"Soft skills" are defined as "intangible" skills, differing from something like plumbing or computer programming that provide measurable, real-world results. Soft skills are "intangible," centering more on interpersonal or psychosocial skills for interacting with people successfully. In a business like residential property investment, which is all about people, these skills are crucial. Here are four essential skills:

A "Problem-Solving" Mindset

When dealing with residents, it's inevitable that issues that need resolution will come up. The best way to approach this is to have a mindset inherently oriented towards tackling problems as puzzles and a willingness to solve them. Showing resentment toward residents for issues that need fixing is a fast way to create an antagonistic relationship, whereas a problem-solving mindset makes a positive impression.

Maintaining Calm Under Pressure

Emotions are "contagious." If someone is afraid or angry, it's more than likely that those negative emotions will spread to others. Similarly, if you become visibly stressed in high-pressure situations, this can be transmitted to others, making a tense situation even worse. If you can maintain calm while under pressure, this not only allows you to perform more efficiently, but it also solidifies a reputation for reliability and being able to work under difficult conditions.

Conflict Management

The ability to de-escalate situations and resolve conflicts can be essential in just about any management position, but especially so in property management. Whether it is an argument between neighboring residents that needs mediation, or a resident getting increasingly upset over a problem like a leak, or pest problem, being able to interact in a way that calms situations down, and then resolves the problem is essential for success in property management, because these circumstances will inevitable come up.

Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand the feelings of others, which can be extremely useful in both personal and professional situations. Being able to act upon empathetic understanding can be a way to navigate difficult situations, but perhaps more importantly, it increases the odds of property managers taking the correct course of action because they understand the emotions at play.

For example, someone who has a phobia about rodents will likely experience better treatment and more correct action from a property manager who knows about, and understands this phobia, and the significance and impact it has to that resident's well being, versus a property manager who simply dismisses it as an overreaction that's not worth addressing.

If you want to make sure you're getting the most out of your property management, contact Occupancy Solutions and let us help.