Condo Association Management Blog

One can find out much information on the web these days,just by searching a name. The info is not all accurate, so be careful about trusting the info if the source is not a recognized authority or appears to be a "zealot" or unbalanced in their perceptions. That said, I have nothing against doing credit checks against anyone you are doing business with. However, HOAs are not inclined (nor set up) to make credit reports on anyone as a rule (at least not in California) so you would be unlikely to find any info from the parties served by a community association manager. You may find info about their creditworthiness if they do not pay their bills; however, in the embezzlement cases I have read about, the managers still manage to get their own bills paid, if a company. Truly, it is amazing to me that HOA and CONDO management companies that have scammed HOAs and CONDO associations out of dollars (by poor management skills or outright embezzlement) are still out there doing business. And it is important to note that in some companies, where oversight is lacking, an HOA or CONDO association is subject to the "lowest common denominator" theory , i.e., if they get the newest hire or poorest manager employed by the company, they suffer. That is why it is critical to have a board savvy and educated enough to review financials, and to know when something the manager says or does "does not smell right." And it is helpful to have references or ask around at industry seminars - who is happy with whom?

Beth, great response. I totally agree with you. As an HOA board member I can attest to the issue of poor property managers in business with no regulation!

Here are some places for running credit checks on property management firms. Some of these are free, like Better Business Bureau. 
 
 
 
Better Business Bureau  
 
Abika  
 
KnowX  
 
ImproveNet  
 
Mybackgroundcheck.com  
 

Here is a GREAT resource for running a background check. 
 
 
 
www.MyScreeningReport.com 
 
 
 
It includes: 
 
-Full credit detail  
 
-National Criminal Records 
 
-Civil Records 
 
-Sex Offender 
 
-Terrorist Database Search 
 
 
 
In also removes all liability from the association because it is CONSUMER initiated. The applicant pulls their own information and provides the board an online access code to view an authenticated copy of the report online.