Property Manager Job Description: Free Templates, Duties & Salary Guide (2026)
Hiring a property manager? Whether you're posting your first listing on Indeed or building out a team of 10, you need a job description that attracts qualified candidates — not tire-kickers. This guide gives you copy-paste job description templates for every PM role, plus the duties, qualifications, and salary data to fill them accurately.
We've helped hundreds of PM companies scale their teams. The #1 hiring mistake? Vague job descriptions that attract the wrong people. Fix the JD, fix the pipeline.
What Does a Property Manager Do? (Core Duties)
A property manager is the operational backbone of a rental portfolio. They're responsible for maximizing owner returns while maintaining tenant satisfaction. Here's the breakdown:
Daily Responsibilities
- Tenant communication: Responding to maintenance requests, lease inquiries, and complaints within 24 hours
- Work order management: Creating, assigning, and tracking maintenance work orders from submission to completion
- Rent collection: Monitoring payments, sending late notices, and initiating collections for delinquent accounts
- Vendor coordination: Dispatching contractors for maintenance, repairs, and turnovers
- Showing vacant units: Scheduling and conducting property tours for prospective tenants
Weekly Responsibilities
- Property inspections: Drive-by or interior inspections based on schedule
- Financial reporting: Updating owner statements, tracking expenses, reconciling accounts
- Lease management: Processing applications, running background checks, preparing lease agreements
- Marketing vacant units: Listing on Zillow, Apartments.com, Facebook Marketplace; taking photos
Monthly/Quarterly Responsibilities
- Owner reporting: P&L statements, occupancy reports, maintenance summaries
- Lease renewals: Market rent analysis, renewal negotiations, rent increase letters
- Budget reviews: Comparing actual vs. budgeted expenses, adjusting forecasts
- Compliance audits: Fair housing compliance, license renewals, insurance verification
Property Manager Job Description Template (General)
📋 Property Manager — [Your Company Name]
Location: [City, State] | Type: Full-time | Salary: $45,000–$65,000 + performance bonuses
About the role: We're looking for a detail-oriented Property Manager to oversee a portfolio of [X] residential units across [City/Region]. You'll be the primary point of contact for tenants and owners, responsible for maximizing occupancy, minimizing expenses, and delivering exceptional service.
Responsibilities:
- Manage a portfolio of [50–150] residential units (single-family, multifamily, or mixed)
- Handle tenant relations: applications, lease signing, maintenance requests, move-in/move-out inspections
- Coordinate maintenance and capital improvement projects with approved vendors
- Collect rent and manage delinquencies per company policy (target: 95%+ collection rate)
- Market vacant properties across listing platforms; maintain vacancy rate below [X]%
- Prepare monthly owner statements and financial reports
- Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal housing regulations
- Conduct regular property inspections (interior and exterior)
Requirements:
- 2+ years property management experience (residential preferred)
- Active real estate or property management license (state-specific)
- Proficiency in PM software (AppFolio, Buildium, Rent Manager, or similar)
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Reliable transportation and valid driver's license
- Ability to handle after-hours emergencies on a rotating basis
Nice to Have: CPM, RMP, or ARM designation · Experience with 100+ door portfolios · Bilingual (English/Spanish)
Benefits: Health/dental/vision insurance, PTO, mileage reimbursement, phone stipend, performance bonuses
Job Description by Role Level
| Role | Typical Portfolio | Salary Range | Experience Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leasing Agent | Supports 1-2 properties | $30,000–$42,000 | 0–1 years |
| Assistant Property Manager | 50–100 units | $38,000–$50,000 | 1–2 years |
| Property Manager | 100–200 units | $45,000–$65,000 | 2–5 years |
| Senior Property Manager | 200–500 units | $60,000–$85,000 | 5–8 years |
| Regional Property Manager | 500–2,000 units | $75,000–$110,000 | 7–10+ years |
| Director of Operations | Entire portfolio | $90,000–$140,000 | 10+ years |
Leasing Agent Job Description Template
📋 Leasing Agent — [Your Company Name]
Location: [City, State] | Type: Full-time | Salary: $30,000–$40,000 + leasing bonuses
About the role: We're hiring an energetic Leasing Agent to fill vacancies fast and deliver a 5-star move-in experience. You'll be the face of our properties for prospective tenants.
Responsibilities:
- Respond to all rental inquiries within 2 hours during business hours
- Schedule and conduct property showings (15–25 per week)
- Process applications: collect documents, run screening (credit, criminal, eviction, income verification)
- Prepare and execute lease agreements
- Conduct move-in inspections with detailed photo documentation
- Maintain accurate vacancy and showing activity reports
- Post and update rental listings on Zillow, Apartments.com, Facebook, and Craigslist
Requirements: Customer service experience · High school diploma (some college preferred) · Basic computer skills · Reliable transportation · Weekend availability
Regional Property Manager Job Description Template
📋 Regional Property Manager — [Your Company Name]
Location: [City/Region] | Type: Full-time | Salary: $80,000–$110,000 + performance bonus
About the role: We're seeking a Regional Property Manager to oversee [X] properties across [region]. You'll lead a team of property managers and be accountable for portfolio performance, NOI growth, and team development.
