Help in Finding New Mangagement Company

Click on the "Resource Library" link above, then "Association Management" when you get to CAN. Start with the article: "Details are Key to Effective management Contracts" and then some of the others. That should help you on the contract.

There is no list of "recommended" management companies, but a place to start is the chapter web sites for CAI. They have a large Metro DC chapter and one in the Baltimore area. Either should have a list of management companies. Here's the chapter list page:
http://www.caionline.org/about/aboutchap.cfm

There are two ways you have to look at management companies. First does the company have the systems and processes (professionalism) to do the job right. In other words, how do they handle both routine and non-routine tasks. For example, how are work orders handled, how long does it take, how often do they communicate with the person who submitted the work order, do they get feedback on the work and what do they do with that feedback? You have to evaluate their systems for each of the processes you want them to handle. The second area of importance is: Who will be your manager? You need to talk to board members of other associations that person manages and you have to meet him or her BEFORE you sign the contract. Does their personality work with your board members? How well do they communicate? Have they shown they can deal effectively with owners? etc. Too often, you find a good management company with good systems, but the specific manager assigned to your account is new, untested, weak, or just doesn't mesh, and everyone ends up unhappy. Try to reduce this risk,

Ideally everyone wants great systems and a great manager, but this rarely exists, or is available when you want them. If you can find good systems and a good manager, you'll proably be happy.

Let us know if we can help some more.

Joe

Well we did everything that Joe and Roger suggested and thought that we had successfully found a replacement for the mgmt company from hell. on all the items, the new company and mgr were perfect! References were stellar! Even from other mgmt companies, who weren't taking on condo biz! Well, we are less than happy ;-((, and there are no openings in ANY mgmt companies who are still doing condos that we would do business with ~ since none of the references that the mgmt companies gave us would EVER do biz with those companies again.