Summary

West Springs HOA self-manages a 109-unit community limited to people age 55 and older in St. George—Utah’s fifth-largest city and a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. The community previously had a series of management companies overseeing day-to-day operations, but the homeowner’s association board decided they could do it themselves with the help of self managed HOA software. The board selected PayHOA’s application based on online reviews, and the change has since resulted in significant savings compared to previous fees, improved transaction accuracy, faster maintenance responses, and stronger community engagement.

Introduction to PayHOA

Steve Chandler knew things could be better in West Springs, a 109-unit development for residents aged 55 and over in St. George, Utah. After realizing the current property management company was not the right solution for his community, Chandler set out to convince his fellow homeowner’s association board members that they could effectively operate a self-managed HOA.

Some were wary. “You can’t run an HOA without a property manager,” they insisted. Having researched self managed HOA software, Steve knew what the right software could do. “With today’s technology, we can do what a property manager does,” he assured them. PayHOA was the perfect solution.

A one-stop shop for HOAs

Steve quickly realized PayHOA was the only platform built to meet the specific needs of homeowners’ associations. PayHOA doesn’t only excel at communication or accounting–it provides all the tools and features his board needs, he said. “Here, we have an integrated package. I thought, ‘Why would somebody want to divvy it up to separate programs?’”

In narrowing HOA software management options, he asked a PayHOA competitor if they offered a specific feature. He chuckles, remembering the man’s response: “No, we’re not PayHOA.”

Efficient workflows

Even with a property management company, West Springs’ board had to be hands-on—for instance, continually rewriting violation letters and correcting accounting errors. The cost difference between company-managed and self-managed is significant, and while it still takes time to set up procedures inside PayHOA’s software, there is a more efficient workflow. Steve says:

“I spend less time doing that than I before. With PayHOA, I just make sure it’s right the first time.”

Self-managed HOA software for communication and invoicing

West Springs HOA relies on PayHOA’s communication tools to share news, calendar events, and financial information with homeowners. Steve remembers the board secretary saying, “I don’t know any way I could communicate with the members as effectively as I’m able to utilize PayHOA.”

Invoicing inaccuracies also drove West Springs’ change to self managed HOA software. The board treasurer understood the HOA’s accounting systems better. After years of correcting mistakes, Steve said the board finally realized, “Nobody’s going to take better care of our business than us.”

“Nobody’s going to take better care of our business than us.”

Seamless transition and thorough training

PayHOA’s support team helped Steve and his team of volunteers prepare their community for the transition to making payments through PayHOA’s system, with autopay or lockbox options established for every homeowner. Not one bill was paid late that first month. “Our transition was flawless,” Steve said. Nearly three years later, he calls PayHOA’s invoicing and collecting module “bulletproof.”

West Springs’ board found PayHOA’s features user-friendly, even for a community of retirement-age residents. Steve credits the PayHOA support team’s knowledge, availability, and eagerness to support and train new users:

“This is going to be so easy once you get through this tunnel. You’re going to see the light,” he assures. 

Outstanding maintenance and a growing sense of community

West Springs prioritized reliable maintenance response as a first step. With more than 1,000 landscaping maintenance requests satisfied since switching to PayHOA, residents are thrilled.

He has enjoyed watching his neighbors deepen connections under a self-managed HOA: “Before, it was always ‘them and us.’ Now, we’re a community. PayHOA, I think, has contributed to that sense.”

The West Springs board has been so pleased with their experiences that they have introduced other homeowners associations in their area to PayHOA. To find out how HOA self-management software can help your community, contact PayHOA to begin your free 30-day trial.