Interview with a Property Manager

 Yesterday I sat down with our property manager, Kory, to find out a little bit more about him and our property.

Michelle: How long have you been working at this apartment community?

Kory: Since May of 2009, specifically 2009 A.D.

M: Thanks for clarifying. Have you ever worked at any other apartment communities?

K: No, this is my time working within an apartment community.

M: Does management organize community events? And if so, what kinds?

K: Yes, yes we do. This year alone we’ve had a pool party, a ribbon cutting ceremony for our dog park, and a Thanksgiving dinner for the residents is on the horizon.

M: Do we have a community bulletin board? And if so, can the residents put stuff on it?

K: Yes, it’s located in the mail center. Above and beyond that, residents are always welcome to drop material off in the office to be included in new resident welcome packets.

M: What is the most common cleaning mistake residents miss when moving out of their apartment?

K: As we all know, moving can be a stressful time. The two most frequently missed and least desirable to clean areas are the kitchen and bathrooms. In particular the inside of the stove (this is really easy to do considering they are self-cleaning).

M: Can we paint the walls in the apartment? Or hang anything up?

K: Yes to both. We want you to make the apartment your home. We do ask that the apartment be painted in a professional manner and be covered with a primer before moving out to minimize charges. As far as hanging items go, we ask that holes larger than standard nail holes be patched and repaired.

M: What do we do to prepare the community for winter weather?

K: When we have severe weather approaching we treat walkways and stairways.  We will have our onsite maintenance and residents (that are willing to help) be on standby to remove snow and ice from these common areas.

M: So lets hear some stuff about you. What is your favorite thing about the community?

K: My favorite thing about the community is that we are a community.  We, the staff, have wonderful relationships with our neighbors and we are always trying to improve those relations.  We never want anyone to feel like they are not at home and a part of something. 

M: What do you hope that your residents say about you?

K: I would hope that they feel that I am accessible and responsive to their needs/concerns.  I try to better myself and the environment around us on a daily basis.  I try to learn a little about each of our neighbors to show them that we care about them and appreciate them being a part of our community.

M: Okay, one last question, what is the one thing you can’t live without on a day to day basis?

K: Actually there are two things that I am dependent on daily, my morning coffee, as I am an early riser, and believe it or not!, my cell phone.  I am able to be more responsive with staff and neighbors with access to my phone.  I make it a priority to check and respond to emails first and last thing on a daily bases.

Interview with a Maintenance Supervisor

Last week I sat down with our Maintenance Supervisor, Lora, to ask some questions:

Michelle: Since it's October, what is the best thing to do to get your apartment ready for the winter months?

Lora: The best thing to do is change your furnace filter. Also cover your windows with curtains as blinds are not a very good insulator - heavy drapes are always a good idea.

M: What is the most frequent problem you get a service request for, and what is the best way to solve it on your own?

L: The garbage disposal is stopped up – the way you can fix this is proper and frequent usage.

M: What are you certified in as far as maintenance goes?

L: I have an EPA HVAC Universal Certification, I’m also a certified pool operator (CPO) and I have a lead abatement certificate which means I can remove lead paint from walls if necessary (which does not apply to our community). In addition, I’m a certified fork lift operator and I have a mold remediation certificate. 

M: How large is our maintenance staff?

L: We have 3 staff – a supervisor, a service tech and a grounds keeper.

M: What modifications do you make to units after residents leave?

L: We have maintenance come in to repair anything that the resident did not, we also have a housekeeper come in and clean the apartments. After this we have painters come in, and then our carpet guys either steam clean, or replace the carpet.

M: Are we allowed to plant anything in the mulch area in front of our patios? I've seen a few people with different flowers out in front of their apartments? 

L: Yes – please feel free to put plants in if you would like.

M: How long have you been working at the apartment community?

L: I've been at this community for three years.

M: Have you worked at other communities? And if so, where and what was your role there?

L: Yes, I worked in Ohio starting out as grounds maintenance and worked my way up to supervisor.




Who would you want us to have an interview with on the property? And what would you ask them?