Mark Katz is property manager at CM Property Management Inc., a Diamond Certified company since 2014. He can be reached at (408) 763-3540 or by email.
Mark Katz: Service-Oriented
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
SAN JOSE — After 18 years as a property manager, Mark Katz looks back on his introduction to the business. “I used to be in finance, marketing and operations,” he recounts. “In 2000, I had an opportunity to get into property management, so I took it. What I really liked about being a property manager was the variety—you’re presented with a new challenge every day, so it never gets boring.”
In 2010, Mark decided to strike out on his own and founded CM Property Management Inc. “I wanted to have a property management company that focused on developing relationships with property owners, as opposed to being just numbers-driven,” he explains. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s all about quality of service, not quantity of properties, which is why I created the tagline, ‘Service makes the difference.’” After four years of running the company on his own, Mark brought on Sam LaPlaca and Andrea Vernerova, with whom he now shares management responsibilities.
As a property manager, Mark makes a point of fostering relationships with property owners and tenants alike. “A lot of property management companies focus on taking care of owners, but I think it’s equally important to address the tenants’ needs. I’ve found if you take care of a tenant and show them respect, they’re going to take better care of the property, which ends up benefitting the owner as well. Basically, it’s a real win-win.”
A resident of Los Gatos (where he lives with his wife, Cindy), Mark spends his free time on a variety of pastimes. “Owning a property management company is a 24-hour job, so I don’t get a lot of free time, but when I do, I enjoy outdoor activities like hiking,” he says. “I also play in a softball league and enjoy traveling to new places with my wife.”
When asked the first thing he’d do if he were to retire tomorrow, Mark says he’d expand his traveling horizons. “I have a bucket list of places I want to see, like Antarctica. I also want to see the Northern Lights and take a tour of Europe to see all the old castles.”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: Are you a dog person or a cat person?
A: A dog person.
Q: What’s your favorite movie?
A: “Cast Away.”
Q: What’s your favorite sports team?
A: The Pittsburgh Steelers. I grew up in Pittsburgh.
Q: What do you like on your pizza?
A: Just cheese and sauce.
Q: If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future?
A: The past. I wouldn’t want to know what my future holds—I’d rather just live it as I go.
