Key takeaways
Lessons from a family-run management firm
- Meet every tenant. Amhurst visits its properties and sits down with tenants in person, which helps keep retention between 80% and 90%.
- Fix the small things fast. A dripping tap that never gets fixed drives tenants away. Resolving small issues quickly builds trust.
- Automate the back end, keep the front end human. Smart systems help with accounting and service orders, but tenants value knowing who their property manager is.
- Protect value in tough markets. Even when budgets are tight, maintaining assets and relationships pays off when the market turns.
- Keep learning. Property management changes constantly, from regulations to building technology, so staying one step ahead is what sets you apart.
About the guest
KK
Khalid Keshavjee
Director of Operations, Amhurst Property Management
Khalid is Director of Operations at Amhurst Property Management, a boutique Calgary firm his father founded in the 1970s that manages single-family homes, condominiums, and small commercial properties. He is an associate broker in Alberta and the first Canadian to complete IREM’s NextGen CPM program. He also co-founded The Win Column, a site covering the Calgary Flames.
Episode summary
In this episode
Khalid Keshavjee grew up tagging along on site visits with his father, who founded Amhurst Property Management in Calgary in the 1970s. After deciding law was not for him, he spent a summer working with his father and found he loved solving a different puzzle every day.
He explains the challenges and rewards of working in a family business, how Amhurst came through tough economic times by protecting value for clients, and how in-person visits keep tenant retention high. He also describes IREM’s NextGen CPM program, his hands-on approach, and where technology helps most.
Khalid shares how running a hockey website taught him about leading teams, what mentorship has meant to him, his advice for property managers, what he looks for in a janitorial partner, and the leadership book he returns to often.
Chapters
- 0:00Introduction
- 1:37About Amhurst Property Management
- 3:04Khalid’s path into property management
- 8:13Living and studying abroad
- 10:29Work ethic and organization
- 12:14Leading in a family business
- 14:41Lessons from tough markets
- 17:44Tenant retention
- 19:34The NextGen CPM program
- 21:38A day in the field
- 23:43Technology and the human touch
- 25:52Running The Win Column
- 29:10Mentorship and leadership
- 30:31Advice for property managers
- 33:09What he looks for in janitorial
- 37:00Book recommendation
Jump to a chapter (16)
- 0:00Introduction
- 1:37About Amhurst Property Management
- 3:04Khalid’s path into property management
- 8:13Living and studying abroad
- 10:29Work ethic and organization
- 12:14Leading in a family business
- 14:41Lessons from tough markets
- 17:44Tenant retention
- 19:34The NextGen CPM program
- 21:38A day in the field
- 23:43Technology and the human touch
- 25:52Running The Win Column
- 29:10Mentorship and leadership
- 30:31Advice for property managers
- 33:09What he looks for in janitorial
- 37:00Book recommendation
From the conversation
Transcript excerpts
The beauty is there’s nobody you can trust more than your family.
Khalid KeshavjeePlay from 0:07
Maybe I’m just old school but I like the human contact. I like the human touch.
Khalid KeshavjeePlay from 0:41
It’s like solving a puzzle every single day. You have different puzzles that you’re working on and you solve one and then another one comes along.
Khalid KeshavjeePlay from 5:58
Want cleaning that is consistent week after week?
We’ll walk your building with you and send a written cleaning scope and price. Free, no obligation.
Read the conversation
Full episode transcript
Show transcript
Paste the edited transcript here.
FAQ
Questions about this episode
What does Khalid look for in a janitorial company?
Competitive pricing matters, especially for condo boards facing rising costs, but the cheapest option is not the rule. Khalid looks for a company that cleans to the same standard week in and week out, with the staying power to keep it up.
How does Amhurst keep tenant retention high?
Amhurst visits its properties and meets every tenant in person, then resolves issues quickly. The firm has averaged 80% to 90% retention, with some tenants staying 20 years or more.
What book does Khalid recommend?
Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek. Khalid says he thinks about it almost weekly, especially its lesson that leadership means building up the people around you.
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