How to hire a Property Manager

How to hire a property manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step property manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a property manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new property manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Property Manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your property manager job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a property manager for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

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   Hiring the perfect property manager also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of property managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type Of Property Manager	Description	Hourly Rate
   Property Manager	Property, real estate, and community association managers take care of the many aspects of residential, commercial, or industrial properties. They make sure the property is well maintained, has a nice appearance, and preserves its resale or leasing value.	$16-34
   Leasing Consultant	A Leasing Consultant specializes in helping property owners secure tenants for their rental properties. Most of the responsibilities include coordinating with landlords to find suitable occupants, posting rental notices and advertisements on various platforms, and monitor the quality of every rental property... Show More	$12-18
   Leasing Agent	A leasing agent primarily works to assist and represent property owners when finding and managing tenants. They are in charge of advertising and promoting the properties in different areas or platforms, developing marketing strategies, coordinating with applicants, gathering their requirements, verifying the applicants' paperwork and references, and negotiating leasing terms... Show More	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Property Management
   • Financial Reports
   • Real Estate
   • Yardi
   • Resident Retention
   • Resident Relations
   • Payroll
   • Evictions
   • Rent Collection
   • Rent Payments
   • Cam
   • Apartment Community
   • Property Inspections

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage condominiums for individual investors; enforce lease requirements/community policies.
   • Design and manage all company facebook accounts for residents and prospective residents regarding property information and general interest articles.
   • Update resident and unit information utilizing property management software (OneSite )
   • Maintain OSHA files, employee files, payroll files and staff PTO accruals.
   • Record journal entries for accruals.
   • Process applications and coordinate lease signing with new residents in YARDI.

   More Property Manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your property manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A property manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a property manager in Indiana may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level property manager usually earns less than a senior-level property manager. Additionally, a property manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average property manager salary

   $49,958yearly

   $24.02 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level property manager salary

   $34,000 yearly salary

   Updated May 24, 2025

   Average property manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	New York	$60,617	$29
   2	California	$58,760	$28
   3	Washington	$57,217	$28
   4	Hawaii	$56,753	$27
   5	Oregon	$55,153	$27
   6	Massachusetts	$54,259	$26
   7	Pennsylvania	$53,626	$26
   8	Maryland	$50,797	$24
   9	District of Columbia	$49,211	$24
   10	Colorado	$48,067	$23
   11	Arizona	$46,617	$22
   12	Maine	$46,541	$22
   13	Nevada	$46,442	$22
   14	Virginia	$46,027	$22
   15	Illinois	$45,924	$22
   16	Ohio	$45,777	$22
   17	Wisconsin	$45,708	$22
   18	Florida	$44,396	$21
   19	Utah	$44,133	$21
   20	Texas	$44,112	$21

   Average property manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Nokia	$100,968	$48.54
   2	Ernst & Young	$86,267	$41.47	94
   3	Roofstock	$67,353	$32.38
   4	ICW Group	$65,262	$31.38
   5	Hudson Pacific Properties	$64,027	$30.78	5
   6	Douglas Emmett, Inc.	$63,917	$30.73	3
   7	Tesoro	$63,647	$30.60	8
   8	Brookfield Properties	$63,111	$30.34	26
   9	Crescent Heights	$62,968	$30.27
   10	BioMed Realty	$62,539	$30.07
   11	G6 Hospitality	$62,296	$29.95	1
   12	BGC Partners	$61,092	$29.37	1
   13	Brandywine Realty Trust	$60,622	$29.15	1
   14	GNP Company	$60,454	$29.06
   15	Sage Hospitality Group	$60,452	$29.06
   16	InvenTrust Properties	$59,893	$28.79
   17	Pwc	$59,809	$28.75	187
   18	InterContinental Hotels Group Resources, Inc.	$59,357	$28.54
   19	CFM International	$58,978	$28.35
   20	Cubic	$58,955	$28.34

4. Writing a Property Manager Job Description

   A property manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a property manager job description:

   Property Manager job description example

   With a culture of recognition and reputation for excellence, ELS is the ideal organization in which to develop a long and successful career!
   ELS is hiring for the position of Property Manager in Bend, Oregon.
   
   Resort Manager
   
   What you'll do:
   
   The Resort Manager provides exceptional customer service to attract and serve our guests and ensure that we meet our financial goals.
   
   Your job will include:
   
   Provide exceptional customer service to residents and guests to ensure an excellent experience. Manage the resources and assets of the property, including buildings and amenities. Conduct marketing activities to attract new customers. Hire and manage resort employees. Prepare, manage and analyze the operational budget of the resort. Maximize the profitability of the property. Maintain the resort and ensure that it's clean and attractive. Partner with the marketing team to attract new guests. Analyze, prepare and manage the operational budget of the resort to improve its profitability.
   
   Your skills and experience include:
   
   Bachelor's degree, or a combination of education and equivalent experience. 5+ years of property management experience, preferably in an RV or manufacturing home community setting. Strong operations skills and a thorough understanding of the complexities of this position. At least one year of experience in customer service and exceptional customer service skills. Excellent skills in Microsoft Office and other web-based applications. Valid driver's license, good driving record and current auto insurance. Experience in sales and/or marketing preferred.
   
   In return for your excellent skills and abilities, we offer a comprehensive benefits package including: medical, dental, and vision plans, a generous 401(k) employer match, and paid vacations, holidays, and sick time.
   
   We invite you to visit our web site at www.equitylifestyleproperties.com for additional information regarding our exceptional resort communities.
   
   As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we welcome and thank all applicants.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right property manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with property managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit property managers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your property manager job on Zippia to find and recruit property manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit property managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new property manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the property manager position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new property manager. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a property manager?