Tina West is a powerhouse in the Multifamily real estate arena, with a career spanning almost 35 years. She commands the respect and admiration of her peers and direct reports not just for her expertise and experience but also for her grit and resilience. From navigating challenges to successfully overseeing complex Multifamily portfolios, Tina has built a stellar career, inspiring others with an unyielding passion for her work.
“Passionate” is how she describes herself in a word. She is passionate about everything she does – whether it is serving clients, both internal and external, or being a mother and wife. “I LOVE all that I do,” she says. A result-oriented leader, Tina lives by the mantra, “No excuses, just results!”
As the Executive Vice President at Sares Regis Group (SRG), she currently runs the Client Advisory Dept. nationally. In this role, she effectively communicates the SRG Story, making sure that they are the top-of-the-mind choice for their clients. “We are committed to doing what we say we are going to do and execute well, the goal to exceed client goals and expectations,” she says. A dedicated industry professional, Tina also serves on multiple boards and leadership forums.
She believes in being a leader of people, and they motivate her to lead by example. “My team, clients, and customers are what drive me,” she says. Her people-first mentality has shaped her into a leader that others view as worth following. Her clients see her as their dedicated partner – who is all in. “My ultimate goal is to deliver an above-and-beyond service to everyone I interact with,” Tina says.
A Remarkable Career in Multifamily Real Estate
“I’ve had an amazing and blessed career,” says Tina. More than three decades ago, she stepped into the multifamily real estate space and gradually climbed the corporate ladder, becoming a force to be reckoned with. She has experience in new development, predev design, repositioning, market rate, affordable, active adult, HOA, and purpose-built single-family rentals. She has also spent time in the For Sale environment listing multiple buildings for developers who converted to condos. Tina has built several management organizations from the ground up, in addition to successfully launching several third-party endeavors.
She points out that she grew up in the multifamily real estate industry and has built, owned, and developed properties from Texas to California. In 2017, she moved to Texas to serve as the COO of Capstone, a third-party management firm with 40,000 units. Just prior to that, she led the West region for Lennar’s multifamily vertical, LMC.
In 2020, she was recruited by CBRE to establish its multifamily vertical; subsequently, she was approached by Cushman & Wakefield (CW). “I wasn’t initially looking for a new opportunity, but after 90 days of discussions and excitement for their recent Multifamily acquisition, I decided to move to CW,” Tina says. As the Executive Managing Director, she oversaw its 110,000 units from Texas to CA and led its national mixed-use platform. She was pivotal in growing the West Region’s portfolio and was recognized year over year as Top 10 for CW as well as cited to be the MVP by America’s Business Development team.
In 2023, Tina began talking with SRG executives, former colleagues alongside whom she had grown up in the industry. According to her, in SRG, she found a firm that was committed to delivering on its promises to clients and the teams working within the organization.
“It has been a refreshing environment with fantastic people who care deeply and are committed to excellence,” Tina says. “I’m excited for what is to come and what we are accomplishing.”
About Sares Regis Group
At its core, Sares Regis Group, or SRG, is a leading third-party management provider in the multifamily real estate space. For more than 30 years, it has thrived in managing residential and commercial properties. As a developer and owner, SRG understands what it takes to manage real estate with an ownership mindset.
Headquartered in California, SRG manages an impressive 37,000 units in 6 states. It also has a regional office in Arizona. Tina attributes the group’s success to impeccable execution. “We live our day to day with a ‘Think Like an Owner Mentality’,” she says.
Vision and the Future
At SRG, everyone believes they have a story to share – a story of execution and results. “We have always said we don’t want to be the biggest, just the best,” Tina points out. “And while many have said this, we believe it, and our actions are aligned with this vision.”
Currently, SRG is a 37,000-unit management company, and it expects to exceed 40,000 units by year-end. Tina shares that they intend to grow with a target on specific markets. Right now, those are Texas, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Nashville, Salt Lake City and Washington. SRG has a large presence in California and is well-known and respected there. “We need to become that same top-of-the-mind group outside of California as well,” Tina says.
“Our focus is on the real estate, the customer, both internal and external, and the client,” she adds. “Our back-of-the-house strength allows us to do just that.”
Courage to Keep Going
Tina’s journey to reach the upper echelons of the real estate world has been anything but easy. She has encountered numerous roadblocks and challenges, especially in her early days when she was often the youngest in the room or the only woman in the room. Internally, she experienced the same self-doubt most of us do, with voices in her questioning her abilities every time she was promoted. “What makes the hard impossible is the story you tell yourself in your head,” she points out.
Despite her failures, whether it was an assignment, a pitch, a meeting, a client call, or a property tour, she found the courage to persevere and keep going. She learned from every setback and made sure to do things differently the next time. Her willingness to learn from every experience and ability to keep going have put her on the path to success. Failing Forward is a motto she lives by.
