WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:05.570 --> 00:00:08.760 Steve V2: Welcome to Keynotes, a podcast just for Casago homeowners. 00:00:09.240 --> 00:00:12.220 This is where we explore how to get the most out of your relationship with 00:00:12.220 --> 00:00:16.630 Casago, learn tips and tricks on how to make more income with your property, 00:00:17.049 --> 00:00:19.999 and learn a little bit about the short term rental industry along the way. 00:00:20.699 --> 00:00:24.330 I've been a vacation rental nerd since my 20s, and the team has finally let 00:00:24.330 --> 00:00:27.289 me have this podcast so I can share everything I've learned with you. 00:00:27.930 --> 00:00:30.490 I'm your host, Steve Schwab, and this is Keynotes. 00:00:37.870 --> 00:00:38.930 Hey, welcome to Keynotes. 00:00:38.940 --> 00:00:39.920 I'm your host, Steve Schwab. 00:00:39.940 --> 00:00:44.460 Today, I'm with Tim Smith, the owner of Casago in New Smyrna Beach. 00:00:44.980 --> 00:00:48.690 We're going to be talking a little bit about his philosophies on hospitality, 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:50.640 property management and homeowners. 00:00:50.810 --> 00:00:51.760 Tim, welcome to the show. 00:00:53.480 --> 00:00:55.059 Tim, tell me a little bit about your background. 00:00:55.070 --> 00:00:57.980 How did you end up getting into property management? 00:00:58.379 --> 00:01:01.999 Speaker 2: Uh, by chance, of course, I had several businesses 00:01:01.999 --> 00:01:03.269 over the years, sold them. 00:01:03.330 --> 00:01:08.369 I had just sold a business and came to new Smyrna beach to buy a vacation home. 00:01:08.559 --> 00:01:11.199 Uh, well, it was March 13th of 2020. 00:01:11.740 --> 00:01:14.370 And so it wasn't time to go back to New York city at that point 00:01:14.440 --> 00:01:15.859 with COVID just sitting in. 00:01:16.160 --> 00:01:20.359 So I ended up moving in, had the opportunity for folks that already had a 00:01:20.359 --> 00:01:22.089 business there, they were ready to sell. 00:01:23.060 --> 00:01:26.949 And I was ready to move on to the next adventure, I guess. 00:01:27.460 --> 00:01:31.459 Ended up purchasing it, and uh, that was my entryway. 00:01:32.190 --> 00:01:34.519 What did you do before you moved to New Smyrna? 00:01:35.169 --> 00:01:37.309 So I was doing consulting for a software company. 00:01:37.579 --> 00:01:37.880 Steve V2: Yeah. 00:01:38.634 --> 00:01:40.384 What kind of consulting, like sales or? 00:01:40.734 --> 00:01:44.465 Sales and implementing for Salesforce. 00:01:44.465 --> 00:01:45.264 com software. 00:01:45.335 --> 00:01:46.145 Okay, cool. 00:01:46.164 --> 00:01:48.704 So you know a lot about CRMs and contacting people 00:01:48.704 --> 00:01:49.864 and keeping relationships. 00:01:50.315 --> 00:01:51.275 I think so. 00:01:51.445 --> 00:01:52.924 Yeah, yeah, I think you do too. 00:01:54.104 --> 00:01:58.155 Tim, tell me a little bit about what you do there in New Smyrna with Consago. 00:01:58.614 --> 00:02:00.095 Speaker 2: Well, we have a two fold mission. 00:02:00.555 --> 00:02:04.595 The primary mission is to work with the owner to achieve their particular goals. 00:02:05.139 --> 00:02:08.889 And I've learned even just in the short time that everybody has different goals. 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:11.730 And so we have that mission. 00:02:12.010 --> 00:02:15.390 Part of that mission is making sure that the guest has a great experience and 00:02:15.390 --> 00:02:19.700 then that just naturally pleases, it gets the results we want for the owners. 00:02:19.880 --> 00:02:20.190 Steve V2: Yeah. 00:02:20.260 --> 00:02:23.940 Speaker 2: But our goal is just primarily whatever that is, let's make that 00:02:23.950 --> 00:02:24.730 Steve V2: happen for them. 00:02:24.959 --> 00:02:25.420 That's great. 00:02:25.459 --> 00:02:28.380 And tell me a little bit about your personal approach 00:02:28.390 --> 00:02:30.589 when it comes to hospitality. 