PROCESS, PRINCIPALS AND PROPERTY

WITH SANDRA MACKLIN

Walking into the Mackay City Property office on a busy weekday morning, you will notice a buzz of activity, but also a calm and purposeful order, a happy energy where everyone knows their role and best-process for every eventuality. This is to the delight of Principal and Director, Sandra Macklin who has carefully curated a streamlined operation which makes the notoriously challenging world of property management seem effortless.

Sandra always had a passion for real estate and used to marvel at the property section in newspapers and magazines as a child, finally embarking on a career in office management within the real estate industry 26 years ago. At work, she felt driven to create a positive office environment, one that is dynamic and fulfilling, with process and procedure at its heart.

Before long, Sandra discovered a calling to help every office she worked at enjoy the same pleasant yet productive working environment. This is something she still holds dear today and one of the key elements that helped her garner success and respect within the real estate industry.

A young and ambitious mum, Sandra had her two children in her twenties, and was almost seven months pregnant with her second child when she was approached to be part of the Mackay City Property team which was then Ray White Mackay City.

“At the time I said I would only be available in the very short term, until I had my baby and went on maternity leave,” shared Sandra.

“But 17 years on and now a partner in the business, I guess fate had other intentions for me and real estate really was my calling.

Three days after the birth of her second child, Sandra was back in the field completing inspections, baby in capsule by her side.

The flexibility and the forward-thinking family values at Mackay City Property is a cornerstone of the business, and something Sandra believes improves team morale and overall happiness, enabling them to retain staff for longer.

“I never want staff to miss out on a school event or seeing their kids compete in a race at a sports carnival,” said Sandra.

“We have staff who go on maternity leave and come back because they love the working environment and flexibility we have here. We also have staff that leave to go to another office and then come back, and that’s a real compliment to us!”

When asked how she keeps the office so calm, Sandra simply responds that the secret is “getting ahead of things and staying ahead”. By adopting simple yet effective processes, everyone benefits, including the clients who entrust their properties to the team.

When Sandra first joined the young office the property management department was almost non-existent.

“Fast forward 17 years and we are now a prominent wellregarded force in the Mackay property management arena. Managing hundreds of properties including many multiple premises owned by investors.”

And while property management is Sandra’s passion, so too is sales, “real estate gives you flexibility and fortunately I have the flexibility to work between sales and rentals, I can’t choose a favourite department they’re both very rewarding for different reasons”.

Sandra’s passion and energy are unbridled and she is a leader who paves the way, always leading by example.

Much of this discipline is echoed in her personal life, a selfconfessed fitness junkie, Sandra can often be found at the gym, working out with no music, just the steady rhythm of her thoughts. For many years she has cycled in charity events from Townsville to Cairns to raise money for charity and ran for days in the Australian outback. This year she is taking part in the Great Wall of China marathon.

With two adult children, a daughter at university and a son completing an apprenticeship locally, Sandra and her husband are looking forward to many more adventures in the years to come.

MEET VANESSA
PORTFOLIO OFFICER

The passion Vanessa Allan’s feels for real estate and property management is only overshadowed with the love and dedication she has for her family. Having always worked in the real estate industry since she was 18 years old, Vanessa has found her second home in the profession and loves communicating with property owners and tenants. She began her career with a receptionist traineeship in a real estate office in Victoria and during this time her passion for property management was realised. Vanessa finds pride in having happy and content tenants occupying her property portfolio and having confident property owners who can rely on her to best manage their property. Vanessa particularly enjoys that no two days are ever the same in her job, and thrives in the versatile and flexible working environment that is Mackay City Property.

Vanessa initially joined the Mackay City Property team eight years ago, having relocated from Kyabram in Victoria with her family 11 years prior, seeking a lifestyle change. During her tenure with Mackay City Property, she has seen the business grow and expand, and flourish through their re-brand from a franchise group to independent. Looking back at her time within the business, Vanessa is most proud to see her own personal growth, her confidence evolve, her property management skills further develop, and her professional prowess mature.

Always eager to better the team, Vanessa is always ready to jump in and help wherever she can, a genuine love and interest in the business has seen her go above and beyond, securing tenancies and clients with confidence and efficacy. In her free time, Vanessa enjoys spending time with the most important people to her, her friends and family

“I prefer to spend my weekends socialising and exploring with them,” Vanessa explained. “It might sound cliché of me to say it, but I spend most of my time with my family and close friends because this is what brings me happiness.” They are often spending time in the pool and enjoying the beautiful North Queensland climate.

