Smart, talented, and committed:
Debbie’s fresh take on MR By Mandy Clarke, Editor
This is the remarkable story of how Debbie Slater, without any management rights experience, became the manager of two large permanent properties in the middle of a pandemic. “It was instinct,” says new resort manager, Debbie when asked why she decided on the spot to buy the management rights for two of Brisbane’s more sought-after permanent resort properties. Shafston Towers and Mon Reve
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are the two adjoining complexes in Kangaroo Point. Debbie viewed them both in the same day and immediately made an offer to purchase the management rights. Unbelievably, this was the first MR business she’d even looked at! Debbie reveals: “The decision I made on that day probably isn’t the ideal way to buy a business or to make such a huge lifestyle change, but I have to say it’s been the best decision I ever made!” She says: “My career was in sales and retail for most of my working life but when I downsized from a large house to apartment living on the water in Woody Point,
Redcliffe, I loved it! I was inspired by the fantastic manager of my building and thought that management rights seemed like a pretty good job. I am a very practical and technically minded person, so I felt that this role would be a natural fit for me. “In 2019, I researched the industry, I studied, I completed a management rights introductory day on the Gold Coast with ARAMA and, of course, I got my Real Estate licence. Then, as I consulted a finance broker to find out how much I could borrow, a great business opportunity came on the market. I made an appointment with Lyn Pearsall at
PROFILES
MR Sales to view Shafston Towers and Mon Reve and I immediately knew that I had to make an offer, so I signed a contract that same day. The support from Lyn Pearsall was outstanding, she went above and beyond to help me achieve my goal. “I began my new career on June 5, 2020, and I haven’t looked back!” Debbie lives onsite in Shafston Towers, it has 33 residential apartments that are all large, bright, and airy and the complex offers all the facilities you would expect of an inner city resort with a large in-ground swimming pool, spa, tennis court, picturesque BBQ and family area.
ResortNews | October 2020
