Need Some Good Advice for a Manager Friend

Scenario:
Old, huge family-owned development/construction company has one apartment complex with 80 units about 40 years old. The property itself is worth more than the apartment complex and the short term goal is to sell it to someone to develop the land.

Hired my friend a year ago as the "Property Manager." She had no experience, except that her father and sister were in the real estate sales business. There are 2 main people she answers to. One is the son of the owner, let's call him John. The other is an employee who manages their commercial leases, lets call him Steve.

Her job is to lease apartments, collect rent and try to solve or direct resident issues. She has to ask John or Steve everything before she can make a move. Here is what she does not do:

Enter rent payments in computer software (delivers it to the main office).
Write any letter to the residents
Write advertising or put anything on Craigslist
Select vendors

She has to get permission for everything and 3 weeks ago when she called John to get a clarification on a renewal letter that he wrote, he yelled at her on the phone and told her "If you can't do your job, we'll find someone else who can!" She was devastated.

She has kept the property 100% occupied and the residents love her (according the the owners).

So, yesterday, a friend of her mom's called her mom and said that Steve told her daughter last Sunday at church they were hiring at the property. When she asked Steve about it, he said they were hiring someone to "help her." That's a lie!!! He also told her he put an ad on Craigslist for the 4 vacants coming up on the 31st. That's a lie!!!

She put in her notice yesterday to the owner of the company who asked her to stay and have a meeting with John when he gets back in town Wednesday. The owner wants to work it out.

I am seeking advice for her during the meeting to negotiate her position and salary and get Steve "the liar" out of the picture, more money and more responsibility.

In my professional opinion, she can handle it. She's been there a year!!!

Keeping the job is very important to her family who really need her income.

I hope this can help others, too!

Thanks!

Sandy :ohmy:

Sandy, you are indeed a good friend. What advice did you give her? I think your friend needs to decide what points she will negotiate and which ones she will not. She might write down these points so she is confident when she meets with these people. Second, she needs to know whether or not the Owner is truly supportive of her position. Third, I think she should put together her plan as to how she would run her property, including posting rents, becoming bonded, etc. For every responsibility she wants in her job description, she needs to have a plan as to how she will accomplish every task (overcome any objection to her performing the task.) In addition, she should understand what other property managers earn in her area for her size of property, including what benefits she may have (PTO, health insurance, etc.) If the Owner wants to work it out, then she needs to reassure him in no uncertain terms that she can handle it and what she wants to do so.

Thanks, Mindy!

My advice...LEAVE!!! She is working with both hands tied behind her back with a knife in it.

I'm having trouble giving her advice because I am so emotionally involved. She is my friend and all I want to do is go in that office where the guys are working and kick some butt!! I hate liars and people who try to sabotage others in the workplace for their own personal power trip and financial gain. I truly believe this is happening, based on the evidence.

Most of the time when I give advice, I take the situation and put it in another perspective that the other person can understand. I guess I would say this to her and anyone else in this position:

Mr. Owner, if you were President of the US and were meeting with Congress to discuss important legislation that affect the future of the state of California, who would you bring with you to help you answer questions:

1. The Prime Minister of England
2. Your wife
3. The governor of California

You want the person who has first hand knowledge of what is actually going on. Someone who is there everyday, meeting with residents and listening to what they want.

I would propose each of them answer two questions.

1. A question about Landlord Tenant Law
2. A question about Fair Housing in Multi-Family Housing

I would love to be a fly on the wall when no one can answer them, except my friend. I've been training her for months in these areas and even though these guys have real estate licenses, it is a different ball game in rentals.

Thanks!!

Sandy

I was raised to view employment more like a marriage- to last a lifetime, than as a stepping stone.

That being said; I'm afraid I would have to recommend that my friend leave too. She has experience and industry knowledge now. She has the power to use both to get a position with a trustworthy owner or company. Since she also has access to a good friend with even more experience and knowledge, she should do great!

Another vote for LEAVE! I think it's unanimous!

Unknown factors aside, I read enough to already (like probably the first couple of times) to have told them to put it where the sun don't shine. No win here, unless there are other factors involved in this.

Does not sound like they are immersed in Multifamily concepts too well.


Then there is the money----unless it is pretty good and bennies, there are tons of apartment management jobs begging out there. A year's experience and not being fired would get you about any of them.

It's been two weeks and all is quiet there.

She had a meeting with everyone and decided to stay, for now.

I am training her for a "real manager's" job. She is really only a leasing agent, but she is very, very good at it.

Thanks everyone!!

Sandy

There's more...What do you think of this?

My friend was told yesterday they are definately hiring someone to help her out. They said it is because they want to be open longer hours due to their occupancy situation (95% leased and 82% pre-leased).

They have 11 notices to vacate (had 10 move-outs for the entire 2012). She has maintained 100% occupancy since she started in March 2012.


They told her she'll need to start working Saturdays (not a problem, she needs the income). Then, they told her they are cutting her hours back to 25 in order create the 2nd job.

The writing is on the wall for me. What do you think?