Hiring a management company is one of the biggest decisions a volunteer board makes. The firm will handle your money, your vendors, and many of your residents' daily problems. A good interview process takes a few weeks and saves years of frustration.
Before the first call
Agree as a board on what you need. Write down:
- What is not working today. Slow responses, late financials, vendor problems, or a self-managed board that is burned out.
- The scope. Full-service management, financial services only, or on-site staff.
- Your building facts. Number of units or homes, amenities, age of the property, and any big projects coming up.
Send the same written scope to every firm. Proposals are only comparable when everyone quotes the same job.
Questions about the people
The company matters, but the manager assigned to you matters more.
- Who would be our day-to-day manager, and can we meet them before signing?
- How many associations does that manager handle today?
- Who covers when our manager is out, and who answers after hours?
- How long do managers usually stay with your firm?
- What licenses or credentials does the manager hold?
Questions about money
- What does the monthly financial package include, and when does it arrive each month?
- How do you handle collections and delinquent owners?
- Are association funds kept in accounts in the association's name?
- How are invoices approved, and who can sign checks?
- Do you earn anything from vendors you recommend? Ask the firm to disclose it in writing.
Questions about operations
- How do residents submit requests, and how fast do you respond?
- How do you collect vendor bids, and how many bids do you get for larger jobs?
- What software do residents and board members use?
- How do you support board meetings, elections, and annual budgets?
Check the license and the references
In Florida, firms that provide community association management services must hold a state license, and individual managers need their own community association manager license. Every listing on PropertyManagementSearch shows whether we matched the firm to an active Florida firm license, and you can confirm any license on MyFloridaLicense.com.
Then call at least two current client boards, ideally with buildings like yours. Ask what the firm does well, what they wish were different, and whether they would hire the firm again.
Red flags
- The firm cannot tell you who your manager would be.
- Vague answers about fees or vendor relationships.
- No references from associations similar to yours.
- Pressure to sign quickly or a contract that is hard to exit.
Interview checklist
| Step | Done |
|---|---|
| Written scope sent to every firm | |
| Met the proposed day-to-day manager | |
| Reviewed a sample monthly financial package | |
| Confirmed the firm's license | |
| Called two current client boards | |
| Association attorney reviewed the contract |
Ready to start? Compare management firms near you or request proposals from a shortlist in one step.