Tarah Garcia

My journey into multifamily property management was completely unexpected. I started as a college swimmer on an athletic scholarship, but an injury changed my path. I became a flight attendant with American Airlines in 2000, wanting to travel and figure out my next steps. Then September 11th happened about six months after my first flight. I was in the air that day, and when we landed, I was furloughed along with many less tenured employees. I had to figure out how to pay my bills and find a place to live. While touring apartments with my parents' help, I was hired on the spot, and that's when I fell in love with this industry. Over 23 years, I've discovered that helping people through life-changing moments like divorces or welcoming new children into their homes is incredibly fulfilling. I worked my way up from leasing consultant to managing director, and now I oversee 13 properties with 8 different client groups. I manage everything from pricing strategy and financial reporting to capital expenses and compliance. But what I love most is being a mama bear to my teams, making sure my managers feel empowered to make decisions while knowing they can lean on me. I live by my Outlook calendar, but I also love when emergencies come up that require me to pivot and problem-solve. Whether it's a $65,000 sprinkler inspection on a vintage asset or helping a manager navigate a difficult resident conversation, I'm deeply invested in both the business performance and the people who make it all happen.