00:02:30.910 --> 00:02:32.289 I think the key to hospitality 00:02:32.290 --> 00:02:37.704 Speaker 2: is keeping in mind that It's like they're actually in your house. 00:02:38.315 --> 00:02:39.144 For some people it is. 00:02:39.165 --> 00:02:44.065 You own the house also and so you're, you're the host, but for us it's, we 00:02:44.065 --> 00:02:47.994 like to say southern hospitality, which we are born and raised in the South. 00:02:48.004 --> 00:02:51.034 It just comes natural, I guess, or it's beat into you either way. 00:02:51.714 --> 00:02:54.704 And so we, we want to treat it like they are a guest in our home. 00:02:54.795 --> 00:02:55.565 They're coming in. 00:02:55.594 --> 00:02:57.105 What can we do to make them comfortable? 00:02:57.144 --> 00:02:58.975 How do we treat them like family? 00:02:59.305 --> 00:02:59.655 Yeah, 00:03:00.005 --> 00:03:01.295 Steve V2: yeah, that's a great approach. 00:03:01.865 --> 00:03:05.905 And what makes Casago different than the other property management 00:03:05.905 --> 00:03:07.155 companies in New Smyrna? 00:03:08.355 --> 00:03:12.934 Speaker 2: Well, I think part of it is that we do, we have a newer approach. 00:03:13.605 --> 00:03:13.885 Right? 00:03:13.945 --> 00:03:19.045 The company technically has been around for years, but by me purchasing it and 00:03:19.045 --> 00:03:23.355 sometimes not knowing what you're getting into allows you to have a different look. 00:03:23.725 --> 00:03:26.115 You know, you take all the things we've done over the different careers 00:03:26.115 --> 00:03:29.859 I've had, And you look at it from that window, you actually can bring 00:03:29.859 --> 00:03:31.459 a fresh approach to that owner. 00:03:31.649 --> 00:03:34.369 You're not afraid of change because the whole thing is a change. 00:03:34.529 --> 00:03:34.850 Yeah. 00:03:34.880 --> 00:03:39.149 And so a lot of existing companies will stay doing what they've done because it's 00:03:39.149 --> 00:03:40.559 always worked and that's human nature. 00:03:40.629 --> 00:03:40.869 Sure. 00:03:41.139 --> 00:03:42.190 But I think with. 00:03:42.619 --> 00:03:46.440 anything anymore in industry or business, you have to always be thinking, 00:03:46.440 --> 00:03:48.369 what can I do different and better? 00:03:48.730 --> 00:03:49.070 Right. 00:03:49.540 --> 00:03:49.739 Yeah. 00:03:49.739 --> 00:03:49.989 Don't 00:03:49.989 --> 00:03:51.070 Steve V2: fight last year's wars. 00:03:51.070 --> 00:03:51.339 Right. 00:03:51.850 --> 00:03:52.160 Right. 00:03:52.190 --> 00:03:52.549 Yeah. 00:03:53.109 --> 00:03:57.070 So, you know, something that's in Casago is this thing that's 00:03:57.070 --> 00:03:59.329 called the owner centric approach. 00:03:59.859 --> 00:04:02.849 Can you tell me a little bit about what that means and what it means to 00:04:02.850 --> 00:04:04.640 you and maybe how you implement that? 00:04:05.969 --> 00:04:10.320 Speaker 2: I think the key with owner centric is keeping in mind that they are, 00:04:10.320 --> 00:04:12.535 um, the reason you even have a business. 00:04:13.204 --> 00:04:16.834 They've trusted you with, for many of them, it might be their 00:04:17.425 --> 00:04:20.834 second most valuable asset other than their primary home. 00:04:21.454 --> 00:04:23.515 Uh, in our market, it's never their primary. 00:04:24.105 --> 00:04:26.414 And so they've trusted you with that. 00:04:26.414 --> 00:04:32.604 So keeping that as the centerpiece or the centric piece is the key to the success. 00:04:32.925 --> 00:04:36.575 But part of that does start, like I said, where it's, what does it mean for them? 00:04:36.615 --> 00:04:38.025 We have owners that it's all about. 00:04:38.534 --> 00:04:39.375 I've got to make money. 00:04:40.799 --> 00:04:42.010 I just have to pay it. 00:04:42.010 --> 00:04:44.119 I can't keep it up unless you make me money. 00:04:44.590 --> 00:04:46.530 We have others that they're fine with that. 00:04:46.760 --> 00:04:49.599 They're not worried about the money, but they worried about the maintenance. 00:04:50.020 --> 00:04:51.529 Are you taking care of my property? 