Leasing Specialist
(Other titles for this position may include Leasing Consultant and Leasing Agent)
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
The overall objective of the Leasing Specialist is to maintain a high physical occupancy by focusing their efforts on the attraction and retention of qualified residents to his or her community. Responsible for leasing, marketing, and maintaining positive resident relations. Reports to the Property Manager.
Major Functions of the Job:
• General office duties
• Assist in lease transactions by typing leases, gathering applicant history, and credit approvals
• Provide general clerical assistance to the community office (i.e., answer telephone, writing work orders, typing, and filing)
Community Leasing:
• Greet prospects and determine needs and wants
• Complete guest card
• Tour property by showing model or ready vacant apartments
• Highlight amenities (i.e., pool, clubhouse and fitness center) and close the sale
• Have prospect complete all application paperwork and secure deposit plus application fee
• Update Weekly Activity Status Report
• Obtain required information to process applications for approval (i.e., credit check, rental history and employment verification)
• Once approved by the Property Manager, type lease and applicable addendums
• Insure apartment is ready for move-in on agreed date
• Follow up on prospects unable to close (i.e., phone calls, thank you notes, and e-mails) attempt to close sale again
• If not a viable prospect for our community, work to send the prospect to a sister property to meet their needs without losing them to a competitor
• Secure new resident signature(s) on appropriate paperwork prior to move-in
• Review and orient new residents to the community’s specific rules, regulations, and policies
• Monitor renewals
• Distribute and follow-up on renewals on a daily basis until finalized
• Write and distribute resident notices as needed
Resident Relations:
• Residents may call or visit in person and will require the Leasing Specialist to listen respectfully to their requests, complaints, and comments
• Respond accordingly to rectify the situation after discussing with the Property Manager when required
• Ensure consistency with residents on all matters
• Enforce community policies
Community Marketing:
• Update all web-sites with current availability and pricing
• Place multiple daily ads on Craigslist.com, Facebook, and other online advertising mediums
• Distribute resident flyers promoting Resident Referral Fees and various community events or promotions
• Assist in placing, removing, and updating all banners, balloons, bandit signs, and flags around the property and other locations where outward marketing is performed
• Distribute newsletters, flyers, and pamphlets
• Shop competitors monthly
• Keep updated market surveys
• Suggest specials and/or pricing modifications based on market surveys to stay competitive
Other Aspects of the Job:
Leasing Specialist may be required to assist in special projects or activities. This job description is not an all inclusive list of functions and tasks. Job functions may be added, deleted, or modified at any time by your management team. Receipt or possession of this job description does not constitute a contract of employment. Attendance is an essential job function.
Education & Mandatory Skills:
• High School Diploma or equivalent required; some college preferred
• Proficient computer skills
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• PMS experience is a plus
• Copy machine
• Fax and scanner
• Basic knowledge of Fair Housing laws
Experience & Industry Knowledge:
Position requires a minimum one year experience in a customer service related industry.
Typical Physical Demands:
Job requires mobility to climb stairs to tour, show, and inspect apartments on a daily basis. Will use repetitive motion of hands and wrist while using a computer on a daily basis. Normal range of vision is required to complete applications, leases, and general paperwork. Normal range of hearing and speech required to communicate with residents, vendors, supervisors, and co-workers on the telephone or in person on a regular basis.
Typical Mental Demands:
Must be able to read and write English at a high school level to complete paperwork, prepare reports, and interpret instructions. Must have mathematical skills at high school level to calculate pro-rated rents, late fees, and deposits. Must be able to apply common sense understanding on a continual basis to determine actions, priorities, and prepare computer reports. Decisions are based on standard operating procedures with few deviations. Will have regular contact with all levels of internal and external customers and therefore must possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills. This position must be able to handle stressful, urgent, novel, and adverse work situations on a daily basis. Emotional stability and personal maturity are important attributes in this position.
Environmental Working Conditions:
This position will work in a typical office setting with regular exposure to outdoor environment including heat, cold, damp, rain, and snow when touring the apartment community. You will be periodically called upon to work long hours, odd schedules, and service calls after hours which will include weekends. Position requires dependable transportation to handle work-related activities including daily bank deposit runs and a means of contact at all times.
Required Experience:
• Administrative Assistant / Leasing Specialist: 1 year
This information is to be used as an overview of responsibilities for a Leasing Specialist. Each company, each apartment community may require different/additional responsibilities.
