Fast growing Australian property management company, :Different has appointed seasoned real estate expert Kasey McDonald to the newly-created role of Head of Leasing.
The new role is a first for :Different and will see Ms McDonald bring the operations team and departments together to provide positive experiences for property owners and renters.
The appointment follows a strong period of growth for :Different, which now manages over $1 billion worth of properties across Sydney, Newcastle, Central Coast, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast.
Earlier this year, :Different also closed its third funding round, raising $7.1 million to support growth plans in Perth, Canberra, and beyond.
Ms McDonald brings over 21 years of experience in the real estate industry, with a core focus on property management. Over the past 10 years, she has advanced to consulting and mentoring, conducting workshop training and conference events for property managers.
In 2019, Ms McDonald was named an industry influencer by Elite Agent.
Commenting on the new hire, :Different co-founder Mina Radhakrishnan noted 2020 had been an unpredictable year.
“We’ve all had to adjust quickly to a new way of living and working but we remain laser focused on providing property owners and renters a fair, transparent and seamless experience,” Ms Radhakrishnan said.
“Kasey will play a key role in helping us streamline the way our team of property managers works, supporting our people and harnessing tech to create positive owning and renting experiences.”
Her appointment also coincides with :Different launching a Partner Program with a rent-roll management offering targeted at agencies and selling principals.
According to research, many rent rolls under 150 PUMs are actually unprofitable, and principals are often faced with the daunting task of hiring staff and spinning up a property management business alongside growing the sales business.
As an industry thought leader, Ms McDonald is excited by the :Different Partner program and sees it as an attractive option for many principals.
“Having owned a real estate business myself and worked with over 150 real estate offices, I know all the operational and financial challenges that come with growing a rent roll,” Ms McDonald said.
“Our Partner Program takes the hassle out of managing a rent roll portfolio, allowing principals to focus on their customer and sales strengths, earn a revenue-share on the management income, and importantly retain ownership of the asset.
“Over the years, I have developed a strong understanding of the key operations for what success looks like. I like to think I have a creative approach to the industry, so that combined with :Different’s startup mentality makes me excited to help shape its future.
“I bought my first property at 18, and started as a property manager two decades ago, so I’ve had the experience of being on both sides of the fence.
“This helps me truly understand the pain points property owners and managers face. :Different’s approach to using technology to manage those repetitive, everyday tasks, and letting people do what they do best, is a clever proposition and one that solves many of the traditional challenges that have plagued the industry.
“I’m looking forward to helping :Different rebuild the property management industry.”
Ms McDonald is the 44th hire that :Different has made in 2020. Learn more about the :Different Partner Program and how it can benefit you.
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