Hiring the right property manager for your HOA community is crucial to your community’s success. These managers are the face of your HOA and are integral parts of the maintenance and care of the property and residents. Having a caring, proactive, organized, and responsive manager is key to making a great community. Follow these tips to help you hire the right property manager for your HOA association!

Determine Responsibilities

Before you can find the right individual, you need to understand what responsibilities they will have in the community. A common and, in most cases, most important task will be homeowner management. This includes answering questions homeowners might have, communicating with them about events, helping them submit architectural requests, and answering violation questions. Excellent communication is crucial, so you want to ensure you have the right tools in place. SmartCommunications allows you to send messages to homeowners in a few clicks! Tag residents into different groups to help send targeted messages out to your community and make communication that much easier.

Managing violations will be a large part of an HOA manager’s job. This will include creating violations, sending out violation letters, and communicating with homeowners. Managing violations can be extremely time-consuming, so having software like SmartViolations will significantly benefit a property manager. Managers will be able to map, submit, and report on violations making it simple to stay organized. 

Vendor management is another responsibility of an HOA manager as they will get bids, hire vendors, and follow up as needed. With software like SmartWorkorders, you can schedule maintenance with your preferred vendors, track the progress, and pay them directly. This helps everyone stay informed on what maintenance is being performed, and with the mobile app, vendors can directly track their progress. 

These are just a few duties of an HOA manager, and there are many more, so it’s important to understand what they will be doing so you can hire the right candidate. If you want a more comprehensive list of HOA manager duties, you can visit HOAmanagement.com!

Licensing and Credentials 

Does your state require property managers to have some sort of license, certification, or other credentials? Make sure they have them! Even if your state doesn’t require them, it’s a great benefit to hiring someone with industry knowledge as it means they are invested in the industry. In your application, you can simply ask each candidate to input their specific licenses/certifications they have acquired. 

Speak with Their References

References can be a benefit to anyone searching for the perfect candidate. You only see what comes across on their resume or interviews, so speaking with individuals who have previously worked with the candidate can be insightful. Have each candidate give you one to two references for you to reach out to during the interview process, and make sure you look at the references to make sure they have previously worked together. 

Conflict Resolution Skills

Asking personality questions will help you see if the candidate is a good fit for your position. One of the most essential aptitudes for any property manager is conflict resolution skills. We know dealing with angry homeowners, tracking down vendors, and communicating with many different people can be challenging. You want to make sure this individual has excellent problem-solving and communication skills. Asking them to give examples of difficult situations they had to resolve or handling conversations in challenging scenarios will help you better understand your candidates. 

Hiring the right manager for your HOA community can take time, but it will be rewarding in the end! Property managers are a great asset to your community and can help the perception of the HOA in your resident’s eyes. Once you’ve got the right manager in place, make sure you have the right tools as well! Smartwebs’ all-in-one platform can help managers run their communities smoothly. Violations, Architecturals, Work Orders, Communications, Resident Portal, and Accounting management are all at your fingertips. 

Schedule a demo with our team and see how Smartwebs can help you manage your communities smarter. 

How to Explain Your HOA Community Fee Increase. It isn’t news most homeowners want to hear: that assessments might increase. But sometimes, a fee increase is the best way to keep an association in good financial health, and sometimes, increases are unavoidable. Here are some of the reactions homeowners typically have when they hear that their fees are about to increase, followed by the related rationales for an increase.

“I can’t afford the increase HOA Community Fee Increase.”

When you live in an association, you need to be willing to share the costs, as described in the governing documents you agreed upon in escrow. Keep in mind that if the association does not maintain its property, real-estate values can decline.

“I probably won’t be living here in 15 years when the streets need repaving. Why should I have to pay now?”

Senior citizens and young people living in condos they consider to be starter homes often pose this question. The problem with this “short-timer” logic is that these people are themselves benefiting from the use of the streets, pool, and other shared assets paid for by members who lived there before. Members should pay for the incremental use of these items each year they live there.

“Why don’t we just have a special assessment for a specific project?”

It can be difficult to collect money when you suddenly have a significant expense. It’s better to obtain it gradually, so the funds are there when you need them. Also, a special assessment unfairly penalizes homeowners who happen to live in the association at the time.

