What’s the Question?

By Darlys Walker

Published June 3, 2015

 

During the past 90 days we have received 15 Requests for Proposals (RFP’s) for management services. I have been flabbergasted at some of the formats used in these requests. Some are very basic, looking for genuine input from the bidder and some appear more like an interrogation! We recently received a very comprehensive RFP form consisting of 54 pages of questions and requesting over 30 sample forms. Many of the questions were repeated throughout the document. I started to wonder, is anyone really reading this information and how could they possibly compare such lengthy documents against each other?

 

So what should an RFP really look like and can you get a true picture of a Management Firm from a written document? I don’t think you can! I believe Boards would be better served in meeting candidates, face to face, calling references, using the internet to get a better sense of how a company operates, asking local Association Attorneys and asking Association Insurance Providers. These professionals know who does a good job and who doesn’t.

   

One of the recent RFPs we received came from a Board who stated, “We visited three communities in the area that we felt were comparable and were pleased with the way the properties were managed and with the staff’s interaction with us. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that your company manages all three!” In my opinion, the “surprise” visit gave this Board more insight to my company more than any RFP could.

   

What do you think? Are RFP’s a good way to judge a Management Company?
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Darlys Walker, Founder and CEO of Condominium Concepts Management, Inc. (CCM), is recognized for her straight talk, subject matter expertise, and valued insights regarding real  

state management, leasing, and HOAs. Her company serves a diverse portfolio of properties, from 16-units up to 600 as well as large mixed-use developments.  

 

   From its beginnings in 2000, CCM has become a well-respected asset manager and now works with over 100 associations with 16,000 units served by over 300 employees. Darlys and her team deliver resources and responsiveness through six regional offices - in Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville, Charleston, Nashville and Atlanta.

  

   Darlys Walker is best known for her passion and precision, understanding that the only difference that matters in today's demanding marketplace is service delivery ... doing what is promised and what is right. She knows that every community serves two masters ... the property owner/developer and the resident/homeowner. "If we are not equally responsive to both, we are not doing our job," she states.  

 

   Her clients say it best: "Darlys really knows her stuff" ... "at the top of her profession and it shows in the caliber of her clients" ... "delivers quality resources that match up well with needs and expectations that are really rigorous."  

 

   She is a licensed Real Estate Broker in four states, holds an Associate's Degree in Marketing and has earned the Accredited Real Estate Manager designation from the Georgia Institute of Real Estate Management. Also she is one of few certified as a Lead-Based Paint Abatement & Removal Trainer in Georgia.

  

   Darlys Walker and her team have been selected to manage the condominium conversion process and day-to-day operations for many of the Southeast's most high-profile condominium communities including luxury high-rises, mid-rises and garden-style homes. Most recently she has been recognized as an expert in 're-versions' of communities from condominiums to leased homes, as well as repositioning projects. A visionary and a tireless perfectionist, Darlys demonstrates hands-on leadership, working individually with each client and staff associate to achieve defined business outcomes and satisfaction.  

  

  For more information about Darlys Walker and Condominium Concepts Management, Inc. please visit www.condominiumconcepts.com.

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