Lenaya Bailes Career Background
What is your biggest career achievement?
- This past year has been a crazy ride full of life changes, learning opportunities, and challenging times for us all. As Bob Marley once said, “ You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only option.”
Throughout my life as an adolescent, I have continued to push myself against all odds surprising peers and higher ups along the way. Primary school was just the start. Around the age of 6, my parents realized I was not being challenged in the grade level I was placed in based upon my birthdate. Amid countless meetings, district challenges, and other bumps in the road; I finally proved my true abilities by testing well above the grade level standards. It was then that I earned the opportunity to skip a grade level. Little did I know, age would become my biggest visible imperfection in a world dominated by labels, and my label was “the baby.” After a long while of allowing this label to control what I believed I was ready for in life, I decided age would no longer be a setback or negative that allowed me to be overlooked. I quickly turned this characteristic into a positive and never looked back.
Of the many realizations learned and appreciated through current circumstances; understanding the role we serve as rental housing professionals has been an eye opening journey. Despite all the twists and turns thrown our way, I am both proud and humbled to say I expanded and grew beyond any limit set before me. In just the past few months, at the age of 22, I have managed to become a Property Manager of a 278 unit community in San Diego, passed both my CA Notary Public and Real Estate Exam on the first try, earned a seat on the board of directors of a small HOA, and began construction on my very own rental unit. Furthermore, I have signed up to take the Certified Apartment Manager course that will begin in April and am excited to continue down the path of continued learning within my career. As you can tell I am naturally busy by nature and thrive in life by conquering my goals . Having the ability to take on COVID and grow to the extent in which I surprised myself is definitely my biggest career achievement. I am beyond grateful and can't even imagine what is next to come!
What is your ultimate career goal within the rental housing industry?
- Amongst my commitment to the rental housing industry; organizational leadership, financial management, staff performance, and property development are just a small variety of abilities I have critiqued within the past couple of years. Since being hired as a leasing consultant four years ago, then promoted to Assistant Manager, and now Property Manager, I have found a deep love for the rental housing industry and look forward to demonstrating immense consistency and commitment to my team and the community at all times.
As an eager and ambitious 22 year old with a plan to grow in this industry, my ultimate career goal is to have a property management company of my own. Unlike other management companies and owners, I aspire to have a full functioning business that focuses on assisting other people and businesses with any property need they might have. To make this dream come true, I plan to gain expert level knowledge and partnerships that range between multi family acquisition all the way down to tenant relations. I hope to be the one stop shop for the average individual or business that needs help flourishing in this industry. I have done my very best to make steps towards this very goal each and every day. I hope to be the very one responsible for supplying beautiful communities for those in need and guiding others to do the same.
What's one rental housing trend you have your eye on?
- Modular homes is a greatly overlooked trend that I believe has the power to incredibly impact the rental housing industry. For those of you who do not know exactly what Modular is; this specific form of construction involves off site construction completed to the same building codes and standards that is later installed on site. The benefits of this new construction method include cost effectiveness, economic friendliness, reduced waste, flexibility, and more. This trend solves a variety of problems the housing industry has yet to find solutions for at increased speeds while permanently fulfilling the need for housing.
The best way to envision this trend being utilized in the housing industry would be strictly during the building processes. Individuals and businesses looking to grow their portfolios will now be able to do so at a much lower price than standard construction and can expect to see their final product in approximately half the time. Additionally, land once deemed difficult to build on for example slopes, will no longer have the same construction issues or put a massive strain on budgets. Imagine, a community that features a random slope of vacant land that hasn't been used in years, now having the ability to add 100 units in just a few months. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that Modular homes is a trend that will soon be on the rise in many cities to fulfill our modern day needs within the industry.