On getting into real estate
Like most property managers, I came across the industry by accident. I was a young mother returning to work and started working with a local agency part-time in a support position. I was promoted like lightning and while I would like to say it was because of my incredible skills, in reality back in the ’90s the industry was turning over staff like toilet paper, so perhaps it was a combination of dedication and luck! Or was it?
The happiest moment in my career
Opening the doors to our business in 2009. It was a dream turned reality for me as we launched @home Property. It was also the scariest time of my career but the fear was fueled by passion and determination to make it work. My proudest moment personally was receiving the AREA Property Manager of the year award in 2013 after more than 20 years in the industry and whilst running my own business. Finally, the happiest moments for me now are watching my team develop and achieve their career goals. Three of my team members have been recognised on a national level, and this is what inspires me as a leader.
The most memorable moment
Is this a trick question? In property management, the most memorable are generally those that you would like to forget! I think for me this is the case but it was a disaster that was managed exceptionally well. A typical scenario of a change in circumstance with a tenant, new partner, big dog, drugs and domestic violence all rolled into one very scary tenancy. The result was an eviction, a house half burned down, a distressed tenant and owner and a Property Manager trying to hold it together (me). It was one of our first 30 managements so I was it. The owner was barely keeping up with the mortgage while I was trying to remove the tenant and then deal with the aftermath. Fortunately, I had convinced the owner in the early days to take out comprehensive landlord insurance and they covered all of the costs, leaving the owner with only a $400 excess. If the owner had limited cover, she would have been forced to sell the property for far less than it was worth. This client has been loyal to us now for nine years and we have had exceptional tenants since!
Best advice she’s received
Build a business based on a solid plan not on skill alone. Before we launched into the business I read a book that changed the way I thought about business, The E Myth. I understood that I needed to build a sustainable business model that would not be forever reliant on my skills or experience alone. To achieve this I developed a five-year plan which created the road map for a model that would create consistency through growth.
Biggest challenge
I believe the biggest challenge will be keeping property investors in a market where the legislation continues to make it more challenging and less cost effective. With increasing demands on investors financially and less accountability on tenants, I believe we will see more investors leave the market and invest in lower risk options. All that we can do is continue to work together as an industry to represent our clients in order to balance out the tenant advocates pushing for unrealistic expectations. I would love to see a push for reform legislation across Australia which will reduce the government resources needed to maintain and update legislation in our industry.
Change for good?
Improve entry standards and training requirements for the real estate and property management industry. I would love to see property management promoted as a career pathway from as early as high school education. I would like to see more young people study property management as a profession and continue their professional development with a university level degree. Our industry is becoming more and more complex and diverse and our clients expect more from us for less.
‘Elite’ agent means
Someone who inspires others to achieve through earned success. I believe the word ‘elite’ describes a person of influence, not only because they are good at a job but because they give – they share everything they have experienced to others and support them to achieve their own version of success.
#WeAreRealEstate is a series of short interviews with 140 agents all over Australia, exploring the industry’s hopes, concerns, future challenges, and what it really means to be an Elite Agent.
