HOA
Management Services
Empire Management offers HOA management services to residential communities throughout the Eastern U.S., Texas, and Oklahoma.
In addition to handling the financial, administrative, and day-to-day responsibilities of running an HOA, Empire Management helps associations transition from developer to homeowner control.
For more than a decade, Empire Management has provided HOA management services to community associations across multiple states. During that time, we have managed a variety of associations, from long-established HOAs to newly developed communities.
Every community is unique. A community with a clubhouse, pool, private roads, extensive landscaping, or other shared amenities will require a different level of responsibility than one without them.
Empire Management starts by determining which responsibilities fall under the HOA and builds day-to-day operations around them.
What is HOA Management?
HOA management is the day-to-day administration of a homeowners association.
While the HOA board governs the association and makes decisions for the benefit of the community, a management company handles much of the day-to-day work needed to implement those decisions.
Having a professional management company handle these tasks helps ease the burden on volunteer board members, who would otherwise have to manage each function themselves.
Empire Management handles many day-to-day tasks associated with managing an HOA. These responsibilities may include:
Homeowner communications
Collection of assessments
Budget preparation and financial administration
Enforcement of covenant and deed restrictions
Architectural reviews
Vendor and utility coordination
Board meeting support
Annual meeting support
Special meeting support
Committee coordination
Recordkeeping
Policy development
Procedure development
Developer turnover/transition assistance
Administrative Support For Your Board
Volunteer board members serve an important role in governing an HOA. While they have decision-making authority on behalf of the community, that does not mean they need to personally administer every aspect of the association.
Empire Management handles much of the administrative work that supports the board. This includes preparing for meetings, maintaining records, communicating with homeowners, coordinating committees, responding to routine inquiries, and carrying out decisions made by the board.
Additionally, Empire Management can assist with agenda preparation, meeting notices, minutes, and other administrative work related to board and annual meetings.
This lets the board focus on decisions and priorities affecting the community while Empire Management keeps the administrative work moving.
Day-to-Day Management, Taken Care Of
Vendor and utility coordination
Many HOAs use outside vendors to maintain common areas and provide services throughout the community.
When an HOA needs landscaping, utilities, or another community service, Empire Management can solicit bids, review proposals with the board, and coordinate the selected provider.
The board remains responsible for selecting the services that best meet the community's needs, without having to oversee each step of the process.
As development progresses, Empire Management can also coordinate new vendors and services as responsibilities shift from the developer to the HOA.
Support for developer-controlled HOAs
In addition to providing HOA management services to homeowner-controlled communities, Empire Management provides HOA management services to developer-controlled HOAs in various stages of development.
When we first start working with a developer-controlled HOA, we meet with the developer to define how routinely occurring HOA-related issues will be addressed. Routine issues often relate to architectural requests, fee waivers, purchase approvals, homeowner questions, gate access, assessment inquiries, and other issues that occur during the development phase of a community.
Once these procedures are defined, Empire Management can typically address many routine HOA-related issues without having to refer them back to the developer for guidance.
Additionally, homeowners have a single point of contact in Empire Management for most HOA-related issues, such as assessments, gate access, and architectural requests, rather than going directly to the development team.
As the community develops further, the HOA may become responsible for costs and duties that were previously managed by the developer. Empire Management can assist with budgeting changes, vendor and utility coordination, and additional responsibilities as they shift to the HOA.
Preparing for homeowner control
The timing of when control of the HOA passes from the developer to the homeowners is determined by the community’s governing documents. It could be based on a fixed period of time, a specified number of properties being sold, or another event outlined in the governing documents.
Empire Management keeps track of where the community is in relation to this trigger so preparations can begin before the developer relinquishes control of the HOA.
Some of the work Empire Management can perform before transitioning control of the HOA includes:
- Soliciting candidates
- Distributing required meeting notices
- Coordinating with association counsel
- Holding in-person or virtual turnover meetings
- Performing administrative tasks related to transferring control of the HOA
Management Built Around Your Community
Assessment collection and budgeting
Assessments collected from homeowners fund the costs of services required to operate and maintain the community. Costs may include utilities, insurance, common-area maintenance, landscaping, amenities, professional services, reserve funding, and other association expenses.
Empire Management collects assessments and gives homeowners established ways to make payments and ask questions about their accounts. If an account becomes delinquent, Empire Management follows the association’s established collection procedures.
Empire Management prepares budgets on behalf of the HOA using projected operating expenses and submits the budget to the board for review and approval.
If an association already has a budget in place when Empire Management begins managing the association, we use that budget as a starting point. If a developing community does not yet have a budget, we work with the developer to create one based on projected expenses and responsibilities for the community.
Covenants, deed restrictions, and architectural reviews
An HOA’s governing documents define the rules and standards that apply within the community. However, these rules must still be applied consistently when questions and requests arise.
Empire Management establishes how recurring issues are handled based on the governing documents. This includes processing architectural requests and enforcing covenant and deed restrictions according to procedures the association establishes.
Consistent application is key. Homeowners need to know how to submit requests, how the community applies requirements, and what happens when an issue warrants further review.
If a question requires legal guidance or clarification, Empire Management coordinates with association counsel.
A clear point of contact for homeowners
Homeowners should not need to call or email multiple board members with questions about their community.
Homeowners can direct routine questions about assessments, architectural requests, community policies and procedures, meetings, notices, and other association matters to Empire Management.
If a question requires input from the board, developer, association counsel, or another professional, we ensure that it reaches the right person.
This streamlines routine issues while minimizing the volume of phone calls and emails that fall directly on volunteer board members or the development team.
Landscaping
Maintenance of
common areas
Amenities
Reserve funding
Utilities
Insurance
Professional services
Other association responsibilities
Experience Managing Community Associations
Empire Management has served community associations for more than a decade across multiple states and development stages.
Our experience spans both developer-controlled and homeowner-controlled associations.
Talk with us about your HOA
Operating an HOA is not a one-time task. It requires consistent work behind the scenes.
Empire Management performs many of the administrative and homeowner-facing responsibilities required to operate the association, freeing the board to focus on decisions and priorities affecting the community.
If you are looking for an experienced HOA management partner, we’d be glad to talk.
Contact Empire Management today to discuss your community and how we can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an HOA management company do?
HOA management companies handle many of the financial, administrative, and operational functions involved in running a homeowners association. This can include collecting assessments, creating budgets, communicating with homeowners, coordinating vendors, maintaining records, facilitating meetings, processing architectural requests, and administering the association’s governing documents.
What is the difference between the HOA board and its management company?
The HOA board represents the community, makes decisions on behalf of the association, and governs according to its governing documents. An HOA management company handles much of the administrative and operational work needed to carry out those decisions.
Can you manage an existing HOA?
Yes. Empire Management can work with an existing HOA and begin with its current budget, governing documents, vendors, processes, procedures, and operating structure.
Do you work with developer-controlled HOAs?
Yes. Empire Management works with developer-controlled HOAs at different stages of development. We can handle routine association matters, homeowner communication, assessments, budgeting, vendor coordination, and preparation for eventual homeowner control.
Can the association continue with Empire Management after turnover?
Yes. After the HOA transitions to homeowner control, the homeowner-led board can continue working with Empire Management for ongoing HOA management.