SUMMARY
Every dollar of NOI has a multiplier attached to it. In this episode, we break down how small operational decisions today can add — or erase — hundreds of thousands in value tomorrow.

In this episode of The Property Playbook, Rory Anderson sits down with multifamily broker Max Fiascone to break down why NOI is the scoreboard you can’t ignore—and how everyday operational choices directly shape property value.

From a “resort-style” amenity fail that crushed resident trust to real-world examples like converting a model unit back into revenue and stopping expense leakage in a heated parking garage, this conversation connects the dots between resident experience, disciplined operations, and exit value.

If you’re an operator, asset manager, or owner who wants to run your building like a business, this one’s for you.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Multifamily as a Business

02:46 Understanding NOI and Its Importance

07:04 Strategies to Increase NOI

08:37 Operational Decisions Impacting Value

11:20 Expense Management and Leakage

13:30 The Importance of a Business Plan

17:22 Communication Between Owners and Operators

18:19 Preparing Properties for Sale

21:24 The Role of Online Scheduling in Demand

24:10 The Impact of Amenities on Resident Retention

26:26 Best Practices for Property Management

KEYWORDS:
property management, multifamily, NOI, net operating income, cap rate, asset management, property operations, leasing strategy, resident retention, expense audit, operational efficiency, value creation, multifamily investing, apartment management, third-party management, owner mindset, investor mindset, budget management, cost segregation (optional), rent growth strategy, Google reviews, amenities management, maintenance operations, utility billback, vendor bidding, underwriting, exit strategy, property valuation, Milwaukee multifamily, Madison multifamily

27:44 Operational Changes for Long-Term Value

30:33 Thinking Like an Owner

32:13 Balancing Home and Asset Perspectives

35:45 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

SUMMARY

Large-scale emergencies don’t just disrupt operations—they test leadership, systems, and trust.

In this episode of The Property Playbook, Rory Anderson breaks down top lessons for handling emergencies in multifamily, using real-world examples from recent extreme weather events in Nashville and across the Southeast. From prolonged power outages and burst pipes to displaced residents and intense emotional stress, these moments reveal whether teams are prepared—or exposed.

This episode serves as a practical field guide for owners, operators, and on-site leaders, covering:

• Why emergencies expose systems rather than create problems
• How to communicate early, often, and with humanity
• The importance of educating residents on renter’s insurance during a crisis
• Why language access and on-site presence matter more than ever
• How to triage buildings effectively when damage is widespread
• When and why to bring in a third-party insurance adjuster
• What it really means to care for residents like people—not line items

Whether you’re a community manager, regional leader, owner, or executive, this episode will help you think differently about preparation, communication, and leadership when emotions are high, resources are strained, and decisions matter most.

Because in multifamily, how you respond in the hardest moments is what people remember.

High performers don’t leave jobs — they leave environments.

In this episode of The Property Playbook, Rory sits down with multifamily recruiting expert Alecsa Gonzalez to unpack what actually drives hiring success and long-term retention in property management.

With nearly a decade of experience in talent acquisition, Alexa shares real-world insight into why turnover remains high across the industry — and why it’s rarely just an HR problem. Together, they explore how misaligned hiring, rushed onboarding, unclear expectations, and lack of psychological safety quietly push great people out the door.

You’ll learn:

• Why hiring for fit matters more than hiring for skills
• What the first 90 days reveal about long-term retention
• How onboarding can make or break a new hire’s confidence
• Why high performers challenge the status quo — and how leaders should respond
• Practical employer branding strategies that attract better candidates
• How to use technology and AI to remove friction without replacing human connection

If you lead teams in multifamily — from on-site operations to executive leadership — this episode delivers actionable strategies to help you build stronger teams, reduce turnover, and create workplaces people actually want to stay in.

👉 Follow The Property Playbook on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode.

👉 Follow @propertyplaybookpod on Instagram

⭐ And if this conversation brought you value, leaving a quick review helps more leaders in the trenches find the show.

Because great communities start with great people — one play, one property, and one leader at a time.

