Our Vision
Our vision is to build the physical ledger for the built world, driving financial health and human connection.
Damian J. Esparza is the Founder and CEO of SmartProperty
With over two decades of experience in the community association industry, a Boston College graduate, Damian is principal shareholder of Barrera & Company and worked at Banc of America Securities and SG Cowen. At SmartProperty, he pioneered the Living Reserve Study™ bringing the reserve study to life, and transforming static reserve studies into dynamic, real-time financial roadmaps for community associations.
His work focuses on transparency, control, and informed decision-making to optimize asset management. Featured in Forbes and other publications, Damian is dedicated to improving community association well-being and preventing failures like the Surfside Condo collapse. He is a proud husband and father to three boys.
Trusted by Industry Leaders
For too long, community association trustees have been dropped into the deep end of a business model they are
wholly unprepared for. They’ve volunteered to run a multi-million dollar business, for free and with minimal training.
The very definition of a community association and the duty of every board member is to “provide a communal basis for preserving, maintaining, and enhancing homes and property.” But it isn’t obvious how to get from here to there.The usual recommendation is that the board commission a reserve study. But the static reserve study falls short. It is not enough on its own to complete the job to be done. The very definition of a community association and the duty of every board member is to “provide a communal basis for preserving, maintaining, and enhancing homes and property.” But it isn’t obvious how to get from here to there.
The usual recommendation is that the board commission a reserve study. But the static reserve study falls short. It is not enough on its own to complete the job to be done.
In fact, based on our analysis of over 20,000 reserve studies, one in every five communities is projected to go cash-flow negative in the next 5 years, despite all of them having a reserve study!
It’s time to stop overburdening dedicated volunteers—the teachers, nurses, and mechanics with the responsibility of understanding Wall Street-level investment strategies. Today’s boards deserve a platform that will help them plan for their community’s future without needing a crystal ball or years of experience as a Fortune-500 CEO.
SmartProperty’s Living Reserve Study is that solution.
One in every five communities is projected to go cash-flow negative in the next 5 years.
Our Values
Respect
Respect is the foundation of our collaboration. It means valuing the diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and expertise each person brings to the table.
We practice active listening and maintain a culture of psychological safety where every voice can be heard. By treating our colleagues, partners, and competitors with dignity, we foster an environment of trust that allows us to solve complex problems together.
Stewardship & Excellence
We view ourselves as caretakers of our company’s mission, our resources, and—most importantly—each other. This value is rooted in the human connection; we don’t just deliver results, we take care of the people behind the work.
Excellence is not a static goal but a continuous commitment to leaving things better than we found them, ensuring that our growth is sustainable and our community remains supported.
Meeting Customers Where They Are
Success is defined by our ability to understand and solve our customers' specific challenges. We believe that to serve our partners effectively, we must seek first to understand before being understood. Instead of leading with our own agenda, we listen deeply to their unique needs and pain points.
By meeting them where they are—both technically and emotionally—we tailor our approach to provide value that is immediately relevant to their journey and helps them achieve their goals.
Stay Curious
We encourage curiosity and the courageous pursuit of new ideas, even when they challenge the status quo.
We recognize that meaningful breakthrough innovation often come from experimentation and a willingness to rethink established norms. By fostering a "builder" mindset, we stay ahead of the curve and continuously redefine what is possible in our industry.
Do It Now
In a fast-moving world, speed is a competitive advantage. We fight complacency by taking immediate action and refusing to defer today’s opportunities to tomorrow.
We embrace the philosophy that "perfect is the enemy of good," prioritizing momentum and iterative progress over over-analysis. We move fast, learn quickly, and keep the needle moving forward every single day.
Flexibility
Our strength lies in our ability to pivot and adapt. We recognize that plans can change and markets can shift, so we remain agile in our thinking and our operations.
Flexibility means being open to new information, staying resilient in the face of obstacles, and finding creative ways to achieve our goals even when the path forward isn't linear.
High Agency & Autonomy
We empower our people to be the CEOs of their own roles. High agency means taking extreme ownership of outcomes and finding ways to get things done without waiting for a roadmap.
We trust our team members with the autonomy to make decisions, take risks, and lead their projects, fostering a culture of self-starters who drive the company forward through personal initiative.
Our Executive Team
Our team has over 35 years of domain experience in real estate and technology with a mission to help people manage their future with smarter decisions and greater confidence.
Today, over a half-million homes are covered by SmartProperty.
Living Reserve Studies
Repair and Replace Assets Tracked
Reserves Funding Capital Needs
Anticipated Capital Expenditures
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Careers at SmartProperty
SmartProperty is changing the world for homeowners associations and clubs by reimagining the way they plan for and safeguard their financial and asset future. We have dedicated everything we have to preventing another disaster like the Surfside condo collapse from happening again. We are looking for motivated people who want to make a difference and help protect the 27 million people in this country living in communities with aging infrastructure and clubs with aspirational goals.
How to Apply
Please email your resume and cover letter to us and we will reach out to you for the next steps.
hello@smartproperty.com
Get Involved,
Grow With Us.
Contribute to the success of the company by brainstorming, thinking outside of the box, and identifying opportunities for growth–your contribution will have a huge impact for our product and our customers. Our product is right on the cusp of tipping over into a larger market share. Joining now will give you ample growth opportunities, equity options, and the flexibility to tailor your role as we grow.
What works
for you, works for us.
While you are welcome to come into our office in San Diego, we have a remote-first culture, so you can literally work from anywhere.
But don’t worry about missing out if you’re not in the office! We have all the technology to support remote culture, and we hold bi-annual in-person meetups to brainstorm and build team relationships.
True Work-Life
Balance
We feel that a healthy work-life balance is critical to success. To maintain a healthy body, we cover your health and wellness. To maintain a balance, we offer unlimited vacation time and flexible working hours so you can reset, recharge and spend valuable time with your loved ones.
Hear what they say
Hear from leaders who have transformed their financial health with SmartProperty
Homeowner Education
"Now we have the tools to have a tangible anticipated replacement list that evolves so you would know projects coming up whereas before people were just using their own judgement. It's a great tool to educate the rest of the association about why a component is scheduled for replacement, which helps with teaching or convincing owners."
Ahead of the Curve
"SmartProperty is ahead of the curve in addressing what we believe will be a change in the market."
Saves Time
"SmartProperty is allowing me to conduct "what if" analysis on our Reserve study in real time, without the clumsy old process of submitting marked up reports and waiting for a response. I was able to evaluate all my proposed changes in a day, rather than a couple of weeks!"
Builds Confidence
"SmartProperty allowed us to look at the association's expenses and budget as a whole.With SmartProperty I was able to run scenarios myself, see all the component costs, and really pinpoint the best allocations for the community, In 20 years of working in the industry, I have never been more confident with what's in my reserve study."
Keep Everybody on the Same Page
"Before SmartProperty, the amount of time and communication it would take to complete a project was endless. Now, with SmartProperty, I can give access to my vendors or contractors to update components in real-time when applicable. With the ability to upload photos or files of work orders or service requests, I can keep track of all the moving parts within my project at the touch of a button whenever I need to."
Stay on Track
"Staying on top of projects in spreadsheets used to be overwhelming. Not anymore. I love usingSmartProperty's project tracking tool because it helps track invoices and payments and matches them to the reserves. It makes sure the contract is being followed and the budget stays on track."
Ready to get started?
Simplify operations, boost engagement, and manage smarter with SmartProperty.