Talking Property Management
Welcome to Talking Property Management the podcast that dives into the untold stories and challenges of property management in Brisbane. Hosted by Samantha Eason, Principal and Licensee of Exclusively Managed, this show peels back the curtain on the not-so-pretty side of managing investment properties and mistakes made in the business.
From tricky tenants, untrained property managers, to unexpected maintenance disasters, Samantha brings her expertise and unfiltered insights to the table, offering listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the realities of property management.
Whether you're an investor, a landlord, or just curious about the industry, Talking Property Manager delivers honest conversations, practical advice, and a touch of humor to navigate the ups and downs of property management in Brisbane's unique market.
Join Samantha as she shares stories, tips, and solutions to help you tackle the challenges and make the most of your property investments.
And who knows, she could be talking about your property manager on the next episode.
Talking Property Management
Managing Properties Through Cyclone Alfred: A Property Manager's Diary
Cyclone Alfred put Queensland's property managers to the ultimate test, and in this raw, firsthand account, Samantha Eason takes you behind the scenes of disaster response in real estate management. From the moment weather warnings appeared, Exclusively Managed launched into a carefully orchestrated communication plan that would prove crucial in the days ahead.
The property management playbook for natural disasters unfolds as Samantha shares their methodical approach: immediate insurance reminder emails, specialised guidance for vulnerable properties (like those with pools and solar systems), and escalating safety communications as the storm approached. But theory quickly gave way to practice as trees crashed down across Brisbane and Gold Coast properties faced devastating damage.
Drenched in torrential rain while securing fallen fences and coordinating emergency tree removals, Samantha reveals the physical and emotional toll these events take on property professionals. "The PTSD that you will actually get for those properties is very difficult to overcome," she explains, offering rare insight into the psychological impact of managing homes through disaster. The varying impact across regions created dramatically different challenges, with Gold Coast property managers facing particularly overwhelming circumstances.
Most valuable is Samantha's emphasis on communication strategy during crisis - the language choices, frequency of updates, and delicate balance of explaining shared responsibilities without appearing biased toward owners or tenants. For property investors and renters alike, this episode provides crucial understanding of what happens behind the scenes when nature threatens your home.
Need help navigating Cyclone Alfred's aftermath? Samantha offers her personal support to listeners, proving that in property management, we're all in this together. Call her directly at 0411 160 952 for trade connections or professional guidance - because rebuilding is always easier when we support one another.
If you have any questions or scenarios you would like us to discuss on an upcoming episode, please email samantha.eason@exclusivelymanaged.com.au or visit https://www.exclusivelymanaged.com.au/
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Hi, it's Samantha Eason here with another episode for Talking Property Management. I have a very big day ahead, so I am just going to jump straight into it and talk with you about what we did with exclusively managed tenants and clients, with Cyclone Alfred leading, leading up to the event if you call it that and what followed after that. So I was at my daughter's birthday like friend's birthday party on the Sunday, and we obviously received on that weekend some information about a cyclone hitting. So we sent emails out to all of our owners and our tenants straight away, letting them know that tenants need to be responsible for their own contents insurance and owners need to ensure that their insurance is up to date. That's what we did on that front. Monday we then sent another email just getting them updated, letting them know that it is likely going to hit. There will be strong winds, winds, floods and whatnot. And those emails went across all throughout the week. Thursday and Friday. Obviously, everyone was sent home, told to stay indoors, and nothing happened. Tiktok, instagram, facebook went ballistic expecting nothing, and then, obviously, over the weekend, we got a lot of rain. So Wednesday, we send an email out to all those tenants that have pools on their properties letting them know how to look after their pool as well as solar systems, ensuring that they are off to avoid any damage to the solar system From there. Tenants received another email on Thursday letting them know that, look, strong winds are going to likely take place on Friday night, saturday night, so please just be safe, stay inside, protect your house, protect yourself and whatnot from there.