We hope this helps you combat some common questions when fee increases happen in your associations. With SmartCommunications, you can get ahead of these questions by sending out notifications via text, email, or voicemail to your community. Not currently using SmartCommunications? Schedule a demo at Smartwebs.com/demo.

Maintaining common areas is one of the board’s most basic responsibilities. To fulfill that responsibility, it’s a good idea to hire professional landscapers.

These fees may seem like an added or even unnecessary expense, but the additional cost will be less than the losses you would face without professional help in the long run.

Consider the advantages:

Professional Expertise

It takes more than a green thumb to maintain attractive and functional landscaping. A contractor employs experienced staff and trained labor crews. This expertise translates into a cost-effective and successful landscape maintenance program for your community.

Bulk Purchase Savings

A landscape contractor purchases plants and supplies in bulk quantities at reduced prices and can pass the savings along to your community.

No Equipment to Buy or Maintain

The association doesn’t have to purchase, store, insure, maintain, or buy fuel for equipment.

Improved Plant Survival

Trees, turf, shrubs, and other plantings are costly. Without proper care, they don’t survive, especially immediately after installation. A landscaper will guarantee newly planted shrubs and trees, so you don’t have to pay for replacing dead plants.

Reduced Liability

An association’s landscape contractor is appropriately insured and knowledgeable about and compliant with all local and federal environmental requirements and safety regulations. Your contract should shift the responsibility to the contractor and reduce the association’s liability.

Landscaping is essential to a community’s quality of life, its image, and its value. However, maintaining it can be costly. Is it worth an association paying for these services? Yes! Failing to invest in professional landscape maintenance is a false economy because curb appeal makes a neighborhood desirable and contributes to the value of your homes.

Did you know with the release of SmartBooks, you can pay contractors directly? No more managing payments in different systems! One login, one platform. Schedule your demo today at Smartwebs.com/demo!

Winter is quickly approaching, which means falling temperatures and cold weather on the horizon, so it’s essential to protect your HOA communities. When you winterize your communities, you are helping to protect them and avoid expensive repairs in the future. Is your community ready for the upcoming season? Here are some tips to help get you prepared for winter!

Seal any cracks in your pavement

When cracks in your pavement are left unrepaired, ice will build up and expand the pavement making your crack even worse than before. This is a great time to check your sidewalks, playgrounds, pavilions, and more to see if any cracks need to be filled before winter begins.

Plan for snow removal and power outages

How prepared were you last time you had snow or power outages? If you live in an area that gets snow every year, you probably already know how to deal with it. But if you’re in an area that doesn’t get snow, it’s still essential to have a plan in place, as we saw with Texas communities last year. Make sure you can communicate with your community during these times and keep them updated on any news. Power outages during snowstorms are common so make sure you have generators ready for your communities to keep the heat on. Educating your residents on how to stay warm during a power outage is also a great idea!

Protect your pipes

Bursting pipes are a big issue when you endure cold weather, especially in areas where it’s not common. If the weather is forecasted to drop below freezing, make sure you turn your faucets on to drip and keep your sink cabinet doors open. You should also turn off and drain all of your outdoor faucets, a vital task! If you have any outdoor pipes, you can add insulation to them to keep them from freezing.

Know who to call in case of an emergency

We can all hope that nothing serious happens during a winter storm, but you truly never know. Having a file with your important contacts for repairs and even personal injuries is important to prepare for the future. This list will not only help you in times of need but also your homeowners as well! If you can provide a readily available list to them, it can go a long way in their happiness with your community.

Inspect your HVAC system

Having your HVAC system serviced twice a year is a good rule of thumb and right before winter starts is a good time to have a technician inspect it! An experienced technician will be able to not only tune-up your HVAC but also catch any issues that could be potential problems. This will be an important preventative item for you to take for your community.

Getting your community ready for the upcoming season is crucial for the future of your community. Homeowners will appreciate you for it and know they live in a place that takes care of its facilities. We hope this winter season is filled with a lot of fun and joy, so make sure you’re prepared for anything that could happen!

Our employees are our backbone, and we love getting together as a company! On Friday, November 5, Smartwebs employees met at Lake Creek Park in Round Rock, TX, for a team-building picnic. We were able to eat lunch together, share some laughs, and join in on some fun!

