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  • Condo Management Companies

    Posted by Karen Bennett on February 5, 2022 at 2:02 pm

    Topic starter Posted : 31/08/2021 12:08 am

    jonfklein@gmail.com

    (@jonfkleingmail‑com)

    Does anyone know anything about Tribe Management?

    https://tribemgmt.com/

    Are they good or bad?

    They took over Gateway Management earlier this month. Apparently they have an emphasis on utilizing information technology in their operations.

    Are there other technology focused management companies that Tribe Management competes against?

    Karen Bennett replied 2 years, 1 month ago 1 Member · 7 Replies
  • 7 Replies
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  • Karen Bennett

    Member
    February 5, 2022 at 2:03 pm

    Posted : 31/08/2021 8:34 am

    GibsonT

    Gateway is/was a fairly large company.

    There are a lot companies changing ownership etc as the new educational requirements for condominium managers are significantly higher than in the past.

    Many companies are now national or international.

    In our experience, if a condominium management company is not a technology focused company, then something is really wrong.

    In addition: for good management, you need both 1) a good company with good policies and operating systems AND 2) a good condominium manager assigned to your complex. One without the other is bound to be inadequate.

    If you haven’t looked at it, please checkout our guideline one finding a condominium manager:

    https://cofsab.ca/member‑links/publications/

    Please spread the word!

    Condo Management Companies

  • Karen Bennett

    Member
    February 5, 2022 at 2:03 pm

    Topic starter Posted : 03/09/2021 12:06 pm

    jonfklein@gmail.com

    Thanks for your insight Terry,

    After hunting around for a new manager off and on the last several weeks, I’ve found that there are different levels of technology focus amongst management companies. I’m quite sure all of them use some sort of property management software internally. But some companies allow limited access to their system by the board and owners, usually through a login portal on their website.

    For example, using the portal board members might be able to print financial reports in “real time” ‑ updated to the last transaction on the account ‑ and owners might be allowed to update their personal information ‑ phone numbers, vehicle license plate number etc.

    I thought that Tribe Management’s system might have this level of sophistication. But after looking into it further that’s not what I found. They have an online system called “Tribe Home”. It allows owners, board members and the management company to communicate, but that’s about it. It’s more like a social media app and not connected to their internal property management software, as far as I can tell.

    Some companies use more sophisticated third party property management software, and some have written their own. Condo Bridge probably has the best system, for the cost, that I have found so far.

    Please spread the word!
  • Karen Bennett

    Member
    February 5, 2022 at 2:04 pm

    Posted : 03/09/2021 1:17 pm

    @MarkH

    @jonfkleingmail‑com

    Have you looked at https://condogenie.com/ ? It seems to me that you need a communication and management system that your new condominium manager could use. If you had something like Condogenie or Condo Bridge up and running, you might widen your field of potential managers.

    I have no connection with Condogenie; I used its predecessor briefly when setting up COFSAB, so more than five years ago.

    Please spread the word!

    Condo Management Companies

  • Karen Bennett

    Member
    February 5, 2022 at 2:05 pm

    Posted : 04/09/2021 8:48 am

    GibsonT

    I think we need to remember that condominium manager’s role is a lot more than record keeping:

    1) providing advice to the board

    2) suggesting service providers who have proven records to be cost effective and good at what they do

    3) helping the board understand their responsibilities.

    We have written a number of letters to Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA), who will be licensing condominium managers illustrating how important many skills are to being a condominium manager. Too many think it is just bookkeeping software ‑ that might be the foundation, but it is one of about 15 essential skills.

    Being a competent condominium manager is a very very difficult role. In my experience, most need to become better trained/educated and most of our membership agree.

    Please spread the word!
  • Karen Bennett

    Member
    February 5, 2022 at 2:06 pm

    Posted : 04/09/2021 12:07 pm

    MarkH

    @terry‑g …

    And probably better paid. I don’t know what current rates are, and how they compare with what the management company charges ‘per door’, but with better training, we should expect better experiences ‑ and higher charges.

    Please spread the word!
  • Karen Bennett

    Member
    February 5, 2022 at 2:06 pm

    Posted : 05/09/2021 8:16 am

    GibsonT

    Right on, Mark. Owners need to expect a lot more from their condominium managers ‑ take a load off the boards who are just volunteers.

    Price is usually the first criteria that people use in selecting a condominium manager ‑ when it should be one of the last.

    As one of our friends of COF says “if you pay people peanuts, don’t be surprised if you get monkeys.”

    The key has to be better value for the dollar spent.

    Please spread the word!
  • Karen Bennett

    Member
    February 5, 2022 at 2:06 pm

    Topic starter Posted : 07/09/2021 7:52 pm

    GibsonT

    Did you know that a large majority of condos in Alberta are self‑managed? Two of our very active volunteers have chaired their condos and I am encouraging them to facilitate a future COF CondoChat on the issue.

    Know too, that there are people who act as condo consultants: e.g. they are there to help a self‑managed condo deal with the occasional difficult issue only. It works well.

    Give me a call if you are interested, as I can give you a couple of names. 403‑860‑9366

    Please spread the word!

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