RESOURCES:

1. Change is your Competitive Advantage by Karl G. Schoemer
2. Learn more about finding top talent from Alecsa @ agonzalez@teemagroup.com

CHAPTERS:

00:00Introduction to the Property Playbook

03:00Meet Alexa Gonzalez: Multifamily Recruiting Expert

06:13The Journey into Multifamily: Discovering Career Paths

09:11Hiring for Skills vs. Fit: The Key to Retention

14:31Attracting Talent: Effective Hiring Practices

21:54Onboarding: Setting New Employees Up for Success

27:33Culture and Retention: What Makes Teams Thrive

31:39Creating a Culture of Growth and Development

38:11The Importance of Training in Retention

42:31Transforming Performance Reviews into Growth Conversations

46:46The Role of AI in Property Management

52:03Building Relationships for Better Hiring and Retention

SUMMARY

Teri Johnson breaks down the real shift from property manager to regional/VP leadership: you stop owning the tasks and start owning the decisions, direction, and delegation. We talk delegation vs task-dumping, how high performers get stuck in the day-to-day, why leaders become the bottleneck, and how to protect standards without micromanaging—because you need to know the weeds, but you can’t be in them. If you’re moving from leasing agent → assistant manager → property manager → regional manager, this episode is your playbook for delegation, leadership development, accountability, systems, and scalable operations.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to the Property Playbook

01:46 Welcoming Terri Johnson Back

03:01 A Crazy Property Management Story

04:48 The Importance of Delegation

08:54 Overcoming the Fear of Letting Go

11:46 Defining Good Delegation vs. Task Dumping

14:36 Shifting Focus as a New Manager

17:05 Learning to Focus on Outcomes, Not Methods

19:09 Navigating Mistakes in Delegation

19:56 The Art of Delegation

23:30 Avoiding the Bottleneck

26:06 Building Trust and Accountability

27:26 Effective Communication in Leadership

29:52 Recognizing Leadership Burnout

32:04 Stepping Off the Hamster Wheel

33:20 Principles of Trust and Control

Keywords: multifamily, property management, delegation, leadership, VP of Operations, regional manager, property manager, leasing agent, assistant manager, accountability, trust, autonomy, micromanagement, burnout, time management, systems, SOPs, coaching, leadership development, team building, decision-making, bottleneck, scalable operations, performance management.

SUMMARY:
What if the most meaningful awards in your company had nothing to do with performance, profit, or KPIs?

In this episode of The Property Playbook, Rory sits down with Bryson Miles, Founder & President of NXT Property Management (Utah’s premier boutique multifamily management firm), to unpack the culture system behind NXT’s high-performance results—and why their most celebrated wins are rooted in personal touch, not metrics.

Bryson breaks down NXT’s core values—Serving You Like Family, Be Loving, Choose Wisely, Perform Together, Act Boldly, Express Gratitude, and Mind the Store—and shares real stories of how values-driven leadership impacts resident retention, team morale, and long-term asset performance.

You’ll hear:

• Why “culture” isn’t perks—it’s how people feel working with you
• How “being loving” can actually drive profitability and accountability
• The difference between personalization and true “personal touch”
• How NXT trains teams to think like owners (cap rates included)
• Why transparency and data (hello dashboards) build trust faster than reporting cycles
• Leadership lessons inspired by Unreasonable Hospitality

If you’re building a property management team—or trying to scale one without watering down your values—this conversation is a blueprint.

Follow The Property Playbook so you never miss an episode. If you know a leader who’s building something special in multifamily, connect with Rory on LinkedIn or DM the show on Instagram @propertyplaybookpod.

RESOURCES:

UNREASONABLE HOSPITALITY by WILL GUIDARA

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Property Management Leadership

01:43 Meet Bryson Miles: A Multifamily Expert

02:31 The Importance of Core Values

04:57 Serving You Like Family: A Guiding Principle

06:48 Be Loving: Caring for People with Inherent Worth

09:27 The Impact of Love on Performance

14:21 Choose Wisely: Making Tough Decisions

19:09 Perform Together: The Power of Teamwork

26:49 Act Boldly: Celebrating Fearless Action

31:06 Integrity and Trust in Leadership

32:54 Encouraging Boldness with Accountability

33:24 Building Gratitude into Daily Operations

36:48 The Power of Specific Praise

39:53 Criticism in Private, Praise in Public

40:42 Minding the Store: Ownership and Accountability

45:26 Scaling Culture with Growth

50:08 The Impact of Personal Touch in Business

54:25 Unreasonable Hospitality: Intentional Service

In this episode of The Property Playbook, Rory Anderson sits down with multifamily marketing veteran Rebecca Nagel—owner of Freebird Marketing & Photography—to break down what actually drives qualified traffic and signed leases (not just clicks and “pretty” posts).

Rebecca shares a memorable onsite story from her early leasing days that shaped her leadership style, then zooms out to the bigger picture: how to build a property brand that feels different, why professional photography still matters, and what most teams get wrong with social media. You’ll also hear her take on the most overrated marketing metric in multifamily, what to track instead, and why the best operators focus on patterns—because attribution will never be a perfect science.

