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Meet Wollongong Strata’s Managing Director, Tanya Edwards

Dec 11, 2023

A Woman In A Suit And Floral Shirt Is Smiling For The Camera - Wollongong Strata: Providing Wide-Ranging Strata Services In Corrimal, NSW

WHY DID YOU LAUNCH WOLLONGONG STRATA?

I love property and I love people and with twenty years’ experience in real estate and Strata Management under my belt, it’s time to run my own business again.

I feel like I’m at the top of my game right now and I want to use my passion and experience to create the best Strata Management company in the Illawarra. In fact, there’s nothing I’d rather be doing right now.

Apartment living is on the rise in Wollongong – just look at how different the skyline is now to how it was just ten years ago – and people need a strata management company that will look after them and advocate for them.

WHY DID YOU BECOME A STRATA MANAGER?

Good question! You need to be passionate about property to excel as a Strata Manager and I certainly am. To really love the property industry you need to love property from the ground up.

I love the building side of property: good building design; beautifully landscaped gardens; exceptional brickwork, and, believe it or not, I can usually tell who a developer is just by looking at a building. I get out to my buildings at least three or four times a year, just to make sure they look as good as they can.

But it’s the people side of Strata Management that I love most. You need to be a people person to be a good Strata Manager and I think I am that – I love to chat with people and I like to get to know my Owners’ Corporations. I genuinely enjoy it and it helps me do my job better.

WHAT ARE YOU PROUD OF?

There’s a lot I’m proud of in my life. I’m proud of my years of professional experience and my credentials, which include a Diploma of Business Management; a Diploma of Leadership and Management, I also studied Property Law at Macquarie University.

"I’m proud to be part of the Illawarra business community and in 2022, I was a finalist in the Illawarra Business awards. In 2023, I was a Small Business of the Year finalist in the Illawarra Women in Business awards, which felt amazing."

On a personal level, Wollongong Strata are proud to sponsor the Illawarra Deadly encouragement awards for young indigenous children, Breast Cancer Australia and Guide Dogs Australia.

And, of course, I’m proud of my six beautiful children; and I’m a Wiradjuri woman and am proud of my indigenous heritage.

WHAT MUST YOU DO TO BECOME A STRATA MANAGER IN NSW?

Strata Managers deal with the management – including financial, maintenance and administrative matters – of strata titled residential, commercial and industrial complexes, as well as community and neighbourhood associations. Essentially, we ensure the building runs smoothly and is fully compliant with legislation.

As a Licensed Strata Manager it certainly helps to have real estate experience and credentials.

"I’m a Licensed Real Estate and Business Agent and, prior to turning my expertise to Strata Management, I was a successful real estate business owner, sales agent and property manager for 10 years – which means I relate well to real estate agents and they tend to like working with me. I get things done!"

To practice as a Strata Manager you need a Certificate of Strata Registration under a licensed Strata Manager, while you obtain your own license. To run your own Strata Management company, as I do, you must have a Strata Managing Agent’s License Class 1.