All Forum Posts by: Eddie V.

@Ray Johnson and @Linda Govan,  thanks for the insight and for your reply.  I would be open to talking with them to see what the arrangement would be.  

Edit: title should say "Investor seeks RE mentee" (not mentor)

Im looking for a side RE gig to compliment my commercial RE appraisal role I just started (doesn't pay much and no more then 40 hrs a week). Around my neighborhood I see bandit signs advertising "Local investor seeks RE mentee/trainee".  I see the same on Craigslist just slightly different language. They often say something along the lines of 5k a month part time or 10k full time.

I'm wondering what's the catch if any?  Have any of you reached out to these ads? 

@Tim Hackett @Marcela Correa

I hate that I abandoned my BP account for the past two months, but I needed to turn off the real estate thinking temporarily; it was consuming.  I had my wedding 3 weeks ago so that took a lot of energy.  On top of that I've had a total of 6 INTERVIEWS with that same real estate investor, and still this person hasn't made up their mind.  

At this point I'm moving on.  My current employer, a subcontractor, has promoted me to Operations Manager.  It's been a great experience doing something other than accounting for a change.  

Through the experience of interviewing for a Property Manager role (researching and talking to you guys),  I like what I've learned and I may continue to pursue a similar role.  In many ways it is like my operations manager in that there are a variety of tasks and you supervise the many facets of the business/property.  One of the main differences I'm seeing is that people management is less so in commercial property management compared to my subcontractor operations manager role.  I'm having to deal with tardiness, work truck accidents, staff performance issues, customer complaints, and customer service; it's overwhelming for a recovering accountant.  From what I've seen in commercial property management is that you have contracted staff who are typically behaved and then tenants who are typically professional and manageable. Would you guys agree?

Thanks for your patience with me.

Eddie

To all those keeping track, 

I had a successful 2nd interview over the weekend.  We are currently in the references phase of the hiring process. Things are looking good for me and this property manager role.  I'm very excited about the potential.

The only problem is it's going to be a long wait as the owner will be traveling for the whole month of May, so nothing will be finalized until possibly early June.  Uhg what a long ways away; it's going to be a torturous wait.

Eddie

I left the interviewing buzzing.  The interview went very well, and I left excited and hopeful about the opportunity.  The role wouldn't be limited to the commercial property, but there is opportunity to manage single family residential, apartments, and office buildings; a whole portfolio.  There would be mentorship, RE agent licensure training paid for, and ample opportunity for growth.  It would be a shame not to get this role.  

I am to interview with one of the other 'associate partners.  I like my chances.  I'll keep you in the know.

Thanks again @Tim Hackett for your support

Eddie

@Tim Hackett,  that's some great information you are sharing.  I REALLY appreciate it.   

This gives me a good idea of what I would encounter day to day.  I can tell you right off the bat, this sounds a whole lot more interesting than accounting, but then what isn't.  Be it construction project management or property management, I'm confident I'm going to enjoy the career change.  

One concern I have with going in the construction management direction is the hours, they can be exhausting 14 hr days.  We had these in public accounting, and it was rough.  It might be more manageable if I'm in a career I enjoy, it's quite possible the 14 hr days just fly by.  I don't know how to ask this without sounding like a lazy person, but I'll do it anyways, how do the property management work hours compare? 

Tim, you say you can't think of anything else you would be doing.  What is it about this work that you find so enjoyable?  What has made it so rewarding?  

The owner/employer interested in hiring me loves my accounting background but has concerns about my lack of property management experience.  I meet with this person on Thursday for the interview, so I have a little time to come up with a response to address her concerns.  What might be some of the core skills that make a successful property manager?  I imagine communication and conflict resolution, professionalism, attention to detail...hmmm

Tim again, thank you so much for sharing your experience.  I also appreciate you offering the opportunity for me to learn from you.  If I decide to go down this route, I'm going to have to get you on the phone to start training me up.  

Eddie

I've been approached with the opportunity to take over the management of 8 acres of retail and office space.  This would be a full time commercial property management role, with the potential for me to get involved with some the investors' other properties.  I'm familiar with residential property management, but not commercial.  

Could you guys help me better understand what a role such as this might entail?  The person I talked to mentioned there may be a bit of accounting, renewing leases, managing the maintenance requests, etc.  Have any of you guys held a role like this?

I'm an accountant eagerly looking to move away from accounting and into a role that aligns more with my real estate investment interests (flipping and buy-&-hold).  I was initially planning on going into construction project management, and then this opportunity presented itself.  So I'm looking into it.  

I see how the role could be beneficial to my REI pursuits. Until I learn more about the role I won't really know if this is something I want to get into full time.

This was just the information I was looking for.  

Thanks @Larry Fried!  I'll be sure to read over it.  A matter of fact I'll email myself the link right now so that I can pull it up on my phone quickly for the commute home (public transportation). 

@Galen Herbst de Cortina, moving from Texas to California I had to anticipate and be understanding for the cost of living difference, however I was not ready for the dramatic difference I'd face in the Bay Area. I eventually adjusted and have found decent quarters in the Rockridge area of Oakland.