After lunch, we broke off into four teams to build bikes for the kids at Texas Baptist Children’s Home. Texas Baptist Children’s Home provides a safe home and a stable family environment where children, single mothers, and youth aging out of foster care can learn, grow, and ultimately experience a happy, healthy future. We loved getting to work together on a project that would directly impact children in our community! This activity also helped us get to know one another and different working styles to complete a common goal. 

Once we finished up building our bikes, we started our team-building activities. The first game we played was called Hole Tarp, yup you read that right; it’s called Hole Tarp. Why? You guessed it, because there is a tarp, and it has holes in it! This game took major communication skills and strategy as each team had to get their tennis ball to go through the correct spot. The tennis ball(s) were placed on the tarp, and each group was told which color hole it needed to go through. It was entertaining to see how each team interpreted these instructions and how to do it effectively. One group just dropped the tennis ball through the hole since there weren’t any rules against it. We had to be given more rules once our CEO, Shawn Feilding, realized we were all a sneaky bunch! This game helped us see who in our groups were natural at stepping up and giving directions, who was more systematic in their thinking, and how to interact with different personalities.

After this, we played a game called landmines, where each team had to direct their teammate through a series of obstacles to the other side without stepping on any of the items. Pictured above is our CEO, Shawn Feilding, trying to get through while others were putting more obstacles in his way! This activity was challenging as each team was allowed to distract the other once they had made it through, making it difficult to know who to listen to. In this game, we learned how it’s better when one person is directing and not the whole group, so the participant knows who to listen to. We also learned that sometimes louder isn’t better as other people were giving wrong directions to distract us. 

All in all, it was a day filled with fun and good weather! We enjoyed getting together as a group, some of us meeting each other for the first time, and connecting as a company. We are excited to continue to do events like this together as our next company get-together is in December for our Holiday Christmas Party! If you ever want to host a community event for your neighborhood, having SmartCommunications is a great tool to have so you can send out mass communications to your community. Contact our team today for a demo!

Did you know that 25% to 27% of the U.S. population lives in private communities governed by homeowners associations, condominium associations, and housing associations? But for homeowners, it doesn’t matter how many HOAs there are—all that matters is finding the right community and the right HOA. And that’s where the right HOA management software can make a world of difference for your customer experience.

Here’s a look at what HOA management software is, why you need it, and what features to look for in the best software.

What is HOA Management Software?

HOA management software is your one-stop shop for everything related to property management. It used to be used by sophisticated property management companies with large and complex holdings, but these days, software evolution and pricing has made the same functionality available to even the smallest of HOAs.

Most managers use HOA management software for one of five reasons:

1. Accounting
2. Building management
3. Work order or maintenance management
4. Marketing tools
5. Tenant portal

The benefits for HOA managers are just as good, and in many respects, this software allows you to take charge of what’s going on in your community.

Of course, the real benefit isn’t just that you can break out a resident portal or simplify your accounting. The real benefit is that you no longer need to rely on an endless chain of people to handle small jobs. Instead, great software allows you to automate a lot of small tasks so that you can focus on the big ones.

In addition, good software provides an unbeatable customer experience. The reality is that no matter who lives in your community, today’s homeowners come with an implied degree of technical sophistication. They have certain expectations of professionalism, and those show through in your customer experience.

HOA management software allows you to meet (and exceed) those expectations every time.

What to Look for in the Best HOA Management Software

What separates good HOA management software from the best?

Start by looking for a few core features. For example, good software should include basic features like association management, owner communication, administrative functions, and accounting.

For HOAs, you’ll also want tools like online architectural request forms, a work order portal, and violation software.

The best software goes one step further. Not only are these features easy to use, but they’re integrated into a single powerful dashboard with all the functionality your community needs.

If you have to mix and match solutions, you’ll confuse and frustrate your members, and more importantly, you’ll constantly fight an uphill integration battle. Look for one system that does everything and does a wonderful job of it.

The one thing that great software is not? Free. Unfortunately, free HOA management software is often mutually exclusive from good software.

The Software You Need to Strengthen Your Community

Ready for HOA management software that goes the extra mile?

Here at SmartWebs, we know that property managers need a smarter way to do business. That’s why we offer a variety of software options tailored to your unique needs, like our SmartArchitecturals software that allows for easy architectural request submissions and 24/7 access throughout the process. It’s just one of the ways we’re improving the property management experience.

