Hiring a management company
How to change HOA management companies
Updated October 2026 · Published by Elevate Community Management
Meet our association and construction teamThe short answer
Start with the current agreement’s term, notice and termination provisions. Confirm board authority, compare consistent proposals, approve the new scope and give the required notice. Then agree handover milestones with both firms and use a separate checklist to verify records, balances and access.
Step 1: Check the agreement and decision authority
Find the expiry date, automatic-renewal provision, notice window, delivery method and any early-exit or transition charges. Calendar the actual dates. A standard notice period should never substitute for reading your agreement.
Check the governing documents for the board’s authority and meeting procedure. Document the decision and approvals in the minutes. Obtain legal advice if termination rights, cause or disputed fees are unclear.
Step 2: Compare the same scope across candidates
Send candidates the same unit count, community type, amenities, meeting schedule and known projects. Identify the recurring problems you want solved and the reports your board needs to oversee the work.
Ask who will manage the account, how absences are covered, what financial packet the board receives, how vendors are selected and how transitions are run. Compare base fees and add-ons with the management fee guide.
Request references appropriate to your community type and inspect the proposed agreement. Confirm deliverables rather than relying on a sales presentation.
Step 3: Approve the new scope and deliver notice
Approve the selection through the applicable board process and coordinate the new start date with the outgoing agreement. Designate one board contact for the transition, and retain evidence that notice was delivered in the required way.
Agree who communicates with owners, who contacts vendors and who signs off on financial reconciliation. Avoid releasing new payment instructions until the receiving accounts and arrangements are confirmed.
Step 4: Set milestones for the handover
The handover covers funds, documents, vendor arrangements, access and owner communications. Use the HOA management transition checklist for the item-by-item inventory, assigned responsibility and verification. This page covers the decision and sequence; the checklist records completion.
| Milestone | Decision or evidence needed |
|---|---|
| Agreement review | Confirmed notice deadline and exit obligations. |
| Selection | Board-approved scope, fee schedule and named transition contacts. |
| Cutover | Confirmed records transfer, account arrangements and owner notice. |
| First month-end | Reconciled financial statements and unresolved exceptions. |
| Closeout | Board review of missing items and assigned follow-up actions. |
How long should the board allow?
Work backward from the contractual notice deadline and desired start date. Timing depends on records readiness, banking and payment arrangements, open projects and cooperation between firms. Put milestone dates in the transition plan rather than treating a 60–90 day estimate as a guarantee.
A month-end cutover can simplify reporting. A January 1 change may suit a calendar-year association, but contract deadlines and continuity of service matter more than a preferred season. Align with the budget preparation schedule when useful.
Elevate’s transition management service coordinates the handover. Contact us before your notice deadline so there is time to assess the scope.
Questions boards ask
Do owners have to vote on a management change?
Check the governing documents and applicable law. Managing-agent selection is generally a board function, but meeting, approval and notice requirements must be confirmed for the association.
Can a board leave before the contract expires?
The termination provisions determine the available options. Record concerns in writing and have counsel review any disputed right to terminate or early-exit charge.
Where is the records handover list?
Use the management transition checklist to verify records, funds, access and owner communication.