At the PM/ONE Conference, Real+ CEO Fiona Blayney sat down with Hayley Stevenson of Housemart Queenstown for a conversation about innovation, regulation, and what it means to build a property management business that’s truly ahead of the curve.
Fiona Blayney: Hayley, you’re joining us from New Zealand – three hours ahead of us here in Sydney. Let’s start with what’s happening in your market around compliance and regulation.
Hayley Stevenson: We’ve had significant legislative changes recently. New Zealand underwent deregulation years ago, then fought to maintain regulation. Now we’re seeing the consequences – property managers can face personal fines when businesses don’t comply. It’s made us really focus on getting ahead of the curve with education for landlords, tenants and property managers. Everyone needs to be licensed and properly trained so tenants don’t have opportunities to challenge us.
FB: That’s quite a shift in accountability. How has this changed your approach to business?
HS: In Queenstown, we’re a small town, but we’ve had many developers coming in with new builds. We’ve had to become super efficient. We’re not trying to be bigger – we actually graded all our tenants, landlords and properties as A, B or C, then sold off the C portion. We operate on quality, not quantity. We don’t just count doors.
FB: Speaking of efficiency, you’ve built some remarkable tech solutions in-house. Tell us about that.
HS: We had a receptionist apply who was particularly interested in coding. He’s developed custom software using APIs to pull data from our system – we use Palace – and cross-reference it with AI to check lease documents and letters.
For example, if we have a case where a mattress on the floor caused damage, we can search Tenancy Tribunal cases related to that specific issue and see all the outcomes. We’re pulling data from Palace, using Pipedrive, Trello boards, and our own custom bot that troubleshoots maintenance problems – everything from fridges and ovens to water mains and meter locations.
FB: This is fascinating because you haven’t waited for tech companies to build what you want. You’ve created it yourself.
HS: Exactly. The bot continues to evolve, and the more data we check, the more accurate it becomes. It’s transformed how we operate.
FB: Let’s talk about your business planning. You use an interesting persona concept – tell us about Lucy.
HS: About twenty years ago, you taught us to profile our company as a person. We created Lucy – she represents what Housemart stands for, the car she drives, where she lives. We designed everything around her persona. Every time we do a business plan, we update Lucy’s profile.
When we need to make decisions, we ask, “What would Lucy do?” Because Lucy is abstract, there’s limited emotional attachment to the conversation. It helps us make clearer strategic decisions.
FB: That separation between owner and business identity is so powerful. What are you stopping, starting and continuing based on Lucy’s guidance?
HS: We’re stopping the chase on every lead – it’s ridiculous to bring on troublesome properties from other companies that will bog down our property managers. We’re continuing to focus on quality. We’re also starting something new – actively helping our entire tenant base buy their first homes.
FB: That’s extraordinary. You’re helping tenants transition to homeownership?
HS: Yes. We see it as part of our role in the community. We’re not just managing properties; we’re helping people progress in their housing journey.
FB: This really demonstrates thinking beyond traditional property management boundaries. What drives this approach?
HS: Our team structure helps. Julie is our numbers person – she keeps everything on track while I’m away. We’ve built a business that runs on systems and quality relationships, not just my presence. The grading system means we only work with properties and people who align with our values.
FB: For those listening who might think “I can’t do this with my small team” – what’s your advice?
HS: Watch for the person who applies for the receptionist job but has other skills! Create new roles – the AI person, the data expert, the tech specialist. These roles didn’t exist before, but they’re essential now. You don’t need a huge team; you need the right people who can wear multiple hats and think creatively.
FB: Any final thoughts from the future?
HS: Focus on quality over growth. Use technology to solve real problems, not just because it’s trendy. And remember – your business isn’t you. Create that persona, that Lucy, and let her guide your decisions. It’s transformative.
