What does it take to be a great asset manager?
From what I have observed and worked on, a great asset manager is and does a few things:
👉Involved with the asset pre-acquisition.
The asset manager should be
🟢involved in the underwriting,
🟢provide context and insights about the market
🟢the proposed asset's competitive positioning in the context of its micro-location,
🟢other market forces (local and distant) that may affect the asset's performance,
🟢shoot down the deal before it makes it to investment committee if it's not viable, and
🟢If the deal makes it to investment committee, the asset manager should have communicated with the analyst and acquisition personnel on the asset and the market to be able to confidently talk through how the business plan aligns with the underwriting.
👉Post acquisition, they are the battle commander.
Depending on the structure of the company, the asset manager may have
1️⃣ full control over business decisions,
2️⃣ some control with oversight,
3️⃣ or only control over the minutia.
Regardless of their degree of control, because they are the asset manager, they should act as though the buck stops with them.
- Problems with property management? Asset manager deals with that.
- Problems with the construction team slipping on schedule? Asset manager deals with that.
- Problems with certain units not leasing well? Asset manager deals with that.
I have enjoyed assisting our development manager with the asset management function. In this role, I have been exposed to tons in property operations:
1️⃣ Just because it's the same floor plan with the same finishes, that does not mean it will achieve the same rent across the property: month rented, floor it's on, views, location to amenities, etc.
2️⃣ A whole slew of reporting: unit delivery and leasing progress, unit availability (existing and incoming), strategic rent adjustments (up & down), resident demographics, etc.
3️⃣ Vendors, contractors, subcontractors, local officials, attorneys, and the team of people it takes to bring a project to life.
What else would you say it takes to make a successful asset manager?
#realestate #assetmanagement #execution
https://lnkd.in/eWkXj2J7
Summer Street Advisors, LLC has a good list of asset management functions at the link below.