Outsider with Question About Management.

[Willo]

My name is William and I don't live in Kendall Town but I am a close neighbor at Snapper Village. Many of us at Snapper Village are somewhat disillusioned and disappointed with our management. I am doing this unofficially, but some of our homeowners are asking who manages Kendall Town. We are so impressed with the appearance of K.T. and have a vision to have the same in our place. Most of us feel that our problems stem from poor management and I, for one, am going to start researching other communities that are succeeding after which I hope to learn what it is we are doing wrong.

If any of you can tell me the management company with Kendall Town I would be most appreciative. This is totally unofficial and it has just become a general discussion at Snapper Village. We, too, have a forum similar to this one and this is where most of us communicate besides our board meetings.

We use Continental and many of us just aren't happy with their performance.

Thanks for any information you can offer.

William Blasdel.

[jon]

The reason we do so well with our management is because we have our own management staff. We do not use a management company.

Some time ago, I believe in the 70's, the homeowners got so upset about the management they unseated the board, re-elected a new board, fired the management company, and hired a property manager and staff. It has been sweet ever since.

I think the main difference between a management company and a property manager and staff is attitude. In my limited experience I have found that the employees of management companies feel that their jobs would be a lot easier if it wasn't for all these darn homeowners. An association staff employee feels more like "sure thing boss" towards homeowners. Obviously hiring practices are totally different as well.

In general again in my limited experience, and in my humble opinion, I have found that management companies are looking to collect as much as possible and in return do as little as possible. An association management staff is more interested in efficiency when it comes to the budget.

There are some downsides. The board and even the individual homeowners must be more involved. In our case the line between what the property manager may do on her own and what the board needs to be involved with has been pretty well defined over the years. There are still occasional breaches, but with involvement they are normally handled without incident.

It is imperative to maintain a good and long standing relationship with vendors when you are self managed. Management companies tend to have more in house resources and can bully outside vendors based on volume. Self managed complexes must work at maintaining the vendor relationship. At kendalltown we are very fortunate to have outstanding relationships with our vendors. Of course problems always occur, but in our case they are dealt with in a manner that makes everyone happy. It is this vendor relationship that keeps us looking so good to the outside world (along with having an in house staff to catch the small stuff). That year that we had all the hurricanes we were always first on the list for our landscaping vendor because he just likes us and we have been doing business for a long time.

Probably the single most important part of self management (again, in my humble opinion) is the property manager, If you go this way, take your time with finding the right person. This one person will be setting the entire tone for staff, homeowner interaction, board interaction, and vendor relationships.

Fifteen years ago, when I returned home to Miami after ten years in the Navy, while shopping for a home, one of my criteria for an association was self management. I wouldn't have any other way. Every now and then a homeowner here will raise the question of the advantages of a management company and they are always quashed very quickly by other homeowners.

Based on stories I have heard the transition to self management is very rough. I believe that is to be expected. I do think that the rewards at the end of the transition period are well worth the hassle.

Hope it helps

later

jon

[Willo]

Thanks Jon, for your information. It sounds really nice to have the management within the community and not with an outsider. I don't know how this will fly with Snapper Village but I'm going to toss it out for them to mull over and see what happens.

I would think they would show some interest but who knows.

Thanks again.

William in Snapper Village.