A community association manager is someone who maintains and preserves the property of a large group of home/property owners. Whether building owners live on-site, or not having a CAM on their side ensures that there is an expert on hand to help preserve their assets, they’re placed in charge of coordinating meetings, overseeing communications between homeowners, budget tracking and completing a wide range of administrative tasks that are often time-consuming.
It’s an incredibly rewarding role, that comes with a wide range of daily challenges that must be met promptly and to the satisfaction of the homeowners. Therefore, it’s easy to appreciate why so many people are turning to this satisfying career. So, what do you need to be a good community association manager? Read on to find out more.
You need the right software
Think you can do everything by hand? Think again. As a CAM, you’re going to be handling a wide range of communications from both residents, homeowners and even vendors. However, you’ll also need to handle the finances of your clients, process payments and keep track of all accounts, payments and withdrawals. For this kind of role, you’re going to need reliable software. What are the computer system requirements for community association management software? Click the link to find out. Investing in the right software will streamline your role and give you more time to deal with other aspects of your position.
You need people skills
Despite all the paperwork and the software options, a CAM position is ultimately a people-facing role. So, having a strong set of people skills is essential. You’ll be required to build strong relationships with your clients and be able to diffuse issues quickly. You’ll be required to mediate, as well as communicate any news to all clients, clearly and succinctly. If you’re a people person, then working as a CAM will certainly play to your strengths.
You’ll need to understand safety
Fire safety, building safety, first aid and more. As a CAM its part of your responsibilities to ensure that in the event of an emergency, there are systems in place to ensure everyone can evacuate the building. Prevention is also better than cure, so making yourself aware of how you can prevent major incidents such as fire, flood, and even slips, trips and falls within the building. This knowledge must be implemented accurately and communicated across all clients and residents.
You need problem-solving skills
Conflict resolution will be part of your daily life, so being able to bring about a peaceful resolution is essential. To do this, you’re going to need to work on your problem-solving skills to get ahead.
Final thoughts…
If working as a CAM sounds ideal, consider working towards a property manager qualification.
