Summary
In May 2026, Westward360 submitted a proposal to replace Association Partners, Inc. (API) as Prestonfield’s property management company. This page compares the two companies on cost, service scope, contract terms, and strategic fit for Prestonfield.
Westward360 is a larger, more tech-forward company with a higher base fee and stronger commitments on documentation and inspections. API has a 6-year track record with Prestonfield, an established collection litigation workflow, and a lower current rate. The key risk with switching is transition continuity during active collections enforcement and an ongoing reserve study.
Applicable Rules
| Rule | Source | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Board may retain and terminate management companies | bylaws-2004 | Article 4 |
| $1,500 expenditure limit without Board consent | api-management-agreement-2020 | Contract terms |
| 90-day without-cause termination; fee = remaining months | api-management-agreement-2020 | Section 2.3 |
Fee Comparison
| Item | API (2025–26) | Westward360 (May 2026 proposal) |
|---|---|---|
| Base management fee | $15,872/year ($1,322/mo) | $19,020/year ($1,585/mo) |
| Annual escalation | 3.5% per year (contractual) | Not stated in proposal |
| Additional meetings (beyond 4/year) | $125/hour | $200/meeting flat |
| Court/depositions/evictions | Not separately stated | $150/hour |
| Capital project coordination | Not a separate fee | $3,300 flat (projects >10% of annual budget) |
| ARC request fee | $25/request (charged to owner) | Not stated |
| Violation letter fee | $50/letter (charged to owner) | Not stated |
| Collection referral admin fee | $150/account (charged back to owner) | $5/delinquency reminder; $500 foreclosure flat fee |
| Electronic homeowner statements | Not included in base | FREE |
| Secretary of State annual filing | Not stated (likely pass-through) | $195/year (includes filing fee) |
| 1099/1096 processing | Not stated | $65/year + $2.50/vendor |
| Fidelity Bond premium | Not stated | $700/year (state-required) |
| Refinance/sale documents | Not stated | $25/sale contributed to association |
| AR management | $150/account to attorney threshold | ”$50/account/month” (ambiguous — see Open Questions) |
Net cost premium: Westward360 base fee is approximately $3,148/year more than API’s current rate. However, API’s 3.5% escalation clause projects the API rate to ~$18,900/year by 2030, at which point rates converge if Westward360’s fee is flat.
Service Scope Comparison
| Area | API | Westward360 |
|---|---|---|
| Board meetings | 4/year included | 4/year included |
| Site inspections | Monthly common area inspection | Monthly manager walkthrough + annual comprehensive maintenance team inspection |
| Document management | Standard portal | Explicit commitment to scan, name, and classify all documents including historical files |
| Online portal | apimanagers.com | Heavily emphasized; 24-hr access, all document types, payment portal |
| Vendor management | Standard procurement | Explicit no-kickback policy; proactive monitoring; board makes final vendor decisions |
| Financial reporting | Monthly reports (confirmed in practice) | Monthly: balance sheet, income statement, budget vs. actuals, delinquency, bank statements, receipts |
| Insurance bidding | Not explicitly stated | Annual bid solicitation from multiple carriers — written commitment |
| ARC/Rules enforcement | Per agreement; per-letter fee | Described as included service; per-letter fee not stated |
| Capital projects | $1,500 expenditure limit per transaction | $3,300 flat fee for coordination of large projects |
| Crisis response | Standard | 24-hour access committed in writing |
Pros and Cons
Westward360 — Pros
- No stated escalation clause — if the rate is fixed, long-term cost converges with or falls below API within 3–5 years.
- Annual comprehensive maintenance inspection in addition to monthly walkthroughs — stronger inspection commitment than API’s agreement.
- Document archive — explicit promise to scan and organize all historical documents. Prestonfield has a substantial paper trail; this could reduce ongoing administrative friction.
- Free electronic homeowner statements — reduces mailing costs.
- Annual insurance bid solicitation — explicitly committed; API’s agreement does not state this.
- Scale — 65,000+ homes, 750+ buildings; likely stronger vendor relationships and negotiating leverage.
- No-kickback policy — stated explicitly; API’s agreement is silent on this.
Westward360 — Cons
- Higher base fee — $3,148/year more than API’s current rate.
- Transition risk during active collections — Prestonfield has multiple active collection suits involving several homeowners as of late 2025. Changing managers mid-litigation risks disrupting the CS&R attorney workflow. See assessment-collection-policy.
- Capital Coordination fee ($3,300) — with the reserve study (reserve-study-findings) recommending significant future capital spending, this add-on fee could recur frequently.
- AR management fee ambiguity — the proposal references what appears to be “$50/account/month” for AR management. With 5–10 active delinquent accounts, this could add $3,000–6,000/year on top of the base fee. Requires clarification before any decision.
- Termination terms not stated — contract term length and termination provisions are absent from this proposal. Critical omission.
- Condo association references only — the two testimonials are condo associations. Prestonfield’s profile (215 single-family lots, no common buildings, large wetland/cost-share obligations) is materially different.
- Dedicated manager not named — the contact listed (Eric Staszczak) appears to be a sales/transition role, not the account manager.
API — Pros
- Known quantity — 6-year relationship; Courtney Puzon and now Marjorie Comber know Prestonfield’s issues.
- Active litigation continuity — CS&R attorney (Lisa A. Carby) is already working with API on multiple active collection cases.
- Simpler fee structure — less ambiguity in what is and isn’t included.
- Reserve study in progress — Reserve Advisors was engaged under API’s watch; transition would interrupt this relationship.
- Lower current base cost.
API — Cons
- 3.5% annual escalation — rate will continue increasing regardless of performance.
- Account manager instability — Prestonfield has cycled through Courtney O’Connor → Courtney Puzon → Loree King (maternity cover) → Marjorie Comber since 2021.
- Technology — portal exists but not as prominently featured as Westward360’s platform.
- No committed document archive — no stated obligation to organize historical documents.
- Reserve study scope concern — May 2026 board discussion flagged that Reserve Advisors may have attributed homeowner fence responsibility to HOA. API sourced this engagement. See reserve-study-findings.
Open Questions
- Does Westward360’s base fee include the fidelity bond ($700/year) or is it additive? If additive, effective year-one cost is $19,720.
- What exactly is the “$50/account/month” AR management fee? With active delinquencies, this could be the largest variable cost driver. Needs written clarification.
- Is there an annual escalation clause? Not stated in the proposal — ask explicitly before engaging.
- What are the contract term and termination provisions? Absent from this proposal. API’s 90-day termination with a fee equal to remaining months in term is a known risk; Westward360’s terms are unknown.
- Who is the dedicated manager and what is their current portfolio size? Critical to assess attentiveness.
- Do they have suburban single-family HOA references? The testimonials in the proposal are condo associations only.
- How would they handle the transition of active collection cases and the CS&R attorney relationship?
- What is their process for the ongoing reserve study and future capital spending coordination?
History
- 2020-09-01 — API Management Agreement signed; term Nov 1, 2020–Oct 31, 2023; $12,960/yr. See api-management-agreement-2020.
- 2020-2026 — API rate escalated from $12,960 to $15,872 via 3.5% annual increases. See vendor-contracts.
- 2026-05-21 — Westward360 submitted proposal at $1,585/month ($19,020/year). See westward360-proposal-2026.
- 2026-06-08 — Board comparison analysis completed and filed as this topic page.