February 2010 marks the birth of a new division - Property Management - within the Tyson Properties stable.

According to CEO, Chris Tyson, the new division offers an extensive range of property management services spanning the residential, retail, office and commercial/industrial segments of the Kwazulu-Natal property market.

The Property Management division will be headed by Pam Goncalves. She has been Tyson Properties’ top agent since starting with the group four years ago and has significant experience on both the residential and commercial sides. Continuing to work in these fields will enable her to keep pace with any developments within the sector.

Day-to-day management of the Property Management division will be the responsibility of veteran property development and commercial real estate agent, Charles Patricio, who has nearly 25 years experience in the industry.

He will also pay close attention to the commercial side of this division which will offer broker services, sourcing of suitable tenants, lease preparation and rental collection, property maintenance services and staff supervision and wage payments. He said Tyson Properties’ agents would also work with landlords to assess rental space and tenants, maximise rentals and value, source suitable, creditworthy tenants and conduct tenant entry and exit inspections.

The residential section will fall under Carlo Goncalves who, as a relative newcomer to real estate with two years experience, brings a fresh approach. Services include the collection of monthly levy contributions and proactive credit control, a bookkeeping service with a full monthly financial report, storage of property records and the arrangement of insurance and valuations. Tyson Properties will also attend body corporate meetings.

“We want to take the load off landlords. All too often, they do not have the time to nurture their property investments. A lot of investors are under extreme pressure with extensive business portfolios. They need someone to step in and deal with things such as maintenance,” said Pam.

She said contracts would be tailor-made to specific landlords’ needs. She said advantages to clients included maximising profits, increased occupancy, a reduction in tenant turnover, improved tenant relations and professional management counselling.

She added that, up until now, Tyson Properties had embarked on property management, but on a very small scale. The plan was to grow this aspect of its business, working hand-in-hand with Tyson’s established and successful commercial division which had sold an impressive array of properties (from warehouses to offices and small factories).

He added that, on the residential side, Tyson Properties was focusing on accreditations to estates and the management of apartment blocks. This would secure ongoing mandates, offering the public the best possible selection of properties in KwaZulu-Natal.

He said the commercial segment of the division was created with a keen understanding of the unique business climate in KwaZulu-Natal. “The economy is on the brink of significant growth in the wake of the widening of the harbour mouth and the construction of the new international airport. Durban and surrounds will be an important industrial hub. The region is moving ahead with the times and we are going with it.”

For Charles, KwaZulu-Natal comprises “a collection of different properties and needs within a small space” and one of which the property management division has an innate understanding. The new division has no “boundaries” and would provide “the full package” to clients in Durban as well as in Hillcrest, Pinetown, Umhlanga and the Midlands and South Coast where Tyson Properties had built a significant presence, he said.

The new division will be based at Tyson Properties’ Morningside head office.

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