Responsibilities:
- Oversee 500–2,000 units across multiple properties and market areas
- Hire, train, and performance-manage a team of 3–8 property managers
- Drive occupancy, revenue, and NOI targets for the regional portfolio
- Develop and manage annual operating budgets; review financial performance monthly
- Conduct quarterly property inspections and team performance reviews
- Represent the company in owner meetings and investor reports
- Negotiate vendor contracts and capital expenditure projects
- Ensure compliance with all applicable regulations across jurisdictions
Requirements: 7+ years in property management · 3+ years in a supervisory role · CPM or RMP designation preferred · Strong financial acumen · Experience with institutional portfolios a plus
Building a PM Team? Get the Complete Hiring Playbook
The PM Scaling Kit includes job description templates, interview scorecards, onboarding checklists, and compensation benchmarks for every PM role — from leasing agent to director of operations.
Get the PM Scaling Kit — $147Key Qualifications to Look For
Must-Have Skills
- Communication: Clear, professional writing and speaking. PMs interact with tenants, owners, and vendors daily — poor communication creates crises.
- Organization: Managing 100+ units means hundreds of tasks. Without systems, things fall through cracks. Look for candidates who describe their tracking systems.
- Financial literacy: PMs must read P&L statements, manage budgets, and explain financial performance to owners. This isn't optional.
- Conflict resolution: Tenant disputes, noise complaints, eviction conversations — PMs need composure under pressure.
- Tech proficiency: PM software (AppFolio, Buildium), basic spreadsheets, digital marketing platforms. Pen-and-paper PMs slow your whole operation.
Red Flags in PM Candidates
- Can't explain how they handled a difficult tenant situation
- No experience with PM software (steep learning curve if they're starting from zero)
- Vague about their portfolio size and responsibilities at previous jobs
- Focus on "managing properties" without mentioning financial results
- No questions about your systems, processes, or team structure (they're not thinking about scale)
Salary & Compensation Benchmarks (2026)
Compensation varies significantly by market, portfolio type, and company size. Here are current benchmarks:
| Market Tier | Property Manager | Regional Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 (NYC, SF, LA) | $60,000–$85,000 | $95,000–$130,000 |
| Tier 2 (Denver, Austin, Nashville) | $50,000–$70,000 | $80,000–$110,000 |
| Tier 3 (Midwest, Southeast) | $42,000–$58,000 | $65,000–$90,000 |
Bonus structures that work:
- Leasing bonus: $50–$150 per new lease signed (motivates fast vacancy fills)
- Renewal bonus: $25–$75 per lease renewal (reduces turnover costs)
- Collection bonus: Monthly bonus for 98%+ collection rate
- Portfolio growth bonus: $100–$500 per new management agreement signed
Where to Post Your PM Job Description
| Platform | Best For | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Indeed | Highest volume of PM applicants | Free (sponsored: $5-15/day) |
| NARPM Job Board | Experienced, certified PMs | $200–$400/listing |
| Senior and regional roles | Free (premium: $300+/mo) | |
| ZipRecruiter | Quick applicant flow | $16–$24/day |
| Local Facebook Groups | Entry-level and leasing roles | Free |
| Buildium/AppFolio communities | Tech-savvy PMs | Free |
Interview Questions for Property Managers
Once you've attracted candidates with a strong job description, use these questions to separate the good from the great:
- "Walk me through how you'd handle a tenant who hasn't paid rent for 3 months and is claiming financial hardship."
- "What PM software have you used? What did you like/dislike about it?"
- "Describe a time you had to deliver bad news to a property owner. How did you handle it?"
- "How many units have you managed simultaneously? What systems did you use to stay organized?"
- "A tenant reports a water leak at 11 PM on a Friday. Walk me through your response."
For a complete interview scoring system, check out our Property Management Interview Questions Guide.
Hire Smarter, Scale Faster
The PM Scaling Kit includes everything you need to build a world-class PM team: job descriptions, interview scorecards, compensation benchmarks, 90-day onboarding plans, and SOPs for every core process.
Get the PM Scaling Kit — $147Common Mistakes in PM Job Descriptions
- Being too vague: "Manage properties" tells candidates nothing. Specify portfolio size, property types, and key metrics they'll own.
- Unrealistic requirements: Requiring CPM + 10 years experience for a $45K role will get you zero applicants.
- Ignoring compensation: Job posts with salary ranges get 3x more applicants. Transparency wins.
- No growth path: Top PM talent wants to know where the role leads. Mention promotion timelines and skill development opportunities.
- Forgetting about culture: PMs work independently. Describe your communication style, meeting cadence, and management philosophy.