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Yesterday I was fortunate enough to meet up with David Domres, a 30 year veteran of the Real Estate Investment & Property Management Industry. We discussed his background, the property management industry overall and he shared a funny tenant tale as well.

Dave is a full-­‐fledged Wisconsinite – born and raised in the Milwaukee area. He has lived here his entire life with exception of his college days at Iowa State, where he received his degree in Architecture. How did he land in the real estate field with a degree in architecture? He said, “When I graduated from college it was in 1982 and we were in a recession with interest rates at 20% or higher and there were no architectural jobs around. My friend introduced me to a company that specialized in multi-­‐family real estate and property management and it turned out to be a very good fit for my skills and personality.”

After thirty years in the industry, plus transitioning to commercial property mid-­‐point, it is obvious that he has passion for this business. What fuels this passion? “Every day is unique,” he explained.” “It is very difficult to get bored as there are new challenges daily.” “It is a 24/7 job and it isn’t for everyone. You have to have the right temperament as the phone calls you receive are concerning issues and present challenges. No one is calling you to thank you for the lights coming on in the morning!”

Commitment and loving what he does are Dave’s main strategies for success. What advice would he give to new people entering the property management field – laughingly he said, “Run.” “No, seriously, my advice to them is to work as long as it takes to get the job done.” “To be successful in property management you need to commit to the 24/7 mentality that it takes.”

On the lighter side I asked if he had a funny story he could share and he replied, “Plenty. I remember during the winter when it was very cold, only 10 degrees outside, a tenant called to tell me that water was coming out of the men’s bathroom. So over the phone, while in route to the building, I’m trying to explain how to shut-­‐off the water in the men’s room and when I arrived I discovered that instead of turning the water off they had in fact turned the water on for the outdoor sprinkler system!”

Fun Facts: When Dave isn’t handling an emergency you may find him on his Harley Davidson. When not on his bike you most likely will find him outdoors or camping as he is an avid and active Scout Leader. He has been involved in scouting since age 11 and loves the camaraderie, leadership and outdoor activities. Dave contributes time to real estate education as an instructor and author for a variety of professional organizations. Dave has traveled all over the world and yet feels Milwaukee gives most places a run for their money when it comes to quality of life and our choices for restaurant fare.

David G. Domres CPM, CCIM, may be contacted via email: ddomres@drallc.biz

By Kris A. Nelsen