The end of the year is when many boards reflect on what worked and what did not. Budgets, reserves, vendor performance, and homeowner relations all get attention. The relationship with the management company should be reviewed with the same level of care. Choosing whether to stay or switching management companies is a business decision that affects financial health, board workload, risk, and homeowner experience.
Below are common signals that often tell boards it may be time to re-evaluate the partnership before renewing for another year.
Response Times Have Slowed or Become Inconsistent
It is not uncommon for firms to choose to route customer service outside the state or even outside the country. That approach might reduce their internal costs but it creates distance from the realities of your community. Boards and homeowners lose faith when they have to chase answers. If emails sit unanswered for days or calls are routed to a general inbox far away from Arizona, it affects trust and delays action.
A responsive local partner tends to know the vendors, the climate, and the typical patterns that affect Arizona communities. That proximity matters when decisions need to be made that affect the long-term stability of the association.
Frequent Community Manager Turnover
When a management company doesn’t fully understand Arizona-specific regulations, vendor expectations, or the unique challenges that come with our desert environment, boards often end up spending valuable time re-explaining or clarifying processes that should be long-established with the management company. Communities can experience more frequent staff turnover, slower response times, and inconsistent support when the management team isn’t familiar with local requirements or industry nuances.
This constant cycle of “catching someone up” doesn’t just delay progress, it can erode confidence between homeowners, the board, and management. Choosing a partner who already understands Arizona’s communities helps reduce this frustration and allows your board to focus on leadership rather than day-to-day management.
Financial Reporting Is Hard to Understand or Routinely Late
Easy to understand, timely financials are the backbone of good governance. If reports arrive late, are difficult to interpret, or require repeated corrections, risk is building behind the scenes. When accounting is outsourced out of state it can be even harder to reconcile issues. If your Board is not receiving monthly financials, it may be time to reconsider your partnership.
Projects Stall Because No One Is Driving Them Forward
Some boards feel that management is only reacting to emails instead of actively guiding projects. If bids are slow to come in, violations go unaddressed, or repair work keeps slipping to the next month, the board ends up delaying important work. A solid management partner helps do their part to guide needed projects ahead.
Homeowners Are Frustrated and Taking It Out on the Board
When a management partner is slow to respond or sends mixed messages, the board absorbs the pressure. Complaints show up in meeting comment periods, online, and in inboxes. If homeowners have stopped using the portal or refuse to call management because they believe it will not help, their trust in the structure is already broken.
A board’s role should not be customer support because that takes away from leadership efforts.
Arizona-Specific Indicators
Boards in Arizona deal with unique conditions that out-of-state teams often underestimate:
- Monsoon and storm cleanup timelines and vendor availability
- Heat-driven wear on asphalt, roofs, and irrigation
- Seasonal residents and communication timing patterns
- Local legal changes and enforcement culture
- Drought-related landscape standards and water use rules
An Arizona-based partner will spot these issues without needing to be educated by the board.
Before Switching, Ask These Questions
If any of the signals above resonated, board members can pressure test the current partnership by asking:
- If the board asked for a performance review, would the firm welcome the conversation or deflect
- Is the manager empowered locally or dependent on national company guidelines and policies
- Are financials produced in-house or by a remote accounting center you cannot call directly
- Is the membership satisfied
- Is the time being spent by community volunteers aligning with your expectations or is it more of a time commitment than initially intended
Your answers will tell you more than a proposal comparison ever will.
If You Decide to Explore Alternatives
Looking at new partners does not mean the current partner failed. It means the board is being responsible with risk, cost, and resident experience. The best time to explore options is before the situation is worse, not after another year of fatigue.
If you open the door to proposals, ask specifically about:
- Location of customer service and accounting support
- Financial reporting and owner engagement expectations
- Fee structure clarity
- Portal quality and board reporting access
- Transition process and handoff timeline
Boards who ask these questions at year end are more likely to start January with confidence instead of doubt.
Closing Thought
Management is not a minor line item. It is the system the board relies on to execute decisions, help protect assets, and keep residents informed. Year end is the right time to decide whether that system is still serving the community. If the signs are present, it is worth exploring a better fit before another year passes with the same concerns.
Call Arizona Community First Management to learn more about the local professionals serving Arizona associations or email [email protected] to schedule a time to meet.