Fix It Forward - Episode 2

 Hey everyone. The time is finally here. We're shooting the first docu-series that the multifamily industry has experienced ever. We are gonna highlight the best of the best and the brightest of the maintenance profession. And then we're shooting in Atlanta.

Gilbert? Yes, sir. Very good to meet you. 

Nice to meet you also. 

Thank you for having us today. 

Awesome. No problem. 

Tell us a little bit about your property first 

here at Park, at the marketplace, it's 350 units, multifamily property. Um, nice dynamic of different people, pets and all that good stuff. I actually manage two properties, so this is one of them.

There's a property right across the street park at Princeton Lakes that I manage also, so I basically bounce between both of 'em all day long Here we got awesome staff, great unit. Friendly residence and all that good stuff, so it's a great property to be on. I've been here on this property for about 14 years, pretty long time.

I've been here with the management company before BH bought us, and when BH took us over, I've been here with BH for about nine years. Five years ago, BH Management bought the complex across the street. So that's why I manage two complexes now across the street is 307 units also. So combined the units is 657 units.

How much total staff Between two properties. Alright. We have a total of 13 staff members between both properties. 

That's a large number to manage. Yes, it is. Uh, I wanted to ask you about your origin stories. Mm-hmm. And I'm not talking about multifamily, I'm talking about your life. When you grew up, what did you dream of becoming 

when you grew up?

Actually, I think the first thing that I kind of focused on was wanting to be electrician, wiring things up, playing with, uh, speakers. I liked music a lot and just liked the audio part of it, wiring things up and different series and stuff like that. So I think the first thing came to my mind was being an electrician.

What was your first 

job? Uh, my first job was a cleaning service. I worked for a cleaning service that had contracts in different areas, so with the cleaning service, we cleaned up office buildings and we did flooring, so I waxed and B floors, did the trash and all that good stuff. Everything to do with basically cleaning office buildings or whatnot.

I did that for probably like four to five years, and at the same time, I did work at Pizza Hut for a little while after I stopped doing the cleaning service, I got into property management. Well, actually, I went through construction. Doing construction. And then I got into property management working for a construction team.

We was at some apartments, you know, doing some, uh, renovations that the maintenance was not able to do. So as construction workers, we did the stuff that the maintenance guys couldn't do. Being in that field, talking with the maintenance guys that was on property, they kind of convinced me to, you know, get into the door with mainten.

I wanted something more full-time, not kind of seasonal. During construction was kind of seasonal a little bit. I wanted something kind of permanent. So speaking with the maintenance guys, they kind of encouraged me to, you know, join the team. So, um, when they had a available position, a groundsman position available, I applied for the job and basically I got the job.

How long ago was that? 

26 years ago. 

So. 

Groundskeeper, 

yes. From groundskeeper. Did you move directly to a tech or was it like a punch in between? 

So when I was a groundskeeper, um, it was like a, basically a two man property, about 150 units. So it was basically me and my supervisor. So during the grounds, the grounds didn't last all day long.

So after so many hours, like probably throughout half of the day, that's when I started helping out, getting some units ready. Getting units ready for the next person to move in. That's what I kind of did too, and doing a couple of work orders. So whenever the office staff needed me to kind of run a work order too, that's what I did also.

So for being that groundsman position, it was kind of training me to get to that next level. So they was giving me punches to get ready, work orders to try to take care of, just to get me familiarized with the next position. So doing grounds for about a year and a half, I got my EPA certification. And then basically I was bumped up in pay because I got my EPA certification.

Once I got my EPA certification, I probably worked there for another year or so until I basically went out to look for some apartments to live in. Going into the apartments that, you know, I thought about living in, they seen my uniform and everything, and they asked me, Hey, I got a tech position available.

Would you like to join us? So basically what the technician job was paying. What's gonna be the exact same pay is if I was gonna be a supervisor for that small complex. So of course I took the technician position, made a little bit more money and all that good stuff, and was able to learn even more at the next complex that I was at.

How did you get promoted to a service manager for the first time. And how long ago was that? I 

believe 2002. That's when I became a, uh, a service manager for Miles Properties. So I worked for Miles Properties, uh, that was my first. Supervisor job and how I became supervisor is the technician job that I had took.

I worked there for like three to four months. They seen my energy, they seen the knowledge and experience that I had, and my supervisor kind of suggested, Hey man, you're, you're pretty good. There's a complex, basically two miles down the street that was with Miles property that they needed a supervisor.

The supervisor was kind of getting tired and wanting to do something different, so. I basically took his place. 

What do you think are the qualities or the, uh, threats that you had for them to give you a shout at Service manager? 

