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What is a property management specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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As a property management specialist, you will have the opportunity to oversee properties - government, commercial, or residential properties. You will also approve and process tenants, transactions like lease agreements and rental payments. You will also need to be on call to make repairs on property or manage a team that repairs property.

To perform your job or duties, you will need to be high on customer service, be proactive with tenants, evaluate potential tenants, and oversee operations. You will need to be aware of what is going on with the property's day-to-day operations. A property management specialist will also need to pay bills, write income reports, and make sure the community runs smoothly. You will need to have good salesmanship, negotiation skills, and employee management.

Being a good organizer is essential for the job. You may only need a high school diploma, but a bachelor's in business management is a great job recommendation. You will need to be certified in property management, experienced in handling problems, and be a jack-of-all-trades. A good property manager can make about $57,000 - $127,000 a year, with beginners earning little more than $28,000.

ScoreProperty Management SpecialistUS Average
Salary
3.6

Avg. Salary $45,835

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.4

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.60%

Asian 5.32%

Black or African American 8.77%

Hispanic or Latino 16.87%

Unknown 4.14%

White 64.30%

Gender

female 49.34%

male 50.66%

Age - 49
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 49
Stress level
8.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.6

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.8

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Property management specialist career paths

Key steps to become a property management specialist

  1. Explore property management specialist education requirements

    Most common property management specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    57.2 %

    Associate

    21.5 %

    High School Diploma

    9.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific property management specialist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Property Management21.06%
    Customer Service17.29%
    Real Estate6.58%
    Government Property4.76%
    Management System4.71%
  3. Complete relevant property management specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New property management specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a property management specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real property management specialist resumes.
  4. Gain additional property management specialist certifications

    Property management specialist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific property management specialist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for property management specialists include Certified Property Manager (CPM) and Certified Manager Certification (CM).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research property management specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Manage: GPC, MILSTRIP, food, medical, tools, repair parts, fuel, ammunition supplies.
    • Develop relationships with landlords, gaining substantial rental leads contributing to positive occupancy percentages.
    • Review loans convey to FHA (HUD) to confirm utilities are on/off, abide by state laws.
    • Coordinate with FEMA home base in Washington.
  6. Prepare your property management specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your property management specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a property management specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable property management specialist resume templates

    Build a professional property management specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your property management specialist resume.
    Property Management Specialist Resume
    Property Management Specialist Resume
    Property Management Specialist Resume
    Property Management Specialist Resume
    Property Management Specialist Resume
    Property Management Specialist Resume
    Property Management Specialist Resume
    Property Management Specialist Resume
    Property Management Specialist Resume
  7. Apply for property management specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a property management specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first property management specialist job

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Average property management specialist salary

The average property management specialist salary in the United States is $45,835 per year or $22 per hour. Property management specialist salaries range between $27,000 and $77,000 per year.

Average property management specialist salary
$45,835 Yearly
$22.04 hourly

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How do property management specialists rate their job?

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Property management specialist reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022
Pros

I believe that as a property manager you are trusted with one of the most intimate areas of a persons life!… their home! That’s one heck of a responsibility because , at the end of the day everything starts and ends with home!

Cons

The only thing I don’t like about working in the property management field is having to turn people away or add them to a waitlist. The demand/need for affordable quality housing is so great… it’s nearly impossible to assist everyone you meet because the demand far exceeds the supply. That is so frustrating and leaves me feeling like I’ve let people down when I don’t have anything available. Sometimes hearing the desperation in their voices gets to me and I find myself upset when I am unable yo help them.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020
Pros

Working with people and providing 4 star service. Great opportunity to prove your leadership skills running a large scale operation.

Cons

If you are not a people person, don't like long hours, or keeping calm in stressful situations, this job is not for you.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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