Skip to main content
When asked how she continues to provide excellent service for her clients, Action Property Management’s regional manager in Sacramento responded quite succinctly: “The challenge with every client is to provide the right level of service.” She went on to elaborate that knowing and meeting your clients’ expectations is an important first step. Over the course of her career, Valerie has lived up to these words over and over again.
Valerie’s entrance into the property management industry came about when she accepted a position working for a developer in Northern California. While there, she was tasked with developing CC&Rs and budgets for new communities. As she transitioned into managing developed properties, she found herself working for a dysfunctional company that went through four different CEOs in six years.
As each new CEO failed to bring about the needed changes, she became discouraged and even considered starting her own management company. It was at this time that Action’s CEO, Matthew Holbrook, stumbled across her name. Action was considering expanding to Sacramento and needed someone with Valerie’s connections and experience in the area.
One Friday afternoon, Matthew called her. The two spoke over the phone, and she agreed to submit a resume. The following Monday, Matthew had already planned to fly from Orange County to San Francisco. With only a two-hour drive preventing him from connecting with her, Matthew set up a face-to-face meeting. Not knowing anything about Action, Valerie was skeptical and came prepared with questions of her own. However, by the end of the interview, she had accepted an offer to join the Action team.
What sets Valerie Segars apart from others in the industry is her tenacious yet caring attitude. She isn’t scared of what others might call a fight. For her, it’s just doing the right thing. Rather than hiding behind a string of letters that go unanswered, Valerie prefers to meet personally with homeowners, often in their own homes, to work toward finding a solution.

One woman she met with was struggling with cancer treatments. Her front yard had died and finances were tight. Rather than formalizing the violations, Valerie met the woman at Home Depot and helped her choose plants that would fill up the needed space while remaining within her budget. The experience was so positive that the woman couldn’t wait to go shopping with Valerie again.

What sets Valerie Segars apart from others in the industry is her tenacious yet caring attitude. She isn’t scared of what others might call a fight. For her, it’s just doing the right thing.

Later, an opportunity to help a struggling condo complex came her way. It was in a rough area of town and the complex was known for drugs, violence, and gang activity. The financial picture was bleak, and the HOA was all but bankrupt. By the time Action was hired and Valerie got involved, the city had appointed a receiver to take over.
With many of the units occupied by renters who had little regard for the rule of law, Valerie saw an opportunity to help the innocent homeowners in the community. She convinced Action to let her take a chance, and she got busy cleaning house.
As she looked into financial records, it became clear that everyone involved with the association was stealing from it. Her first job was to educate the board members regarding their fiduciary duties. Next, she made sure that the homeowners were properly assessed. Finally, she addressed the problematic tenants. By working together with law enforcement and the on-site security team, many people moved out.
Even as gunfire echoed nearby during board meetings, Valerie remained undeterred. Her end goal was a better quality of life for everyone, so eviction wasn’t the only offensive strategy. Allowing people to be heard also went a long way.
One gang member was feeling harassed by security and had even threatened to shoot one of the officers. Since the gang member’s mother was the homeowner, it was a delicate situation. Rather than immediately choosing the punitive option, Valerie invited him into a meeting to discuss the issue. She gave him a chance to tell his side of the story. Once he had the chance to be heard and felt respected, the two sides were able to shake hands and come up with a solution that reduced future conflicts.
Within one year of Valerie’s involvement, the community was completely changed. The improvement was so remarkable that the city won an award for turning its reputation around. It had gone from a place where the police knew many residents by name to a place where the police were never called.
Fighting may not always be the answer, but doing the right thing is. For Valerie Segars, the right thing isn’t always easy or safe, but that doesn’t make it any less right.