As anyone who has ever run a homeowners’ association (HOA) can attest, it takes a lot of time to complete administrative tasks, keep track of details, respond to member concerns, and engage with the community effectively. The good news is that there are software solutions available that can help, but the bad news is that they’re not all created equal. Read on to find out what features to look for in hoa management software for help with separating the wheat from the chaff and making the right purchasing decision.
A Member Database
It should be easy for HOA leaders to maintain databases of members that contains not just contact information but also profiles and notes about their roles, responsibilities, and personal preferences. HOA software should make it easy to input and alter information, search the database, and track membership status and payments.
A Member Portal
It’s equally important for HOA members to be able to access relevant information easily through secure accounts. A member portal offers HOA administrators a way to share exclusive content, communicate with members either individually or as a group, and curate chats or forums so that people can also communicate with one another.
Online Payment Capabilities
HOA members will be more likely to stay on top of their membership dues if they can make payments easily online. HOA software that integrates payment processing with data collection is the best option for accomplishing this goal. That way, the software can automatically update member profiles when they’ve sent in their payments to show that they are up to date.
Effective Communications System
Everyone has different preferences when it comes to communication. Some people prefer to get updates via email, while others like the added convenience of push notifications or the personal touch of an actual phone call. An effective HOA communications system will make it easy for administrators to contact individual members, groups of members filtered by criteria, or all the members at once using whatever methods are required.
Event Management System
Planning, coordinating, and scheduling events is one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling parts of running a homeowners’ association, but it can involve a lot of busy work. HOA software should automate rote tasks and make it easy for event coordinators to maintain online calendars, manage attendees, and schedule new events. Members should also have partial access to the event management system so that they can register, pay event fees, and update RSVP statuses easily online.
Financial Tracking
Maintaining accurate financial records is a must for modern HOAs, but practical software solutions go a step beyond just keeping an audit trail. They should also be easily searchable to allow administrators to pull reports, analyze data, and share it with other approved personnel at any time.
Opt for SaaS
SaaS, short for Software as a Service, provides the best solution possible for homeowners’ association self-management. It removes the startup costs associated with paying for software purchasing and installation and the hassles created by self-managed software maintenance. Plus, SaaS is a thoroughly scalable solution, which means that HOA administrators will never have to pay for services they don’t need.
