Residential property management is a complicated job where managers work to meet the needs of large communities – the neighborhood homeowners/community associations that hire them. It takes a wide array of skills, a deep pool of knowledge, and a strong sense of ethics to do the job right.
1st American Management Company, Inc. AMO® ensures all of its property managers are equipped with the right sets of tools and knowledge to do right by every community they serve. One way they do that is by having managers such as Tiffany Tyler and Nicole Jefferson study with the Community Associations Institute (CAI). As an organization with 63 chapters worldwide, the CAI offers property managers a full range of classes to take and accreditations to earn.
“I am currently one test away from being a Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA),” said Nicole. “That’s after passing five courses on the various aspects of community management such as risk management, governance, and communication. To maintain certification, you have to continue with the education yearly. That’s really important as well, as this career is always changing with the laws and governing documents that surround these neighborhoods.”
Before joining 1st American Management Company, Inc. AMO® Nicole spent almost 20 years working in retail. A different career for certain, but it helped build a platform of skills, especially in communication, and her studies with the CAI have helped her transition into property management.
“When I left retail, I was trying to find a career that would make me feel like I was doing something worthwhile,” she said. “Property management sounded exciting, like a role that was actually helping in an area that’s important to people – their homes.”
CAI courses are diverse, covering everything from routine maintenance such as snow removal to how to handle damage caused by disasters such as flooding. It also offers lessons on how to effectively communicate with a community association’s board of directors.
“These classes have offered tools to implement with the boards of directors that let properties become self-sufficient, from maintenance schedules to routine inspections,” Tiffany said. “It’s to the point where often the only time board members would need to be involved is for unique situations.”
To help with those unique situations, the CAI even offers webinars and workshops specifically for board members. They are designed to help them work better with their neighbors and community managers while exposing them to resources available throughout the state.
The CAI also guides managers through the challenges of ethics – a topic that is at the forefront in a career centered on managing and maintaining standards for people’s homes.
“It’s a large category to cover for community associations, and there needs to be a constant vigilance against biased behavior and conflicts of interest,” Tiffany said. “Every homeowner needs to be treated uniformly and with consistency.”
When she started taking CAI courses, Nicole was excited to see that the institute put such a strong focus on ethics.
“I think it’s the most important part of property management,” she said. “The focus that CAI puts on ethics matches that of 1st American Management. It’s a factor in everything we do. From how personnel are hired to how business is conducted to how we behave in our roles. We’re doing a job that is very personal to people. Where you choose to live is one of the biggest choices you make, and you need to be able to trust the people who are in control of the actions surrounding it.”
Property managers are always learning and adapting. Maintaining their various certifications means regularly completing courses and staying up-to-date on the laws, regulations, and new tools available to them.
The CAI makes that continuing education easy for community managers and homeowner leaders alike. To learn more about the CAI, visit www.caionline.org. For more on 1st American Management Company, Inc. AMO® visit 1stpropertymanagers.com.
