Jasmine Henjak, Investment Team Manager at McIntyre Property. Photos: Supplied.
When Jasmine Henjak left high school in 2002, she didn’t know what she wanted to do for a living. She decided to take a year off and make some money, while pondering life. Then, out of the blue, she landed a job in real estate and her future became crystal clear.
That was in 2003 and Jasmine has been in the industry ever since. For the past five years, she’s been Investment Team Manager at McIntyre Property, immersed in the hectic and fast-paced property management stream of the industry.
“Every day is a new day,” says Jasmine, “but that’s part of the challenge, and the reward.”
Jasmine is registered in NSW and Licensed in real estate in the ACT and also holds a Diploma in Agency Management. At McIntyre Property, she’s like a Mother Hen in charge of a brood of approachable but seriously focused property managers.
“It’s rewarding mentoring and training our staff in the field, watching them grow, enjoying their work and being proud of what we achieved,” says Jasmine.
The team offers a standard of service that rises well above the norm for the sector and respects the needs of the team’s diverse client base, which includes landlords, prospective landlords, tenants and prospective tenants.
“Building long-term client relationships with the many suppliers and service people we rely on to deliver and fix things, often urgently, is also important,” says Jasmine.
Jasmine and her team say building client confidence is also paramount. “On the one hand, we’re dealing with very valuable assets on behalf of landlords and are motivated to provide the right advice to maximise those assets,” says Jasmine. “On the other hand, we’re dealing with tenants who are calling those assets their home through a lease. We need trust on both sides.”
Property Managers work under the Residential Tenancy Act & Agency Act and abide by the Code of Conduct for Agents and Sales Representatives. While some members of the public may not realise it, property managers can start operating with only a relatively basic Certificate of Registration. This makes it critical to do your research before selecting a property manager.
“Besides checking their registration, credentials, years of experience, level of local knowledge and references, I recommend landlords or prospective landlords meet the property manager face-to-face,” says Jasmine. “They’re putting their investment into the hands of that manager and need to trust and be able to communicate easily with them. You want a good relationship you can count on, not a stressful one you’re worried about all the time.”
Another piece of advice is to remember that you often get what you pay for. “Cheaper fees don’t always come with top-quality service or extensive knowledge or experience,” says Jasmine.
Over the years, Jasmine has seen the number of real estate agencies offering property management services undergo major growth. The marketplace is more crowded and competitive than ever in the ACT, but that doesn’t deter Jasmine and her team, who won Property Management Team of the Year 2018 at the Real Estate Institute Awards.
The winners: Property Management Team of the Year 2018, Real Estate Institute Awards.
So how does McIntyre Property stand out?
In Jasmine’s view, being a family brand is a great advantage.
“Landlords and tenants aren’t just numbers, they’re important relationships,” says Jasmine. “The owners of McIntyre Property, Colin McIntyre and Jo Matters, are amazing operators. They care about their staff and work hard to sustain a great team. They hire knowing that we can train people on the technical and operational sides, but we can’t force them to fit our culture. We need everyone to be part of the McIntyre Property family.”
Working as a team is critical in property management because issues can flare quickly and unexpectedly. Jasmine and her team need to constantly be on their toes. “We always assign landlords a single point of contact,” says Jasmine, “but when the situation requires it, the whole team is on deck to help.”
Another advantage of McIntyre Property is inviting landlords to attend inspections, for their peace of mind. “This is a chance for us to answer questions,” says Jasmine. “Many landlords don’t realise how extensive and complex the legislation is and how quickly matters can get out of hand if they’re not handled properly. It’s better to have a professional handle your assets.”
When Jasmine says every day is a different day in property management, she means it.
“We have good days and bad days but are never bored,” says Jasmine. “A good day is when everything runs smoothly. A bad day is when you can’t solve a problem immediately for a landlord or tenant because matters are beyond our control, but it’s all in a day’s work.”
To check if a property manager is registered call Consumer Protection’s licensing branch on 1300 304 064.
Meet Jasmine here and for more information on McIntyre Property, head to www.mcintyreproperty.com.au
Original Article published by Wendy Johnson on The RiotACT.
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