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How to hire a senior property manager

Senior property manager hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring senior property managers in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a senior property manager is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per senior property manager on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 111,888 senior property managers in the US and 13,475 job openings.
  • New York, NY, has the highest demand for senior property managers, with 18 job openings.
  • New York, NY has the highest concentration of senior property managers.

How to hire a senior property manager, step by step

To hire a senior property manager, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a senior property manager:

Here's a step-by-step senior 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 senior property manager job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior property manager
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior property manager do?

A Senior Property Manager is responsible for the administration of property operations and the leasing office. They ensure that property management runs smoothly and profits are maximized.

Learn more about the specifics of what a senior property manager does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a senior property manager, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a senior property manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a senior property manager that fits the bill.

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

    Type of Senior Property ManagerDescriptionHourly rate
    Senior Property ManagerProperty, 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.$22-52
    Leasing AgentA 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
    Leasing ConsultantA 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
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Property Management
    • Portfolio
    • Real Estate
    • Yardi
    • Property Inspections
    • Construction Projects
    • Oversight
    • Tenant Relations
    • Cam
    • Asset Management
    • MRI
    • Due Diligence
    • Reconciliations
    • Cash Flow
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Forecast and manage replacement of major capital expense items including HVAC system, roof systems, parking lot surfaces etc.
    • Manage segment's treasury function including equity forecasting and investment requests as well as lender relations in a difficult banking environment.
    • Use advance Yardi skills to process accounts receivable/payable, review budget reports, and analyze performance reports.
    • Ensure that all building systems, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and fire systems are property maintain and service.
    • Coordinate the transition of the accounting process moving from JD Edwards to Yardi, and the subsequent reconciliation of tenant accounts.
    • Supervise and oversee all tenant/Landlord development/redevelopment work/budgets within designate portfolio.
    More senior property manager duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your senior property manager job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A senior property manager can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, senior property managers' average salary in alabama is 45% less than in washington.
    • Seniority. Entry-level senior property managers 58% less than senior-level senior property managers.
    • Certifications. A senior property manager with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a senior property manager's salary.

    Average senior property manager salary

    $71,867yearly

    $34.55 hourly rate

    Entry-level senior property manager salary
    $46,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 5, 2025

    Average senior property manager salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$98,065$47
    2Washington$90,500$44
    3Massachusetts$86,668$42
    4Pennsylvania$85,911$41
    5Oregon$85,858$41
    6Nevada$85,794$41
    7New York$74,793$36
    8North Carolina$72,850$35
    9Ohio$69,880$34
    10District of Columbia$69,792$34
    11New Jersey$67,693$33
    12Illinois$66,216$32
    13Michigan$63,877$31
    14Maryland$63,462$31
    15Virginia$62,472$30
    16Utah$61,995$30
    17Colorado$61,722$30
    18Alaska$59,643$29
    19Indiana$57,864$28
    20Minnesota$57,825$28

    Average senior property manager salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Albemarle$114,211$54.91
    2BGC Partners$112,059$53.87
    3Ernst & Young$106,286$51.10753
    4Walmart$101,813$48.953
    5Alexandria Real Estate Equities$100,137$48.146
    6Deloitte$92,796$44.6166
    7Pwc$92,113$44.29385
    8Regency Centers$88,487$42.542
    9Blue Origin$87,272$41.962
    10BDO USA$86,189$41.4410
    11Prologis$84,670$40.7119
    12Westmount$84,427$40.592
    13Booz Allen Hamilton$84,063$40.413
    14Moss Adams$83,663$40.22
    15Childress Klein$83,472$40.13
    16Ryan$82,686$39.756
    17Reno-Tahoe International Airport$80,601$38.75
    18Wyndham Hotels & Resorts$79,854$38.39
    19Public Storage$78,241$37.6223
    20Wells Fargo$77,642$37.334
  4. Writing a senior property manager job description

    A senior 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. Below, you can find an example of a senior property manager job description:

    Senior property manager job description example

    Corsair Management is seeking an assertive, creative, and inquisitive Property Manager to join our growing team. We are seeking someone with an entrepreneurial mindset with 5+ years of residential property & project management experience.

    Responsible for daily operations and management of NYC and out-of-state properties along with administrative and operational functions for residential portfolio.

    Oversee property operations, leasing teams, and onsite maintenance personnel.

    Troubleshooting and offering solutions to resolve any issues that occur.

    Overseeing general administration and documentation including work orders, tenant charges, logs, permits, licenses, etc. Coordinate contracts for insurance, materials, supplies, and equipment.

    A strategic and analytical mindset is a plus.

    An individual should have a track record of success and a strong desire to make significant contributions to the firm.

    Monitor all capital improvement projects including compliance with local laws.

    Manage General Contractors & vendors to ensure that established cost, time, and quality goals are met for each project.

    Work with moderate supervision and be responsible for applying project management knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project deliverables, processes, and systems in order to meet or exceed management/ownership needs and expectations.

    Operate within defined company parameters & procedures with the flexibility to merge different methodologies to accomplish the collective goals.

    Must be willing to travel regularly for out-of-state projects.

    Education, Work Experience, & Knowledge
    · Bachelor's degree in a related field preferred.
    · 5 years of property management experience preferred.
    · Experience managing others and/or project teams preferred.
    · Strong communication, writing and presentation skills.
    · Any leasing administration experience a plus.
    · Must be proficient in Microsoft Excel and Powerpoint
    · Must be proficient with Appfolio

    Responsibilities
    Manage all aspects of assigned properties
    Inspect and arrange maintenance to meet standards
    Maintain a positive, productive relationship with tenants
    Negotiate lease/contracts with contractors in a timely and reliable manner
    Collect receivable accounts and handle operating expenses
    Accomplish financial goals and report periodically on financial performance
    Source and build relationships with prospective clients to expand business opportunities
    Maintain assigned properties to be code compliant with local laws & code.

    Skills
    Proven work experience as a property manager
    Fully understanding property management and its financial aspects
    In-depth knowledge of all rules and regulations surrounding property management
    Competency in MS Office and relevant databases and software
    Customer focus and bottom-line orientation
    Interpersonal savvy with strong communication and presentation skills
    Well-organized with excellent time management skills

  5. Post your job

    To find the right senior 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 senior property managers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit senior 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 senior property manager job on Zippia to find and recruit senior property manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting senior property managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    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 senior property manager

    Once you have selected a candidate for the senior 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new senior property manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  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 senior property manager?

There are different types of costs for hiring senior property managers. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new senior property manager employee.

You can expect to pay around $71,867 per year for a senior property manager, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for senior property managers in the US typically range between $22 and $52 an hour.

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