WHO IS COLD ANTS?

Our founder is from the DC metropolitan area and has lived in the District for 10+ years, on both sides of Columbia Heights. We lived here before DCUSA opened and when realtors advertised the west side of Columbia Heights as Adams Morgan. We don't have an office in Falls Church or Bethesda. We live and work right here, where you are.

HOW DID COLD ANTS START?

If we’re being honest, we started this business partly by accident. Years ago, our own five-unit condo association looked into options other than self-management, but could not find a cost-effective, trustworthy company that catered to our needs. We weren’t high maintenance and didn’t need a lot, so we just did it ourselves. And have continued to do so for a decade. Your building is probably like ours, and we know how to provide the service you need at a cost that won’t eat away at your reserves. You can sign up for as little or as much as you need.

Over the years, we slowly increased what had been our side job – our property management clientele. And eventually, the time came to hang up the software engineering/coding shoes and focus on building management. That’s right, our founder is a computer programmer, which is a bonus to you, because if there’s something you want out of the site, we can talk! We’re open to adding site features and functions that will help your association run smoothly.

WHY IS COLD ANTS AWESOME?

If the awesome (but perhaps head-scratching) name (see explanation below) isn’t enough reason to hire us, consider our other very attractive attributes:

• Experience managing properties that run the gamut: from small condo buildings to individual condos, from single-family homes to short-term rentals. This wide range of properties means we’ve developed a vast amount of knowledge on all aspects of property management and created a deep book of trusted contractors
• An example of our awesomeness. In the 10 years of managing one condo association, we aggressively implemented cost-conscious policies. Consequently, we built a very comfortable reserve (currently > $42,000), even after several big expenditures – including a full flat-roof replacement two years ago and installation of a commercial garage door. The association hasn’t needed to increase dues since its founding and has never imposed a special assessment. Our fiscal management gives peace of mind to the individual owners during the selling process, too, because prospective lenders have no reservations about the condo association’s solvency
• We’re nimble, knowledgeable, and accessible. Nimble in that we can create a service package that suits your building and your individual owners. Knowledgeable in that we’ve been there, done that. And accessible in that we’re barely a zipcode away and when you reach out, you won’t get an automated phone tree telling you to press "1" for water leaks and "2" for other needs.
• On-time commitment. Our founder is an avid cyclist. When he’s meeting your contractors or you, he will never get caught in traffic or have to worry about a parking spot or parking permit.
• Former software engineer by day. We’re open to ideas to make a site that works for you. Chances are that if it helps you, it'll help other customers, too.

AND NOW OUR FAVORITE QUESTION: COLD ANTS?

We have to admit it - Cold Ants is sort of a strange name for a company. It makes for a great logo, but what does it have to do with real estate and software?

Just after college, the company founder moved from Maryland to Northern Virginia, sharing a house with some friends. They soon moved on to a bigger and better house, and got a new landlord. While she was walking them through the new place, she gave a long list of Dos and Don'ts for taking care of a home. Many of them pertained to the kitchen.

"If you don't wash your counters, you're going to get ants. You have to clean behind the trash can, or you're going to get ants."

Ants are, of course, terrifying, and no one in their right mind would want ants in the kitchen. The new tenants listened intently.

"You see the seal around the refrigerator door? You have to make sure you keep it clean. If you don't, what are you going to get?"

"Cold ants?", quipped one of the new tenants.

For years, the company founder kept that at the back of his mind. That landlord was part of the inspiration behind the business. She told us never to sell a piece of real estate. Buy a house, live in the basement, and rent out the top. When you can afford it, buy another house, and another.

And now, as a nod to say thank you for sending us down this road, and because it still makes us laugh, we are Cold Ants.