Goodwins profile: Sarah Thompson, Property Manager
Growing up in a Real Estate household, with both her mother and step-father in the industry, Sarah’s early exposure to real estate made it an obvious choice for a career path. Sarah joined a local real estate office straight out of school and spent several years working the administrative side of the industry before tiring of being stuck behind a desk.
After the family purchased a pub in Whangarei Sarah embraced the challenge of training as a chef while mastering all aspects of running a family-owned restaurant and bar. Sparking her love of food this fostered the beginning of a 15+ year career in the hospitality industry.
Upon returning to Auckland, Sarah continued to thrive in hospitality, focusing on both culinary and front-of-house roles, while also assisting her then-partner in managing various food businesses.
Raising two children, the antisocial hours of the industry became too demanding and Sarah traded in her chef’s hat, returning to her first love, real estate. Sitting her Real Estate license in 2006, Sarah has now been back in the industry over 15 years, working for several family firms, managing properties the width and breadth of Auckland, before settling in at Goodwins in 2022.
Q: I like to start these interviews with a big question – answer it any way you want. Where do you come from?
ST: “I was born in the Waikato and moved to Auckland when I was around eight years old. I went to a nice little local Catholic school in Henderson, St. Dominics. I was around 20yrs old when I moved to Whangarei to work in my parents pub, returning to Auckland a few years later and, aside from the odd overseas excursion, I’ve been here ever since.”
Q: Why did you change career direction after so long hospitality?
ST: “After working antisocial ‘hospo’ hours for so long, and with two kids, I was ready for change. Working for my mother all those years ago was an experience that stayed with me – I’d always remained interested in real estate. I had some exposure to sales, but it didn’t appeal to me as much as property management. I worked for over 10 years at Barfoot & Thompson, and other small family firms before joining Goodwins.”
Q: What’s your sweet spot in terms of the properties you source and manage?
“I manage properties all over Auckland, from Ellerslie to Bethells Beach, including the North Shore. I suppose you’d call it the mid-market – mums and dads and their kids. I tend to be the go-to person for trickier situations, because I’m good at solving problems. There can often be tension between landlords and tenants and we’re in the middle of it. Sometimes all it needs is a bit of education and guidance when people get a little precious. Many think of property management as one-sided, but I like both my owners and my tenants to know I am on their side.”
Q: National figures show a large increase in available rental properties and a much smaller increase in rent seekers. What’s happening in your domain?
ST: “Right now a lot of rental properties are coming on to the market. You’ve got more sales listing as well, which I think is encouraging some renters to buy their first home (The share of property purchases by first home buyers increased to 27% in July – ed). So, it’s starting to take longer to tenant properties – sometimes four or five weeks, even when the rent has been reduced. New Zealand rents are still higher than they were a year ago. Sure, the Auckland market is a bit softer, but that’s not entirely a bad thing because the rent-income ratio was starting to get out of control.”
Q: Given that it’s now harder for a landlord to rent their property, what can they do to increase their chances – other than perhaps knocking a bit off the rent?
ST: “Property owners really need to look at their presentation. Tenants are shopping around and have a decent selection of properties to choose from. If your property is flaking paint and looks a little bit tired, spend a week freshening it up. Summer’s getting close, so now’s the time to spruce up the exterior. People want something decent to live in, plus they’re getting more selective; with so many properties to choose from, they can afford to be a little picky.”
Q: You’ve been working in property management for 15 or so years, now. Can you think of any memorable moments?
ST: “Well, there are lots of little moments, like, when one of my tenants buys their first house – that’s a nice story. And when I get the perfect tenant for the perfect house, it’s a happy little marriage. Great tenants who take care of their home make our jobs so much easier. Property managers are the people in the middle, and that means we’re often having to readjust the expectations of both landlords and tenants – and that can be a little tough. Sometimes we upset landlords because we advise them to spend more, and we can upset our tenants when they’re struggling with the rent. So, it’s nice when things are in harmony.”
Q: What are the biggest reasons a landlord should seek out a professional property manager?
ST: “It just stops drama. You’ve got someone in between, playing mediator. We are the checks and balances for both owners and tenants and pull people up when they’re out of line. There’s a lot to deal with and a property manager removes that from the landlord’s shoulders. Sure, it costs money, but it isn’t a huge price to pay for the time they would save, and having a professional company who regularly up-skill means they are not leaving themselves open to the risk of getting it wrong. The fines these days, are just too high.”
Q: Finally, Sarah, what’s the best thing about working at Goodwins?
ST: “I love working for family businesses. It’s nice to be part of a company that doesn’t just see you as a number. It’s more personal and they encourage us to build deeper relationships with our clients. We celebrate everything together, personal or work, its a great environment.”
A good property manager is worth their weight in gold – or at least rent otherwise lost through unnecessary vacancy. Call Sarah on 021 278-7761 to put your property into the hands of a pro.
