Mr. Kirby

Kirby was a wonderful gift from Heaven. Back in 2009, I had just fired a property management company after one month. It was too bad because I had interviewed just about every property management company in Birmingham and they had come out on top. That just goes to show you everything that shines isn't worth picking up.

Anyway, the day I fired them I had an issue. In fact, the reason I fired them was my issue. You see, the former property management company had gone to take possession of the house. The tenant said, "I'm not ready to leave." and the broker said, "Ok, well, call me in a month when you are ready." Except the tenant wasn't supposed to be there at all and had just gotten permission from the broker to squat in my home.

The day this all was going on, a loan officer I am acquainted with called me. I was in a bit of a tizzy and he sweetly said, "Is there anything I can do to help you?" Actually there was. Did he know a property management company that wasn't full of buffoons? The loan officer just happened to share office space with Kirby, who was just getting his feet wet in the whole property management business. And thus, a business arrangement was made.

That day, I gave Kirby two properties to manage. It doubled his business. A year later, he was managing a good portion of my homes and had bought some other company's portfolio. I was still one of his biggest clients, as I had a gazillion homes, but he now handled about 200 homes.

I learned with Kirby that when he was busy and had no news, he said nothing. That is absolutely frustrating to an owner. And it makes the veins of us Type-As pop out of our forehead. But he was fair and honest--which seemed to be a rare trait in property managers.

In 2013, Kirby sold his property management division and started an HVAC service. It is more profitable. He still handles real estate too. Entrepreneurs tend to have more than one stream of income. When he sold off, he told me I had been his favorite owner and to keep in touch. And we have kept in touch.

Kirby handled my AC issues until I stopped having AC issues. He handled my real estate sales (though unsuccessfully, unfortunately) until I gave up. But mostly Kirby is one of the two people over there I can go to when I need to bounce some obscure Alabama detail off of someone. He has gotten my back on numerous occasions when he didn't need to.

He has a dry, deadpan sense of humor that I really appreciate. One time, while I was visiting Birmingham, Kirby made a true but unprofessional comment about one of my tenants. I said, "Look behind you, that's your realtor hat that fell off." He turned around and looked at the imaginary hat and said, "That 'ole thing?" When I told him I was closing down, he said, "What took you so long?" He promises me freedom is just around the corner. I hope he is right.

He will be one of the handful of people I will truly miss when all is said and done. Kirby is also one of the handful of Alabama people who I am blessed to know.