I would say just being professional. I held myself to a different standard. I wanted to make sure I was there on time.

I wanted to learn everything that I can learn about that property. So when I came in contact with something, I was already familiar with it or already knew how to took care of it. So I think I was kind of prepared for the property and they kind of seen it in me by just watching me day to day. My supervisor at that time vouching for me, so I believe that's how I got that promotion.

Managing currently 13 people over, over 600 apartment homes. It's, it's a huge task. You know, most people struggle at 200 apartments. How do you do that and what are some things that help you if you, you know, manage it? The staff, the work volume, bouncing back and forth between two properties. Yeah, they're across the street, but still, uh, they're not like in the same 

Yep.

Place, um. I guess trying to be as structured as possible. Mm-hmm. But yeah, just basically having a plan of action for that day. Of course, during property management, your day is always gonna change. Your plans always kind of change up also, but basically trying to be structured, listening to everyone, trying to make sure I know what their needs are and what they need to do at the same time.

So delegating the different personalities, all that good stuff. Just knowing how to. Interact with different people. 'cause like I say, everybody has different personalities. So knowing how to just basically manage the people and understand their needs and everything and all that good stuff, their skill level.

So I can know basically what person would be the best fit for this job. How did you learn all of 

this? I, I mean was was it formal education training? Did you learn from doing it? Did you look up to someone, a mentor that. Torture. Was it a combination 

of this mostly back in the nineties? It was a lot of books, so I read a lot of books, little hands-on training.

Like I said, just wanted to understand everything that I was responsible for repairing on that property. So I tried to research as much as I could, reading books, going to Home Depot, they had a lot of books. For, for people for different things, electrical, plumbing, and all that good stuff. So I basically kind of taught myself most of the things, and then, like I said, just experience.

Once I get on a job and just got familiarized by the books, once I got to that actual project, that's when I kind of remembered what I read in the book and applied it to that situation. Just being a decent person, just being respectful and all that good stuff, it just came naturally to me, I would guess.

Um, and just over time. Like just keep developing and developing. Once you notice something that you might be able to do differently, putting that into play.

That. Just a living.

That 

just a living. So Gilbert, what, what made you decide to stay long term to multifamily maintenance? 

Um, I just like doing, working with my hands and. Seeing something that I've repaired or, um, something that I, um, made better, just making people's lively, um, their lifestyle a little better. So if something's going wrong in their apartment, if I can help out any way.

Doing that. It it, it gives me good gratitude, especially when the residents are appreciative. That's why I'm still doing property management. Like I, I just love to see the outcome of something, being attentive to your customers, learning their needs, and how to interact and be professional and all that good stuff.

Just help me out along the way. 

What would you remember to be your first huge winner? Like something that you know, made you feel like nothing before about accomplishing 

a couple of things. Like I said, even just becoming a supervisor at an early age. So I was basically, I think I was 22 years old when I became a supervisor to manage, manage people.

So that was a great accomplishment to be that young and to have that much responsibility. To have that access to manage a multimillion dollar asset. That was incredible for me. Um, I guess another feat, um, that I did that made me proud of myself is becoming a senior service manager for a company, which that entailed me having other properties under me that I had to go to a, a couple of times a month just to make sure the property is running.

Okay. Look at their books. Kind of like a small audit to make sure they're doing what they're supposed to do throughout the month. So having 12 apartment complex under me as a senior service manager, that was a great accomplishment too. Like I said, it made me feel worth something. It made it, it made it, it made me feel more than just a supervisor 'cause I had more responsibility at that time.

Let's talk about bh. Yes. You've been with 'em for how long? 

I've been with BH for about nine years now. 

About nine years. So tell us what was great about, uh, bh. I mean, I'm sure that there's a lot of folks, you know, watching right now, our conversation as we speak, and I like to give you the opportunity to give them a shout out and like share some great things that you know, you enjoy about.

Yeah. 

Being with nine, uh, with a company for nine years, it's, uh. It's not a common thing. Yeah. Especially in today's world. 

It's awesome working for BH Management. I think one of the best things is my ownership. The ownership, who actually owns the property? They're great people. They're hands on, so they come and they actually listen to the employees.

They want to know the concerns for the residents and all that good stuff, and they take that in consideration. And they apply it to the business. So I thought that was awesome that BH and their ownership works hand in hand with each other. Like a lot of management companies, you really don't see the owners that much.

So being with BH management and the owners coming in that first day and explaining how, what their goals, what their expectations and all that good stuff was awesome. And then basically after that, just having monthly meetings with the owner. Not just with management, with the owners. So they come here and they wanted to know how renovations and stuff was going and all that great stuff.

