RealManage

I kind of knew this would be a problem when I purchased my condo. The common areas of my building look shabby to say the least. The carpet is old, dirty, torn, dingy. The halls have an odor to them. The parking lot is full of pot-​holes and the paint has worn off. Because of this, I bid low on my condo, and I got it. Since the price was so reasonable, I threw caution to the wind and bought the place. I just wish I knew how to get our HOA to change management companies. We have a fairly steep monthly fee, and it is becoming clear that nothing gets done.
We have not had hot water since Friday morning. We were told on Friday that the plumber would be out that afternoon, but by the evening the water was still cold. When I came home Sunday afternoon in need of a shower (skiing + hot tub chemicals), I find that the water is still cold. In addition to the shabby nature of almost everything in the common area, I’m not really sure what we are paying for. If you are shopping around for a property management company, shop somewhere else.

Notified RealManage through their internet portal that the security gates to our community were damaged and unable to be locked on 7÷28÷2015. It took them 8 WEEKS TO RESPOND BY EMAIL. It took them 8 ADDITIONAL WEEKS TO RESPOND BY PHONE only to learn that they had confused our community with another one they manage.
Over 4 months later and the gates are still broken. In the intervening 4 months there have been 3 occasions of multiple CAR BREAK-​INS. And one HOME INVASION while the person slept inside. One perpetrator left a knife at the scene. RealManage is aware of all of this and has yet to act.
One community member installed a security camera for protection. RealManage notified him that he had not received the appropriate permission and was in danger of being fined.

Unreturned phone calls over & over. No pool keys in local or corporate office for over 9 weeks in the heat of summer. They don’t know how to reach the president when you try to escalate. Horrible.

I have a feeling that monkeys could run RealManage better than their current staff. I received my pool key over two months ago. From day one it did not work. After calling several times I was told it was activated, but it still didn’t work. Then I was told it was activated for weekends only and would be reset, but it still didn’t work. Then I call a few more times and finally after two months of calling I received a new key. And guess what, the new one doesn’t work either. So I call again and leave an angry voice mail and I send an email expressing my anger and frustration. No response. My husband calls the next day and they said they are going to reset the system, which would take 2 – 3 days. I’m willing to bet a large sum of money that it still won’t work after that happens. At this point I would rather just have my $ 25 back and pay for a season pass to a pool just outside the neighborhood.

UPDATE — Gets even better! So, its been 5 months and our security gate still does not work properly. It’s open at night, closed during the day, won’t let guests in, etc. Today I couldn’t get in at all; key fob not working and keypad not working. Had to wait for someone to leave and slide in through the exit. They can’t seem to get this gate to work, but of course, no problem taking everyone’s monthly dues and I’m sure they are totally on top of anyone that is late! Money is their only priority.

Where do I start? The fact that it took 3 months to get us a pool key… or the part where they sent us a non-​working deactivated key. Or how about the promise of resolution within 24 hours. We’ve lived at our new property for 6 months and have yet to be able to use the pool. For the money we pay, this is a joke. Seriously. Get your act together and return our messages/​emails.

If it were possible to fire and select a new property management company, I would be campaigning door to door right now.
It’s no secret that the month of May was exceptionally wet for Texas. With massive flooding, violent storms, and tornado warnings — we were apparently expected to continue mowing our grass. Because who cares if we are struck by lightning, at least our yard will look pretty for our wake, right?
According to a letter we received, we were previously sent a ‘final notice’ telling us that we were in violation. This notice is nowhere to be found — but I’ll take their word for it. In the notice, it also said they had done a «routine inspection of the property» on a specific date. I find it odd that the date they supposedly inspected our property, was the exact date we had mowed our lawn.
I digress, though…
I’m so glad they are there to tell us our lawn is a quarter inch too high. Meanwhile, one house’s entire fence is on the ground for over 2 weeks, another house has a jungle growing in their front yard, another house has cars constantly blocking the sidewalk. The community landscapers come and ‘mow’ dirt and never weed, plant, or trim bushes and hedges (making pulling out onto the main street a game of ‘guess if there is a car coming’). The light for the entry works occasionally, and mostly depending on whether or not it wants to work that day. The subdivision sign has no lighting whatsoever, so it’s not uncommon to fly past my own neighborhood at night (because the entry light has decided not to work).
All in all, the next time we go home shopping, I will be certain to make sure this isn’t the company that manages the property. They collect dues, and from all I’ve seen, it just goes right into their pockets. Very few improvements are done in the neighborhood, so I’m not sure what our yearly HOA goes to.
I suppose I should thank you for showing me what I don’t want in a property management company.

