The homeowners association software market is split between enterprise platforms designed for professional property managers and tools for self-managed HOA boards, which are often left underserved. Clayton Thompson, co-founder of HOA Start, a platform built for self-managed associations, highlights a structural mismatch that impacts community operations.
Enterprise platforms are “accounting platforms first and foremost,” Thompson said. “They’re built for property managers. They’re not built for self-managed boards.” This design assumption means volunteer treasurers lack real-time visibility into finances, often only seeing monthly or quarterly reports. “You have no idea about any of that stuff that’s coming in,” Thompson said. “You just have to trust that it is exactly the way it’s supposed to be.” In contrast, Thompson monitors his own company’s payments daily, a level of oversight that volunteer boards using enterprise tools do not have.
The gap extends to resident communication. Enterprise platforms often lack tools for announcements, architectural requests, or amenity reservations, forcing boards to rely on Facebook pages or email chains that reach only a fraction of residents. “If only 60% of the HOA is even on Facebook, you’re only going to be able to ever reach 60% of people,” Thompson said, calling that “not a great solution.”
Pricing is another barrier. Minimum costs for enterprise platforms can reach $500 per month, while the average self-managed HOA spends $2,000 to $3,000 annually. Many providers won’t even take on a single community. This leaves self-managed boards, which Thompson estimates make up 30 to 40 percent of associations nationwide, with few viable options.
HOA Start’s recently launched bookkeeping services aim to address this by offering professional financial administration at a price point suited for self-managed communities.
Thompson advises boards to look for platforms built with them in mind, offering direct treasurer access to financial data, two-way communication via email and text, and features like document storage and online voting. They should also accommodate residents who prefer paying by check. Asking these questions before choosing a platform can narrow the field significantly.
For more information, visit hoastart.com.
