Time for some positivity: Why did you want a career in property management?

 

That’s a good Resume question.

Actually 24 years ago I was desperate for a job after my divorce so my boyfriend's sister hired me as a leasing
specialist( no experience) and totally fell in love and crushed it! Promoted 21/2 years later to a Community Manager.Still with the same company & property to this day! Married the boyfriend 2 years later!

I started in maintenance and when I went with another company, I went into management to this day I still love property management and have been with my current company for 30 years the stories I could tell

Honestly, I just fell into it. That happens when you're homeless and applying to literally every job out there. I don't hate it, but I don't think I would have applied otherwise.

I needed a job, was hired a p/t admin assistant. Fast forward 7 years and here I am rocking management of 78 affordable housing units between 5 properties (and ripping my hair out over state HUD, and investor inspections). I love working with my clients, the local community, the subs and being on-site, but these inspections are freaking killing!

I didn't. I went to look at an apartment that my boyfriend was interested in...he wanted my opinion. The manager and I got to talking and next think I knew, she offered me a job. That was over 30 years ago!

Similar story. I went to look for an apartment and didn't have a job. The manager came out and asked "would you like to lease apartments?" I said, "Is that a real job?" Here I am 20 years later

I wanted a discount on a new apartment that was being built. I found an ad for new leasing consultants in the paper (yes newspaper). And it was for that exact community. I got the job and worked my way up. 18 years letter I'm still in this shit. Hahaha.

We lived in a 37 unit bldg in So California. The manager went to a different property so I asked the mgmt co about taking her place bc I had 3 young kids and day care was too expensive for me to work. It gave me the flexibility I needed with 3 kids and a husband that traveled 2-6 weeks out of town at a time. The pay was free rent ($775/mo back in 1995) and free cable TV. As year later they added $100/mo I think towards utilities.

Did that for nearly 2 years until we moved "back east" to our hometown in the Midwest. Since I now had some experience I got hired on with the company where I've been nearly 25 years

30 years ago I found myself to be a single mother. My daughter was small and I had just been permanently laid off with about 3,000 others from the space shuttle industry. All I knew since right out of high school was building shuttles. While job searching, I came across an ad for an assistant manager that included housing. I got the job and never looked back!

It happened for me. I started as maintenance on single family homes from late 50s early 60s all built by one owner. It was a must have situation for a job, but have worked in housing of different types for years Indigent care, single family, multifamily, non profit, drug and alcohol rehabilitation housing, and somehow it was just what I was good at. People.

Get to dress nice and don’t have to go into debit to make a decent paycheck

Accidentally. Started with a free apartment, and now 20 years later, I wish I had done something else.

Started as a job when I was 16 and 18 years later. Lol. Here I am.

My sister babysat for a lady who managed a small apartment complex. She needed someone to answer the phones one day and I volunteered. I was 18 then and I’m 61 now, I have done other jobs over the years but keep coming back to leasing.

I think most of us just sort of fell into the industry one way or another. But the reason I keep coming back is always the same.. love helping people find new homes, love the creative aspect of coming up with resident events or putting together move-in baskets. It’s all about who you work for that makes or breaks it. The wrong company/boss/team can suck the life out of you and make you hate the industry

Its a good paying job that requires little experience to get started as long as you like to learn as you go, and you help people find their home.

My husband is THAT resident!
I was job hunting one day in the early nineties. ( yes I’m old!). I stopped in the leasing office to pay rent. The manager asked why I was so dressed up. I told her that I was looking for a job. She told me if I kept my husband out of her office that she’d give me a job that next day. I’ve been working in PM ever since.
Ps, I was promoted to her Assistant Manager after 5 1/2 months too!

After 20 plus yes you gotta love your residents
I love my job!!!

Found myself unemployed and offered a position with “lots of opportunities”.
Shit.
No I have no idea what else I would do!

I was a brand new, single mom with a hospitality degree. I needed something to utilize my talents of making people feel welcome but not with the crazy work hours. I started with a temp agency in Dallas.

I was leasing and said "Someday I'm going to Manage". Been managing now for 20+ years! Love it, hate it! But will always do it, it's in my blood and who I am. Takes a special person, so kudos to all Property Managers!

I was a 19 almost 20 year old college student who was secure in the knowledge I had picked the correct major. That was until I walked into a Student Living Community looking for an apartment and walked out with a job. A year later I changed my major and have loved every single moment the last 17 years have brought me. I would not change my journey for anything in the world. Here’s to 17++ more.

I wanted to do something else other than work in daycare and come home to 4 small children of my own. I wanted to be able to talk to adults. Little did I know I was just going from children daycare to adult daycare lol

I was in hotels for years before, and I got so tired. Hotels are 24/7 operations and it’s exhausting. I still wanted to serve people and make a difference, so I crossed into multi family.

I called a community when I was in my early 20’s to get info. She told me “they didn’t take me kind there”. I had a job in the industry 4 weeks later and I vowed to never treat anyone that way

To utilize those Psychology 101 skills learned my sophomore year of college…
I got in this business by accident, like most, but it’s been good. There’s some appreciation to help families solve their living situations. Providing homes for families.

The career chose me 30 years ago…I was a server at Red Lobster (down the street from his historical Broadway Square Apartments) after high school. Harold Farb came in for lunch with his team. He offered me a leasing position with free rent, free utilities, free cable, commissions, and salary. Heck yeah! Never looked back. It’s an industry that takes care of you while you take care of people.

Became a leasing agent at 20 and found that I loved working with people and showing our beautiful apartments and the lifestyle they could live at them. Made good money, more than most of the prospects who would apply. Been in the industry for 30 years and would recommend it to anyone. A lot of people in college have no idea what a great industry this is.

Because I find joy in seeing people find their home, even though it’s not a permanent home it is still a place in their lives where they will make memories and enjoy that spot that you as a PM help happen!! Along with the team you have!!

I was getting divorced and needed a full time job. I thought a receptionist/customer service type which I knew would be decent pay and I had customer service experience. Now been in it for 5 years going from leasing agent to assistant to PM. I like the connection and relationship with co workers, prospects and residents.

I was tired of working management, tired of working sales, and tired of working construction. Even though I fell into my job blindly, I've been here 10 years and I enjoy it because it allows me to use all of my experience without burning out in one category. It does take most maintenance techs a while to admit that this property manager does know more about maintenance than they do.

Best accidental career I could have imagined!  Poor, starving, unemployed college grad makes good!