This is the Readers Digest version of exactly what happened to us regarding RealManage and our HOA. We purchased our home in Cedar Park under a 4-​year owner-​financing agreement in the late part of the 1^st quarter of 2011, which included payment arrangements regarding all HOA fees that the previous owner would be responsible for paying during the 4-​year duration of the agreement. So, we moved in and never heard anything from the property management company (RealManage), nor the homeowners association (Heritage Park HOA) in respect to any possible past due association fees being owed relating to this property.
In June or July 2012, after contacting the HOA requesting information surrounding a totally unrelated issue, I was required to send in proof of ownership before they (HOA) would be able to speak with us about anything relating to this particular property… the property we owned since March 2011. Actually, ownership was proven back in July 2011 in order to have access to the community pool there… not sure what happened between then and when they requested proof again?!
So, I did what they requested, and within a month or so of sending proof of ownership, we started receiving our very first communication from the HOA, stating that we owed, not only back HOA fees dating back to 2011, but we also owed an additional $ 250 Ownership Conveyance Processing Fee and a $ 100 Initial Assessment fee from closing, too.
I again contacted the HOA and explained the arrangement with the owner-​financing and assured them that I would look further into it. The prior owner wasn’t as cooperative as I thought he should have been, and after proofing via a copy of an attorney drawn paper that he (the seller) was in fact the responsible party, I thought that was that. Well, the HOA still continued to harass us for payment of the aforementioned past due fees, and made the argument that that was between us and the previous homeowner.
So, after about another year of this, we finally get a notification along with the HOA’s monthly statement that our account was referred to their (RealManage/​HOA) attorney for consideration to legally pursue us for the collection of these past due (and now along with the addition of late fees, too) fees. After speaking with the law firm’s paralegal explaining our side of the story, and after the attorney personally reviewed the referral, it was basically kicked back and returned to RealManage and the HOA stating that they did not have the authority to collect the $ 250 transfer and $ 100 Initial assessment fees.
I obtained the actual e-​mail (which they didn’t like… and still have it) showing 2 of their very own paralegals saying the identical thing in conversations between the attorney’s office and RealManage, and the HOA. Within a day or so following that e-​mail, hundreds of dollars in late fees, collection fees were removed from our account… the $ 250 & $ 100 fees still remained. The previous owner again was late paying semi-​annual fees and the HOA began assessing late fees on our account once again.
During this time, I spoke with and e-​mailed many different representatives from this organization… from the HOA’s V.P. Jenny Key (who never even bothered to acknowledge the issue) to several (2 – 3) HOA Community Managers (seems to be a new one picked every year or so) to RealManage reps… No one did anything to try and resolve this matter.
Early 2015, the house was sold due to a divorce… last I saw, the old fees were still there, along with the newer assessed late fees. So, even though their very own attorney advised them that they could not collect on these fees, they continued to pursue this matter regardless… what does that tell you about how these rogue associations operate and are run?!

I would give them zero stars if I could, I’m so frustrated right now!
I am a homeowner in an Austin neighborhood, always had RealManage as our HOA manager.
Twice, (not once, but twice) I have sent them HOA dues payments (through my bank’s bill pay) that were postmarked before my due date, and arrived well within the grace period. Both timelines were recorded and confirmed by the bank. I always pay my dues in full and on time (we’ve owned this home for almost 10 years!)
Both times, on the last day of the grace period, a late fee was added to my account. This time, the statement showing the unpaid dues and late fee was generated the DAY BEFORE they applied the payment to the account (20 days after they received the check).
The bank has confirmed that the check is still not cashed, and has gotten in touch with them regarding all of the timelines, but they denied the bank’s request to waive the fee.
I guess I’m frustrated because it seems like it’s now my responsibility to make sure the USPS delivers the payment before the due date (an impossible task if ever there was one), since it’s become clear that the due date is not a postmark date.
In addition, even though I know they have the check, it seems as if they can pick any date to apply the payment to the account, regardless of when they received it, and regardless of when they cash it. If they wanted to, they could hold my check for 6 months before they cash it, and they could decide not to apply the payment until then? I’m not sure how I am responsible for meeting a due date when it seems that the date the payment is applied to my account is arbitrary and out of my hands.
Luckily, my bank is picking up the late fee this time, but I sense that they are just as frustrated with RealManage as I am.

