Kiwi couple take on 24-years-young charmer
Surfers Paradise is undoubtedly the entertainment mecca for the Gold Coast but it is also what draws in multitudes of tourists every year for Queensland.
Ideally located in the central hub of Surfers Paradise is the Surfers Mayfair Apartment complex, boasting the Nerang River to the west and the iconic beach surf to the east. This is the perfect base for discovering all that the diverse and pleasurable Gold Coast has to offer.
Surfers Mayfair does not just offer the ultimate Surfers Paradise location; it also offers fully self-contained, spacious apartments with inspiring views over Surfers Paradise, the Nerang River and Budds Beach. There is a delightful heated swimming pool and spa, a sauna and full size tennis courts, all set amidst beautiful rainforest style gardens. Despite being central to the hustle and bustle of Surfers Paradise it also ensures that guests can relax and unwind in a quiet, unique and peaceful setting; just a stone’s throw from the international restaurants, alfresco cafés, boutiques and art galleries of central Surfers Paradise.
This family-orientated complex was built around 1990 – a period in time when apartments were designed for comfort and spaciousness. Surfers Mayfair Apartments is 12 storeys high with 50 apartments and was built by a Japanese group who were targeting the golf market on the Gold Coast.
In November 2013 Karen and David Russell took over the management rights of Surfers Mayfair. This couple has spent most of their lives in New Zealand where their three adult children and granddaughter still live. Karen and David decided to make the move to Australia and hope that their family will eventually follow.
Their rationale is that it is a great time move to Australia, to take advantage of the current strength of the New Zealand dollar against the Australian dollar in order to achieve a good value for money purchase. David says “We believe that the Australian economy is at or near its lowest point and we anticipate economic growth, hence we took this opportunity now.”
They certainly did their industry research, attracted to The Gold Coast because they noticed the undercurrent of future investment and the possibility of a new shipping port and casino. Significant investment is already apparent, with the construction of the light rail system that will link Broadbeach to Surfers and Southport and the revamp of Pacific Fair and Jupiter’s Casino. An abundance of investment is expected to come along with the preparation for the Commonwealth Games in 2018.
Karen and David visited Australia once every three months to look at properties and to speak with other people in the industry, to get a feel for their individual experiences. They looked at many resorts and complexes before deciding that Surfers Mayfair is the apartment complex that is right for them.
Karen comes from an accounting background and prior to moving to Australia was working as an accountant in a small family oriented practice. Previously she worked for the New Zealand government and the United Kingdom government, working on large projects as a business analyst. This strong business and accounting experience has been crucial to the management style that she employs at Surfers Mayfair Apartments. Karen also asserts that she has some hospitality experience. “While I was living in the Pacific Islands I took tourists out diving to local dive spots.”
In management rights, like yin and yang, David’s maintenance background perfectly counterbalances Karen’s business background. He has a history in the electrical trade and also moved into maintenance management. David has worked overseas with a contract to run generation and reticulation on a Pacific island. Upon his return to New Zealand he worked in the chemical industry for a short time before starting his own business in chemical logistics back when legislative controls were increasing. Not busy enough with one business, David also decided to start a truck washing company and both businesses were subsequently sold.
David has a very eclectic history and he adds, “I also lived in the UK where I worked for a racecar company and travelled around Europe. Upon returning to New Zealand again, I got a maintenance contract to manage a road and construction company.”
One of the attractions of Surfers Mayfair for the Russells was how well maintained and how solid the construction of the building is. David states, “The building is relatively untouched. Some owners have put individual touches in some of the apartments. But how good it still looks is a testament to the quality of the building.” As with every resort, over time all apartments can start to look a little tired and so the Russells are trying to encourage some of their owners of apartments in the holiday pool to freshen them up. Karen says, “Even if we can get some small things done that will make a big difference.”
Karen and David naturally get on well with people and communicating well with guests, owners, and the committee has turned into one of their finest achievements. They are already seeing repeat guests, which makes them very proud. Karen emphasises that the cleanliness of the apartments has also been a high priority for them since taking over late last year. With no experience in resort management this very capable couple has very quickly taken to the industry. “We had to learn so much in the last six months.”
Their biggest learning curve may have been discovering an understanding of how the complex operates and taking management expectations on board; however, Karen and David have given this project all they have and are very proud to have achieved so much in such a short period of time. They acknowledge that they really get things done, effectively and efficiently. This is an astonishing admission with the minimal industry experience they both have. Karen proudly states, “We believe we have most of the operation of managing the building, complex and letting running smoothly and there is still plenty of opportunity for growth.”
Most importantly Karen and David enjoy managing this fantastic resort. They love the location and the relationships that they have developed with many diverse individuals; they have a strong focus on building and maintaining relationships and consistently strive for great customer service. They insist common sense, courtesy and hard work are all essential qualities in resort management and it seems that Karen and David have them in abundance. We are positive that Surfers Mayfair Apartments will only continue to benefit from their dedicated skills and unwavering commitment.
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