maintenance technician

property manager

leasing agent

groundskeeper

assistant property manager

Winterwood, Inc

I love my job at first. The training department and the IT team is amazing. But the regional managers is the problem. I started seeing the true colors from my regional manager 4 months in. Favoritism is one of the main problems at this company. I have witnessed my RM favoritism certain employees like taking hours long lunches with them, shopping while on the clock. The favorites could work as much as they want, work from home, the RM would cover for them if they had errands to run, bills that had to be paid, tend to their kids all while on the clock. But if I went over in my time the RM would delete the hours and if they're generous I would get to take 30 minutes to an hour off the next week. I was also told that working off the clock and doing things on my own time is part of the job that they have to do it too don't know how it's the same because their salary and I'm hourly but okay. And if the favorites got behind no problem the group of favorites would meet and help that person get caught up but when I asked for help they ain't got time and there's no one that can help me. I had to be maintenance and manager and make sure I get everything done heaven forbids if I didn't then I would get a call why isn't this that done why didn't you respond to an email or answer the office phone yeah I was doing inspection kinda hard to be at two places at once. There's also been times that my RM would pull maintenance to work on their personal task while on the clock. If I wanted anything done I actually had to ask residents to call and complain because me asking wasn't doing the job I would get the excuse that we aren't in the budget for that. I have been without lights and internet because they didn't pay the bills it's hard to get vendors because they owe so many. I tried my hardest to advocate for my residents and my RM didn't like that. I have had residents go months without stoves, hot water, heating and cooling. My residences had mold in units broken doors, broken banisters, cracks and raining in units. I glad my tenants knew I was trying my best to get that stuff fixed. Most of them was in my office several times witnessing me trying to call my RM and me getting pushed to voicemail with no call back. I got wrote up for previous managers doings and when I asked my RM if they could help while they was there to get it knocked off my list they literally said I can't do this I don't know how to you'll have to get somebody else to help you. I have witnessed my RM talk bad about other employees and regionals and my RM showed favoritism to certain residents and vendors they also made fun of residents. My tenants warned me when I first got there how the company was and how they do property managers. I'm thankful I had a resident tell me to cover myself and document and record everything. I'm very thankful that all my phone calls are recorded for quality assurance. And yes I did get terminated but I knew it was coming months before me getting terminated because of how I was getting treated. I have reached out to previous property managers as well and they pretty much have the same experience as me.

I thought for sure I had found my career path when I signed on. Starts off great, they make everything sound good at first. Management is very skilled at putting off a false illusion of how things are. Depending on what property you take care of, you'll get cussed out by tenants on a regular basis. You're expected to take it and nobody enforces the consequences that are in place for that. The property manager will most likely play favouritism with tenants as well. I saw one tenant quickly get evicted for the use of marijuana. Yet another tenant was doing the same thing, and nobody says a word. Me personally, i dont care either way but the rules are in play for everyone. Not just a select few. Everything is extremely unorganized in corporate. Youll get bombarded with emails telling you things that arent done and need to be. However, when it's time for your evaluation/raise, dont expect them to come to you. You literally have to remind them to do their job. States in new hire paperwork that you get that evaluation/raise at specific times, yet you have to speak up to get them to honor it. I waited 2 extra months past time for an evaluation that never happened. Expect a lot of frustration if you appreciate when people honor their word. Also not a lot of balance with other maintenance. Goes back to favouritism. I worked like a dog while another tech would just drive around all day. Consistently show up on my properties for whatever reason and not lift a finger. Only thing that moved was his lips. Expect chaos, expect trust issues, and most importantly, expect to be lied to. Oh and one last thing, if you get a property that's been "rehabbed" expect to do a lot of construction rather than maintenance. They hire bottom of the barrel construction crews to remodel the property and you get to work out all the kinks in the end. From leaky plumbing that ultimately leads to rotting ceilings, and a lot of unnecessary work simply because some loser failed to double check his work. Many units I went in literally have black mold growing around every vent in the unit. Makes sense though. Hire a cheap construction crew to do poor work. Then hire an even lower paid maintenance man to clean up their mess.

.I was asked by Property Manager if I would take the position. I've had a very good working relationship with the Manager and Maintenance Tech. 
  Working along side or assisting the Maintenance Tech I've learned to spot potential problems so maintenance can handle it before becoming major. I've learned to do minor maintenance that I can do while servicing the units saving both myself and the company money in delays waiting for repairs to be made to complete my work.
   I am an outside self employed vendor I do jobs for this company. For me there is no job security they could give this job to anyone at anytime who puts in a lower bid then my current pay scale.
  Once I secure the keys to a unit I usually start that same day. Depending on the amount of work necessary a unit can take as little as 13hrs or several days. I hand sweep completely through the unit then follow with vacuum cleaner. Wash down nearly everything in unit. Repair minor damage ex: switch plate, blinds, caulking, patching holes, minor plumbing etc...
  If a unit is slated for painting, I prep and paint unit.
  Worst part of this job is finding and removing bio hazardous materials left behind. Finding bug infested units and having to wait sometimes weeks to be able to complete unit.
  Best part of my job is knowing when I'm done I've left the unit as clean and safe as I possible can. And meeting hear reports the tenants were totally satisfied with the cleanliness and condition the unit was in when they moved in. I do my best not just because it is how I was taught but the tenants are also my neighbors.