So that was awesome. All the different training and everything that you, that they offer is awesome just being, um. Employee friendly, um, environment, just wanting to make sure they're looking out for their employees and their concerns. Even any kind of suggestions employees have, HR department takes it in consideration.

If they're not already doing something like that, they'll look into your request and see if they can fit it in some kind of way. And if, and they can't, they'll reply back to you and let you know why they can't do it and all that good stuff. So that's, that's the great communication. A lot of people don't listen to the employees that we're here every single day.

We know what's going on. We know residents concerns and all that good stuff. So for the ownership to want to know stuff and actually listen to us and want to know what the neighborhood is actually, you know, want, it just makes the environment a lot better.

If you were to think, you know, go down the memory line, think about a situation where you had a really, really rough day, but at the end of the day you went back and you said, you know what? I did this. Can you remember like that particular situation where that happened? Like what? Was, describe it to me.

What was that situation? I guess, uh, it could be there's times where you're gonna be short staffed, so everybody, you might have people on vacation, some people might be sick. So having to, like I said, multitask, you're on one project, your phone is ringing to go to somewhere else. Another resident needs you somewhere else, so.

Just, just having to multitask so much throughout the day. I think that's kind of almost every day. 'cause like I said, I can put a plan of action together. I can have a agenda for the day and something's going to go different, something's gonna go wrong, somebody might call out. So I have to rearrange some stuff and it's, it's, it's a tough time sometimes.

So, but it's all in a day's work. Like I said, when at the end of the day, once you see what you accomplish. That just makes you feel better. Like I said, it, it's a job at the end of the day, so it's going to be hard work, but you know, the next day you're looking forward to the next day, brother. 

You got it.

Uh, if you were to be in front of executives, not necessarily your company, but industry executives in general, and you had their ear. As a captive audience, what is some message that you want to relate, that you think that, you know, typically they, they don't get, or maybe they don't get it the way you wanted to?

Since we're here on the property a lot, like I said, which my company does a pretty good job about listening to us, there's some concerns that we see on an everyday basis that we would like. I guess some kind of a change or implement some kind of a, a fear or something. For instance, like pets, a lot of people having pets these days, emotional support, animals and all that great stuff, but when they're out on the property, they might not pick up after their self and they just assume that maintenance is supposed to do it.

So. That's one thing that I wish they kind of revised even like with the pet fees and all that good stuff, because a lot of pets do a lot of damage, even urine on the carpets and all that good stuff that we have to replace. And I think some of the fees that we are charging, it doesn't amount to the damage that's actually happening once we have these pets.

I guess a lot of things too that might bother some residents is smoking when that resident doesn't smoke, but they can smell it coming from another unit. And somehow they, it's in their apartment. Even though the HVAC systems and all that, it's not connected, but they still get that lingering smell.

That's something that will be awesome. But I don't know if that's going to ever be possible.

So Gilbert, I want to talk next about, uh. A day in a life of what, what's a regular day like for you? 

First thing I do is kind of, uh, look at our tasks. So we have a app that we have all our work orders on. So basically I go through the app, update any work orders that was passed due and make 'em present and assign 'em to different, um, maintenance staff on the property.

So basically organizing our day. With the maintenance work, looking at units that we need to get ready for potential move-ins. So that's what I do. First thing when I come in, I want to look at our workload and put people in place so we can, you know, um, continue our workload. From there, I look at emails.

Um, from there I go around and touch bases with ladies in the office, uh, any gentleman and all that good stuff, just to see if there's any needs that I might be able to help them with. First thing in the morning after that. Once I do that, I start basically walking units. If I have any move outs, um, pre-move outs.

So from there, once we do our walks, I have a list of notes that I make and I start making schedules. So I call vendors and start scheduling carpet replacement, vinyl paint, clean repairs to exterior of the buildings or what have you. Once I do all that scheduling, I make sure I communicate it with our board, a make ready board, and all that good stuff in the office.

So I put certain dates on it when I have certain vendors come in, just so everybody knows what's going on with that apartment. And from there. Any phone calls that I get to assist a maintenance person if they need help trying to figure something out, move a appliance or, or what have you. So. I kind of just go with the flow also, because like I said, during property management stuff happens and change all day long.

Earlier this week, we had a resident to throw a cigarette butt out their patio and the pine straw caught on fire. So getting a phone call from a technician saying, Hey, there's a fire at building eight. He's putting it out now he's using fire extinguishers and water. He is dumping water on it. So I got that phone call rushed over there to see how extensive it was.

