We’ve all been saved by Google Maps; no matter how far the trip, or how complicated the maze of roads, you just type in an address into Google Maps and wait for the online voice to guide you. “Stay in the right line, and at the roundabout, take the third exit.” “In 500 metres, turn left onto Boundary Road.
”She’s brilliant! If there are unexpected traffic delays, she’ll alert and reroute you. If you need to make a food stop, she’ll show you the nearest café.
As Lodge Rentals' business development manager, Nic’s job is to be that guiding voice for landlords, making everything easy and straightforward.
“Property owners are people who just want their investments to do well. They know there are complications that go with that, but they come to Lodge so
that we’ll sort those things out for them. And we do. Our number one job is protecting their investment, and we do it in a way that makes everything smooth and easy.”
In her role at Lodge, Nic works closely with the sizeable property management team. Though ‘large’ can be synonymous with ‘impersonal’, when it comes to working with property clients, the bigger team actually personalises things. Nic explains.
“Every landlord is different. Different personalities. Different property needs. Different level of desired involvement with their property’s management.
“For example, one of our landlords is a very strong, mature person who likes to be involved. I matched her with Robyn, one of our senior, most experienced managers. These two have made a great connection and work well together. This might not have happened with a younger manager.
“But then there’s Jordan, a young man who is hugely motivated and organised, with a great communication ethic. If a client wants to take a hands-off approach, Jordan’s a perfect match. He tells a client exactly what he’s going to do, gets it done, then reports back. People love that about him.
“My job is matching our clients with the property manager I think will serve them best.”
Despite the differences between property owners, there are two things they all require. The rental process made easy, and a steady flow of communication. Over the years, Nic has seen many clients leave property rental firms and come to Lodge because of a lack in these two areas.
“Communication is the biggest issue. Landlords want the security of knowing that good things are being done, so we have a mantra at Lodge: ‘Pick up the phone, pick up the phone. Call your landlord, call your landlord.’
“I had a classic example of it this morning. I was part of an email chain between the developer, the property manager, the owner, and me. It went back and forth until I just picked up the phone, called the relevant people and got everything sorted. Talking to people gets you results faster.”
Then there’s the Make-Everything-Easy part. A lot goes into putting the right tenants into the right property. It’s a complex dance of moving parts. There’s getting the property appraised. Then photos need to be taken and pushed out online. Or video, if that’s appropriate.
When rental applications come in, the all-important vetting process begins, which, as Nic points out, is when the detailed work begins.
“We’re actually trying to find the perfect people-fit for a client’s property. The right tenant makes everything that follows so much easier. So we run background and reference checks – especially if they’re coming from overseas.
“From the other side, we’re trying to find something that suits the tenant: the right areas, the right price, bedrooms and bathrooms that match their needs. There is a tonne of variables to line up.
“Even before we’ve found good tenants, we make sure each property passes a Healthy Homes check. Then once they’re in, we take care of repairs and maintenance, in a way that suits the needs of the owner.
“It’s our job to make things easy for the people who trust us. At Lodge, we think we’re pretty good at it.”