And best of all? We specialize in HOAs, which means you get software made for your unique needs.

Ready to give your HOA members an experience they’ll love? Schedule a demo today to learn more about how our software can help.

We understand that some communities are in areas that don’t have the best signal or no signal at all. This is why we developed our offline mobile app to help community managers still do their job without data. Process HOA Violations on Mobile. Smartwebs is one of the only property management software companies that are able to accommodate processing violations in the field without a signal. Keep reading to know why it’s important for you to have this feature as a part of your HOA management software. 

No data? No problem! 

Smartwebs was designed and developed to keep HOA inspections moving with no data needed. Quickly download your community or communities on an Apple or Android device and you’ll have access to a virtual map with the location of properties to process violations with speed. Once you’ve completed your drive/inspection(s), upload the information with one click and it will be processed seamlessly into the Smartwebs office site.

GPS Tracking

Did you know it’s still possible to use GPS tracking even without a signal? With our software, it is! The app is able to track you throughout the community so you know exactly what units you are viewing. Never lose sight of your community again! In the mobile offline app, you can see your current location, choose the unit you need, click the type of violation, snap a picture, and click submit. It’s as easy as 3 clicks and a pic! 

Zero Touch Communications

Sending out violations letters has never been easier. After you have processed your violations with our offline app, they will be ready for Zero Touch Mailing once you get back. Zero Touch allows you to send off a pre-designed letter template straight to the resident by email and mail with a click of a button. No more printing, stuffing and mailing violation letters by hand, it’s already done for you. 

We built our software to meet your company’s needs and are constantly improving by listening to our customers. Excited about this feature? Schedule a demo so we can show you how your community can do things smarter. After all, Smart is in our name!

Processing HOA violations by hand should be a thing of the past! More than ever, it is vital to keep track of all violations in case you need to provide documentation about an owner’s past. Smartviolations has made processing violations quick and easy with our coined phrase, 3 clicks and a pic! With a violation software like ours, you can speed up productivity, keep residents informed, and keep a record of all current and past violations.

These are the top four reasons your HOA needs violation software:

#1 Keep Records of All HOA Violations

As new laws are passed for HOA communities, homeowners are wanting more access to data. It’s extremely important to have a record of all your violations. With Smartwebs HOA management software, you can take photos of the violation in real-time and since the photo is auto-stamped with the date and time there is no confusion on when the violation occurred. You can include up to four photos on a single violation letter helping you capture the extent of the violation or even multiple violations in one letter. 

#2 Make your life easier with Zero Touch Mailing

With SmartViolations you will be able to capture the violation out in the field and it’ll be ready to send when you’re back in the office! Our system will auto-generate a pre-designed letter template with the violation photo attached and send it to the resident by email and mail. With Zero Touch mailing, you no longer have to print and mail out violation letters, it’s all done for you in one simple click! 

#3 Automatically send out notices to residents

Once you have processed your violation you can use Zero Touch Mailing to send it to the resident. With Zero-touch mailing, you never have to print or mail another violation letter. The resident will immediately receive an emailed copy of the letter as well as a printed copy in the mail. With the addition of the Resident Portal, the resident can see all their past and present violations. Homeowners can use our portal to ask questions or notify their property managers that violations have been corrected.

#4 Easy offline mobile management

Are you working on an iPad that doesn’t have cellular service? Don’t worry Smartwebs has you covered! With our software, you can track your violations on the move even when there is no cell service. Simply create a new violation, take a photo, and click print when you’re back in the office. 3 clicks and a pic! 

Smartwebs’ technology is all about helping you manage your communities better and with SmartViolations we do just that. With our automated systems, you can cut down on the time spent creating violation letters. Interested to see SmartViolations in action? Schedule a demo with our team today at Smartwebs.com/demo!

Do you have residents thinking about remodeling their kitchen, building an addition, or embarking on some other construction project that will require the services of a contractor? With the help of SmartArchitecturals, we have made submitting arch requests fast and easy with our online portal!  

