FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Common Interest Management Services.
General Questions
What does Common Interest Management Services do?
Common Interest Management Services (CIMS) provides professional HOA management and accounting services to homeowner associations across Northern California. Since 1990, CIMS has served boards and homeowners with community management, financial services, project support, maintenance, and cloud-based technology, all tailored to each community’s unique needs.
What types of HOA communities does Common Interest manage?
CIMS manages the full range of common interest developments, including master-planned communities, single family home associations, condominiums, mixed use residential, commercial condominiums, business parks and mid-rise communities. Client communities range from smaller associations with fewer than 25 units to the largest and most complex communities with onsite general managers and staff.
What makes Common Interest different from other HOA management companies?
CIMS pairs a large firm’s resources with a local, hands-on approach. Boards get experienced, long-tenured managers, invested leadership access, strong vendor relationships, modern technology and homeowner portals, and reliable coverage from nearby offices.
Does Common Interest work with both board members and homeowners?
Yes. Boards receive a dedicated management partner for education, governance, and daily decision-making, while homeowners get live-answered phones during business hours and 24/7 self-service through the online portal, including document access and flexible payment options.
What services are included in HOA management?
CIMS provides full-service community management with certified community managers, full general ledger accounting and financial reporting, budgeting and reserve support, vendor competitive bidding, site inspections and CC&R enforcement, board meeting and election support, project and construction support, and maintenance services backed by a licensed general contractor. We can customize included services based on a community’s needs.
Homeowner Account, Portal, And Payments
How do I register for the homeowner portal?
Visit the Homeowner Portal at portal.commoninterest.com and follow the registration prompts to create your account. You will need your account information and registration key. If you need help registering, submit a request through the portal or call customer service at (877) 904-3080 and the team will walk you through it.
What can I do through the homeowner portal?
The portal provides secure, 24/7 real-time access to association documents, community calendars, board communications, and your personal accounting ledger. You can also make online payments, initiate work orders, submit architectural applications, and track all service requests through to completion.
What should I do if I cannot log in?
First, use the password reset option on the portal login page. If you still cannot access your account, call customer service at (877) 904-3080 during business hours (8:30 AM to 4:30 PM) or email [email protected] and the team will restore your access.
How do I make an HOA payment online?
Log in to the Homeowner Portal and select the e-payment option to pay your assessment online. The portal offers flexible online payment options and is available 24/7 from your mobile phone or desktop.
Can I set up recurring payments?
Yes. The portal’s e-payment system allows you to set up automatic recurring payments so your assessments are paid on time each period without manual effort. Customer service can help you get recurring payments configured if you run into any issues.
Where can I view my balance or account history?
Your personal accounting ledger is available in the Homeowner Portal, where you can review your current balance, payment history, and charges in real time, 24/7.
Who should I contact with billing questions?
Contact the CIMS customer service team at (877) 904-3080 or [email protected]. Phones are answered live during business hours with a goal of resolving issues on the first try.
Maintenance, Service Requests, And Emergencies
How do I submit a maintenance request?
Log in to the Homeowner Portal to initiate a work order any time, day or night. You can also call your local CIMS office during business hours and a customer service representative will create the request for you.
How do I report a common area issue?
Report common area issues through the Homeowner Portal by submitting a work order, or call your local office directly. Include the location and a brief description of the issue so your community management team can dispatch the right vendor quickly.
How can I check the status of a service request?
Every service request submitted through the Homeowner Portal can be tracked to completion right in your account. Log in at any time to see current status, or contact customer service for an update.
What qualifies as an HOA emergency?
An HOA emergency is any situation in a common area that threatens life safety or will cause immediate property damage if not addressed, such as active water leaks or flooding, fire, gas odors, sewage backups, or hazardous electrical issues. Situations that are inconvenient but not dangerous, such as routine repairs or landscaping concerns, should be submitted as standard work orders. Please keep in mind that the HOA is not a first responder or emergency response team. In the event of a true emergency threatening health or safety, please call 911 first.
Who do I contact after hours?
Every CIMS office maintains a dedicated after-hours emergency line, listed alongside each office location on commoninterest.co. If you experience a true emergency outside of business hours, call the after-hours number for your local office and the on-call team will respond.
How does Common Interest handle maintenance coordination?
CIMS coordinates maintenance through a combination of its internal maintenance services team, which provides site inspection, handyman, and janitorial services under a licensed general contractor, and an extensive network of proven local vendors. Community managers can be onsite quickly to meet vendors, gather bids, and review completed work before authorizing payment.
Board Member Services And HOA Management
How does Common Interest support HOA boards?
CIMS serves as the board’s trusted management partner for education, governance, and daily decision-making. Each association is assigned a dedicated team led by a community manager and supported by specialists in customer service, accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and administration, with a shared goal of enhancing the long-term value of the association’s assets.
