Katie Knight was announced the Real Estate Industry of Queensland (REIQ) 2019 ‘Property Manager of the Year’ when more than 500 real estate professionals gathered at the RNA Showgrounds for the REIQ Awards for Excellence gala this month.
Katie wears this mantle for the sixth time, having also won it in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016, and has been named a finalist for 11 consecutive years. In fact, she has either claimed the title or been a finalist since the very first time she nominated and is the only person to have won the REIQ Awards for Excellence ‘Property Manager of the Year Award’ six times.
Katie leads RE/MAX Success, one of the real estate network’s top performing and respected offices in Australia. She is very quick to point out that the award represents the quality of the team rather than just an individual.
The significance of being consistently recognised at such a high calibre is a credit to all at RE/MAX Success, market leaders in property management in Toowoomba.
“We view that what we do is to be of service, and a service mindset changes the environment you work in and the way it occurs to you.
“Property Management is a really interesting space where we are often dealing with complex sensitive and significant matters affecting both our Landlords & Tenants. It is a critical service and we have the privileged opportunity to play a key role in something as fundamental as housing, and making a difference in the lives of families in our communities.
Ms Knight explained the difference between a service-orientation and a process-orientation Property Management mindset.
“If you are strictly process-orientated the day-to-day challenges of our industry can be all that you see. A service-orientated view means you look at the people connected to those challenges and you’re driven to look for solutions and ways to sustain successful tenancies, always seeing the opportunity to help someone. It makes overcoming those challenges a joy, rather than being viewed as a burden.”
Ms Knight is available 24/7, taking the after-hours calls herself. She says, “If someone calls after-hours it is because they have a need to call me, they certainly don’t do it for fun. Every phone call comes from a point of trust – and that’s a privilege. So no, I don’t mind taking the calls at all!”
This is Katie Knight’s 20th year in property management.
“There is much more automation now,” she says, “and that must be seen as a positive because it has allowed more time for relationship building, and especially more face-to-face time with Landlords and Tenants.
“The better our relationship, and the more experience and knowledge we impart, the more value we are to our Landlords, giving them sustained tenancies in properties that are working as an asset.”
In her first 18 months in real estate, Ms Knight worked her way through reception, marketing, promotions and administrative roles in property management… where her passion was ignited and her role became RE/MAX Success Property Management Director. In October 2014 she took the reins as Broker/Owner of the business with the retirement of her father, Ian Knight.
Ms Knight is heavily involved in furthering professionalism in property management and is a key mentor on RE/MAX Australia’s Property Asset Management (PAM) Chapter, which supports growth in property management business.
Contact her on mobile 0418 792 192 and email to katiek@remaxsuccess.com.au.
Media contact:
Lyn Cox, Public Relations – M. +61 418 793 096, E. lcox@remax.com.au
About RE/MAX: RE/MAX was founded in 1973 with an innovative, entrepreneurial culture affording its agents and franchisees the flexibility to operate their businesses with great independence. Its global reach is in more than 100 countries and territories, with more than 124,000 agents.