Once a resident has completed an arch request through our SmartArchitecturals software and, it’s approved, they are ready to break ground! Help them keep their project nailed down with five simple guidelines:

1. Reconcile your contractors’ objectives with your own. You want your project to be completed on time and within budget. Contractors want to maximize their compensation. Design a compensation plan that maximizes your contractors’ profits when they achieve your objectives at each stage of the project.
2. Nothing drives down prices like competition. Any price you obtain without competition will be higher than the price you receive with it.
3. Write down everything you expect. Effective competition requires a complete, accurate, and final definition of the goods and services involved in the project.
4. Use standard forms for your contracts. The American Institute of Architects offers a variety of sample documents at www.aia.org/docs_default. Just realize there’s no such thing as a standard project and customize your contracts accordingly.
5. There is no substitute for professionalism. An architect, contractor, or other participants in your project who has a track record of character and professionalism will likely demonstrate those qualities on your project. Conversely, a participant with the opposite track record will probably remain true to form.

Contractors can be tough to work with, so finding the right one is important. Ask your friends who they have used in the past and ask your contractor for references. But most importantly, have fun with your project and get ready for the big reveal! Ready to give SmartArchitecturals a try? Visit smartwebs.com/smartarchitecturals/ for a FREE 5-Minute demo.

Community Resident Portal

Does your HOA need a community resident portal? The answer is yes.

Managing resident service requests, amenity use, reservations, as well as other homeowner requests can be time-consuming for property managers. A community resident portal is the main means of relieving management staff by streamlining vital communications between managers and residents, making life simpler for everyone.

The importance of a community resident portal

The benefits of an efficient community resident portal serve everyone involved, from the people submitting service requests to the staff answering their inquiries to the homeowners’ association boards in charge of keeping a vibrant community in excellent condition.

Community residents: A community resident portal will enable homeowners to independently, conveniently, and entirely online submit amenity bookings, maintenance issue tickets, and service requests. There is no opportunity for misunderstanding or ambiguity thanks to quick approvals and openness.

Community association board members: Board members may immediately evaluate, accept, or reject any choices that call for their opinion without additional and unnecessary phone conversations or email exchanges since they have a clear view of the requests made by residents in their community.

Management Company Members: Personnel from the management businesses have set up a site so that queries, bookings, and service requests from homeowners may be handled promptly and easily. They can take no action at all for certain activities by setting up automatic approval criteria for particular amenities or service requests.

What are the features of a community resident portal?

Direct Messaging

Eliminate emails with direct messaging! At Smartwebs, we know it’s hard to keep up with all the emails from all your residents and our portal helps organize this need. With direct messaging, residents can send requests, questions, and comments which are replied to in the same place. If they have questions about their architectural request, they can see the status in the portal so their questions can get answered before they even ask!   !  

Online Submit Forms

Submitting architectural requests and work orders just got easier! Smartwebs offers custom forms for your community and your residents can access them directly from the portal. Since the form is submitted online a request will automatically be generated in our system which will eliminate manual work for you. Once submitted, residents can then track the status of any of their open requests.

Violation Tracking

Violations are never fun but with our portal software, it’s easy for residents to see what violations they have on their property, upload photos to show it’s been fixed, or send a message directly to the property manager about the status of their violation. This keeps everything in one place for not only residents but property managers as well.

Community Documents

Finding community documents can be difficult for residents, especially if buried in a website. With our portal software, community documents are gathered in one place, again eliminating the need for them to email property managers to find what they are looking for.

But transitioning to a new platform is time-consuming. 

At Smartwebs, our team has developed a system to seamlessly transition to an all-encompassing platform to attend to all Management Company’s needs, demands, and obligations. The platforms’ setup is done through our white-glove service, providing easy data upload, one-on-one training, and dedicated support to property managers. Furthermore, Smartwebs assures that residents’ first-time sing-ins are done with only 3 clicks!

We would love to show you our resident portal in action! If you’re an existing customer please reach out to our support team to get an overview of this software and get set up. If you’re new to the Smartwebs family, schedule a demo with our sales team so we can show you what we are all about!

Water conservation is an essential issue in an association and not just because you want to be environmentally responsible. Water restrictions and keeping assessments low are other reasons an association might need to conserve water.

