What’s it like being an HOA manager? | Ep. 7

Anthony Edwards, community manager, discusses his experience in becoming an HOA manager.

Read Transcript Matthew Holbrook (00:25)

Welcome to The Uncommon Area. I’m Matthew Holbrook, and this episode is going to be looking at what a manager’s experience is like in first coming to Action Property Management. Here to talk about that here today is Anthony Edwards. Thank you so much for joining us.

Anthony Edwards (00:42)

Of course. Thank you for having me.

Matthew Holbrook (00:44)

Yeah, maybe it’d be helpful. You’ve been here at Action now for a little while, but before you came to Action, what were you doing?

Anthony Edwards (00:51)

We’re doing construction and concrete management or property management.

Matthew Holbrook (00:56)

Not exactly HOA management, but kind of a related field.

Anthony Edwards (01:01)

Related in the way that they do align in many ways, but not related on the other aspects of it.

Matthew Holbrook (01:08)

Yeah, of the kind of HOA-specific component.

Anthony Edwards (01:11)

Yes.

Matthew Holbrook (01:12)

I’m curious, just in getting into this business on the HOA management side, what are the types of things that align with what you previously did that translates into this business?

Anthony Edwards (01:25)

In terms of aligning, I would say, time management, and the aspects of keeping up with vendors, and maintenance obligations, those things all align.

Matthew Holbrook (01:36)

What would be the different kinds of challenges that maybe your previous experience didn’t prepare you for?

Anthony Edwards (01:41)

I would say that the difference is more so on the personalities and the differences in personalities, and the homeowners and their communication aspect, as opposed to communicating with contractors and commercial vendors on a daily basis. They communicate much differently than homeowners do.

Matthew Holbrook (02:00)

Right. It’s different when you’re talking like more on a B2B level as opposed to in this business, it’s very much we’re talking to people where they’re the consumer.

Anthony Edwards (02:10)

Yes.

Matthew Holbrook (02:11)

It changes the dynamic of that relationship and interaction.

Anthony Edwards (02:15)

It does. It also changes the anticipated time frame of that communication, I think, with people, which rightfully so, you are a member of that association. You’re anticipating someone that works for the management company to respond a little bit quicker than you would maybe to a contractor.

Matthew Holbrook (02:30)

Sure.

Anthony Edwards (02:31)

Just getting used to those time frame differences.

Matthew Holbrook (02:34)

We’re interacting with people in their homes, and when something happens at home, it has a different level of urgency, too.

Anthony Edwards (02:41)

Absolutely.

Matthew Holbrook (02:43)

We understand that. I know you understand that well, and you’ve made a really positive impression with the residents and the board members that you’ve worked with. When you first came to Action, as a company, what were your first impressions of Action Property Management?

Anthony Edwards (02:59)

Well, when I first came to Action, I actually didn’t know that HOA management was even an industry. I didn’t know it existed. I knew what an HOA was, but I thought it was more on the voluntary management end because I do live in an HOA, but I never really had any interest in their operation.

Anthony Edwards (03:20)

It was a shock to me of really a few different things of the regulatory side and the importance of the regulatory side, but the amount of regulatory laws that are associated with specifically homeowners associations and just the ch