And of course, the. Congratulate him for acting, reacting so fast to that fire, which is remarkable. Like I say, we want to make sure we take care of our assets. So responding to something like that, that's so urgent is awesome. So Mr. Clarence, one of my maintenance technician, we just made sure we gave him all the props.

We announced it to the whole, uh, staff that how fast reacting he was and you know, that was, that was something great for him too. 

What is the. Part of the job that gets the most of you, like it is kind of like take the most energy, the most effort to accomplish, 

I'd say the people is the most difficult part.

Um, just getting people to understand training and all that good stuff. Like I said, the different personalities to just to make sure we all work well together, making sure our workspace is nice and tidy and all that good stuff. Uh, for the most part, I think that might be it. 'cause everything else, all the technicians, all the leasing people and managers here, we kind of know what we should supposed to be doing.

So we just all touch bases with each other. Just make sure we stay on track. 

What would you say is the part that you get. Excited the most every day. What, like most of the time about the job? 

I guess getting recognition from our owners and our, um, regional managers and stuff like that when they can recognize that we're working really hard out here, our numbers are looking good, and all that good stuff.

It makes you feel good. 

Worst story that you had in property management? 

Uh, worst story. Um. I guess some of the worst things are when I guess employees might cause damage to the property by not doing something right. A couple of situations that I can remember vividly is leaks, so maintenance people repairing pipes that might been leaking or or whatnot, and they're making a repair.

They self, but it doesn't go. Like they want to, and basically floods out apartment, have that a couple of times, and those floods were costly. $20,000, $40,000. That's a lot of damage. Water does a lot of damage, especially if it's coming from a upstairs unit and that water is flowing a lot. It's going downstairs to the neighbor below them, to the neighbor below them.

So all that drying equipment, all that sheet rock, and. Remediation that we have to do, and then like I saying, just to understand that it might came from somebody not doing something properly that hurts me to my bone, even if I didn't do it, just knowing that some one of my employees didn't do something correctly and it cost the company that much money that hurts just to feel the accomplishment when you do something and it just makes you proud that, hey.

This is what I'm doing, so it's awesome. Like I said, you can fix something that a, a resident air conditioner might have been out and they're hot, they're struggling. They got kids, they got asthma, and just to see them going through it and being there and making those repairs and afterwards, thank you so much.

I feel comfortable. It feels good and all that good stuff to like to get that recognition is awesome. 

A message for the younger generation, you know, when you're looking at someone young mm-hmm. That haven't really made up their mind about what they want to do with their life, with their career. Maybe they don't consider colleges being the path to go.

Right? Mm-hmm. And if you were to do a pitch in front of 'em and say, why should they pick multifamily maintenance, what would you share with them? What would you tell 'em? 

Oh, well, multifamily, this business goes hand in hand with a lot of good things. Like you can branch off and do a lot of different things.

So like I said, from being electrician to being a plumber, HVAC installer, carpentry, even pool. So I have my CPO certification, a cert. I'm a certified pool operator. So if I just wanted to just branch off and work for a pool company, I can do certain things like that. So just having all these different options because you have the opportunity to do so many different things.

So it's not just like one thing. Like I said, when I was younger, I wanted to be electrician. I think I'm doing way more than that now. So I got electric, electrical under my belt, plumbing, HVAC, carpentry, all these different skill sets under my belt. Property management. It's a career. It's not just a job.

This is something that's gonna be around for a long time. That's not going anywhere. As long as people have that need somewhere to stay. This is not going anywhere. They're going to need people to actually get hands on and, and, and do the work. Personally, just doing property management, coming here every single day, having the opportunity to make repairs on different things.

It's just setting you up for your own business if you want to go off and do your own thing. I think that's one of the most part that I get from it. This industry branches off into so many different areas. So I would just encourage anybody who was wanting to look at property management to stick with it.

Learn as much as you can, get as much experience as you can, and you'll see how far you can go. What do you wish you 

knew when you were very young at the beginning of your life and career? Like early twenties maybe? 

Um, the only thing I wish different that I probably would've did was go to college. So right outta school, I was, like I said, construction and then property management.

I kind of missed the college thing. Uh, my kids are going to college. I kind of see what they're doing and see the activities and the comradery between students and all the fellowship and all the different areas that you can learn. Like that's something that's awesome. But, um, I wouldn't have take it away the way that I did it.

Also, I think I had a good career and, um, I developed pretty fast, I guess from my work workmanship and, um, my dedication. I've been doing property maintenance for 26 years and having did anything else besides that. So as soon as I got that job, I have not done anything else. I've been employed for 26 years doing property management.

Yeah, 

that's, uh, wild and amazing accomplishment. Gilbert, thank you for having us today, brother. I really enjoyed the conversation. 

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