A property management mother-daughter duo have found their professional relationship to be two-fold, as they strengthen their bond while growing their rent roll to more than 500 properties.
While working with family can have its challenges, mother-daughter duo Wendy and Sarah Steel of Woodards Croydon say the pressures of property management were outweighed by personal growth and a stronger bond.
Wendy, the agency’s director and head of property management, has been in the industry for three decades and currently runs a team of five, with two new PMs set to join soon.
Sarah joined the office 14 years ago as a receptionist at 18, before progressing to an assistant role and then to her property management position.
Sarah said working alongside her mother was initially challenging, as Wendy often ordered her around and corrected her actions.
“It was difficult, especially when it’s your mum telling you, ‘That’s not good enough. Go and photograph that property again, or that condition report isn’t detailed enough,” Sarah said.
While Wendy had concerns that everyone thought she would give Sarah special treatment, she ended up being tougher on her than anyone else.
Over time, the challenging arrangement evolved into a strong partnership, with the pair growing closer through their shared work experiences.
They also said they developed shared values and a mutual approach to property management, centred on achieving better outcomes through people, not just properties.
“It’s not the property that needs managing. Property management is actually all about managing people,” Wendy said.
Wendy and Sarah said that as a result of this approach, the team has achieved drastic growth, now managing more than 500 properties and continuing to expand through referrals and reputation.
“We’ve had people rent through us, then come back and say, ‘We loved you, can you manage our investment?,” Sarah said.
The pair also said the philosophy underpinned their treatment of renters, including recognising their challenges and showing care as they navigated uncertainty or major life changes.
Wendy said property managers had a responsibility to guide people through the process, offering reassurance and support so they could regain confidence.
“It’s great when you see someone finding a home… If you hold their hand and guide them through, it tends to give them a little bit of assurance that it’s going to be okay,” she said.
As Victoria’s rental laws have continued to evolve, the pair said there were increasingly more challenges, with property owners questioning whether it was even still worth it.
Wendy said compliance requirements and restrictions around renter applications were reshaping how property managers operated, but the team was committed to adapting.
“We have adjusted our processes, and we will work with it,” she said.
The pair also said they had learned valuable skills from one another, with Sarah admiring Wendy’s approach to conflict and her resilience in difficult situations.
On the other hand, Wendy said she was fortunate to have grown alongside Sarah, who taught her to open her mind and look at things differently.
“We’re not just mother and daughter, and we’re not just work colleagues – we’re also friends,” Wendy concluded.
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