The saddest thing in the world for me is to see someone working at a job that they hate because they can't quite grasp it! There are tons of jobs out there, but you just so happen to read an article that led you to an interview that ultimately landed you this awesome job as a Leasing Consultant at Blah! Blah! Blah! Apartments! But what you fail to realize is that you just landed a golden opportunity! Just because your job title says Leasing Consultant at Blah! Blah! Blah! Apartments today does not mean that it will say the same in two months - trust me! I entered the multi-family industry in 2003 as a Leasing Consultant at Blah! Blah! Blah! Apartments and only two months later excelled to a Multi-Site Assistant Manager with no experience in the industry prior to and the rest is history. There are plenty of success stories out there just like mine, just ask around - work ethic is key!

Now back to you ... Now what do you do with such an awesomely golden opportunity??! Answer: AVOID! AVOID! AVOID! Making these top mistakes as a new or even seasoned leasing consultant. These mistakes are bait for a shark with the lifeline being your career.

Fail #1 : Quantity and Quality In Real Estate Are Far From Cousins

 It is very important that in leasing the professional understands that it matters not that you closed on 20 leases in one month, that you filed 300 pieces of paper, that you placed 100 ads on craigslist.com or that you went to 50 businesses for outreach marketing ... what was the outcome?

 If all those 20 leases were denied for whatever reason, who does that help? If every last sheet of those 300 pieces of paper were filed incorrectly, who does that help? If none of those 100 craigslist.com ads had the apartments contact information on them, who does that help? If going into those 50 businesses you went to while outreach marketing you had the worst attitude, who does that help?

 You have to ask yourself ... 'Was the experience delivered sincerely?'

 Sincerity is a necessary aspect in quality work that sometimes get lost in the shuffle when you're in an industry where quantity is demanded.

Fail #2 : Understand That There Are Only 2 Options In Leasing Real Estate PERIOD : To Win OR To Learn ... Any Other Option Makes You A Loser!                                   

 So what??? Madison chose to live at The 2nd Blah! Blah! Blah! Apartments. For one, if your follow up speech went a little like this ... you'd already lost her: "Hi Madison. it's Mike again. Just following up to see if you'd finally made a decision on a new apartment home?" 

It should've gone like this:

 "Hi Madison! It's Mike!" 

Madison: "Hi Mike! Thanks for inviting my son and I to the community's fall ball! He had an wonderful time." 

Mike: "Thank you for coming. I really appreciate you making the time to enjoy the evening with us on last week. I wanted to confirm that you received our application checklist of items needed when you come in tomorrow to complete your application tomorrow."

 Madison: "Great! I'll see you after work - I say around 5:30pm"

 Mike: "Very awesome! I look forward to seeing you then. Will Jack be coming too?"

 Madison: "Sure will. I will pick him up from aftercare on the way."

 Mike: "Great! The pictures came back from the community's fall ball and he looks simply handsome. You're going to be proud."

See what I just did there?

Even if Madison hadn't have come to our Annual Community Rock Star Fall Ball, always remember to give something of relevance prior to asking for something in return.

Fail #3 : Follow - Up Is Never An Option ... It's Mandatory!

Wellll ... the correct follow-up approach that is. Enough said. 

Read our article 5 Step Guide To A Winning Constant Contact System - Really! to assist you with developing the Rock Star Constant Contact System your prospects and residents deserve.

Fail #4 : Just Because Your Job Title Says "Leasing Consultant", Doesn't Mean That You're Exempt From Physical Labor! Go Above ... To Go Beyond!

 Leasing real estate is more than simply showing an apartment or a house ... Leasing real estate should be more about delivering an experience - an experience that goes well beyond the comfort of your leasing desk directly into your model apartment. And for virtual leasing professionals the task gets a little trickier, but the same level of experience is expected.

 I was recently training a class and had a Leasing Consultant ask me "Why should I have to touch - up clean an apartment? Isn't that why we have a cleaning company? I will quit before I ever pick up a 'sparkle' bucket?" I responded, "Who's your manager?" She said, "Melissa." I said, "Okay. Great! I know Melissa and she's an awesome manager! I will most definitely inform her of your career decision." She said, "Why should I? I wasn't hired to do physical labor?" "I said, "Hummmmm." She looked at me confused. I then said, "If you refuse to be apart of a team, then why be apart of a team? The leasing experience does not revolve around you, but you do play a big part in what the team accomplishes or fails at. In my opinion, if you refuse to utilize with a smile a simple 'sparkle' bucket, then you'll refuse to pick up trash on the leasing trail or as you're doing your amenity rounds, you'll refuse to wipe a scuff off of the fitness room mirror or you'll refuse to walk the community in place of your manager or assistant manager because they're busy.You, your team, your prospects and residents deserve better than someone not willing to go above ... to go beyond." She sat for a minute and replied, "Well since you put it that way, it doesn't really sound so bad."