Pam Thompson goes out of her way to make sure owners and renters are happy
during their stay at the RV resort she manages.
Once a guest asked her to make sure his girlfriend didn't leave the beach.
He had arranged for an airplane to fly over with a banner that read, "Will
you marry me?" He didn't want her to miss his proposal!
This request was one of a kind. Typical day-to-day responsibilities include
booking renters, banking, preparing bookwork for the accountant, running the
on-site store and making sure the property is well maintained.
The property Thompson manages is strata-titled. That means the property
is divided into lots, which are owned by different people. The owners pay
fees, and then they don't have to worry about the maintenance of the resort.
Thompson takes care of it.
Seventy of the 110 RV sites are rented out. So, when owners don't want
to use their sites, Thompson finds renters, checks them in and out, and takes
payments. The site owner receives 70 percent of the rental fee -- Thompson
takes the rest.
Thompson also acts as the "park police." She makes sure renters and owners
follow the strata by-laws. By-laws include things like picking up after pets,
putting out fires by midnight and keeping sites clean.
"We take a lot of pride in the park," she says. She lives on-site with
her husband and three children. A number of families rent from them year after
year, and Thompson loves the family atmosphere.
"Parents know that when they come here their kids are guaranteed to have
friends, because my kids are always here," she says. One of the most rewarding
things about her job is seeing how much the children have grown with each
visit.
Kristy Ludwar is an on-site property administrator at a large office building.
On-site property managers are responsible for the daily operations of a single
property. They ensure the building is safe by maintaining it. They also inspect
the building to determine what maintenance or repairs are needed.
"The responsibilities are split between my department of eight people,"
says Ludwar. "Collectively we look after the building and common areas and
make sure they are maintained for safety."
On-site property managers also make sure tenants play by the rules. They
are the enforcers of lease agreements, such as parking, pet and noise restrictions.
If there are complaints from tenants, property managers must deal with them.
There is also an important record-keeping aspect to the job. Property managers
keep track of income and expenses from the operations of the property. Reports
are usually given to senior-level managers or owners.
Ludwar's department creates a budget and reports to executives. "Every
month I collect rent from the tenants and make sure they're billed for different
things like access cards or parking," she says.
Ludwar's department is in charge of renovations to the office building
and updates to the office hardware. She must keep up with technology, such
as the latest model of phone, fax or photocopier. Her department has started
changing the phones to Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). This system reduces
costs by sending phone calls through a high-speed Internet connection.
Because her department is in charge of renovations they keep an eye on
the company's growth. "We have to keep a step ahead of what's happening in
the company so that it can be at its best," Ludwar says.
If the company grows, more workspace is needed. Whole departments may need
to be moved, reconfigured or expanded. Ludwar's department is in charge of
planning for these changes and making them happen.
Ludwar enjoys the job because she's not stuck at her desk all day. "Dealing
with difficult people would be the downside," she says. "Everyone has a day
that they don't want to deal with people."
She has received some strange requests. For example, her building recently
experienced a power outage. She had people requesting lamps for their offices
so they could see in the dark. "With having only emergency power for the essential
building services, providing a lamp will not help their cause," she says.
Overall, Ludwar enjoys the variety of tasks her job offers. If you want
a nine-to-five office job, but you don't want to sit at your desk all day
in front of a computer, property management is a good option, she says.
Joshua R. Thosath spends his days on the go as a senior property manager.
He works for a real estate company in Spokane, Washington. His busy schedule
means that he often misses lunch. He works from an office, but he travels
for new business or to inspect properties. He follows up with maintenance
work and takes care of the needs of tenants and owners.
He also manages the financial operations of the properties. This includes
collecting rent and making sure bills are paid. He is also responsible for
marketing the properties to attract new business.
He likes the work because something new always comes up. He also enjoys
establishing relationships with clients and helping them with their needs.
However, with a busy job it can be hard to find time to get everything
done. The job can also interrupt his time with family. "I am on call after
hours and weekends for new business and showings for potential tenants," he
says.
Still Thosath encourages people to get into property management
"if they like a challenge every day."