Update to a previous review: we’ve been working with Lauren and Nicole at Real Manage and have come to much better terms for a lot of the issues. I would say overall, the company has some issues to workout with communication, processes for taking on new accounts and such. But for the two reps managing our neighborhood, it does seem more effective. Looking forward to more items coming together.

One hand doesn’t know what the other is doing sums up these people in a very, very nice way.
These people HAVE to keep fining you and finding issues to make a big deal out of because if they don’t they don’t have a job. They are literally causing issues to keep their job.
I’m going to try and be as nice as I can with this, but these are the most incompetent people I’ve ever know. I’m going to keep this vague on personal details to avoid retaliation.
While moving my entire household from one state to Texas I had a trailer, you know, that I used to move my household, and they tried to fine me and write me up after I had permission to have my trailer parked outside of my house.
Don’t buy a house in an area these people manage.
To put it nicely, they’re idi_​_​_​.
You expect me to contact you so you know who I am and retaliate? Yeah, right. All you’re going to tell me anyway is that you’re doing it for the good of the neighborhood, which with both know is bull.

Realmanage property management is inept. After three years of reporting a specific neighbor’s violation they sent an email about how after «multiple attempts they could not still see or find the violation». You can see it from the street and also from google. maps satellite view. Pure laziness on their behalf. They requested that I send them more photographs of the violation. When they DO find a violation they have a protocol of NOT photographing the issue themselves so how would they ever actually address a violation? They don’t. After 7 years of experience with RealManage I wish I could give them zero stars.
Our neighborhood values have sunk from violations. Realmanage only sends a friendly letter (no fines) requesting compliance and that is the extent of their enforcement. It doesn’t work.
I am in awe how a company who is inept, lacks common sense, shirks all responsibility, and does the bare minimum can remain employed and in business. Any HOA using this management company is flushing funds down the drain. The employee turnover is timed just perfectly so you never deal with the same person twice. Whatever issue you may have just starts all over from the beginning every time.

Great people, very accomodating. Easy to work with.

These folks are either completely inept or outright crooks. I recently sold my condo in S. Austin and Real Manage has botched the proceedings in several ways, but the $ 500+ they are trying to relieve me of has been the most frustrating. When I received the settlement statement disclosing the distribution of funds from the sale of my property, I noticed that the amount going to the HOA in outstanding late fees was 820. Not the 276 detailed on my last statement. When I contact Kristi Haman, our HOA’s RealManage liaison, she failed to return my emails for two business days. When I got her on the phone, she had no idea where that number came from, but she said would find out and get back to me as soon as possible. The next week when I called to follow up, her VM said that she would be out of town for the rest of the week. Frustrated to say the least. It’s now been two weeks since the closing, and I have still not been able to get Kristi or the other fellow Matt Miner to provide me with any helpful information let alone a resolution. I will have to file with the better business bureau in order to get my money back. If your HOA uses these guys, I urge you to discuss alternatives with their board. They are unscrupulous, unhelpful, and don’t give two $@!ts about their customers or a thing called customer service.

«Courtesy Notice.»
A nice approach when dealing with HOA issues.
I have four properties and have dealt with Management Companies for 25 years. My husband has been the president of the Board of the HOA for one of our properties, so I know the issues from BOTH sides.
Occasionally, our tenants may not keep the property up to the HOA «standards.» This results in a letter being sent to us in order to get the property in «compliance.» I have to say, compared to other management companies, Realmanage has a nice approach. Their letter states that it is «a courtesy notice» and is nicer than some management companies that will send «violation warnings» with threat of fines via certified letter.
We are neighbors first and I think that RealManage or the Forest Oaks Homeowner’s Association has a pleasant style for a sometimes unpleasant requirement of keeping the Community looking great.

