Agent Spotlight: Kasey Williams, property manager, Soco Realty 

After over 20 years in the beauty industry, a personal experience revealed a surprising interest in real estate for Kasey Williams.

Fast forward nearly eight years, she’s enjoying a successful career in property management as a member of the award-winning Soco Realty team.

In celebration of National Property Managers Day on Friday 26 July, we spoke to Kasey about her transition to real estate and her advice for tenants and owners in navigating a tenancy.

How did you get involved in real estate?

I fell in love with the process of searching for houses while helping a family member purchase his first home. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the process and wanted to look further into it as a career.

The rest was simple: I completed my registration course and about two weeks later I was working as an assistant property manager at Soco Realty and haven’t looked back.

What do you enjoy most about a career in real estate?

I’m very much a people person and always have been. I really enjoy meeting new people and I love helping others whether it’s in my personal life or work related.

Helping families secure a home is such a rewarding feeling and I love developing new relationships with my tenants. I feel incredibly lucky that I have found another career path that I’m passionate about.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

The current market! I've never seen it like this in my eight years in real estate. When I first joined the industry, we had over 30 properties that we were trying to lease out. Fast forward to today’s market and I’m struggling to provide enough homes.

For me personally, the most difficult aspect is having to turn down families who you wish you could help. Everyone’s financial situations are changing, and it’s proving to be a challenging time for many in the rental market right now, and that’s hard to see.

When I’m presented with questions by prospective tenants, I aim to be as transparent as possible so they know what to expect from me. I like to give them as much helpful information and guidance as possible so they can understand what we as property managers are looking for and apply with more confidence.

What is your proudest moment as a property manager?

A real highlight was when Soco Realty won the Residential Property Management Team of the Year award at the 2023 REIWA Awards for Excellence.

Accepting the award with the team was magical. It was a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the entire team over the years and felt it was the icing on the cake for what I felt was our biggest year ever!

What is your advice for tenants and owners in navigating a successful tenancy?

For tenants, transparency during the application process is crucial. Ensure your application is strong, with good rental history and stable income. This often makes a better impression than simply offering more rent or to pay in advance. Clear communication and honesty about your situation can go a long way in building trust with property managers.

For owners, be realistic about rental income. The market is constantly evolving, and what you received six months or a year ago might not be the case today, or in six months’ time. Setting a fair and competitive rental price is crucial to attracting and retaining good tenants.

What is your advice for someone thinking about a career in property management?

Balancing empathy with firmness is key!

Property management is about building relationships and managing expectations. It's a rewarding career if you enjoy helping people and can handle the challenges that come with the territory. It's not always easy, but knowing you’re making a difference in people’s lives makes it worthwhile.