Here’s how residents can help during a water restriction:

Appliances

• Large appliances-washing machines and dishwashers consume the most water, so they are important places to start any water-conservation efforts.
• Set the water level on your washing machine to match the size of your load. Try to avoid doing frequent small loads; whenever possible, run the machine only when you have a full load.
• You don’t need to rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher! No, really. Hand rinsing dishes under the faucet uses 15-18 gallons of water per load. If your dishwasher has a pre-rinse cycle, try using it instead of hand rinsing. If a dish or two isn’t completely clean after the dishwasher cycle, finish the job by hand.
• Like the washing machine, only run the dishwasher when it’s full. If you have only a few dishes, wash them by hand in a sink or basin-not under a running faucet. Use a second basin or dishpan for rinsing, or spray rinse all the soapy dishes at once.

Splish-Splash-Conserving in the Bath

• After these major appliances, the bathroom offers the next biggest opportunity to save water during water restrictions.
• Make sure your toilets are all working efficiently. According to the American Water Works Association, the average American home loses 14 percent of all water used to leaks. 
• Keep your showers as brief as possible or turn the water off while shaving or scrubbing in the stall. Consider installing water-saver showerheads and faucets.
• When taking a bath, close the drain while the water warms up then adjust the temperature. Monitor the tub as it fills, and turn the water off at the halfway mark.

Running Hot and Cold

• There’s nothing as refreshing as a cold drink of water, but don’t let the faucet run to get it. Chill a container of water in the refrigerator instead.
• Avoid running hot tap water over frozen food to defrost it; put it in the refrigerator the night before.
• Rethink any tasks you usually perform under running water-like washing vegetables or brushing your teeth. (A gallon of water a minute flows through a tap that’s only half-open). Use a dishpan or bowl of water instead of letting the tap run. Then pour the water from the bowl on your house plants.

“Used” Water

Before pouring that half-filled glass of water down the sink, aşk yourself where could it be put to good use? How about pouring it in the dog’s bowl? And the condensate from the dehumidifier is suitable for watering plants. Other sources of “used” water is ideal for reuse-it just takes a little imagination and a change in routine.

Water conservation begins with each of us. If each resident makes a few simple adjustments in household routine, the association can conserve thousands of gallons of water and save thousands of dollars each year. Need to inform your community of any water restrictions? Use SmartCommunications to send out a notification to your entire community or even a targeted list. Contact our sales team today if you’re interested in setting up SmartCommunications. 

The CAI Annual Conference is the most significant event for the community association industry, and it’s happening this year in Las Vegas at Caesars Forum. If you’re curious about attending this year’s event, keep reading as we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the event. 

Who should attend?

If you are a community association manager, management company executive, product and service provider for HOAs, condos, co-ops, or a community association board member, this conference is for you! 

Why should I attend?

The CAI Annual Conference is a great way to develop connections, expand your network, and learn about new industry products and services. With over 1,000 people attending this year’s conference, there will be plenty of ways you can network with small groups or large social events. Not to mention some great speakers to help you better manage your community. 

Where is the event held and when?

This year’s conference will be at a brand new Ceasars Forum! This new space has ample room to keep all of the attendees safe and connected to the newly renovated Harrah’s Casino and The Linq Hotel. The conference is from August 18-21.

What vendors will be there?

With over 120 exhibitors attending the event, there will be plenty of new products and services to check out, including us, Smartwebs! We will be at Booth 501 with new product launches, fantastic giveaways, and product demos for you to watch. If you’re curious who will be attending the event, check out the sponsors and exhibitors page on CAI Online. 

What kind of topics will be discussed?

The CAI Annual Conference is an ultimate destination to learn from industry leaders and colleagues. You will be able to listen to keynote speakers, connect with others at networking events, and attend educational sessions to help you manage your communities better. 

Some educational topics being discussed at this year’s conference are:

• Creating a Drama-Free Community: Tips to Avoid Discrimination, Harassment, and Litigation Risks Prompted by COVID-19
• When Boards Make Mistakes: How to Minimize the Fallout
• A Great Place to Work: Attracting and Retaining Talent in a Competitive World
• Talking About Our Generations: Supporting, Motivating, and Leading Five Generations

To see more of the educational sessions and the full tentative schedule, visit CAI Online! We can’t wait to see you all at this year’s event so if you do attend, make sure to stop by Booth 501.

Interested in learning more about Smartwebs? Schedule a product demo today!