When you think of Keeley Properties, you may just think of the development and construction of buildings. However, our team is made up of talented individuals that allow us to serve our clients from the beginning of a project through completion and beyond. Julie Panagos, Vice President of Property Management for Keeley Properties, has built a successful career in the real estate industry and as an invaluable member of Keeley Properties' executive leadership team.
Julie began her career in real estate after realizing she needed a change while working her first job after college with the Department of Human Services in St. Louis. She reached out to a friend who was recruiting for a local real estate management company and has been in real estate ever since. Julie joined the Keeley Properties team 16 years ago as Senior Property Manager overseeing the CityPlace property in Creve Coeur, MO. She managed this 900,000 SF, mixed use property until its sale in 2013. Throughout her tenure at Keeley Properties, Julie’s role has evolved from managing one property to managing multiple teams and properties across the St. Louis area. She has also advanced from strictly property management to being more involved in the development side of the business. Through programming, design of new projects, and onboarding, the development team helps bring properties to life and transition from the construction phase to the asset and property management phase.
One thing Julie loves most about her role is that no two days are ever the same. Any given week can involve financial reviews, implementing leasing strategies, planning capital improvement projects, coaching the team and talent, and interacting with tenants. Not only does she deal with the buildings, but with the people that live and work within those buildings. Keeley Properties is a relationship business, and any issue that may arise with a tenant’s experience at a property takes priority. This can also be the most challenging part of Julie’s job – trying to balance what is best for the property through policies and procedures while also trying to exceed customer expectations and provide a world-class experience. When Julie hears praise from a tenant or a team member though, it makes all her hard work worth the effort. In her experience, people are often quick to point out something that is going wrong, but it is such a rewarding experience when a client takes the time to acknowledge something that has gone right.
Julie has spent her entire real estate career in St. Louis, and she continues to love the variety of projects and opportunities that are available in the local communities. As property manager of CityPlace, a 1.2 million square foot office campus, Julie worked with Fortune 500 companies, local small business owners, and every size of tenant in between. This is also where she first managed a team of 15 to create a differentiated tenant experience through events, charitable programming, and strong tenant relationships. Motor Lofts was the first multifamily apartment project in which she was involved, quickly learning a new product and audience as well as an area of St. Louis that was new to her at the time. More recently, Julie oversaw the 2017 renovation of Clayton on the Park, which created over 30,000 square feet of state-of-the-art amenities that help form a sense of community that sets the property apart. Through Keeley Properties, she is able to be involved in all aspects of real estate – from the acquisition and development of creating something from nothing, to the leasing and managing, she embraces the life cycle of real estate and loves being a part of the process from start to finish.
The real estate industry is constantly changing and evolving, and if Julie could give one piece of advice to someone just starting out in the industry, it would be:
“Be open to all tasks and assignments, no matter how big or small. There are so many different career paths within real estate that most people don’t realize until they are in it and living it. When you are open to trying different tasks in different areas, then you may find a passion that you didn’t even know existed.”
With Keeley Properties' pipeline of growth, Julie could not be more excited for the future of her role and the company. She wants to continue to provide exceptional products with high-touch living and working experiences for customers and tenants while growing the team and portfolio.