What does a community manager help with?
CIMS community managers consult with the board on best practices across all areas of community management, including governance, meetings, annual elections, vendor selection and oversight, competitive bidding, site inspections, preventative maintenance, and CC&R compliance. With local offices nearby, managers visit communities in person and perform mobile site inspections with full violation history at their fingertips.
Does Common Interest assist with board meetings and meeting preparation?
Yes. Board members receive a complete packet and annual calendar approximately one week ahead of meetings. Draft minutes and a working task list are provided within a few business days afterward.
Can Common Interest help with elections, rules, and governance?
Yes. CIMS supports annual elections, board education, committee setup, rules enforcement, and CC&R compliance. Managers share best-demonstrated practices on governance and owner participation, and provide ongoing education and proven tools to help volunteer board members succeed in their fiduciary roles.
How involved does the board need to be when working with a management company?
The board retains its governing and fiduciary role, setting direction and making decisions, while CIMS handles the day-to-day execution: homeowner communication, vendor coordination, accounting, inspections, and administration. Boards stay informed through clear status reports, the confidential board portal, and regular meeting packets, so involvement can focus on decisions rather than legwork.
Can Common Interest help our community transition from another management company?
Yes. CIMS has a dedicated team of onboarding specialists and has completed hundreds of successful transitions. The proven approach includes a strong liaison, accountability for the former management company to perform, and a well-executed plan designed to give the association a fast start in its first 100 days.
Financial Management, Projects, And Community Operations
What accounting services does Common Interest provide?
CIMS provides full general ledger accounting and reporting, and dedicated accounts payable and receivable staff, with secure e-signature, monthly financials, collection policy enforcement, escrow services and estoppel inspections, special assessment administration, and bank integration with free lockbox service.
How do board members access financial reports?
Board members use a proprietary, confidential board portal with access to current and archived financials, historical accounts payable invoices, and active vendor contracts. The portal also shows association activity including work order status, violations, architectural applications, and the community manager’s open and completed action items.
Does Common Interest help with budgeting and reserve planning?
Yes. CIMS manages the budget process at a high-level year-round. We facilitate reserve studies and provide draft budgets early so that boards have ample time to plan for the upcoming year. CIMS supports annual budgeting with cost-saving strategies and assists boards with reserve planning, including project support for major reserve projects such as roofing and painting.
Can Common Interest help manage community improvement projects?
Yes. The CIMS Project Support team specializes in large project planning and oversight, including specifications and the bid process, reserve projects, insurance claims for events like fire and water damage, SB 326 compliance, and defect claims and settlements. In addition, we can provide guidance and support for complicated special assessments and loans. Project services consultants have the capacity and proven expertise to manage complex projects in any calendar year.
How are vendors selected and coordinated?
Vendors serve at the pleasure of the board, and CIMS facilitates competitive bidding from an extensive network of local vendors with proven records of performance. Community managers meet vendors onsite for new bids and review completed work in person before authorizing payment.
Does Common Interest help track project timelines and communication?
Yes. Boards can follow project and task progress through the board portal, including work order status and the community manager’s open and completed action items, supported by clear status reports and steady communication between meetings.
Technology, Communication, And Getting Started
What technology tools does Common Interest provide?
CIMS provides an industry-leading, highly customized cloud-based SaaS platform for HOAs. Homeowners get a 24/7 mobile-responsive portal for documents, payments, work orders, and service tracking, while boards access a separate confidential area for financials, governance documents, and association activity. Community managers also use mobile technology for onsite inspections with instant access to violation history. Invoice review, check signing and payment status are managed through a secure online payables system where all board members can view current and past invoices. For more information on all technology CIMS can offer to your community, visit our Technology page here.
Can homeowners and board members access documents online?
Yes. Homeowners can instantly download association documents, community calendars, and board communications through the Homeowner Portal. Board members have additional access to executive session minutes, current and archived financials, invoices, and vendor contracts through the board portal.
How does Common Interest communicate updates to communities?
Communication runs through multiple channels: live-answered phones during business hours, board communications and community calendars published in the portal, regular board meeting packets and status reports, and after-hours emergency lines for urgent issues.
What areas does Common Interest serve?
CIMS serves homeowner associations across Northern California, including the Greater Bay Area, Central Valley, and Sacramento region. Local offices are located in San Ramon, San Mateo, Campbell, Novato, Brentwood, Stockton, Modesto, and Sacramento.
How can our HOA request a proposal?
Visit commoninterest.com and use the Request a Proposal form, or call (877) 904-3080. The CIMS team will follow up to learn about your community’s needs and prepare a tailored proposal.