They, as a manager will push two properties on you with over 120 units and expect you to work at each property part time. As maintenance they expect you to turn a unit in a 30-year-old complex that hasn't had a maintenance technician in two years, within five business days but you're not allowed to be at that property for 5 days straight so ultimately in the 5-day work week you have 3 days maximum to get the job done. I've had multiple occurrences where an upper manager will tell me one thing and then another upper manager tell me another. But their lies it's not just the oops we got this mixed up it's straight bold-faced lies. There were many times that they would give advice on how to complete a job or even offer to get help and it wouldn't be afforded to you. I came in and was told that I couldn't work as maintenance full time at a property that had a laundry list, 60 work orders, on paper so they put me as manager and maintenance but with no management background or experience at all. They say they need to keep a standard of how the apartments look but in the end you will get in trouble if you don't complete it within 3 days and at one of the properties I was doing maintenance for had walls that were 18 ft tall and guess who wouldn't buy a ladder. They lose management contracts so they will uproot you and move you wherever. It's a corporation, in this one's as bad as the stories of other corporates

The company was great until a couple years ago. Management changed and it became utter chaos and nepotism. 
Upper management expects way too much from their employees but offer little or no support. Since it's never from a higher level anymore, the support that is occasionally provided is ineffective. Many properties are failing from poor quality training and inadequate staffing. 
If you're not related to or close friends with certain individuals in upper management, you'll be target if someone who is wants your position. There's a certain person there in charge of departments that plays chess with employees. They've been called a bully by many former and current employees. This person is a friend of the owners so no one addresses the unethical or unprofessional conduct. 
It really has gotten bad within and without the company. Corporate is more focused on how to keep all responsibility of them, so they continue to pile it on site staff, without abilities to make calls desperately needed. They are more concerned with raising rent saving money than they are taking care of employees and residents anymore. "Our People First" is still a relevant slogan for them, but the people they're referring to have changed to a small handful at the top. 

A typical day at my office at Winterwood  is going in ready to put your personal items down and log-in then began to work for sometimes there are several tenant at the door to pay late rent, file a complaint,report a problem with their units.  Phone is ringing, while multi-tasking other duties such as completing back-ground checks, complete the Scheduled- Move-in, and or Move-out, The Work place Culture is that there are (5) different Culture on my property and I've had to communicate with them via  Google Translate for most of them do not speak English.  I've Learn to  understand the various culture and listen while trying to understand due to the language barrier.  The hardest part of the job is trying to understand a language that I'm not familiar with.  The most enjoyable part of my job is to know that I've been able to communicate to those that have a language barrier and they understand me.  I'm a one manager office and everything must be done by me and in a timely fashion

As a property manager this company ask WAY too much  for the pay and they keep adding stuff on your workload and not give enough hours to do so. I only got 16 hours a week do to a 25-30hour job. My district manager even was telling me to have things done, I had not even been showed or trained to do nor  even heard of. I was there for over 6 months  without a raise. I worked alot of hours on my own time to reach deadlines and did not get paid. I can say over the 6 months I was there I was never told thank you or that I was appreciated for the hard work that I did for the company. Bottom line and overall this company is not a good company.  I would advise not  wasting your time with or  to even  work for Winter Wood.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The freedom to do your job, without a supervisor standing over your back watching your ever move. The pay was decent as well as the insurance and if they sent you somewhere, they pay travel time. And I had  good Supervisors

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
While working on the apartment sites that you’re assigned was OK but not knowing if you get sent to another facility out of town not so great.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
I had good coworkers and we seem to get along and help each other.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Travel to property site occupied work orders.

It was a great place to work but got really bad.  The place I managed was terrible and in my opinion, unfixable but I had it going for a few years until it got unbearable at times.  Be very careful if you don't associate with the higher ups, If they don't know you and like you, you could get canned.  You got no rules for the company and 2 days training and then had to figure out the rest on your own by asking other property managers.  The regional  managers are the ones who pass people's background checks and then fire you because their picks didn't work out.

I do my job daily and have access to multiple people to reach out to for help/advisement   They do not micro manage as long as you do your job well and always follow policy. Always remember your fair housing and apply it. They have a great monthly and quarterly bonus program.  There is always someone to reach out to for any issue you might need help with. They also have paid holidays and other benefits that I haven’t found with other companies. Thank you 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Maintenance technician 126 salaries reported	$20.61 per hour
Property manager 90 salaries reported	$20.40 per hour
Leasing agent 35 salaries reported	$18.37 per hour
Groundskeeper 13 salaries reported	$18.27 per hour
Assistant property manager 4 salaries reported	$19.13 per hour

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