2016 Women in Real Estate: Laura Puerta

Laura Puerta, Trion Real Estate Management

Name: Laura Puerta

Title: Director of Leasing and Human Resources

Company Name: Trion Real Estate Management         

Email: [email protected]        

Years in real estate: 10

Telephone: 914 964-1100 x14

How did you get your start in real estate?

This is a family business that I performed many duties but specialized in leasing in 2006. I began my professional career thereafter in Social Work, and returned to Real Estate in 2013.

What real estate associations or organizations are you a member of?

We are members of the Institute of Real Estate Management and The Building and Realty Institute.

What recent project or transaction are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my ability to safeguard the owner’s best interest, by protecting their assets, best evidenced by my compliance with DHCR rent regulations laws/policies, maintaining the vacancy loss at less than 3%, and having 90% compliance on monthly lease renewals.

What have been some of the benefits of being a mentor or having a mentor?

Being a mentor to the junior staff allows me to extend my knowledge and watch the young staff in our office flourish from administrative assistants, to property managers.  The mentorship strengthens the whole team, as we all learn from each other.

Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career and why?

My strongest influence has been my parents who have been in the real estate business as property landlords for 35 years.  I truly believe that I draw my knowledge and strength from them.  As a young child I envied their perseverance as immigrants to pursue their American Dream.  They started as owners of a small multi-unit building which was bought in Yonkers, NY in 1977 and are now proud owners of a multi-million dollar portfolio in New York City.

What time management strategies do you find to be the most effective for you?

I keep daily task list of my “to-do” items, and keep them in a notebook, that I carry everywhere with me. It’s very effective for keeping me on track.  I also create daily task lists for my assistant.

What is the best advice you have received and who was it from?

You have to make the money work for you, not you for the money. This is from my dad.