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Finding the best qualified community management company is no easy feat. To help developers narrow the field, we’ve compiled a list of the top five questions you should ask each prospective candidate.

1. How do you assist developers with community documents and budgetary issues?
   A community management company should alleviate the stress of dealing with budgets.
   
   
2. How do you develop a great neighborhood?
   Every developer wants to create a strong community.  A good candidate will have a unique vision that can help a developer reach its goals.
   
   
3. How do you create a physical environment that promotes a sense of community?
   Neighbors need safe, comfortable spaces to meet each other.  A community manager needs to take into consideration the quality and quantity of physical meeting areas to ensure the neighborhood fosters the highest levels of neighbor participation.
   
   
4. How do you keep neighborhoods safe?
   The most important feature of any community is safety.  If a family doesn’t feel safe living their daily lives, the neighborhood will never maintain a sense of community.  A professional community manager should have experience establishing safety measures like block watches and raising awareness.
   
   
5. How do you encourage homeowner participation in the HOA?
   A strong community management company will know how to encourage member involvement and ensure their participation is productive.  This involvement is critical for HOA success.  A 2012 Community Associations Institute (CAI) survey found 70% who live in HOA communities rated their experience as positive.

Continue to read the Associated Asset Management Blog for information about Community Management.

A professional community management company does more than enforce CC&Rs.  To get the best partner possible, HOA boards should ask the following six questions during the selection process:

1. What’s your vision for the neighborhood?
   For every neighborhood to succeed, a clear vision is needed.  And, the community manager’s vision must be consistent with the HOA boards.
   
2. How do you encourage interaction among neighbors?
   Across the country, statistics show a disconnect between what neighbors want from their neighborhoods and what currently exists. 
   
3. How do you keep neighbors in the loop?
   Strong communities require neighbors to be engaged.  But, to get people to participate, community managers must first raise awareness and maintain interest.
   
4. How do you promote support among neighbors?
   Creating a neighborhood in which neighbors can rely on each other is an important goal.  Most people considering HOA communities want this type of relationship with their neighbors.
   
5. How do you enhance neighborhood safety and build a sense of stability?
   Neighbors must feel safe and stable for a sense of community to develop.  A community manager and do things like help establish block watches, raise safety awareness and provide information resources.
   
6. How do you help nurture leadership within the HOA?
   HOAs need a regular supply of leaders to participate in community activities.  By getting people involved in the HOA, a strong community manager can help hone leadership skills of members.

Continue to read the Associated Asset Management Blog for information about Community Management.

Your neighborhood association can help build a community that connects people.  It helps provide safety and a sense of community.  Great neighborhood associations also empower people and encourage participation in community activities.  And, they provide a safe environment for children to socialize outside the family.

A strong neighborhood provides the foundation for families and creates the building blocks for a better America.  That’s why neighborhoods matter so much and why AAM is committed to providing the highest levels of community management.

To create great neighborhoods, we recognize we need to listen to those we serve.  Therefore, we’d like you to take a few moments to explain why your neighborhood matters to you.  Our brief neighborhood survey should only take about three to five minutes to complete.

The information collected from the survey will help us understand how members prefer to interact within their neighborhood.  In addition, we’ll get better ideas on how to enhance the process.  After submitting your completed survey, you’ll be automatically entered into a monthly drawing for a $50 gift card. 
 
Continue to read the Associated Asset Management Blog for information about Neighborhood Association.

Founded over 20 years ago, AAM has been helping Florida HOA communities thrive.  We never fit the old industry stereotype of simply helping HOAs enforce infractions.  Instead, AAM is a different HOA management company firmly focused on creating resilient neighborhoods – the foundation of strong families, communities and a great country.

By working with AAM, Florida HOAs can tap into the key benefits of successful community management:

1. We provide just the right amount of stewardship to address your requirements.  We’re neither aggressive nor invasive.  Instead, AAM provides services and training as required or requested.  In addition, we keep abreast of the Florida legislative updates impacting HOAs.
2. We’re not only passionate about our work, AAM also demonstrates compassion to the world around us.  As an integral part of our corporate culture, AAM gives back to our communities through charitable contributions and volunteer work.  In fact, our annual goal for community service is over 3,000 volunteer hours.
3. People are at the very core of our commitment.  It’s not just hype; we’re dedicated in a very real way to helping our people at every level of the organization.
4. AAM stays focused on growth.  By doing so, we continually think outside the box, are open to new ideas and willing to take more risks.  AAM rewards innovation, initiative and agility.
5. We never lose sight of the concept of community.  AAM’s goal is to work with our HOA clients to build a better America, one neighborhood at a time.  We want to deliver everything you expect from a Florida HOA management company – and more.

Continue to read the Associated Asset Management Blog for more information on the benefits of our Florida HOA Management.

An HOA management company can provide real value to board members and the neighborhood at-large.  But, the partnership needs to be managed properly to reap the best results.

The following tips will help protect your HOA and build a positive relationship with your management company:

• If the board did the necessary due diligence during the selection process, they should have found a good match between your HOA’s requirements and the management company’s capabilities.  The services provided should be no more or no less than what the board needs to create the best neighborhood environment possible.
• Make sure you carefully review everything you need your HOA management company to do and then put it in writing.  The contract finalization process should not be rushed.  Because everyone interprets things differently, it’s important not to assume anything.  So, list all services and fees, as well as highlight exclusions and termination conditions.
• Identify due dates for all services and reports.  The less gray area between the board and management company, the better chance the relationship has of thriving.  With schedules defined and agreed upon, you have an objective tool from which to measure performance.  Even if the management company provides excellent services, the value of those services becomes greatly diminished if they are delivered late.
• To ensure the proper party handles HOA management functions, the board needs to clarify roles. For example, you need to decide who members call with issues and what determines which issues go to the board or the management company.  When everyone knows their responsibilities, you have a much better opportunity for promoting efficiency and creating a beneficial partnership.

Continue to read the Associated Asset Management Blog for information about using a HOA Management Company.