Property Management Chronicle: Morning in the life of a Property Manager
August 4, 2021
It was a nice, easy ride, traffic not too heavy, air warm but not too much so. As I rode up Roger was leaning against the iron gate, arms folded. I was right on time. As I explained what the situation was, the upstairs tenant opened the door to welcome us in. I told Roger to go on in, while I stowed my bike in unit #1 thru the under-stoop gate. As I maneuvered my bike past the right angle into the garden-level hallway, and flipped the switch, I noticed the lights did not go on. I went upstairs and let roger know the power was out downstairs. After he looked at the AC unit on the second floor, we headed to the basement, where we discovered indeed that the unit #1 power was out, and that apparently, the AC upstairs was tied to unit #1’s electrical circuit. Apparently the tenant in #1, who’d left the apartment just days ago had closed her account and Con ed had turned the power off remotely!
So, after Roger and I looked around a bit, I told him to take off – he first had to close up the AC he’d opened upstairs. I then called the plumber I had also arranged to meet that morning at the same location in an attempt at time-efficiency – oh well. When I told her the power was out, the plumber suggested they bring lights, but I repeated there was no power, so lights wouldn’t help. I cancelled the plumbing visit. I then drafted an email to the owner explaining the situation and then got back on my bike and pedaled back to the office.
- Josh Blackman, Brownstone Property Group Principal
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Brick Underground interviewed Josh Blackman for expert insight into what it really takes to maintain a NYC brownstone. Josh outlines the responsibilities owners often overlook, from facade upkeep to mechanical systems, inspections and vendor coordination. It is a great read for anyone considering a townhouse purchase or looking to better understand the realities of ownership. Read the full article here .
Josh Blackman, CEO and founder of Brownstone Property Group, appears on The NextGen Environment Leader podcast to unpack the operational and regulatory realities of managing buildings across Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. In this episode, Josh discusses the rising complexity of environmental regulations, the importance of staying ahead of shifting compliance laws, and the role of strategic waste management in reducing rodent activity. He also explores the financial impacts of tax protests and the value of high quality service in a market where cost cutting can create long term risk. The conversation also looks ahead at emerging opportunities, including how AI may support the future of compliance management. View the conversation here.
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