Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara Devine.
Hi Tara, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Steve and I are native Texans and veterans of the United States Navy. Steve earned his geology degree from Texas Tech before serving eight years as a Navy officer, and I retired as a Senior Chief Petty Officer.
After his military service, Steve worked as a directional driller in the oil fields, but the demanding schedule left little time for family. While exploring franchise opportunities for more control and flexibility, property management came across our path. Our first reaction? Not no, but hell no.
The more we learned, the more we saw an opportunity. Many association owners struggle with poor or nonexistent communication from their management companies. We knew we could do it better. From my Navy experience, I learned that when a team isn’t performing to its potential, there’s a chance to excel simply by focusing on the basics and taking care of people—lessons we brought directly to property management.
Around the same time we were planning PMI Bluebonnet Realty, COVID changed how everyone lived and worked. Property management gave us a way to start a business with a reasonable financial investment, work from home, and gain the flexibility we wanted.
Now entering our sixth year, we manage about 24 associations across Texas—from Spring, Lampasas, Helotes, Bandera, San Antonio, Wimberley, Spring Branch, Bulverde, and our home base in Blanco. As we’ve grown, we’ve added exceptional team members and recently purchased property to open our new office in Blanco.
We keep our business intentionally small—more boutique than mass production—so we can provide personal service, customized features like websites and online surveys, and meaningful engagement for each community. Building PMI Bluebonnet Realty has been challenging, but we are proud of what we’ve accomplished. We see ourselves as an extension of each Board of Directors, committed to responsive, professional, and personalized service.
All in all, we have learned a lot about property management, about starting a business, and about ourselves. At the end of the day, Steve and I are very proud of what we have accomplished, and we intend to improve on what we have while continuing to grow our business and our team.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
LOL! No, it has not been a smooth road. When we first opened our doors, the goal was to earn the business, but finding the decision-makers, or the Board of Directors, for an association is a bit like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Then there was the killer question, “So how many associations do you currently manage?” That was the dreaded interview question, and we used to practice how to say, “Well, none currently, but you could be our first!!” Then, when we landed clients, our next question was, “Now what?” Not only were we trying to learn property management, but also how to run our business.
The other aspect that we have found challenging is perception by owners and Board Members. We take education seriously to include knowing Federal and especially, Texas laws relating to property management. We are also serious about fiscal responsibility, but often, owners and some Boards truly only want administrative staff. It is a difference in how we are perceived and how we perceive ourselves. We have ended relationships with clients because our goals and objectives just didn’t align.
We’ve been impressed with PMI Bluebonnet Realty, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
PMI Bluebonnet Realty is a veteran-owned, independently owned and operated franchise, managing Homeowner, Property Owner, and Condominium Associations. We provide personalized service, responsive communication, customized solutions, and significantly limit ancillary management fees—all while building lasting relationships with the communities we serve. As a company, we would all agree that our greatest pride comes from the clients we represent.
On a more personal note, Steve and I are extremely proud of our team members. They are all exceptional professionals and form the heart and personality of our company.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Because we are small and also because finding the ever-elusive Board member can be difficult, we rely heavily on referrals. Much of our business has come from owners and sometimes our vendors, who have overheard someone talking about looking for new management, and they have mentioned us.
Also, with all of the growth currently taking place in Texas and in the Hill Country, we love partnering with developers. We can help with the management of an association still under development, which allows the developer and their team to put more focus on the development and sale of property.
Pricing:
- Basic Monthly Management fee starts at $650 and includes financials and a customized website.
- After the Basic Monthly Management fee, we look at the requested services and the average time we would spend on a monthly basis to accomplish each task. Our hourly rate is $100.
- Associations can select from a menu of services (Compliance Inspections, meetings, Architectural Control Committee assistance, etc).
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.springbranchcommunitymanagement.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pmibluebonnetrealty
