A career in property management can take you many different directions. You can be a property manager, caretaker, leasing agent, office coordinator — the list goes on. It takes the right person with the right skills to work in any number of these property management careers. We’re here to help you out!
In commercial real estate, the multi-unit homes, apartments, condos, and retail complexes need someone to take care of the business needs at those locations. These responsibilities fall on the property manager and not the property owner, generally.
The job of a property manager is incredibly diverse and isn’t always a one-size-fits-all situation. On a typical day, a property manager will spend much of their time filing and deligating property maintenance service requests, collecting rent, and show apartments to new tenants. They will also inspect units as tenants move-out, and evict tenants who violate their lease. They are also in charge of listing the vacant units on their property website as well as other sites to advertise their open units.
Often the property manager may end up being in charge of social media and other avenues of marketing since they spend most of their time on-site. It is easy to take photos and add things to social media stories, and news feeds as they walk around throughout the day. Some of these duties may be able to fall under an assistant property manager or leasing assistant who can do the administrative side of things. In contrast, the property manager does face-to-face work.
To become a property manager, you need a few things. First, because some property managers’ roles are similar to that of a real estate agent, you should research the requirements for your state when it comes to property management certifications. If your state does require certifications or licenses, work on getting those. In the meantime, you can look for properties whoa re looking for property management. Some may allow you to do work towards your proper licenses or certificates as you handle other duties of the job.
Getting a job in property management requires you to have experience in customer service, sales, marketing, maintenance, and general managerial skills. Depending on your location (city, state, county), you may have different property management requirements or even roles. Some property managers may be much more like a real estate agent, while others will be similar to a caretaker. So keep your eye peeled for those specifics when applying to be a property manager.
Lastly, brush up on best practices and maintenance tips before you begin. A property manager wears many hats, and to be successful, they need to know how to handle anything that comes their way. If you are a go-getter who loves people and can be a jack of all trades, then you may have what it takes for a career in property management.
Property managers need a reliable team alongside them to manage large multifamily complexes. These roles include a dedicated team of leasing agents, maintenance technicians, and administrative workers.
The Assistant Property Manager supports the property manager with both the operational and financial aspects of the property. They are just as well-versed in their roles but with a little more emphasis on the administrative side of things. They will handle calls and follow-ups related to leasing. They will analyze competitors and translate that research into effective marketing for the property. They work on resident retention as well as the day-to-day administrative things like rent collection, moving in tenants, and signing leases.
The Maintenance Technicians are responsible for rotating on-call support, emergency calls, and all major site repairs, remodels, or other projects. They will be at the disposal of the Property Managers who will assign them maintenance tasks as service results roll in from residents. They will also assist with painting and other upgrades as tenants move in or out of units.
A Leasing Consultant will handle all things related to leasing out-reach, prospective tenants, selling the property, and assist residents in lease renewal. They are an integral part of the team because they can fully dedicate themselves to both new sales and resident retention. They will handle all incoming phone or email inquiries regarding available units, set up times to view units, and assist in move-out inspections. This position allows the Property Managers to pivot away from these duties and focus on more day-to-day property management.
The Groundskeeper, or On-Site Caretaker, keeps the properties spick and span. They will keep the grounds clean and free of debris. This includes indoors with vacuuming, changing lightbulbs, dusting, keeping recreational and lounge areas clean, etc. They will also keep the grounds outdoors mowed, trimmed, watered, and clear of snow, leaves, and other debris. They keep the place looking pretty and presentable!
Not all apartments have a Concierge, but this role provides high-quality customer services to residents by anticipating and thus meeting the needs of the current residents. They may coordinate recreational reservations (party room, guests suites, etc.) They can coordinate services such as dry cleaning, deliveries, maid and taxi services, and assist with guest parking. They do all the duties a hotel Concierge might do but can cater to the residents as they get to know them better and be able to service the residents with prime customer care.
As you can see, a career in property management can be one of many fun roles that, as a whole, create an enjoyable living environment with critical amenities to ensure resident retention and enjoyment. Bigos has multiple positions available right now, which can be viewed here, in many of the roles we’ve listed above. Open the desired job listing, and apply by uploading a resume or our manual application process on the website.
