Driving to work this morning, I found myself reminiscing about my childhood. I remembered my mom asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was probably 12 or 13 years old when I told her, “I want to be a truck driver.”
She was, to say the least, a little appalled. “That’s not a lady-like career,” she said.
That memory got me thinking about my other childhood career aspirations. At different points in my teenage years, I wanted to be a psychologist, a police officer, a prosecutor, an EMT, a truck driver—and probably a few other interesting choices I can’t recall now.
As I replayed those dreams in my head, I realized something: in one way or another, I’ve actually lived out all of them. I may not wear a badge or carry a gun, but let me explain.
Psychologist
As a property manager, you hear people’s life stories every day. Prospective tenants share why they need to move—divorce, marriage, career changes, or just a fresh start. We counsel tenants who are struggling to pay rent, walking them through options and consequences.
Owners share their own stories too: job relocations, marriages, divorces, or simply being unable to sell their home. We guide them through becoming landlords and help them make the best decisions.
Police Officer
If you manage multifamily properties, you’ll quickly become an unofficial police officer. You arbitrate tenant disputes, enforce rules, and keep the property safe. You might ask a homeless person camping on the sidewalk to move along, patrol parking lots for unauthorized vehicles, and issue violations. Owners trust you to maintain peace and protect their investment.
Prosecutor
If you know, you know. Non-payment, violations, non-compliance—there’s always that one tenant who can’t play by the rules. I tell owners, “I don’t want to evict anyone. I gain no pleasure from going to court.” But this is a business, not a charity. If a tenant can’t pay or follow the rules, we have to act. Keeping bad tenants hurts good tenants who do abide by policies.
EMT
Thanks to Emergency 51, I once dreamed of being an EMT. In property management, you’re the first responder when disaster strikes—a water heater explodes, a pipe bursts, or worse, a fire. We prepare for emergencies and implement safety plans for owners and residents.
Looking back, all my childhood career choices had one thing in common: helping people.
As property managers, that’s what we do—help people find housing, help owners manage their rental homes, help investors protect their assets. We may not wear a uniform or carry a gun, but we carry pride in what we do.
Closing Thought
Property management isn’t just one job—it’s a dozen jobs rolled into one. We wear many hats: counselor, enforcer, accountant, marketer, negotiator, and sometimes even first responder. Each hat represents a responsibility, a challenge, and an opportunity to make a difference. So, while I never became a truck driver, I did become something even more dynamic—a property manager who drives solutions every single day.