Speaker 1:Saturday I was at home and another friend who works in the industry and me we were comparing the winds at our properties. So she was saying it wasn't windy, I was getting a little bit of wind, but not a lot of wind. And then all of a sudden we got a heap of wind and then followed with the rain. Um, and then we were comparing our car speed with the wind. Um, I was a very big fan of windycom over this weekend and then I would jump onto zoom earth and then I couldn't really trust bomb. But you know we have Higgins Storm Chasing, tim's Weather, something like a few channels online that we did chime in with just to get a good understanding upset for a community and a town before, especially just seeing all those properties on Gold Coast and watching all those TikTok live streams of cranes swaying, flood waters rising just absolutely awful experience for all those people there. And it's obviously still going. So I find it really difficult. It's incredibly difficult to work in as a property manager when you have flooded properties, like the PTSD that you will actually get for those properties. It is very difficult to overcome that unless there have been significant changes made to the property.
Speaker 1:So, following on from there, saturday and Sunday we obviously received a fair bit of rain, especially yesterday, especially on my end. Brisbane heaps of rain, so many areas of Brisbane that are underwater. Now We've had to do a couple of make-safes. On the weekend we just went out, touched base with some of our, I guess, vulnerable tenants as well and our clients that live in Brisbane, seeing if they needed anything. I was absolutely drenched yesterday in the rain trying to help my wonderful husband do a make safe on one of our property's fences that had fallen and had come very close to the house. So today is where we call and touch base with that owner of the neighbouring property and whatnot. And then we've had a few trees that have come down as well. So just being able to rectify that, get the arborists out there, get them removed, get the owners involved, let them know if insurance is required and go from there. It's been an absolute whirlwind, to say the least, so it's just one of those things.
Speaker 1:I guess the most important thing from a property manager's standpoint, though, when it comes to a natural disaster or a heavy weather incident like this, though, is that you keep your tenants and your clients updated throughout every single step. So what that means is informing tenants of the correct process and procedure when it comes to reporting, maintenance and keeping their property safe. The tenants have just as much responsibility as the owners do to mitigate loss, so that is incredibly important, and you do have to advise tenants of that in a proper way, without coming across arrogant or rude or, you know, landlord favoured, so it is incredibly important to do that properly so that you can help, I guess, your customers that are living in their those homes, as well as your clients, ensuring that you've got everything covered. The amount of trees that have just come down across Brisbane is insane Massive trees, especially over New Farm, tenerife and whatnot. So just being able to rectify those issues and help out your customers and your clients, who are obviously very stressed, it is incredibly important.
Speaker 1:I will say we don't have that many issues reported across the whole portfolio base. I know that would be completely different if I was in the Gold Coast and I had properties in the Gold Coast. It would be 100% different. So those Gold Coast property managers need all the support. It's not their fault. They can't help a slow process where you know like some things just aren't going to be as quick as what most people would like and as a community and as a group, you do all need to come together. Same over at Redcliffe, the amount of properties that have just been like smashed, tree damaged fences falling. It's a lot. So it's important to stick together during a time like this.
Speaker 1:But also checking in with everyone that you know, working with your customers, everyone that you know working with your customers, keeping them updated it's an incredibly big thing. I know that we will likely have more maintenance reported and the water is still rising, especially in North Brisbane at the moment in some areas, and then we have to consider the tides in some as well. So just ensuring that everyone's on the same page. No one's becoming complacent. Properties are still clean and tidy and able to be repaired safely. That's the priority. Able to be repaired safely that's the priority. Where they aren't, we do need to take extra measures.
Speaker 1:I know it's a quick podcast today, but it really will be difficult for property managers during you know this incident, especially if you've never had a flood before, and those people that work and live in those areas that are close to being, or have been flooded. It's going to be incredibly difficult as well. Granted, we may not have had it as destructive as North Queensland may have. It is still difficult for most people in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, sunshine Coast to have this sort of damage and, on a property manager's point of view, I guess it is incredibly important to ensure that you dot your I's and you cross your T's with regards to the communication, the check-ins and the language that you use, because if those things aren't completed properly, that you use because if those things aren't completed properly, it can really be severe for your clients.
Speaker 1:I know some property managers only sent out one email and it didn't even include all of the issues that could have come up, so it is important to be overcautious, better prepared. You know, safe than sorry in this sort of situation. I really do hope that our listeners don't have any big issues that they have to deal with. If you do need assistance, though, with any trades or professional advice with regards to this cyclone and this disaster that's taken place, reach out. My number is 0411160952 and I'll be more than happy to help. But other than that, I do hope that everyone stays safe and well and we will rebuild. Thank you very much for listening. I hope you have a lovely rest of your day and week and stay dry, queensland.