Describe your personality in three words:
“Loud, proud and passionate.”

 

MEET BRIDGET
PORTFOLIO OFFICER

It is no surprise that Bridget Lamb has flourished under the tutelage of Mackay City Property, her skills expanding and her property managerial prowess developing, and her role quickly evolving from administration to Portfolio Officer within 18 months of being with the business. Having now been with Mackay City Property for six years, Bridget has found her calling within the role of Portfolio Officer, managing her client’s investment properties and tenancy agreements with confidence, pride, and perfection. Taking on more clients and solidifying more tenancies, Bridget is proud of her seamless and clear communication and ensuring the best for both property owner and tenant.

Encompassing all areas of tenancy agreements, Bridget is always overseeing the complete process of her property portfolio, including holding property viewings, organising, and collating applicants for the owner, hosting regular inspections, and then overseeing a tenant’s vacate from the property. During her tenure with Mackay City Property, Bridget has seen the business continue to grow, seeing the expansion of the business’s online presence. However, one milestone that she is particularly proud of is assisting with the onboarding of a seven-unit complex into her portfolio and working closely with the property owner to improve the standard of the complex and increase tenancies.

This success allowed her confidence to grow, with Bridget often eager to expand her own portfolio to include more challenging properties. Regularly standing back and looking over her career, she never considered that property management would be where she finds herself, however, she has come to love the industry, the ease of communication and rapport she has with both her tenants and property owners.

Within her personal life, Bridget enjoys taking the time to relax and recharge, spending time with her teenage daughters, who she is immensely proud of. Bridget also loves visiting family members, catching up with laughter and love, and having quiet evenings to watch a movie or tv show, reading, throwing a netball around, or heading to the gym.

Describe your personality in three words:
“Honest, dependable, sarcastic”

 

MEET CHAYNE
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
ADMINISTRATION

Chayne Kitching has been involved with Mackay City Property for over 10 years, ever since completing a term of work experience in Year 12 with the business. Getting a taste for the energetic work environment and positive atmosphere, Chayne felt inspired to apply for the role when a receptionist and rental administrator position became available, seamlessly returning to the office. A vital cog in the business’s machine, Chayne is always ensuring impeccable office management and perfect organisation for the team. She is proud of the impact she makes in the team, with her detail orientated focus and high standard for organisation. Chayne is always looking at techniques to further prompt efficiency and improve Mackay City Property’s services and better serve clients and tenants.

For a time, Chayne transitioned into property management, however after several years, she decided she preferred administration, and transitioned back into the role of receptionist and rental administrator, where she continues to excel and promote the business with confidence and a high standard of customer service.

Outside of the office, Chayne is spending time with her partner of six years, exploring Mackay and the Whitsundays, often fishing, and sweeping her metal detector over the surrounding beaches seeking to unearth exciting treasures.

Describe your personality in three words:
Enthusiastic, bubbly and diligent

 

MEET TONI
SALES AND RENTAL ADMINISTRATOR

Joining the Mackay City Property team over 16 years ago, Toni Wales often acts as a stable and confident team member for others to come to, a seasoned professional within the real estate industry. Within her role as Sales and Rental Administrator, Toni initially joined the team in marketing, before her position exceeded and eventually evolved into Sales Administrator, an evolution that Toni looks back on with pride and a sense of achievement. A born and bred Mackay local, Toni knows the city like the back of her hand, and with her keen eye for detail and dutiful organisation, her skills as Sales and Rental Administrator have flourished and developed, allowing her to best assist the wider team with poise and confidence.

Toni is often overseeing the entire process of both sales and rentals, from the initial listing of a property, with advertising and promoting, to sorting applicants and processing sale contracts. Toni has her finger of the pulse of the business and ensures a perfect flow of the department and overall operations.

When time allows, Toni can be found reading, crocheting, and spending time with her family, her husband their two children and the two cats who run the home.

She is sure to always begin her weekend with a session of Pilates, before easing into a relaxing, calm weekend.

Describe your personality in three words:
Loyal, organised and pragmatic