When I was 20 and a sophomore at Florida State University, I felt it was time to get a part-time job.  I didn’t work my freshman year, which was a first since I’ve been working since the age of 12.  Browsing through the newspaper classifieds, I saw this ad:

I didn’t even know what a leasing consultant was, but I’d take any job that didn’t involve fast food at that point.  To make a long story short, I got the job, LOVED IT, and worked there throughout the remainder of college.

When I was re-hired by Lincoln Property Company in 2012, it was for a brand new development being built in Northampton, PA.  The interview process involved a phone and on-site interview with the Regional Manager, then a final meeting/interview with all the building owners.  I don’t get nervous during interviews, especially if I feel confident in what’s expected of me in that role.  Furthermore, I had history working for LPC from 2002 – 2004 in Atlanta, GA and I knew there would be a great support system in place.

Taking on this role would require moving to Northampton, PA and starting a brand new life for myself.  However, based on my conversations with the Regional Manager and building owners on what the job would entail, there was no way I could pass it up.  This role required me to wear many hats, including a  Community Manager, Project Manager and Construction Manager Assistant.  It was an amazing experience.

When I arrived at the “community” on my very first day, it was a ghost town.  The construction team happened to be off and I walked into a brand new clubhouse.  This clubhouse would eventually hold the leasing/management offices, fitness center, business center, clubroom (lobby) and pool in the backyard.  As of that moment, the clubhouse had desks in the offices and a couch in the lobby.  At that very moment, is when I knew A LOT of work needed to get done.  Here are copies of the actual checklists I was given to get the ball rolling along with a few sample before/after pictures I took:

My preference for location would be within 50-mile radius of New York City in any direction.  Furthermore, I’m also looking for positions in the greater Atlanta, GA area.

There are many factors that go into making a decision for a new job.  I must be optimistic that I’m a great  fit for that exact role.

Basically, if YARDI was a foreign language, I’d be fluent in it.  I’ve been using YARDI software for over a decade, training dozens of team members, and setting up communities.  Actually, a few years ago I was offered a position to work as a Yardi consultant, which required going to different offices to setup the software.

I’ve also used MRI, OneSite, Timberline and Rentroll in prior roles.  I remember working with Rentroll at my first job and it was DOS based (no color and reports required detailed codes to transmit).  The technology today has drastically improved most software, making it user-friendly to learn and operate.

My style of management comes from the method described in “The One Minute Manager” written by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson.  Employees need to be accountable for their actions and understand what’s required of them.  I like to have a huddle each morning with the entire team and quickly discuss action lists. It’s important that everyone is on the same page and no details fall through the cracks.  In property management, a missed detail could turn into a big problem in a matter of minutes.

Once everyone is adjourned from the huddle, I trust that the work discussed will get done.  I believe micromanaging is unproductive and only shows signs of an unhealthy work environment.  If someone needs to be micromanaged, then they aren’t the right person for the job.

Happy people = quality work.  

Unfortunately, in the property management industry, there will be circumstances beyond someone’s control.  However, this is something I knew early in my career, but the positives far outweigh that negative if you’re passionate about this line of work.  I’m always looking for growth, which is why I had to leave Hudson Park after 7 years being an assistant manager.

If someone doesn’t share the vision and values of a company, they won’t be committed and loyal to their organization.  Therefore, I do plenty of research on a company before taking on a position because I want to do whatever possible to reach their short-term and long-term business goals.

Best: The fast-paced environment that is always changing.  If I’m at my desk the entire day without moving, then something must be wrong (unless working on budgets).

Least: Property Managers will ALWAYS have a lot on their plate when it comes to managing people.  We aren’t only managing employees, but every resident as well.  There will always be a resident that doesn’t follow the rules and ultimately is not a good neighbor.  Therefore, residents that don’t follow community rules and regulations is what I like least in this industry.  People, in general, need to be respectful and have good manners.  If you don’t, then there will be a problem.

There’s definitely one challenge that’s been a major problem for our entire office every winter since the building opened.  Every apartment has massive PTAC (AC/Heating) units that are powered by electricity and not gas.  The building is on the edge of Hudson River and it gets extremely cold and windy.  Many residents believe that the only solution is to turn on all their units full blast at the highest temperature setting, even while they are not home.  When Con Edison has kilowatt rates ranging from 25 cents to 35 cents in the winter, it results in extremely high bills for these residents.

When Con Edison has kilowatt rates ranging from 25 cents to 35 cents in the winter, it results in extremely high bills for these residents.  One bedroom layouts can see monthly charges over $500 and a two bedroom up to $1,000.  Every year residents come screaming to anyone in the office and we try to give them tips.  However, they’ve lost faith by that point and will not believe a word we say.

Last October I thought it would be a great idea to give each resident a guide, consisting of multiple  questions with detailed answers on this subject.  Furthermore, I wanted to make it simple for them to understand how the billing system works and why costs are so high in this area during winter months.  So, I created the guide below.  It took a few weeks to complete, but it turned out to be extremely beneficial.  The kilowatt usage year-over-year saw a 40% drop and less than 5 residents came to office upset, rather than 50+.  Here is the guide:

faqs-electricity-usage-guide-2015

While at AIMCO I managed a team of 36 employees in the following departments: Leasing, Maintenance, Resident Relations, Accounting, and Concierge.  Furthermore, the entire maintenance team at this community were all   part of the service workers union 32BJ.

