Rising costs, shifting ownership patterns, and growing expectations from residents are reshaping community association management in 2026. Instead of adding more staff to keep up, many companies are leaning on technology and rethinking their service models.
In this article, we’ll highlight the trends community association managers are watching in 2026 and beyond—insights that can help you grow your portfolio and stay competitive.
1. Mergers and Acquisitions in Community Association Management
Growth was top of mind for community association management companies in 2025. According to Buildium’s 2025 Community Association Management Industry Report, portfolio growth ranked as the number one priority in 2025, with 92% of respondents saying they planned to expand a little or significantly throughout 2025 and 2026.
One of the ways companies are pursuing that growth is through acquisitions. In April 2025, Etherio Group announced its acquisition of Association Management Strategies (AMS), a deal that positioned Etherio as one of the largest association management companies in the industry.
Similarly, Continuum revealed in March 2025 that it had acquired twelve property management companies in just one year. Those acquisitions added nearly 1,000 communities and more than 77,000 homeowner doors to its portfolio.
These moves highlight how consolidation will continue to reshape the landscape into 2026. Larger players are quickly gaining market share and resources, while smaller companies are increasingly deciding whether to compete, specialize, or become part of a bigger organization.
2. Absentee Homeownership Is Reshaping Community Associations
A growing share of homes in community associations are being purchased by corporate investors rather than families who plan to live in them full-time. A recent webinar from The Community Associations Institute, How Corporate Investors Are Impacting High-Rise Condos, spotlights how this trend is playing out in condominiums. But the themes apply just as much to single-family neighborhoods, townhomes, and planned communities.
Community associations were designed with stability in mind: places where residents put down roots, raise families, and invest in the long-term health of the community. When corporate investors buy up units and convert them into rentals or short-term listings, the dynamic changes.
Investor-owned units can dilute community participation. “Renters usually don’t come to board meetings,” said Mitch Drimmer in the webinar. “You have people (voting) who have no stake in the building except the financial stake, and they’re going to vote that way.”
With lower meeting attendance and fewer owner voices, many associations struggle to make quorum or advance initiatives that truly improve quality of life, such as a new playground or capital project. In some cases, investors may even leave units empty as a vacation home or asset, resulting in ghost communities with fewer engaged residents.
For community association management companies, absentee homeownership means cash flow and governance become harder to manage. Assessment collections can become unpredictable, and boards may lack the engagement needed to make timely decisions.
3. Rising Community Association Costs and What They Mean for Boards
Costs continue to climb across the board. Suppliers are charging more. Insurance premiums remain high, especially in markets like Florida where new condo safety and reserve requirements were introduced after the Surfside tragedy. Salaries for qualified managers are rising as well.
At the same time, raising annual dues is often the last thing residents want to see. Associations must find ways to cover their costs while keeping homeowners satisfied. Smart companies are adopting technology to stretch resources further, giving managers the ability to oversee more properties without sacrificing service.
4. The Growth of Community Associations in New Housing Developments
Homeowners’ associations are becoming a standard feature of American housing, particularly in new developments. According to Realtor.com, 40.5% of for-sale listings in 2024 included a monthly HOA fee, up from 39.2% the year before.
The prevalence is even higher in new construction. Nearly 70% of newly built homes listed in 2024 came with HOA obligations, compared with just 38% of existing homes, the Realtor.com article stated. While condos, townhomes, and row houses remain the most likely to carry association dues, single-family homes are increasingly built with community association requirements too.
This makes sense when you look at the way new communities are designed. Houses are being built closer together, and buyers expect amenities like pools, playgrounds, and walking trails that require collective upkeep. A community association provides the framework to enforce rules, manage shared spaces, and preserve property values.
As more homeowners become accustomed to community association living, demand for management services will grow. But so will the pressure to demonstrate value for rising dues.
5. Technology Trends Making Community Associations More Efficient
As community association management companies expand their portfolios, efficiency and “doing more with less” becomes non-negotiable. Buildium’s 2025 Community Association Management Trends report highlights that while growth is the top priority, rising labor costs and profitability pressures mean companies need to find ways to do more without continually adding headcount.
Technology is stepping in to close that gap. According to Buildium, the most widely adopted tools among community association management companies in 2025 were electronic payments (76%) and accounting software (74%). Focusing on these areas doesn’t just help with employee burnout but also gives employees more time to focus on customer service and business development.
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are also becoming smarter, with AI-driven features like invoice ingestion and automated coding suggestions built in. For finance teams, that means fewer manual entries, faster invoice processing, and more bandwidth to focus on higher-value work.
The most widely adopted tools among community association management companies in 2025 were electronic payments (76%) and accounting software (74%) (Source: Buildium)
6. Payment Security Is a Growing Concern
According to the 2025 AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey, 79% of organizations reported attempted or actual payments fraud activity in 2024. Checks were the payment method most frequently targeted.
And it doesn’t take a master hacker to cause significant damage. In July, one community association management company prepared a bundle of 50 checks to cover obligations across more than a dozen homeowners associations. A management company representative left the stack of envelopes unattended in her car. Before she made it to the post office to drop off the bundle, thieves broke in, stole the checks, and fraudulently deposited them. While most of the funds were eventually recovered, the community association management company was financially liable for the losses in the meantime.
And even when monetary losses can be recouped, there’s reputational damage to consider. Homeowners and boards may begin to question whether their management company can handle funds securely, and if not, they may look for another provider.
Factor in yet another postage increase in 2025, and the case against paper checks is even stronger. By adopting ePayments and other secure digital payment tools, community association management companies can significantly reduce fraud risk while reassuring communities that their funds are being managed safely.
7. A La Carte Services: A New Model for Association Management
For up-and-coming community association management companies, the challenge is balancing growth with service quality. Many smaller companies want to give clients the feel of a high-touch, full-service partner, but don’t yet have the staffing to deliver that level of support consistently.
That’s where new service models are gaining traction. Instead of requiring associations to commit to a full-service agreement, some companies are offering a la carte services tailored to specific needs. These might include capital project management services, reserve studies and financial planning, or rental cap management. Even self-managed boards can benefit from tapping into expert guidance on accounting, compliance, or large-scale projects without taking on the overhead of a full-service contract.
This approach helps associations control costs while still accessing professional support where it matters most. For management companies, it creates a pathway to build relationships with smaller or cost-conscious boards, while establishing a reputation for expertise that can lead to larger partnerships down the road.
The Road Ahead for Community Association Managers
The community association management industry is at a crossroads: the prevalence of associations is rising, but so are costs and risks. Consolidation continues, but space remains for smaller, more nimble players to emerge. And technology is becoming the backbone of how companies manage growth, keep homeowners satisfied, and safeguard community funds.
Want to learn more about how to implement technology, specifically AP automation, in your community association management company? Download our eBook, Get Started with AP Automation for Community Association Management, to get a peek into what that process looks like here at AvidXchange.