Joining a property management organization is a good idea for any property manager. These organizations can bring you opportunities to network, earn certifications, attend seminars, discover new technologies, stay up-to-date on industry news, and more.
In last week’s post, we revealed the 4 property management organizations that we’d recommend joining for most property managers. However, if you’re in a specific niche within the property management industry, a more specific organization could be a smart choice for you.
Property Management Organizations in 4 Niche Industries
In this post, we’ll share 4 top property management organizations within 4 specific sectors: commercial real estate, affordable housing, short-term rentals, and vacation rentals. Between these 2 posts, we hope that you find the perfect property management organization to help you achieve your professional goals.
Building Owners & Managers Association (BOMA)
BOMA’s website:
https://www.boma.org/
Who BOMA is for:
Commercial property owners and managers
Founded:
1907
BOMA membership benefits:
- Professional development courses, custom training programs for companies, publications, monthly luncheons for local chapters, conferences, job board, awards, member directory
- Find more information: Membership | BOMA
BOMA chapters:
- Domestic chapters:
- 90 local chapters across 40 states
- Find more information: Chapters | BOMA
- Regional chapters:
- International chapters:
- 18 chapters across 16 countries
- Find more information: International Affiliates | BOMA
BOMA conferences:
- Annual conference: BOMA 2017 International Conference & Expo
- Education sessions, vendor expo, and networking opportunities for commercial real estate professionals
- 2017: June 24-27 in Nashville, TN
- 2018: June 23-26 in San Antonio, TX
- Find more info: BOMA International Conference & Expo
- BOMA Association Executives Leadership Conference
- 2017: October 26-28 in Washington, D.C.
- Find more info: Association Executives Leadership Conference | BOMA
- Winter Business Meeting & National Issues Conference
- Networking opportunities and discussions on industry trends and business updates
- 2018: January 28-31 in Washington, D.C.
- Find more info: Winter Business Meeting | BOMA
- Medical Office Buildings & Healthcare Real Estate Conference
- Attended by over 1000 professionals and nearly 400 companies in the healthcare real estate sector
- Education sessions and networking opportunities
- 2018: May 9-11 in Denver, CO
- Find more info: BOMA Medical Office Buildings & Healthcare Real Estate Conference
- International conferences:
- Property Council New Zealand National Conference
- Education sessions and networking opportunities for commercial real estate professionals
- 2017: September 13-15 in Melbourne, Australia
- Find more info: National Conference 2017 | Property Council New Zealand
- BOMEX 2017
- Education sessions, networking opportunities, and an awards gala for commercial real estate professionals
- 2017: September 27-28 in Toronto, Canada
- Find more info: BOMEX | BOMA Canada
- British Council for Offices Annual Conference
- Education sessions and networking opportunities for commercial real estate professionals
- 2018: May 23-25 in Berlin, Germany
- Find more info: BCO Annual Conference | BOMA
- Property Council New Zealand National Conference
- Find more information: Events | BOMA
BOMA memberships:
- Local Association Members: Join BOMA as a federated member through one of 90 local/regional chapters
- Member-at-Large: For building owners, property managers, or other commercial real estate professionals operating in areas with no local chapters
- National Associate Members: For manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors serving the commercial real estate industry
- International Members: For commercial real estate professionals operating in International Affiliate countries; otherwise, they can join as Members-at-Large
- Find more information: Membership | BOMA
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National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA)
NAHMA’s website:
https://www.nahma.org/
Who NAHMA is for:
- Multifamily property managers and owners in the affordable housing sector
- Providers of goods and services serving the affordable housing sector
Founded:
1990
NAHMA membership benefits:
- Member directory, relationships with government agencies, accreditation programs, professional education, awards and sponsorships, publications, congressional directory, job board
- Find more info: Membership | NAHMA
NAHMA chapters:
- Join NAHMA through 1 of 20 regional affordable housing management associations (AHMAs)
- Find more info: AHMA Directory | NAHMA
NAHMA conferences:
- NAHMA Federal Affairs Issues Meeting
- Held annually every winter
- 2018: March 4-6 in Washington, D.C.
