Speak to any portfolio manager and you may find that few have purposely chosen this path; many of us seem to have fallen into this career and for me, it has become a passion.
Unpredictable and fun
The life of a portfolio manager can be a lot of fun, with no one day being the same as the next. It is never boring, mostly punctuated with laughter and horror (often in equal measure), and always full of surprises!
From frantic calls about “there are bees in my kitchen – do something!” to “my neighbour just let down my tyres for parking in her spot and I’m on my way to my father’s funeral”, one can never really predict what your day is going to be like.
As a managing agent, you need to act as a professional problem-solver, amateur psychologist, financial advisor, confidant, broad-spectrum attorney, referee, occupational health and safety consultant, maintenance contractor, pest exterminator, labour lawyer, mediator and often, a fortune teller!
Knowledge is power
Those agents managing sectional title schemes had to unlearn everything they knew prior to October 2016 and relearn all the new legislation in a relatively short space of time. Those who embraced the changes were quick to thrive, enabling themselves to take their trustees by the hand and ensuring that their bodies corporate were compliant.
Many managing agents found themselves collaborating, sharing and learning with their competitors. It became critical to upskill and empower yourself by attending the available workshops, reading all available online material, sharing knowledge, joining relevant online groups and subscribing to newsletters, blogs, articles and any other online platforms that could help to keep you updated and informed.
By assimilating all the new information and skills, managing agents could advise their clients with skill and confidence on the best way forward in any given situation.
Helping people
‘Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.’ To me, this quote epitomizes community scheme management. Working in sectional title becomes who you are and not just what you do.
This industry can be really interesting and fun but sometimes also frustrating and challenging; however, every single day will present you with an opportunity to help someone solve a problem, and helping people in this way is the reason that I find the job so incredibly gratifying.
Author: Serena De Freitas, Harlev Property Management