An ordinary property visit, a stranger's car, and a moment that still gives me goosebumps. Today I was out tooling around, visiting properties, when I found myself in a neighborhood that brought back a memory from many years ago. And let me tell you, even after all these years, this one STILL gives me goosebumps! It was back when part of my job involved meeting with property owners who were interested in hiring our company for property management services. I'd visit their pro

You seriously cannot make this stuff up. 🏌️ FORE! Apparently, Nobody Told Her! ⛳ Over my many years in property management, I've had the opportunity to manage a couple of communities with golf courses. In fact, many years ago, we even tried to PURCHASE a golf course! Looking back, I'm thinking it's probably a good thing that deal didn't work out. 😂 Because let me tell you, HOAs and golf courses come with an entirely different collection of stories! Now, here's something tha

As a property manager, I spent a lot of time in court. At one point, I was probably there at least once a month. Court became pretty routine, and over the years we learned a LOT about process serving, obtaining judgments, negotiating payment plans, and collecting money owed to our clients. And then there was Minnie. Minnie was a particularly difficult tenant who was very good at avoiding our attempts to collect the money she owed. She was also pretty good at avoiding being pe

Over the years, I’ve managed just about every kind of property you can imagine. I got my start with single-family homes, two-family properties, and small multi-family rentals. As our business grew and we took on more investment clients, we eventually found ourselves managing some pretty large apartment complexes. Those properties came with their own staffs, their own systems, and—as I quickly learned—their own whole new level of property management. And yes, I have stories. B

Let’s talk insurance. Specifically, insurance for condo and homeowner association members. Insurance can be SO confusing. And let’s be clear right from the start: I am not an insurance agent. But after 42 years in property management, I’ve worked with numerous associations and their insurance agents, sat through countless insurance conversations and helped homeowners navigate more claims than I can remember. And one thing I’ve learned? Start with the governing documents. Your

There are things you expect to deal with when you become a property manager. Budgets. Contractors. Landscaping. Complaints. Meetings. Lots and lots of meetings. And then there are geese. And bullfrogs. Apparently, somewhere along the way, wildlife management became part of my job description. Let’s Start with My Nemesis: Geese I have learned more about geese during my 42 years in property management than I would really like to admit. Many of the associations I manage have dra

One thing you’re going to notice as I share these Property Scoop stories is that I’m going to wander back and forth between the past and the present. After 42 years in property management, there are just too many stories to tell them in order! And boy, has technology changed during those years. I can actually remember when the question came up in our office: Should we buy a fax machine? My response? “Why in the heck would we need a fax machine?” If I only knew what was coming

One of the many life lessons I learned from owning my own business was this: NEVER assume ANYTHING. And when I say anything, I mean anything. There were times over the years when an employee would leave and we couldn’t find a replacement right away. When that happened, we would sometimes turn to a temporary agency. One position we absolutely had to keep covered was our front desk. We needed someone there to greet people as they came into the office and, of course, answer the

After 42 years in property management, Kim has collected more unbelievable stories than she can count. From board meetings and bizarre requests to unforgettable residents and lessons learned the hard way, there’s a reason she’s always said, “You can’t make this shit up!” Now, the book she never wrote is becoming a blog. Welcome to The Property Scoop.