- NAHMA Regulatory Issues Meeting
- Held annually every fall
- 2017: October 22-24 in Washington, D.C.
- Additional conferences through regional AHMAs
- Find more info: Meetings | NAHMA
NAHMA certifications:
- National Affordable Housing Professional Certification (NAHP): For industry professionals with at least 2 years of experience in affordable housing management
- National Affordable Housing Professional – Executive Level (NAHP-e): For industry professionals with at least 5 years of experience in affordable housing management, with at least 3 years at an executive level
- Certified Professional of Occupancy (CPO): For managers of properties operated under HUD’s 4350.3 Occupancy Handbook
- Advanced Issues in HUD Occupancy (ACPO): For managers of properties operated under HUD’s 4350.3 Occupancy Handbook, and who deal with advanced issues like managing mixed-finance properties, managing corporate access to HUD secure systems, managing front-line staff in their occupancy compliance duties, and more
- Fair Housing Compliance (FHC): For industry professionals seeking a greater understanding of the Fair Housing Act and Section 504
- Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SHCM): For managers of properties operated under the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program
- National Accredited Housing Maintenance Technician (NAHMT): For apartment housing maintenance professionals with at least 2 years of experience
- National Accredited Housing Maintenance Supervisor (NAHMS): For apartment housing maintenance supervisors with at least 3 years of experience
- Credential for Green Property Management (CGPM): For on-site managers, maintenance staff, and supervisors to become certified in green building principles and practices
- Find more info: Education | NAHMA
NAHMA memberships:
- Executive Member: For executives and owners in the affordable housing management sector
- Associate Member: For management agents in the affordable housing sector
- Affiliate Member: For vendors serving the affordable housing sector
- Subscriber: For those who just want access to NAHMA publications
- Find more info: Membership | NAHMA
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Onsite Property Management Association (OPMA)
OPMA’s website:
https://theopma.org/
Who OPMA is for:
- Onsite property managers for short-term rentals (30 days or less)
- Onsite property managers for vacation rentals (at least 10 units)
- Suppliers in the onsite property rental management industry
- Find more info: Membership Criteria | OPMA
Founded:
2014
OPMA membership benefits:
- Sales training programs, supplier directory
- Find more info: Membership Benefits | OPMA
OPMA conferences:
- OPMA Executive Summit
- For management professionals and suppliers in the onsite property management sector
- Networking opportunities and speaker-led discussions on industry issues
- 2017: May 17-19 in Denver, CO
- Find more info: Executive Summit | OPMA
Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA)
VRMA’s website:
https://www.vrma.org/
Who VRMA is for:
Vacation rental professionals
Founded:
1985
VRMA membership benefits:
- Educational webinars; conferences, reports, publications, and buyer’s guides; property listings; member resource center; online discussion forum; professional discounts; member directory
- Find more info: Membership | VRMA
VRMA conferences:
- VRMA National Conference
- Over 50 educational sessions for vacation rental industry professionals on business strategy, industry trends, and sales/marketing
- Vendor showcase of over 70 suppliers
- 2017: October 15-18 in Orlando, FL
- 2018: October 27-30 in Las Vegas, NV
- VRMA Western Regional Conference
- 2018: March 26-27 in Portland, OR
- VRMA Eastern Regional Conference
- 2018: April 16-17 in Miami, FL
- Find more info: Education & Events | VRMA
VRMA memberships:
- Manager Members: For companies that provide full-service rental management of at least 5 vacation properties
- Start Up Manager Members: For early stage full-service management companies with less than 5 properties
- Associate Members: For companies that provide limited management services and rental services operations
- Vendor/Supplier Members: For vendors in the property operations sector
- Find more info: Membership Types | VRMA
Regional Property Management Organizations
The 8 property management organizations that we covered in this series are open to industry professionals throughout the country and around the world. Many of these organizations have local chapters that offer resources and events specific to your area. However, there are many renowned property management organizations that operate on a local, state, or regional level that could be an excellent fit for you as well. Local organizations will have in-depth knowledge of the specific regulations and factors that impact your work in that area, so they’re worth researching as you decide which property management organization is right for you.
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