For owners thinking about what comes next
If you own an HOA or condo management company and you have started to think about succession — retiring, stepping back, or finding someone to carry what you built — this page is for you, and for the advisors who help owners through that decision.
I am Ilia Sotonin. I am putting together a company that acquires community association management firms in the US and keeps them running the way their clients already trust. It is early: as of October 2026 we are looking for the first company to join. I would rather say that plainly than pretend to be a large group.
Why I care about this business
I have run one. For nine years I owned a residential management company that grew to about 20,000 residents. I answered the duty phone at night, hired the plumbers, sat through the residents' meetings and sold the company in 2021. After that I built doma.ai, software that 10,000 management companies used to run their buildings, and I now build Unitify.
So I know what an owner has really built: not a client list, but years of trust with boards, residents and a team that shows up when a pipe bursts.
What I look for
- A community association management company in the US, typically with 2,000 to 10,000 units under management.
- A team that boards like working with, and an owner who cares what happens to them after a sale.
- An owner open to a gradual handover rather than a clean walk-away, if that suits them.
What I want to keep
- Your name and your local presence. Boards hired a local company they know; that should not change on the day of a deal.
- Your people. The managers and staff are why clients stay. The plan is to keep the team and give them better support, not to replace it.
- Your relationships. Boards and residents should feel continuity, not a takeover.
What I would add is what a single owner usually cannot afford alone: back-office support, better tools, and someone to share the hard calls with.
These are my intentions and how I approach a deal. The specific terms of any transaction are agreed with each owner, in writing.
How a conversation starts
Confidentially and without obligation. Write to me directly, or ask your broker or M&A advisor to reach out. I am glad to work through advisors, and nothing you share is passed on.
Questions owners ask
Are you a private equity firm?
No. I am an operator who ran a residential management company myself and then built software for the industry. I am forming the company and looking for its first acquisition.
Will you change our company name?
The intention is to keep your name and local presence; boards hired a company they know.
What happens to my staff?
The plan is to keep the team. The people who serve the communities are the reason those communities stay.
Do I have to leave on day one?
No. Many owners prefer a gradual handover, and that is welcome. The pace is agreed with each owner.
What size of company are you interested in?
Typically 2,000 to 10,000 units under management.
Can I talk to you through my broker?
Yes. Working through a broker or M&A advisor is common and welcome.