What We Learned at CAI National 2025: 4 Takeaways That Will Shape the Future of Community Management

That’s a wrap on the 2025 CAI National Conference, and if you were in Orlando last week, you already know: it was unforgettable.

From the high-energy parties to incredibly impactful keynote speakers, this year’s national event brought more than just fun. It brought clarity about where our industry is headed and what’s needed to keep our communities strong - both from the perspectives of their finances and their relationships with homeowners.

Here are four key takeaways from CAI National that every management company, Board member, and technology provider should be thinking about:

1. Small Actions Create Big Impact: Lessons from the Keynote

The closing keynote from Five for Fighting’s John Ondrasik struck a chord, literally and figuratively. With powerful stories and a few acoustic performances of his greatest hits, John reminded us that seemingly small moments can ripple outward to create real change.

That theme resonated deeply with this year’s focus on health, wellness, and workplace balance. For community managers, who are often balancing the needs of hundreds (if not thousands) of residents, this was a powerful reminder that taking care of our teams is just as important as taking care of our communities. We need to carefully examine the workload of our teams, and even if something has always been done this way, that doesn't mean it's the right way. Otherwise, we'll continue to lose valuable team members, which will only exasperate our finances. 

2. Driving Down Costs Is Top of Mind

The message was loud and clear: management companies are under pressure to do more with less. With insurance premiums rising, wage expectations increasing, and vendors charging more than ever, the conversation across sessions and vendor booths was about efficiency and profitability.

From automating manual tasks to eliminating wasteful spending, companies are actively exploring tools that help them streamline operations and protect their bottom line. Whether that’s in accounting, maintenance tracking, or any labor-intensive process, the hunt is on for ways to reduce spend without sacrificing service.

3. Paper Is Still a Problem

Despite a room full of innovative vendors, you’d be surprised how many people are still mailing resale packets, printing settlement statements, and collecting checks manually. The “paper problem” came up again and again in hallway conversations and education tracks alike.

Why are we still printing things we could be digitizing? That question is pushing more management companies to rethink resale workflows, document distribution, and post-closing communication. As the next generation of Board Members and homeowners enters the scene, expectations around automation and digital access are only going to grow. Klozed is leaning into that trend by digitizing the entire post-settlement resale process: no more packets, no more paper, just smart automation that saves time and labor.

4. It’s Time to Fix Resales, Not Just Live With The Process

Resale and settlement processes continue to be one of the most painful workflows in community management, especially for teams still managing these steps manually. From processing payments to mailing documents to coordinating settlement agents, there’s a lot of room for errors, delays, and lost revenue.

But as we saw at CAI, interest in solving this is higher than ever. Whether the conversation was about homeowner transparency, reducing check handling, or cutting out paper processes altogether, it’s clear: the industry is ready for a new way to manage resales and settlements.

That’s why so many people were buzzing about Klozed, the only AI-powered solution built to automate post-settlement resales from start to finish. Management companies are seeing the opportunity not just to save time, but to create a new, reliable revenue stream that doesn’t add to their team’s workload.

Looking Ahead

CAI National 2025 reminded us that innovation isn’t just about new software. It’s about removing old roadblocks. Whether you're a manager trying to reclaim your time or a Board Member looking to modernize your community's operations, the solutions are out there, and this year’s conference proved it.

If resales are still one of your most manual, time-consuming processes, now’s the time to rethink how you’re doing it. Join the Klozed Beta Program and help us shape the future of digital settlements and resale automation.