00:04:51.549 --> 00:04:53.749 Is the right person staying in my property? 00:04:54.469 --> 00:04:58.829 How are you treating my, my baby, my family home a month a year? 00:04:59.640 --> 00:05:03.989 And so just by keeping that focus, then we continue. 00:05:04.465 --> 00:05:07.615 To try to do the right thing to make sure that that particular need is met. 00:05:07.845 --> 00:05:08.225 Steve V2: Yeah, 00:05:08.285 --> 00:05:10.615 Speaker 2: it sounds like you take a real personal approach. 00:05:10.985 --> 00:05:11.495 I do. 00:05:11.545 --> 00:05:13.745 I think part of it is I just always have in business. 00:05:13.755 --> 00:05:20.295 I take it personal, but the property I purchased when I moved to New Smyrna is in 00:05:20.295 --> 00:05:22.805 a building where we have 40 other owners. 00:05:23.115 --> 00:05:27.615 So it is personal because I'm gonna see them downstairs or I'm gonna see them 00:05:27.615 --> 00:05:29.325 next door at the bar or whatever else. 00:05:29.325 --> 00:05:30.155 It is personal. 00:05:31.109 --> 00:05:31.340 Steve V2: Yeah. 00:05:31.530 --> 00:05:35.880 You being the local boots on the ground, the owner of the company, 00:05:36.390 --> 00:05:41.039 I think that's so powerful for your homeowners and for your guests as well. 00:05:41.609 --> 00:05:45.099 Because when somebody has a problem, the buck stops with you. 00:05:45.590 --> 00:05:49.280 You know, they don't have to call some other city or some corporate office 00:05:49.280 --> 00:05:50.549 somewhere or whatever that looks like. 00:05:50.549 --> 00:05:52.539 They get to talk to the guy in charge. 00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:53.640 And that's pretty amazing. 00:05:54.780 --> 00:05:54.950 It 00:05:54.950 --> 00:05:55.200 Speaker 2: is. 00:05:55.200 --> 00:05:57.010 We've heard people, you know, why you? 00:05:57.039 --> 00:06:01.030 Well, it because it is me because I am here because if I don't do 00:06:01.030 --> 00:06:03.700 a great job when you are in town, I'm going to see you in the hall. 00:06:04.190 --> 00:06:07.270 or at the local restaurant, and you can hold me accountable. 00:06:07.479 --> 00:06:07.820 Yeah. 00:06:08.419 --> 00:06:10.219 Steve V2: Yeah, there's almost a little bit of social pressure there, 00:06:10.330 --> 00:06:12.159 on top of the business pressure, right? 00:06:12.929 --> 00:06:16.700 What are some practical ways that you make the homeowners feel 00:06:16.700 --> 00:06:17.859 like they're the top priority? 00:06:18.409 --> 00:06:20.979 Speaker 2: Well, first off, constant communication. 00:06:21.499 --> 00:06:24.239 We keep them informed, not just about the industry and about what's 00:06:24.249 --> 00:06:27.369 specific to our market, but about their property, what's going on in that area, 00:06:27.369 --> 00:06:28.424 what's going on with the business. 00:06:28.885 --> 00:06:29.375 Everything. 00:06:29.825 --> 00:06:33.845 We let them know that when we have not necessarily done a great job for that 00:06:33.845 --> 00:06:36.055 month, what we're doing to change it. 00:06:36.734 --> 00:06:36.884 Steve V2: Right. 00:06:36.885 --> 00:06:38.554 Speaker 2: So it said open, we're in this together. 00:06:38.555 --> 00:06:41.545 How do we, you know, make that happen for you? 00:06:42.354 --> 00:06:43.945 That it is a partnership. 00:06:44.484 --> 00:06:45.995 I'm not a business without you. 00:06:46.044 --> 00:06:48.094 So how do we keep that going? 00:06:48.775 --> 00:06:53.245 Open and constant communication, I think solves a whole lot of challenges. 00:06:54.315 --> 00:06:58.055 Then the other thing is that the guest isn't always right. 00:06:58.485 --> 00:07:00.585 Let's make sure it's the right guest in that property. 00:07:00.645 --> 00:07:03.115 And if they're not, or they're going to mistreat the property, or they're 00:07:03.115 --> 00:07:07.275 putting too many people in it because it's spring break, you owe it to that 00:07:07.285 --> 00:07:11.375 owner to fulfill the commitment you made to take care of their property. 