This was my first experience managing union workers and it was an excellent learning experience.

This is a great question, which I spoke about on the main page of this website.  Therefore, I’ll copy and paste:

I’m hands-on in and out of work, which goes a long way in helping people. “Hands-on” isn’t a skill that can be taught, as it relies on instinct and gesture. This is where I rise above my fellow peers. Furthermore, it’s advantageous for owners because I’m consistently finding ways to reduce expenses and increase revenue.

My expertise includes but not limited to computer hardware/software installation, social media marketing/advertising, search engine optimization, website creation, photography, electronic repair, plumbing, painting, cabinetry, restoration, and much more.

In my opinion, the biggest benefit of working for a national management company is the training provided.  For example, my first job out of college was with Lincoln Property Company.  LPC provided an excellent 2-week training and onboarding class, which is taken within the first month of employment.  This class taught industry fundamentals, focusing strongly on phone/on-site closing, exceeding customer expectations and Fair Housing laws.

Classes are always worth it when available; I’ve taken courses in leadership, sales, software, motivational, financial budgeting, search engine optimization and to the most recent social media management

When I was working in Manhattan, the management office had a view of the front entrance.  One day my leasing consultant looks out the window and shouts “oh my god, you’re never going to believe this.”  I didn’t think anything of it, but she insisted I take a look.  When I hesitated to get up she said in a loud tone “Randy, there are a bunch of guys with masks over their face, trying to bring a BULL into the building.”  I immediately jumped off my seat and had to see what was going on.

Everything she said was 100% true and I headed to the lobby.  To make a long story short, the guys with masks were residents and the stuffed bull belonged to a local bar that just closed down nearby.  For some strange reason, they wanted the bill in their apartment.  I immediately told them, no, but of course, they want over my head to contact my boss.  My boss said okay to it…   If you don’t believe me, here are some pictures:

By now, you should know in the year 2000, I entered this industry by accident in college while looking for a part-time job.  In a few months, it will be 2017 and I’m still just as passionate about this line of work since the beginning.  I’ve not once entered another field.

I believe there’s no other manager in this industry that’s more hands-on than me.  Any company I manage will be treated as if I own the building and it requires a lot of work.  This hard work will be visible to fellow team members along with residents.  It’s important they see this and have someone there to help.

You have to be very flexible, patient, and willing to embrace change in this industry.  Having excellent listening skills is required.  However, I can’t be the only passionate one on a team.  It’s important every employee knows that their position is just as valuable as anyone else.  Nobody is more important than another and respect must always be present.  Once you have an entire team passionate about their job, success is a given.

Good Manners

When I’m meeting someone for an interview, I already know that they have the skills to do the job.  That’s what their resume will tell me.  Now is my time to learn about who this person really is and see how they interact with people.  For example, most buildings I’ve worked at have concierge desks.  I like hearing feedback from the concierge, such as:

• What did they say from the start?
• Were they sitting up straight while waiting?
• Did they look at their cell phone at all?
• Gum chewing?
• Friendly greeting or body language to others passing by
• Engage in conversation with concierge

When I’m in an interview, reiterating what’s on their resume is a complete waste of time.  Furthermore, asking tough questions which will only intimidate and make candidates nervous is NOT going to happen.  My goal is knowing:

• manners
• Maturity level
• communication and can carry on a conversation
• team player / unselfish / not stubborn
• conflict resolution with people and assignments
• Follow-through
• Flexibility
• Short and long time personal goals
• Follow-up

1. Disrespect employee or neighbor
2. Violate community rules and regulations
3. Litter

1. Tell Lie – Just like a parent with their child, I’ve “been there and done that” already and know all about the game of property management.  Odds are that I already know the truth and if I feel any doubt, I’ll dig until I can’t dig any deeper to find out.  That’s why I always tell people to come clean now because you don’t want me to find out it’s a lie later.
2. Disrespectful to another person.  If I see an employee talking back, arguing, or being disrespectful to a resident or prospect, it’s going to be their first and LAST warning.  However, I understand that employees will get aggravated with each other, but it can never be known in public.  Everything must be rectified behind closed doors.
3. Cursing and using profanity

The internet has helped immensely throughout my entire career.  The majority of my knowledge in property management has come from online training courses.  In the beginning with Lincoln Property Company, there were numerous Grace Hill classes that taught the fundamentals.  The one course that had the biggest impact was on Fair Housing Laws, which is a MUST for anyone new to this industry.

Then there’s the obvious need of online advertising.  Personally, I’ve always been addicted to Craigslist for posting the most creative ads possible.  I still remember the day when I came across www.vflyer.com. This site was used to create brochure-type templates that showcased your craigslist ads.  It was even free back then.

I’ve used Yardi Voyager for most of my career but have experience with other big software names.  A few computer programs that I find to be very beneficial are Rent Cafe, BuildingLink.com, and iloveleasing.com.  However, the list is endless.  Technology has helped tremendously with keeping residents and customers engaged, but there’s still nothing more efficient than face-to-face.

Last but definitely not least, is utilizing search engines like google to find absolute lowest prices.  I’ve saved thousands of dollars with the help of google, and no longer buy parts or supplies from local vendors.   As much as I like helping local businesses, I’m not going to pay more for parts that cost in the hundreds or even thousands.

To remove the stereotype that all landlords are greedy, rude, classless and impersonal.  However, what matters are my residents and they all know their manager is completely opposite of this stereotype.