract so you can measure them.
5. Check track record, references, and the first 90 days
Past performance predicts your next budget. Ask for references from two boards of similar size, then call the treasurer and the board secretary. Probe for specifics: delinquency rates before and after, vendor savings, insurance claim outcomes. A 50‑unit building in Brooklyn cut arrears from 12 per cent to 4 per cent in six months after its manager tightened collections and added ACH. Transition plans matter. A good firm outlines a 90‑day checklist that includes bank account changes, vendor W‑9s, key logs, preventive maintenance calendars, and a reserve study review. Your board gets fewer surprises, which is how it should be. Request a written transition timeline with names and dates.
A capable manager won’t fix every human quirk in the lobby. They will set systems so small snags stay small, costs stay visible, and your building feels calm. Define what you need, verify the proof, and put standards on paper. Then choose the partner who makes your next 12 months look boring in the best way.
