1. WHY HIRE A
PROPERTY
MANAGER?
She just sits in the office and collects
rent, right?

2. How do you picture an
apartment manager?
 Sitting around waiting to collect rent?
 Gabbing on the phone?
 Writing up work requests?
 Taking occasional complaints?
 Sitting back in a cushy job?
 Reading a book or magazine?

3. Summarizing experience
I think I got into property management 18 years ago
because I was “Sam Panda” at World’s of Fun…it is
all we talked about at the interview. I was not hired
for my vast photography, waitress or cashier
experience.
I decided to summarize everything I do as an
apartment manager. It fills three full pages of
college rule notebook paper and I am sure I
probably forgot a few things.
Many skills would transfer over to other careers but
may not come across in a resume. There are many
“hats” involved with property management!

4. Accounting and Bookkeeping
 Accounts Receivable: Ledgers by hand and
computer software.
 Accounts Payable: Track vendors and
payments according to budget. Oversee
bidding process.
 Budget Analysis: Predict year, 3-year, 5-year
and 10-year income and costs.
 Extensive mathematical and algebraic ability.
 Advanced Excel: Wrote several integrated
worksheets to track accounts payable and
receivable.

5. Human Resources
 Established and wrote property/company
policies and procedures.
 Hiring and firing
 Payroll
 Employee relations and evaluations
 Account representative for insurance policies.
Selected the best agency and policy for all
employees. Interpreted policy information to
employees.

6. Increasing Sales
 Always expand leasing techniques and
practices. Use phone screening and listen to
prospects.
 Marketing: Find what works and expand; what
isn’t working and fix it. (A lot of trending
research)
 Advertising: Use market research to write and
place advertising. Be adaptable to change.
 Community Relations: Word of mouth is free!
It is also a good way to develop symbiotic
relationships.

7. Resident/Customer Relations
 Develop a rapport: Keep them happy and
paying rent. Less turnover means less
expense.
 Party Planning: Show appreciation
 Event Planning: Open House, speakers,
community
 Monthly newsletters: Done by hand, in
Publisher, and outsourced. Interview
residents; they like to share. Calendars,
recipes, crosswords, community coupons.
Great to share with prospects.

8. Government and Its Policies
 City Council Meetings: Attend whenever
neighborhood or property is in discussion.
 Develop a relationship with police officers.
 Fair Housing and ADA Laws and practices.
 State Landlord-Tenant Law. HUD rules and
regulations for Section 8, Section 42, 811
PRAC. A lot of changes in the last few years.
 Prepare evictions and attend court
 City, Fire, EPA and OSHA codes and
regulations

9. Office Work
 Keep resident records and files
 Answer phones, use fax, scanner, printer
 Write up and follow up on Work Requests
 Type up and deliver notices and flyers
 Computer operation, training, and light
maintenance
 Screening prospective residents
 Collections: notices, phone calls, knocking on
doors
 Incident reports

10. Emergency and Disaster
 Murders, suicides, and natural deaths
 Health: HIV, elderly, mental issues, drugs and
alcohol
 Evacuation diagrams and instructions in case
of fire and tornado
 HAZMAT coordination for meth lab and blood
cleanup
 Extensive research on bedbug, termite and
roach control. Presentations and wrote
company policy.

11. Organization & Planning
 Schedule maintenance, painting, contractors,
and all facets of make ready and building
maintenance.
 Coordinated up to eight employees
 Maintained logs and records of maintenance
 Oversaw permits for: elevator, sprinklers, fire
alarms, fire extinguishers, etc.
 Coordinated all leasing, marketing, budgeting,
and training efforts.

12. You SHOULD hire an apartment
manager!
As you can see, apartment managers are well-
rounded and have a lot of knowledge and
experience in many different areas. They are
often told to “run it as if it were your own” so
they are used to being entrepreneurs.
I am creative, diligent, logical, analytical, and
progressive. I work great alone or in a group.
I tend to be a leader. I would love the
opportunity to discuss your opening with you.