Management companies charge a flat monthly fee for the whole association, a monthly fee per unit (often called per door), separate prices for bundled or a la carte services, or a mix. CAI and its research foundation publish no standard dollar rate. What an association pays in a year is the base fee plus every item the contract prices separately. That total is the number to compare.
Key takeaways (the short version)
- In an August 2026 survey of 115 management firms by CAI's research foundation, 53 percent reported flat monthly fees per association and 41 percent per-door fees.
- CAI's 2026 benchmarking report publishes no dollar figures for management fees. Proposals priced against the same written scope are the benchmark.
- Extra meetings, mailings, construction oversight and litigation can fall outside the base fee.
- In Virginia and Maryland the selling owner pays for the resale certificate and state law caps the fee.
- Compare bids on total annual cost per unit: the base fee plus every separately priced item.
How do HOA management companies price their fees?
They price by the association, by the unit or by the service. Many mix models.
The condo management fee is what the association pays its manager. It is one line in the operating budget, funded by the owners' assessments (the condo or HOA fee). Our budget season playbook schedules that line for October pricing.
In August 2026 the Foundation for Community Association Research, CAI's research arm, asked 115 management company executives which models they use. Each could name more than one.
| Fee model | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Flat monthly fee per association | 53 percent | 65 percent |
| Per door or per unit | 41 percent | 39 percent |
| A la carte or bundled services | 39 percent | 26 percent |
| Hybrid of flat and per unit | 28 percent | 22 percent |
| Retainer plus pass-through costs | 10 percent | 11 percent |
Each year surveyed a different group of companies.
Is there a standard rate our Board can check a bid against?
Not from CAI. The Foundation's 2026 report publishes no dollar figures for management fees. Ranges for condo and HOA management fees on commercial websites state no method. Your own proposals are the benchmark when every bidder prices the same written scope.
What does a condo or HOA management fee usually cover?
The base fee covers the recurring routine work the contract lists. CAI's accreditation standards require an accredited company to provide budget preparation, bid solicitation, meeting attendance, control of disbursements, maintenance supervision and management reports.
A 2017 CAI New England Chapter guide for condominium Boards sorts contract services into layers:
- Recurring routine services, included in the base fee.
- Periodic routine services with reimbursable costs, such as mailings or document preparation.
- Non-routine services billed separately, such as construction oversight or litigation.
EJF's tiers are Full-Service management, Remote management and Fiscal Plus. Fiscal Plus is financial-only support for self-managed communities without a community manager.
Which charges should our Board ask every bidder to price in writing?
Ask every bidder to price meetings, emergencies, mailings, collections, capital projects, technology, setup and exit, and required vendors. Get a price or "included" next to every item.
- Meetings. How many the base fee covers and the charge for extra, evening or long meetings.
- After-hours emergencies. Included, or billed per call.
- Mailings and printing. Whether postage and printing pass through at cost.
- Collections. Charges for attorney referrals, liens and payment plans. Your governing documents, state law and counsel decide what the delinquent owner repays.
- Capital projects. Where routine coordination ends and separately priced construction oversight begins.
- Technology. Any portal, website or software fee.
- Setup and exit. The new company's onboarding charge and any termination fee in your current contract. In Virginia, an outgoing manager must transfer funds, close accounts and return records within a reasonable time after termination, without additional cost to the association (Va. Code § 54.1-2353). Virginia also bars penalties on some automatically renewing contracts (see the FAQ).
- Required vendors. Any vendor the contract requires you to use where the company earns a commission. CAI's Professional Manager Code of Ethics binds CAI-accredited companies and CAI-designated managers and requires annual disclosure of these. Ask every bidder for the same disclosure in writing.
Do resale certificate fees come out of the association's budget?
Not in Virginia or Maryland, where the seller pays up to a state cap.
| Jurisdiction | Who pays | Fee limit (check before relying on it) |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | Seller, for the certificate and inspection. Purchaser, for any post-closing fee. Requester, for an update (Va. Code § 55.1-2316(A), (E)) | $176.64 electronic or $211.96 paper; $141.31 inspection where the declaration allows; $70.66 to expedite. Only for associations registered and current with the state board |
| Maryland | The selling owner who requests it (Real Property §§ 11-135 and 11B-106) | Actual cost, up to a cap adjusted every two years ($311.24 since October 1, 2024; next adjustment October 1, 2026); inspection up to $100 (condominium) or $50 (HOA); rush delivery up to $50 (14 days) or $100 (7 days) |
| DC condominiums | The seller obtains the certificate (D.C. Code § 42-1904.11(a)). The condominium instruments may allow a reasonable fee for the unpaid-assessment statement (§ 42-1903.13(h)) | No dollar cap. Certificate due within 10 days of a written request (§ 42-1904.11(b)) |
Ask each bidder who prepares resale packages and what it charges. In Virginia and Maryland, that charge must stay within the state cap.
How do we compare two management proposals like for like?
Send every bidder the same written scope, then compare total annual cost per unit.
- Write one scope. CAI's description of its Selecting Management guide says the association should "specify exactly what it needs" so that companies bid on the same requirements. Our guide to switching management companies covers the request for proposals.
- Price a full year. Add 12 months of each bidder's base fee to last year's extras (meetings, mailings and the like) priced at that bidder's rates. Divide the total by the number of units and by 12 for a per-unit monthly figure.
- Check the manager's workload. Ask how many communities the assigned manager carries and who covers absences. In the 2026 survey, 44 percent of firms reported 11 or more communities per full-time manager.
- Read the term and renewal clauses. Check the dates, automatic renewal, the notice to end without cause and how the renewal fee is set.
- Make the proposal part of the contract. The same New England guide notes that some attorneys suggest attaching the winning proposal to the contract as an exhibit. Have association counsel review the contract before signing.
Our guide on how to choose the right community association management company covers the wider evaluation.
When does on-site staff change the fee?
On-site staff adds to the cost when the association pays for people who work only at its property, such as a resident manager or building engineer. Ask each bidder who employs them, whether payroll passes through at cost and what the management fee covers on top.
Frequently asked questions
How much should an HOA pay a management company?
It depends on the scope your Board buys. Ask several companies to bid on one written scope and compare each bid's total annual cost per unit.
Who pays for resale packages, the association or the seller?
The seller pays in Virginia and Maryland, where state law caps the fee. DC's Condominium Act sets no dollar cap. It allows a reasonable fee where the condominium instruments provide for one. Check your instruments with association counsel.
Can our Board end a management contract that renews automatically?
In Virginia, yes, for condominium and property owners' associations. Either side can end an automatically renewing contract without cause or penalty on at least 60 days' written notice. Confirm how that applies to your contract with association counsel. In Maryland and DC, review the termination clause with counsel.
Will a cheaper management company save the association money?
Only if the scope is comparable. "Changing companies for cheaper fees is not going to be a solution unless the community also is willing to cut services," CAI trustee Kelly Zibell told CAI's blog. Our article on the costs and benefits of professional management covers the wider question.
This article is general information for association Boards and is not legal advice. Your governing documents and association counsel control.
Boards comparing proposals this budget season can send EJF the same written scope they send every other bidder. After a free consultation call, we send a written proposal recommending Full-Service, Remote or Fiscal Plus management within about five to seven business days. EJF, founded in 1996, manages more than 650 communities across DC, Maryland and Virginia. Request a proposal at ejfrealestate.com/request-proposal or call 202-537-1801.
