Community Specialists

What Community Specialists does

Community Specialists is a privately held Illinois LLC founded in 2000 that provides professional property management services exclusively to high-quality condominium associations in Chicago's Lakeshore Market. The company manages over 14,000 residential units across associations ranging in size from 74 to 862 residences, delivering five core service pillars: association governance, business and financial services, community building, property management (maintenance and vendor coordination), and online homeowner services. The firm's operating model is deliberately boutique, characterized by a flat non-bureaucratic structure, senior personnel participating directly in day-to-day association management, and a selective intake process that accepts only associations where it can commit superlative service levels.

The underlying technology stack is composed of third-party SaaS tools rather than proprietary platforms: the CINC Web Axis portal powers the homeowner-facing payment and document access experience, DocuSign handles electronic signatures for ACH auto-debit enrollment, and Mapbox provides map integration on the company website. Homeowners can pay assessments via credit card (3.25% third-party fee), electronic check ($2.99 third-party fee), or free ACH auto-debit. Community Specialists does not retain any portion of these payment processing fees.

The business model is managed services revenue, with pricing structured as quote-based management fees determined per association rather than publicly disclosed rates. Customer acquisition is sales-led, relying on direct outreach to HOA boards, a proposal request workflow on the company website, and referral-driven relationships within the Chicago Lakeshore condominium community. The firm operates from two Chicago offices (303 E Wacker Drive and 205 North Michigan Avenue) with 51-100 employees and is led by CEO John Hickman. The company has not raised institutional funding, has no disclosed M&A activity, and has no parent company, remaining founder/owner-operated.

Name

Community Specialists

Legal name

Community Specialists

Website

https://communityspecialists.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Community Specialists is a Chicago-based property management firm founded in 2000 that exclusively manages high-quality condominium associations in Chicago's Lakeshore Market, overseeing over 14,000 residential units across 25-50 associations with a boutique, senior-staff-led service model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Condominium Property Management

NAICS

Residential Property Managers (531311)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAJAHAA

Condominium Association Management

Business & Public Services/Real Estate Services (Brokerage, Property Management)/HOA/Condominium Association Management

SECONDARYBPAJAHAN

Association Compliance, Governance & Board Support Services

Business & Public Services/Real Estate Services (Brokerage, Property Management)/HOA/Condominium Association Management

SECONDARYBPAJAHAM

Association Maintenance, Vendor & Capital Project Management

Business & Public Services/Real Estate Services (Brokerage, Property Management)/HOA/Condominium Association Management

Keywords

• Condominium property management
• Association governance services
• Financial reporting services
• Maintenance coordination services
• Community building programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Property Management Services: Community Specialists generates revenue through property management services provided to condominium associations. Services include financial reporting (Accounts Receivable, Balance Sheet, Budget Comparison), maintenance supervision, association governance advisory, and community building support. Revenue is likely derived from management fees based on the size and scope of each association managed.
2. Payment Processing Fees: The company facilitates payment processing for homeowner assessments through credit card and electronic check options. Credit card payments incur a 3.25% fee and electronic check payments incur a $2.99 fee, both paid to the third-party payment provider. Auto-debit ACH enrollment is free with no ongoing fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Community Specialists provides professional property management and administrative services to high-quality condominium associations in Chicago's Lakeshore Market. The offering spans five pillars—Association Governance, Business & Financial Services, Community Building, Property Management, and Online Homeowner Services—delivered by an in-house team of property managers and supervisors, with an online portal (CINC Web Axis) supporting payments, document access, and resident communications.

Product overview

Community Specialists is a condominium association property management company serving Chicago's lakeshore market. The company offers a unified suite of services organized around five core pillars: Association Governance, Business & Financial Services, Community Building, Property Management, and Online/Homeowner Services. Their online services are delivered through the Cinc Web Axis portal, which provides homeowners with web payment options, account access, and association document management. The company manages over 14,000 units across high-quality condominium associations, with association sizes ranging from 74 to 862 residences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Association Governance Services Governance support for condominium associations, including communication programs, board and committee meeting facilitation, newsletters, private intranets for board and committees, and member surveys to help associations operate effectively. Targeted at condominium association boards in Chicago's Lakeshore Market.
• Business & Financial Services Financial management for condominium associations, including accounts receivable tracking, balance sheets, bank reconciliation, budget comparison reports, cash disbursement reports, operating budgets, and reserve funding services. Designed for association boards needing professional financial oversight.
• Community Building Services Programs designed to build community engagement through communications and management of quality events, helping increase involvement and volunteer effort among association members. For condominium association boards seeking to strengthen resident participation.
• Property Management Services Maintenance programs for condominium associations, including regular site inspections, vendor network management, bid solicitation for repairs and projects, and maintenance issue identification and resolution. Targeted at association boards needing coordinated physical-plant upkeep.
• Online Homeowner Services (CINC Web Axis Portal) Web-based homeowner portal providing 24/7 access to association information, online assessment payments via credit card or electronic check, account management, and association document access. Provided to residents of condominium associations managed by Community Specialists.

Quantifiable outcome

• Managed over 14,000 residential units across managed associations
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• KW Property Management & Consulting: Florida-based luxury high-rise and condominium manager with a comparable full-service governance, financial, and amenity offering. Mirrors Community Specialists' positioning in upscale residential condominium management.
• The Continental Group: Specialist luxury high-rise condominium and HOA manager, with a similar full-service, senior-led engagement model. Comparable to Community Specialists in targeting premium condominium associations and competing for similar board mandates.
• FirstService Residential: North America's largest residential property management company, with deep presence in Chicago high-rise and condominium associations. Directly competes with Community Specialists for HOA/condo board contracts in Chicago's Lakeshore corridor.
• Sudler Property Management: Long-standing Chicago residential property manager (now operating under FirstService Residential) that historically served many of the same high-rise condominium associations along Chicago's lakefront as Community Specialists.
• Associa: Largest U.S. HOA and condominium management firm, providing governance, financial, and community services across tens of thousands of associations. Overlaps directly with Community Specialists on service scope and target customer (community association boards).

Broad incumbents

• RealManage: Technology-enabled HOA and condominium management company serving communities across multiple U.S. states. Comparable to Community Specialists in core HOA/condo governance and financial services but with broader geographic and technology footprint.
• Vesta Property Services: National residential and community management platform offering HOA, condominium, and amenity services at scale. Overlaps with Community Specialists on HOA/condo management but operates across a much broader portfolio of property types and geographies.
• HomeRiver Group: Large national property management company with residential, multifamily, and HOA service lines. Competitively relevant as a broad incumbent offering single-family and association services that may bundle into condominium board contracts.

Regional players

• Wirtz Residential: Chicago-focused residential property management firm serving condominium and homeowner associations in the metro area. Comparable regional competitor for Chicago condominium association mandates.
• Lieberman Management Services: Chicago-based condominium and homeowner association manager focused on the Chicago market. Directly comparable to Community Specialists in geographic focus and core service offering for local condominium associations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community Specialists