| Professor Real Estate® Interview Series: Recession Proof Real Estate Career Property Management with Gina Chevannes, Owner Property Management Consulting |
Suzanne: Gina, do you offer the 16 hour Florida Real Estate Manager Course?
Suzanne: Why do you Love your Property Manager Career?
Gina: I love Property Management because it is an exciting professional life-time career I (and you!!) can do with steady income and benefits that help support me and my family. I even started in Property Management before I graduated from college!
There is a lot of opportunity especially in Florida where people live in condominiums and apartment buildings and those buildings need to be professionally managed and maintained.
Suzanne: Gina why is a Property Manager Career Recession Proof?
Gina : Property Management is an “Essential Industry.†No matter what is happening in the external environment Property Management continues. This is true today during the COVID 19 pandemic as it was true during the Housing Crisis in 2008, especially in the residential space of community association management such as Condos, Coops and HOA’s. The buildings and properties must still be cleaned, the trash taken out, and the building maintained. As a property manager, we lead the teams to make sure to keep the operation running during good or bad times.
Suzanne: How much may someone earn in a Property Management Career?
A Professional Community Association Manager with experience can make over $100,000 per year! What is great is that most these position offer benefits, and it is a set salary that is not dependent on sales. The Salary range for an administrative assistant is $30K – $40K and assistant managers is $40K to $65K.
Suzanne: (a) Do you need a license to be a Property Manager? (b) How do you get it? (c) Can you take the course online?
Gina:
(a) A Florida community Association Manager License is required to manage Condo’s Coops, and Home Owner Associations (HOAs) in Florida that have more than 10 units or an annual budget that exceeds $100,000
(b) The process to obtain the license includes taking a 16-hour pre-licensing course, filing an application with the State of Florida, and passing a State background check and State exam.
Suzanne: (a) How does someone get started in a Property Manager Career? (b) What should they expect during the first years?
Gina: (a) Start off as an administrative assistant or assistant manager depending on your skill set, educational background and available position in a company that can provide training and have a track record of promoting within.
(b) During your first year expect to learn the operations of the business. Expect to answer phones, take messages, follow up on residents’ complaints or work orders, process invoices, process application for approval for resale, lease, architectural modifications, monitor and track all vendors have proper occupational license and insurance, update a variety of tracking spread sheets, assist committees, maybe over see a specific project, etc.
Suzanne: Who is a good candidate for a Property Manager Career?
Gina: Anyone over 18 years old…you don’t have to be a university graduate yet!
This industry is all about people. It is also important to have general business skills such as ability to use a variety of technology and software, problem solving, detail oriented, and financial oversight. The people who excel are those who can follow up, follow through and be persistent in the day to day task and diplomatically handle all the personalities.
Suzanne: What is a “typical†day for you in the life of a Professional Property Manager?
Gina: There is no typical day as Property Manager. It is like taking care of your own home but on a much larger scale. Some of the regular activities you will do every day, week, month, and year include inspecting the property, following up with vendors address issues found in inspections, preparing budgets, process invoices, prepare weekly and monthly reports, Board meetings and membership meetings.
Suzanne: Any more advice?
Yes! Sign up for my class its only 16 hours and can get you on your way to be licensed by the State of Florida for this life-long career! Remember to add the Discount Code: Professor
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