00:07:11.785 --> 00:07:13.365 And you may upset that guest. 00:07:13.365 --> 00:07:16.734 You may get a bad review for that particular situation, but 00:07:16.844 --> 00:07:18.344 it is the right thing to do. 00:07:18.475 --> 00:07:18.805 Steve V2: Yeah. 00:07:19.475 --> 00:07:22.885 We owe it to the guests to give them a great hospitality experience. 00:07:23.275 --> 00:07:28.364 However, our true priority and our feduciary . Is to be the stewards 00:07:28.394 --> 00:07:30.164 of that homeowner's property, right? 00:07:30.164 --> 00:07:30.654 Right. 00:07:31.004 --> 00:07:35.194 And so when we have great hospitality, we're serving the owner well. 00:07:35.214 --> 00:07:40.124 We're being owner centric, but the higher standard is being the steward 00:07:40.315 --> 00:07:42.534 of their property in their absence. 00:07:42.604 --> 00:07:44.654 I think that you're hitting right on that. 00:07:44.724 --> 00:07:45.574 I think that's amazing. 00:07:46.254 --> 00:07:48.994 Speaker 2: And if we look at it, like I said, where hospitality is treating 00:07:48.994 --> 00:07:53.889 it like they're coming into your home, there are some people Either 00:07:54.169 --> 00:07:57.869 you wouldn't let in in the first place or you realize we're not the best for 00:07:57.869 --> 00:07:59.809 each other and you ask them to move on. 00:07:59.989 --> 00:08:00.319 Steve V2: Yeah. 00:08:00.379 --> 00:08:00.509 Yeah. 00:08:00.509 --> 00:08:03.979 There's some people that I wouldn't leave alone in my house because I'd 00:08:03.979 --> 00:08:05.849 be afraid to be going through my sock drawer when I wasn't there. 00:08:05.849 --> 00:08:06.109 Right. 00:08:06.129 --> 00:08:08.929 And those are not the kind of people we want in our homeowners places. 00:08:09.139 --> 00:08:09.499 Right. 00:08:09.589 --> 00:08:10.109 Yeah. 00:08:10.649 --> 00:08:14.019 Do you have a memorable story with a homeowner that highlights 00:08:14.049 --> 00:08:17.199 why maybe a homeowner would think about choosing you in your market? 00:08:18.434 --> 00:08:21.084 Speaker 2: I think probably the best one is after Hurricane Ian. 00:08:21.094 --> 00:08:26.234 We had a very powerful storm come through in the particular building 00:08:26.244 --> 00:08:27.634 that we manage a lot of units. 00:08:27.634 --> 00:08:28.774 There was water in every unit. 00:08:29.599 --> 00:08:33.240 But I made sure that I was there, immediately went into every unit, got 00:08:33.240 --> 00:08:39.319 the team mobilized to get in each unit, clean it up, protect any further damage. 00:08:39.889 --> 00:08:42.980 Made sure that we had the right folks there on, on site 00:08:42.980 --> 00:08:44.539 immediately for remediation. 00:08:44.920 --> 00:08:49.899 And by doing that and constantly, like, not emails, texting, calling every 00:08:49.899 --> 00:08:53.639 single owner all day long for, you know, the next week, really, to keep 00:08:53.639 --> 00:08:55.159 them apprised of what was going on. 00:08:55.159 --> 00:08:56.190 Most of our owners live. 00:08:56.369 --> 00:08:57.619 up north or out west. 00:08:58.030 --> 00:09:02.450 And so I think that really, I know that it made a difference to 00:09:02.450 --> 00:09:04.750 them because they appreciated it. 00:09:04.819 --> 00:09:07.869 And other owners came to us because they're like, Oh wait, 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:09.599 you were actually there doing it. 00:09:09.730 --> 00:09:10.150 Steve V2: Yeah. 00:09:10.210 --> 00:09:10.950 Speaker 2: Boots on the ground. 00:09:10.950 --> 00:09:13.690 As you said, we literally had boots because there was water everywhere. 00:09:14.470 --> 00:09:14.780 Steve V2: Yeah. 00:09:14.780 --> 00:09:19.899 I mean, what a great example of, like you said, boots on the ground, but 00:09:20.049 --> 00:09:23.669 making sure that you're taking care of their property in their absence. 00:09:23.699 --> 00:09:23.989 Right. 