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Samantha Gatherum-Goss loves her job in property management but admits she could never be in this industry without the support of a loving family.
When did you first join the PM industry?
Five and a half years ago.
Why did you join the PM industry?
My parents are very successful property investors. I saw what they went through while I was growing up and fell in love with property. I decided property management was my calling, and I haven’t looked back!
What area of PM needs more training focused around it and why?
I think training on the legislation is incredibly important – often I see people asking incredibly simple questions. No one is perfect, but to be doing this job you need to understand at least the basic legislation. I see this with experienced PMs as well as new ones.
What skills does a PM/BDM need to be successful?
Patience, strong negotiation skills, compassion (but not too much), a strong backbone, sense of humour and an interchangeable personality when required.
Where do you believe PMs' responsibilities should start and end?
I think that’s like 'how long is a piece of string?' Every office has a different company structure and different expectations. It’s our job to be the middleman and sometimes that middleman needs to go out of their way to get the right result for everyone. Personally, I like the 'all-rounder' that does everything from listing a property, leasing, inspections, VCAT, etc. It gives people one point of contact the whole way through and I feel it enables a better rapport with clients.
What would you be doing if you weren’t in the PM industry?
I'd probably be a lawyer (I’m a sucker for punishment), or still in the property game as a builder/developer.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I honestly love my job; I enjoy dealing with new clients, when tenants squeal because they got the property they loved. All in all, it’s a pretty awesome job.
What are the most stressful aspects of your job?
Arrears, maintenance and final inspections! Thankfully I don’t have many issues with maintenance and arrears, but final inspections are usually painful. You ask if they ticked everything on your list, and you turn up to see nothing has been done and they won’t even sign the bond form so you have to take them to VCAT – even though they have to know they’ve not cleaned up.
How do you relax after a stressful day at work?
Spending time with my friends and family. My friends are amazing and I couldn’t do my business without them. I also have an almost-three-year-old who is developing his own personality and is just hilarious, and my husband is largely why I started my company. They all listen to me harp on about an issue, and even if they don’t understand they’ll still listen.
How would you describe a perfect property management day?
Zero arrears, maintenance and final inspections. A heap of new managements and a nice glass of wine on a sunny day. I don’t think that’s realistic, but one can dream!
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