Property Management Grad Lands Job

If you ask Greg Huston how to succeed in the field of property management, he’ll tell you that it’s about people, not just properties.

“Communication and customer service is a must,” Greg said. “My first month into my new job, I set the community record for five-star customer service. Having that skill set and being in a position to have a servant’s heart to people who live in these places — that needs to be focused on.”

Greg’s background in retail management, where customer service is a major component, lent itself well to his new career. Here’s his thoughts on his recent transition.

What’s it like working in the industry?
I have been working at Aimco as a leasing consultant for the past eight months. It’s been interesting. It’s different than retail, a lot better hours, a lot less stressful. And you deal with people on a more personal level because you’re dealing with something other merchandise; you’re dealing with a home.

How did the course help you?
The course helped me make connections in the industry. The fact that this course is taught by industry professionals instead of professors is a huge plus. It’s all about who you know, and taking this course was a gateway to many networking opportunities within the property management industry.

It also impressed in interviews. It created curiosity. They saw it on my resume and they wanted to ask about it.

What do you think the field of property management needs now?
The most important thing is that there needs to be more courses offered in this field. I entered my job at Aimco more knowledgeable than a lot of people already working there.

I’ve learned that managers and leaders are two different things. Property management has a lot of managers but is in short supply of leaders. I believe there are a lot of great leaders in this industry, but there needs to be a lot more considering how huge and profitable this industry is becoming around the city of Atlanta.

Courses like the one I took will help in making people more knowledgeable about the industry and teach them basic customer service skills as well as leadership skills.