With so many fly-by-night property management companies it's easy to see why Guarantee Management commands such tremendous client loyalty and respect.

Guarantee Management's President John J. Feeley moved to Miami from New York in 1971 after a successful stint in that city's real estate market. "It was a typical gray day in New York, with no leaves on the trees," he reminisced, "and I thought to myself why not be where it's sunny year round, where there's beautiful pastel colors everywhere."

Not long after his move Feeley was overseeing thousands of units across the country for a prestigious foreign investment firm (and he was only in his mid-20's). However, when that company began to have troubles Feeley joined Trafalgar Developers, a move that would put him right in the middle of South Florida's burgeoning property management profession.

"Ramon Caciendo, Trafalgar's owner and truly a prince of a man, hired me in this very office 25 years ago," Feeley explained from Guarantee's headquarters at 111 Fontainebleau Boulevard.

It is their history, their experience in the field of property management that has set Guarantee Management apart from their competitors. They were a part of Trafalgar, managing their properties for a little over five years, before going independent.

And all those years of experience have made a difference--property management is not the simple task that many perceive it to be.

"A property manager does everything--they must understand and handle every aspect of the financial management of a property (i.e. a condo or housing development)," explains Feeley's wife (who runs Guarantee with John), Community Association Manager Vicki Tucker Feeley. "Whether it's cutting checks, keeping and producing financial statements, collecting maintenance fee payments, we are totally responsible for the financial affairs of the development."

Property managers must also handle the administration of a property--a complex, intricate undertaking.

"It takes a great deal of experience to become familiar with all the parameters governing a community; you must understand not only county, state, and city laws, rules, and ordinances, but also be sensitive to the needs and wishes of a particular board," explained Vicki Feeley.

"A property manager needs to be knowledgeable about every sort of problem that might occur," she continued. "Whether it's how often a pool needs to be cleaned, what sort of wiring needs to be installed, who to contact for emergency plumbing problems, what sort paving a driveway requires... Everything and anything you can possibly imagine we have to familiar with."

When it first went independent, Guarantee was responsible for 24 properties while today it boasts handles 85, despite the fact that they've never advertised. John Feeley also emphasized that Guarantee would grow much more unless they were sure they could handle it--they have always emphasized quality over quantity.

"We still have some of the same properties with us that were with us that came with us when we went independent," John Feeley said. "That sort of customer loyalty is almost unheard of in this business given the demands associated with it."

John Feeley said that their success can be attributed to not just the experience of his property managers but also the honesty and integrity that is expected of them. He singled out his wife and Property Manager Sharman Killian, who he said are, "two of the best in the business."

Killian had very positive things to say about her employers, the Feeleys.

"As an employer they are some of the best people to work for. They treat everyone like family, and you won't find people who work for anyone as long as they have for them--people have been here for 25 years, from the very beginning. They have provided so much for the community through the years; I've never seen a company so loyal to their employees or the clients they represent."

Office Manager Lilia Toledo, who John Feeley called "the backbone of the operation," praised the working enviroment as well.

"I've been here 13 years, promoted in every department I've been in, and I've enjoyed every minute of it," Toledo said. " Most of the staff has been here more than 10 years. John and Vicky are very employee-oriented."

John and Vicky Feeley, who have a nine-year old daughter, Megan, are very committed to the family-oriented Doral area.

They manage Doral Woods, Casper House, Doral House One, Two, and Three, the Village of Doral Oaks, the Townhomes of Doral Oaks, Doral Estates, Doral Colony, and the Fairway Homes of Doral Estates.

John Feeley said, "I like the Doral area a great deal--I love the people there. We've made some wonderful friends there; it's not just a business for us in Doral, it's a personal relationship."

Vicki Feeley also stressed that Guarantee had chosen not to be a full-service management company like some of their competitors to avoid conflicts of interest.

"How can a company that also provides all of the services you might need also give you an unbiased opinion of who will offer the best service for the best price?