Cameron Asset Management

Photos by Jennifer Stromberg

When you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself.

We've all said it when we can't find someone to fix our maintenance woes immediately or correctly. And it's the same conclusion that led Naples-based Cameron Real Estate to form a unique sister company to handle every aspect of property maintenance.

Cameron Asset Management, or CAM, was formed about two and a half years ago to compliment Naples-based Cameron Real Estate, a Southwest Florida commercial and residential real estate and management company.

The idea came about purely "by necessity," says owner Scott Cameron, after experiencing difficulty finding a contractor to take care of all the company's requests on a regular basis. "It's hard to find workers, and it's even harder to find workers that are fully insured," Cameron says.

Under the watchful eye of vice president Glen MacDonald, a general contractor for more than 20 years, CAM services about 30 properties on a regular basis and takes on custom projects for clients. If a leasee wants a redecorated office space, a new lobby or a fresh coat of paint, CAM will do it.

The same applies to residential properties on the market. For example, CAM renovated the 1970s kitchen of a slow-selling Port Royal residence. The home was snatched up soon after the renovations, and at a higher price. "It's been a very unique service from the residential side," Cameron says.

The Cameron team is ready to serve. From left: CAM Vice President Glen MacDonald, President Scott Cameron and service professionals Scott Bennett and Bill Beard.

A large chunk of CAM's business comes from the regular maintenance of managed properties. The work consists of routine maintenance -- repairing sidewalk cracks, screwing in new light bulbs and fixing the funny noises in air conditioners or toilets. CAM staff members check up on properties at least once a week on a regular basis. "The tenant will know that the maintenance will be there every week," Cameron says.

And it's that type of scheduled maintenance, Cameron said, which heads off the bigger repairs - and potential accidents --before they happen. "By being there on a regular basis," Cameron says, "we can reduce the risk of liability."

All CAM staff members carry pagers and radio dispatch, making for a quick response time to after-hour or week-end emergencies. And because CAM is fully licensed to do almost any type of work, there is no need to search for subcontractors, collect bids or make appointments days or weeks after a problem first surfaces. "We can get the people to the scene pretty quickly," Cameron says. "In an emergency situation, we don't have to go out to find competing companies for contracting."

With a fleet of three maintenance vans outfitted with electrical outlets, tool benches and plenty of equipment, service becomes even more convenient because there's no need to continually run to the hardware store. All staff members are also required to wear Cameron uniforms and follow a strict code of conduct. "You want some kind of controls in a professional atmosphere," Cameron adds.

The secret to the successful service has been attention to clients. Cameron says that even after one of his clients' buildings changed owners, businesses owners who leased there kept calling CAM for maintenance, saying they missed the frequent check-ups and attention to the little repairs.

Cameron Asset Management, 1250 North Tamiami Trail, Naples, can be reached at (941) 261-1111.