Grit and resilience are the two qualities, she believes, distinguish success from failure. For her, the three keys to success are the ability to bounce back after setbacks, fail forward, and glean from lessons learned.
The Leadership Journey
Tina’s leadership journey continues to be an eventful one. As a leader, she has celebrated many successes and victories as well as faced significant challenges and heartbreaks. She embraces every experience, recognizing that one learns invaluable lessons from setbacks. They make her strive for excellence and give her best every day. With grit and resilience, she has stayed the course and persevered through the tough times.
“It’s about discovering your why and your passion and then keeping that flame alive,” she says. According to her, it is also crucial to find the right company, team, and people, which she refers to as “your Huddle.” – who offer their support along the way.
“And when you have that, when you build the trust and the synergy, you can navigate the ups and downs of life along the way,” Tina adds.
Self-Awareness – Finding Voice and Philosophy
Tina has always been self-aware, thanks to her business coach. For her, the best achievement as a leader is finding her voice and philosophy in a way that excites her team to want to work for her, follow her, and trust her.
“When my team knows my sole motivation is their improvement and success, they can have crucial conversations or hear the hard truth, knowing that I have their back,” she says. And knowing myself and the signs of where I am, of course coupled with the ability to adjust, has been key to my growth as a leader.”
Tina admits she does not always get it right. “But when I misstep, I quickly course correct, which is a sign that I am maturing as a leader,” she says. I don’t think this process will ever stop – it’s life!
Personal Goals to Conquer
After spending 35 years in the industry, some leaders start to think of stepping down. Tina is not one of them. “I’m not yet done,” she says. “I still have plenty of runway and more to do.” Her personal and professional goals are plenty.
She is a mother to seven children – four are at home and one is in college. She is committed to helping them grow into respectful, responsible individuals with the mental toughness needed to succeed in life. The most important role I have is that of being a mom and this will always be my priority.
Tina is a believer and has led women’s Bible studies for years. However, since moving to Texas, she has not yet formed a home study and misses that level of spiritual guidance to others. Her home church is Austin Ridge and she loves the pastor care and grounded life guidance she and her family receives. She is also excited to serve on the board of FCA – Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Tina also loves to run. Now, two years after her knee surgery, she is ready to sign up for her next half marathon. Another goal of hers is to read more. I am a lifelong learner. “I haven’t made time to read the way I used to, and my bookshelf is full of good reads,” she says.
“And at work, well, the sky is the limit,” Tina points out. She has ambitious goals for SRG. She wants to see it become a 50K-unit company in the very near future, while focusing on maintaining priority around clients’ business plans, their execution, and ensuring smart growth. She also wants to make sure her teams have clear career paths ahead of them as this leads to loyalty and retention – a trademark of SRG.
“Our industry is wrought with associate turnover. Transition pain is real,” Tina says. “At SRG, our average regional and above tenure is ten years.” She believes this is a result of their people-first culture and providing employees a path for growth and success.
Being a Woman in the Industry
In her leadership roles, Tina has not felt being a woman has been a roadblock to success. She thrived and continues to thrive. “I have enjoyed a very successful career and feel like I have accomplished much,” she says.
Like many, she has faced leaders who did not lead well. Tina points out that leadership quality is not determined by gender – whether male or female, not all leaders are alike. The ability to lead individuals and teams is a result of self-awareness, situational leadership, honesty, integrity and trust. Tina points out that the statement, “people leave bosses, not companies,” is true.
According to her, feelings of competition, inferiority, and insecurity can overtake any leader who is not confident in themselves or comfortable in their own journey. Being self aware and being committed to bettering your best is a non-negotiable. Tina believes that having strong and effective team members is key to a leader’s success, and recognizing this fact without being fearful takes strength and courage.
Tina often gets asked the question, “How do you maintain a work-life balance?” She believes that this concept varies from one person to another. Despite being a mother to seven children, she has always had a full-time executive career. At times, she struggles to maintain a work-life balance because of her love for what she does. “It is easy to get caught up in a 24/7 environment,” she says.
Tina prioritizes her children and husband, then her clients and team. She has established clear boundaries to ensure she can be present at home, take care of herself, and still be fully invested in her people at work. “I don’t always get it right,” she acknowledges, “but my coach and husband don’t hesitate to let me know when I’m off track.” For Tina, awareness, intentionality, and boundaries are the cornerstones of maintaining a balance between her professional and personal life.
Message to Aspiring Women Leaders
“YOU can do whatever you aspire to do if you are willing to put in the work,” Tina tells aspiring leaders. She advises them to be the author of their story. “How does the story end? Well, if you want a different result, you need to do things differently,” she says.
She also encourages aspiring leaders to surround themselves with those who will support them, see their vision, and help them get there. “You need to have a strong huddle,” she says.
“Lastly, Grit and Resilience are the winning recipe in life,” Tina adds. “I am glad to share my story and be part of your Huddle!”
