The world of property management has always been demanding, but right now, according to those at the coalface, it is unlike anything seen before.
Sweeping legislative reforms across Victoria and New South Wales are rewriting the rulebook, leaving little space for ambiguity and forcing agencies to adopt new ways of working.
For Blair DeFazio, Property Management Team Leader at First National Bonnici & Associates, this is “without a doubt the most complex time” she has experienced in her career.
Having entered property management in 2009 and weathered more than a decade of changes, she says the current environment feels different.
“There’s no grey area anymore,” she explains.
“It’s solely black and white. The law either says you can do something, or it doesn’t. And that means we have to be absolutely confident in what we’re saying to landlords and tenants, because the legislation is there in black and white for them to check as well.”
Where once a property manager’s job could involve making judgment calls or leaning on precedent, Blair says those days are gone – and for good reason.
“In the past, you’d hear stories of property managers cutting corners, giving information that wasn’t quite right, or telling tenants and owners things just to get through a situation. That’s not possible anymore. People can look it up online in seconds. So your job is to know the law, communicate it clearly, and have the confidence to stand by it.”
This clarity has brought challenges, but also, she believes, benefits.
“When you’re educated, it makes conversations easier, not harder. You can condition your owners on what their legal obligations are and explain it with confidence. It takes the guesswork out of it.”
To make Blair’s job even more challenging, she operates in Albury-Wodonga, where her team manages properties on both sides of the NSW/Victoria border.
It’s a unique dimension, where a few minutes’ drive can mean a completely different set of rules.
“Victoria and New South Wales couldn’t be more different,” she says.
“From land tax requirements to the way compliance is structured to the court systems, it’s almost like two separate industries. You can’t just assume what works in one state will work in the other.”
She gives a practical example: “If an owner lives in New South Wales but their rental property is in Victoria, we can’t go through VCAT, which is fairly straightforward. We have to go through the Magistrates Court. That’s a completely different process, and you can’t afford to get it wrong.”
Rather than splitting roles, every member of her team is dual-licensed.
“It’s unusual, but it makes sense for us. Our clients often have properties on both sides of the border. Instead of saying, ‘Talk to one property manager for New South Wales and another for Victoria,’ we handle it all. But that means our staff are switching gears every single day … and that’s no small feat.”
Training through exposure
One of Blair’s strategies has been to immerse younger team members in the real-world consequences of legislation.
That means not shielding them from court settings but instead taking them along to see how cases unfold.
“We went in blind ourselves at first,” she admits.
“When the first few cases came up in the Magistrates Court, we didn’t know which forms were required or exactly how it would play out. We had to ask at the counter what needed to be done. But we did it together; we took the files, went as a team, and learned together. Now we make sure the newer staff get that same exposure.”
That willingness to share knowledge is something she sees as essential.
“I’ve seen leaders in this industry hold on to information as if it makes them more valuable. I don’t agree with that. If you don’t open the door for your team to learn, how are they supposed to grow? Watching a colleague prepare a case, seeing them stand up in court, that’s the sort of experience that makes you confident when it’s your turn.”
She says the approach has been embraced across the office.
“We’ve got two senior staff in New South Wales who’ve been in the industry for over a decade. When they go to hearings, they’ll take newer staff with them. They’ll show them the processes, explain how they’ve prepared, and let them sit in the courtroom to watch. And if there’s a tricky compliance issue, we’ll talk about it across all three offices and work it out together. That kind of sharing is how you build resilience.”
The timing of these legislative reforms coincided with the arrival of a younger generation of property managers. Many veterans left the industry during COVID, worn down by mounting pressures.
“A lot of people my age or older just couldn’t adapt,” Blair says.
“The changes were too big, and they walked away. But the younger property managers who came in at that time – they’ve known nothing else. They’ve done their certificates under these laws, they’ve stepped straight into the complexity, and they’re thriving.
“If you can love this job after three or four years of doing it under these conditions, then you’re the future of the industry. That’s what excites me. These young women are incredible. They’re managing portfolios across two states, staying on top of every compliance requirement, and doing it with enthusiasm.”
Preparing for what’s next
The pace of reform shows no sign of slowing, with further legal changes scheduled for later this year.
“We’ve got more coming in October and November in Victoria, and then New South Wales will follow,” she says.
“It’s a lot to stay on top of. Our job is to make sure the team is educated, confident, and ready to explain it to owners.”
Part of the challenge lies in the rise of buyer’s agents purchasing properties for interstate or overseas investors.
“We’ve had situations where buyers have never set foot in the town, and suddenly we’re explaining all the compliance that needs to be done before a property can be advertised. They’re shocked, because no one has told them. So we have to have those conversations immediately, so there are no surprises later.”
Despite the shifting legal framework, Blair believes the core of property management hasn’t changed: it’s still about service, trust, and transparency.
Growing up in her family’s restaurants, she learned the value of being able to adapt to any customer and connect on a personal level.
“Our relationships in property management can go for decades,” she says. “We speak to clients weekly, sometimes for years. You can’t afford to hold back information or tell half-truths.
“Your job is to be transparent – to pass the information on and educate them. It’s not your property, and it’s not your money. If you hold onto information, it becomes a nightmare. If you’re honest, you build trust. And that’s what makes the relationship work.”
