If your Association Manager was put in place by the Builder, your Board should replace them ASAP.
Why? This Association Manager typically has more allegiance to the Builder than to your HOA. They want to be put in place on the Builders next project.
Here’s how it typically goes… Builder completes the project and puts their preferred Association Manager in place. This Association Manager then installs their preferred attorney as the Association Attorney. This Association Manager then uses mainly vendors from their “preferred” vendor list to perform work for the HOA.
The longer you keep any vendors connected to the Builder, the greater the chance of significant HOA Dues increases in the shorter term and Special Assessments in the longer term.
So which vendors should be replaced? A good rule of thumb is to ask: Does this vendor have the ability to significantly impact Association finances? If yes, probably best to replace them.