What would you tell your “younger self” about your career in property management?

What would you tell your “younger self” about your career in property management?

It’s a brutal industry but I love it

Attend all educational opportunities you can and if you work for a company who doesn't allow this, make a change!

Run. Run like the wind!

If you’re brave enough,and good enough, and weird enough, you can enjoy a long career where no two days are the same, you learn a little bit about everything and you hang out with other people who “get” your inability to stop moving and desire to talk to strangers

You cannot make everyone happy and that is okay.

Get out!

These people will become your friends for life...

You will meet the best drinking buddies in your life

Enjoy every minute, always be learning, don’t take things personally, build solid relationships and be engaged within your team and the industry.

veryone has a story

once you get in you'll never get out

Kidding. I’d tell myself to learn to balance work with home much sooner!

Not to work so many hours to succeed.

I wouldn’t listen even if I did.

1. You’ll never be short of a great story. 2. Nothing will ever shock you.
3. You will learn that you thrive in emergencies & chaos.
4. You will get to help grow people from residents, teams and peers.
5. You will make an impact on people’s lives, so take it seriously.

It’s easy to get too involved where you make too many personal sacrafices. Work/life balance is important.

Wonderful career. I started in the 80’s and am still in PM and love it!!

No matter how much I thought I knew at 28, I knew nothing!

And join the vendor side sooner.

RUN!! lol

Do it sooner

aha plenty of alcohol waiting at home

Take notes, you will have the makings of a really good book. Plus life long friends.

Have a psychologist on call

Working on saturdays is not the end of the world
Don’t believe everybody
Your job can be gone from one hour to the next
Listen more
Never assume

It’s not what you know it’s who you know.

Always remember the value of providing people their homes. It’s a wonderful industry and we provide millions of people homes where many memories are made!
Don’t take things personally. Always try to see the lesson even in the hard situations.

Buy your own multifamily property and buy it now. You'll be happier and wealthier.

Take a few more risks.....and don't always do what your company wants you to do... very few think outside the box. Find creative ideas and go for it!

Don't violate policy...but there are so many restrictions on everything...beg for some exceptions to try things that will work on your property/market.

Keep your resume updated, listen to opportunities, and let God lead the way in your career.

They are not your friends....

As the leasing agent, let the manager handle the big stuff.

Buy a 4-plex, live in it, manage it, and then buy another one next year. Rinse and repeat!

Stay away from gossipy people! And don’t allow someone’s opinion of you hold you back from pushing yourself

You have no friends in "the business" just acquaintances. Do your job, trust YOURSELF.

BUY, do not make the mistake I made and spend 25 years making a couple owners wealthy. If you love to manage then manage for yourself the best person to invest in PERIOD.

There are so many job variations serving this industry. Be open to find that which suits you best. And don’t burn bridges - people recirculate in this industry and stay for a long time. Build relationships and networks. They’ll take you far.

It is bigger than you think it is......and translates into many career opportunities.....unlimited options

Advance your education. Learn the financial side of the business, to grow into a regional manager role. I was told by my first boss back in 1992 the following..."Don't think your college degree is going to get you ahead sooner". She was dead wrong.

Patience and kindness will see you through all difficult times and if you develop a keen sense of listening you can overcome any obstacle. All Residents want are two things, 1. someone to listen to them. 2. someone to fix what they need fixed right and the first time. You can follow all the company rules and lease requirements and still be firm enough to enforce them, but doing it with patience and kindness....most of the time...will make a difference.....to most people. There will always be exceptions but never drop to the level of anger and always be your true self.

Don’t do it, lol go back to school

Do not trust anyone! Be true to yourself, do not let fear stand in your way of progressing. After all your superiors are only people.

will it matter 5 years from now....

Don't take anything personal. It's all numbers and money. Take your PTO as needed don't let it roll over, work will still be there. Don't let work kill you because a replacement is always there. On the upside there is never a dull moment, you are not stuck at a cubicle, and you meet great people along the way and it makes everything ok lol.

Get get out! Lol like Friday the 13th...

Don't do it!

Should have started sooner

Buckle your seatbelt.

Breath

Relax and drink wine, lots of it.

Don’t take it personal .... and drink lots of wine

RUN like Hell... too many headaches and gray hairs!!

1. Think like an owner not a resident.
2. Residents are only your friends until it doesn’t benefit them.
3. It is all in the numbers, they do not lie.
4. If the job makes you cry regularly, you are working for the wrong people!
5. Every one has a story, follow policy not your emotions.
6. Those kids or residents that are causing havoc on your property, make them your “helpers” and they will clean up the chaos.
7. If you hire family and friends,hold them to higher standers or be prepared to fire them.
8. A great property manager will make an emergency or tough property look easy... fake it till ya make it.
9. Always think outside the box and don’t be afraid to share it.
10. Hire people who are as good OR better than you! You will learn and grow! You will also work smarter not harder!
11. Cross train your people and involve them. The.l more they know, the better they will be and the more invested they will become in your goals!
12... there is so much more but.... work for someone who values your family time and values you.

You can treat it as a job, but if you let it, it will be a wonderfully rewarding career full of lots of twists and turns along the way. Stick it out until you find a company that values your efforts, one large enough to have room for advancement, but not too large so you can help with changes. Keep your head down, focus and don’t sweat the small stuff. There are very, very few things you can’t fix, just step back and think through your decisions. Enjoy the ride !!

Don’t settle for less than your worth

Get a degree in accounting and Social services

Buckle up! It’s going to be a wild ride!

To always leave people better than you found them!!

Finish law school instead.

Get yourself to the investor/owner side fast!

Learn to find the Life Balance ASAP- then know that your life will never be boring if you stay in property management! After over 30 years of PM, I wouldn’t change anything with the exception of time spent away from my family- and that you can never get back.

Don’t forget what you first loved about the business. For me it’s about the people

Don’t believe anything anyone says! Particularly residents

Don’t take it personally, don’t become friends with residents but be friendly. And You will always cross paths again later in your career with the industry folks so don’t burn bridges!

Go over to the developer side - make some $$!

Learn the financials better and move up quicker on the success path

If you have a good sense of humor then this is definitely the right career path

You will need thick skin! But it will be the perfect fit for you! (Still believe that after 23 years)