Katrina Burns is a property manager with RE/MAX Hills & Country in Mt Barker, South Australia. Very much respected as a ‘no nonsense’ person with a careful attention to detail, Katrina controls the financial matters associated with running the property management department, ensuring it operates efficiently and to a high standard. She has also lived and worked in the north-west of Western Australia, been through a Category 5 tropical cyclone and loves to travel overseas.
What motivated you to get into property management?
Property was always an interest of mine. I’d already decided before I finished year 12 that I wanted to pursue a real estate career. I studied my first course online; after receiving my first real estate certificate I applied for and obtained my first property management position, and I’ve never looked back! I continued to study, gaining qualifications in accounting, business, real estate sales, commercial property and agency management. After moving from Western Australia to South Australia, I began working with RE/MAX Hills & Country. This is now my eighth year with RE/MAX.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
RE/MAX Hills & Country was a small portfolio when I started. We had two property management staff to begin with, then we experienced rapid growth and the portfolio grew to four times its original size. We restructured our entire department, introduced new software, redeveloped our policies and procedures, and employed and trained additional staff – all while maintaining our impeccable reputation and our high service level for our clients.
Who inspires you?
It would have to be all of the staff at RE/MAX Hills & Country. We have the most dedicated and hard-working property management, administration and sales teams.
In your briefcase right now is…
I always carry my laptop, diary, notebook, business cards, USB stick and pens.
Tell us about something you couldn’t live without.
That would be my property management team. Every department needs a strong team that understands the requirements, supports each other and gets along well, and we’re fortunate to have a team like this. Our newest property manager started with RE/MAX three months ago and the transition has been very easy. It’s a team that has the feel of having worked together since day one.
What are your technology must-haves?
My mobile phone, laptop and remote access. Together they give me the flexibility to be able to work from anywhere and attend to everything I need to when I need to.
What do you most enjoy about Elite Property Manager magazine?
There’s always something you can learn and take away from it. New ideas, something you can improve on and the advice and stories of others in the same industry.
What advice would you give someone just starting out in property management?
Training, training and more training. Learn as much as you can. Be professional and make communication a top priority for your clients.