The review of any business is merely the personal opinion of one user of the service or product. In the case of a property management company it is also a review of the individual agent, as well as the HOA and the Board of Directors that the property management company is representing. Because of this I think that property mangement companies tend to only garner negative reviews.
In the year an a half that my HOA has been doing business with RealManage I have found them responsive to inquiries, and comporting themselves in a professional manner at all times. I am the president of an HOA in Round Rock, and we moved our business to RealManage because we were not able to resolve certain issues with our existing management company. With RealManage there is a call center to track calls, an online portal for residents and board members to receive information, and the ability to pay dues online. None of these things were possible with our previous agent. When presented with an initial three year contract I was hesitant to sign since everyone puts their best impression forward when attempting to get new business. The manager of the local branch offered to change the contract to one year, and then offer a three year renewal if we should want to continue. I found that to be a very acceptable compromise, and the board accepted. When it came time to renew our contract for 36 months the Board of Directors unanimously approved.
In the last year I have heard complaints about RealManage as well as accolades, and I’m careful to distinguish legitimate complaints versus those who don’t like paying dues or being held accountable for neighborhood restrictions. There has never been a case where RealManage was doing anything other than upholding the standard or instruction of the Board of Directors. I think that is something many don’t understand. RealManage is an agent for facilitating business, and they can only do what he Board of Directors of the HOA instruct them to do. If you are having a problem with RealManage I encourage you not to get frustrated, but to contact your HOA and become involved in your community.
I hope you read this review and scale it against the other Unilocal reviews shown here. I don’t doubt they had a bad experience, but I expect there was something else besides RealManage hindering acceptable resolutions to their problems.

Stone-​age policy and web site. if you take the monthly dues to their on-​site office in time or even 3 days before the due date, this doesn’t count, they only go by the date they received your physical check from their site office by regular mail. so if that check was received one day past the due date you pay a $ 10 late fee regardless of when you gave them the check. they don’t have a system where they can log-​in your check when handed to them.
also, when you try to access their web-​site, then my account, it doesn’t tell you how much you owe them or there’s a payment due, you’ll have to remember that, besides the site can’t retain any payment info., so every time you have to enter your account info over again which is really unsafe, and the funny part is that they name their online system «smart street». plus when you try to pay by credit card, they charge you an extra $ 9.95 regardless of how small an amount you owe them.
Is there any rating less than one star ???

Real manage has the worst customer service I have ever experienced. On multiple occasions with multiple properties I have had poor service. They do not return calls. The online service requests are never answered. There are many better management companies. Don’t waste your time. Zero stars if I could!

I would love to give RealManage a non-​star. Specifically, Rachel Colby.
We live in a complex off of South Congress. The tenant below us had has a small leak coming from her ceiling. Our shower has been the problem. Rachel was supposed to coordinate with us and the tenant below us to find a time where the handyman could come take a look. We set up a time. The handyman comes to take a look but has no unearthly idea as to why he is there. He didn’t know that he was looking for a leak and the tenant below us was not even home. Fast forward two weeks later, the leak is still happening to our tenant below. Rachel reaches out to us to try and find a time for a repairman to come fix it. We respond to her immediately, she never responds to us. This back and forth keeps happening.
Fast forward to New Years Eve. We turn the shower on and the tenant below us comes running upstairs. Her unit is experience in a full-​on flood due to the leak. Plumbers come out, they have the wrong part. We spent our NYE with a plumber and no working shower. To this minute, the shower is still not fixed. Because of the leak we are unable to shower and have been using our friend’s apartment to shower. The tenant below us has had considerable water damage to her unit.
The Property Manager quickly and swiftly exited stage right whenever she was called upon to act as an intermediary between us and the tenant below us. We sublet, but the owners of our unit pay a fee each month for her to take care of and manage problems like this. Instead, she stepped out for vacation and was unavailable for communication to this minute. Because of her stupidity and incompetence, this problem which began as a small leak turned into an all out flood for the tenant below us and we got to ring in 2010 with a plumber and a broken shower.
We are furious with the way that this situation was handled and because of who she is and the way RealManage operates, we do not expect any amends to be made. Are we staying in our unit? Yes, probably. We enjoy the building and the location. Will we address concerns like this by ourselves? Yes. Her stupidity, incompetence and laziness when it comes to her job has inconvenienced many people: the tenant below us, my fiancé and I, the people that own our unit, and the plumbers who came out on NYE to try and fix the situation.
Property management is not your thing. This is not the last you will be hearing about this situation. You checked out of a situation that required your full attention and could have been remedied quite quickly.