If you’re a property manager, marketer, asset manager, or operator trying to improve leasing performance, tighten your marketing spend, and create a brand residents actually want to be part of—this one’s for you.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction to Property Management Leadership

02:37 Rebecca Nagel's Multifamily Journey

06:51 The Importance of Relationships in Property Management

12:26 Marketing Strategies for Multifamily Properties

15:52 The Role of Imagery in Marketing

22:44 Social Media Strategy for Property Management

28:08 Understanding Brand Identity in Multifamily Marketing

28:36 The Importance of First Impressions in Property Branding

33:05 Driving Quality Leads Through Marketing Investments

35:30 Evaluating KPIs for Effective Marketing Strategies

38:45 The Future of Marketing: AI and Innovation

41:03 Actionable Steps for Property Marketing

43:33 Leadership Principles: The Power of Communication

Key Words:

• Multifamily marketing
• Property management marketing
• Apartment marketing strategy
• Multifamily leasing
• Apartment leasing strategy
• Property management podcast
• Multifamily operations
• Apartment branding

Summary

In this episode of the Property Playbook, Rory Anderson interviews Austin Anderson, who shares valuable insights from his experiences in property management, emphasizing the importance of building relationships, understanding market competition, and the necessity of empathy in handling resident issues. He discusses key performance indicators for leasing success, the significance of preventative maintenance, and the role of accountability in financial management. The conversation highlights the challenges and rewards of property management, showcasing how effective leadership can lead to positive resident experiences and operational efficiency.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Property Management and Guest Background

02:42 Lessons from Early Experiences in Property Management

08:14 Journey into Property Management: From Hospitality to Multifamily

11:26 The Importance of Preventative Maintenance

13:10 Strategies for Improving Occupancy Rates

16:26 Converting Tours into Leases: Personalization and Consistency

21:14 Identifying and Solving Leasing Bottlenecks

28:43 Key Performance Indicators for Leasing Success

31:31 The Heart of Property Management

35:45 Navigating Tough Resident Situations

40:31 Balancing Empathy and Policy Enforcement

44:24 Understanding NOI and Expense Management

49:10 Identifying and Improving Operational Inefficiencies

54:12 Leading by Example in Property Management

Takeaways

Austin's diverse background enhances his property management skills.

Building relationships is key to successful property management.

Preventative maintenance is crucial for cost savings.

Data analysis is essential for effective leasing strategies.

Understanding market competition helps in pricing and marketing.

Personalized follow-ups can significantly improve leasing success.

Empathy is important when handling resident issues.

Tracking KPIs helps in maintaining leasing success.

Creating a positive resident experience fosters community.

Leadership by example is vital in property management.

Keywords

property management, leadership, resident experience, leasing strategies, financial management, operational efficiency, empathy in management, multifamily housing, community building, property operations

Summary

In this episode of the Property Playbook, host Rory Anderson interviews Catherine Maestas, a multifamily property management expert with over 15 years of experience. Catherine shares her journey in property management, including the challenges she faced during lease-ups, the importance of proactive communication, and her philosophy of putting people before products. The conversation delves into the significance of emotional intelligence in leadership, misconceptions about sales in multifamily, and the need for intentional branding. Catherine emphasizes the value of kindness and courage in leadership and shares a personal story about a leadership misstep that taught her valuable lessons. The episode concludes with a light-hearted discussion about Catherine's love for Downton Abbey, highlighting the importance of personal interests in maintaining balance in a demanding career.

Takeaways

• Catherine Maestas has over 15 years of experience in property management.
• Proactive communication is key to resident satisfaction.
• The 'people before product' philosophy leads to better KPIs.
• Emotional intelligence is crucial for effective leadership.
• Sales in multifamily should focus on building connections, not just transactions.
• Intentional branding can enhance a property's appeal.
• Leaders should be willing to do any job to support their team.
• Mistakes in leadership can lead to valuable lessons.
• Kindness and courage are essential core values for leaders.
• Secret shopping can provide insights into improving service.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Property Management Leadership

01:24 Catherine's Unique Journey in Property Management

05:54 Challenges of Lease-Ups and Problem Solving

11:00 The Importance of Proactive Communication

15:27 People Before Product Mindset in Leadership

19:50 Transitioning from Sales to Property Management

25:10 Diving into Multifamily and Sales

27:16 Breaking Down Barriers in Sales

29:25 The Importance of Connection in Leasing

31:34 Transforming the Leasing Experience

35:06 Psychological Barriers in Sales

39:47 Intentional Branding in Multifamily

44:25 Creating a Cohesive Brand Identity

48:27 The Power of Connection

50:45 Leadership Lessons from Mistakes

58:04 Core Values in Leadership

01:03:20 Personal Touch in Professional Life

Keywords

property management, leadership, multifamily, sales strategy, emotional intelligence, branding, resident experience, team building, communication, kindness