00:09:24.019 --> 00:09:27.200 I mean, At the end of the day, one of the highest value, uh, as 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:31.420 a property manager is being the homeowner's advocate in their absence. 00:09:31.470 --> 00:09:31.659 Yeah. 00:09:31.710 --> 00:09:34.040 Doing what the homeowner would do if they were there. 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:35.899 And obviously you nailed that. 00:09:35.899 --> 00:09:36.859 That's, that's fantastic. 00:09:37.460 --> 00:09:40.639 So Tim, what would you say to anybody who's a potential homeowner 00:09:40.649 --> 00:09:44.260 who's considering coming to Casago for their property management 00:09:44.260 --> 00:09:44.629 Speaker 2: needs? 00:09:45.149 --> 00:09:49.210 I think to begin with, if somebody was interested in working with 00:09:49.210 --> 00:09:51.149 us, my question is always why? 00:09:51.839 --> 00:09:53.680 What about the current situation? 00:09:54.409 --> 00:09:57.230 Uh, or the current company you're with or how you're doing it yourself. 00:09:57.240 --> 00:09:58.639 What about that bothers you? 00:09:59.179 --> 00:10:03.589 Because if it's something that we would do anyway, let's save the time, you know, 00:10:03.589 --> 00:10:07.459 and not try to promise them something that, you know, isn't going to happen or 00:10:07.469 --> 00:10:09.379 is still the same way that we would do it. 00:10:10.209 --> 00:10:13.849 Uh, at the same time, the why lets me know what does pertain to them. 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:17.129 We have owners now that have never rented before and they're coming 00:10:17.129 --> 00:10:21.579 to us because we Insurance, taxes, assessments, et cetera, are happening. 00:10:21.900 --> 00:10:25.960 And so they need to know that we can make them some money, but more 00:10:25.960 --> 00:10:28.520 importantly, protect that property. 00:10:28.529 --> 00:10:29.859 Hold on to it when they're not there. 00:10:29.859 --> 00:10:32.920 Make it, you know, they don't come back in six months and it's destroyed. 00:10:33.739 --> 00:10:36.189 So it's really finding out why is the first step. 00:10:36.770 --> 00:10:40.889 And then from there, I can show them examples of what we've done 00:10:40.899 --> 00:10:42.379 to meet that particular why. 00:10:43.125 --> 00:10:46.274 To go in and promise or not even promise, but to tell a story about 00:10:46.274 --> 00:10:48.935 something that doesn't matter to them isn't really fair to them. 00:10:49.095 --> 00:10:49.415 Right? 00:10:49.544 --> 00:10:51.925 And so I want to find out what it is that you need. 00:10:52.304 --> 00:10:53.574 Can we meet that need? 00:10:53.794 --> 00:10:57.044 And then here's what we've done to meet the need in the past, or 00:10:57.044 --> 00:11:00.124 here's what we're working on to make that happen in the future. 00:11:00.734 --> 00:11:02.125 And you can. 00:11:02.780 --> 00:11:07.700 Ride along with me to make that happen or, um, when we've shown you, then 00:11:07.710 --> 00:11:09.220 you'll come back or you'll come to us. 00:11:09.280 --> 00:11:09.510 Steve V2: Yeah. 00:11:10.139 --> 00:11:12.009 Building expectations. 00:11:13.079 --> 00:11:18.269 At the beginning of a relationship always creates much longer lasting relationships. 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:19.269 For sure. 00:11:19.270 --> 00:11:21.639 It sounds like exactly what you're doing. 00:11:22.059 --> 00:11:25.239 Tim, if somebody's interested in having you manage their property in 00:11:25.239 --> 00:11:26.689 New Smyrna, how would they reach out to 00:11:26.689 --> 00:11:26.849 Speaker 2: you? 00:11:27.619 --> 00:11:31.329 The best way is probably the email, tim at casagocv. 00:11:32.219 --> 00:11:37.601 com Or give me a call or text 407 797 00:11:37.601 --> 00:11:39.004 Steve V2: 7150. 00:11:39.004 --> 00:11:40.224 Tim, thanks so much for coming on the show. 00:11:40.224 --> 00:11:42.194 It's always so much fun to see you and talk to you. 00:11:42.354 --> 00:11:44.874 Appreciate you being here and we'll talk to you soon. 00:11:45.134 --> 00:11:45.804 Thanks for having me.