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Live Rent-Free!
Apartment Manager Training
By Marguerite Cravatt, M.A.
© Copyright Notice All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. For information to obtain permission for reprints and excerpt, refer to the contact information.
Published by: Cravatt Enterprises
Marguerite Cravatt, M.A. 9461 Charleville Blvd. #192
Beverly Hills, Ca. 90212 www.liverentfree.org
(310) 358-2989
ISBN: 0-9701738-4-9 Copyright March 2003
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Contents Contents............................................................................................................................. 3 Part One: Training for the Job ........................................................................................ 6 Is Managing Right for You?............................................................................................ 6 Chapter One: Working by Phone .................................................................................. 7
Voice Mail Recording .................................................................................................. 8 Why Should Someone Rent From You? ................................................................... 8 Outgoing Message ..................................................................................................... 10 Sample Voice Recording .............................................................................................. 11 Responding to a Telephone Inquiry........................................................................ 12 Follow These Tips When Dealing With Callers..................................................... 13 Tracking Phone Activity ........................................................................................... 13
Chapter Two: Power Leasing....................................................................................... 15 Step One: Screening & Qualifying ............................................................................... 16 Step Two: Pitch or Withdraw ....................................................................................... 21 Step Three: Closing is Asking For The Sale................................................................. 23 Step Four: Overcoming Objections .............................................................................. 24
Chapter Three: Advertising And Marketing ............................................................. 29 Market Survey............................................................................................................... 30 How to Design Your Own Ad or Flyer......................................................................... 30
Chapter Four: Paperwork ............................................................................................. 33 Put Together Your Master Book................................................................................... 34 Most Common Paperwork Needed............................................................................... 36 Sample of Cover Letter to Accompany 3-Day Notice.................................................. 40 Sample: Incident Report ............................................................................................... 41
Chapter Five: Resident Relations................................................................................. 43 Create a Pleasant Environment ..................................................................................... 44 Resolve Noise Complaints............................................................................................ 44 Persistent Noise Problems............................................................................................. 45 Tips on Collecting Rent ................................................................................................ 45 Drug Problems .............................................................................................................. 46
Chapter Six:..................................................................................................................... 47 Maintenance and Emergencies .................................................................................... 47
Maintenance and the Law ............................................................................................. 47 Timely Repairs According to the Law.......................................................................... 47 Maintenance Essentials................................................................................................. 48 Responsibilities - What Manager’s Must Do:............................................................... 49 Emergency vs. Request................................................................................................. 49 Maintenance Checklist.................................................................................................. 49 Are You Ready to Work? ............................................................................................. 50
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Part Two: Employment Opportunities ....................................................................... 51 Chapter Seven: Preparing for the Search.................................................................... 51
Benefits ........................................................................................................................ 51 Drawbacks................................................................................................................... 51 Free Rent...................................................................................................................... 52 The Salary.................................................................................................................... 52 Commissions............................................................................................................... 53 Bonuses ........................................................................................................................ 53 Utilities......................................................................................................................... 53 Benefits ........................................................................................................................ 53 Perks............................................................................................................................. 53 Types of Buildings ..................................................................................................... 54 What do Employers Want? ........................................................................................... 54 Resumes....................................................................................................................... 54 The Interview.............................................................................................................. 61 Responsibilities of a Manager .................................................................................. 61 Maintenance Skills ..................................................................................................... 62
If you have any of the following skills, you will want to make absolutely certain that you put this information in front of the employer. You can put it in your cover letter or your resume, and if you are very skilled, you may consider making a separate page and listing all the maintenance skills and tools that you offer. ................................................................................................................................. 62
Cover Letter ................................................................................................................ 62 Chapter Eight: Finding the Jobs................................................................................... 63
What Kinds of Jobs are Available? .......................................................................... 63 Assistant Manager ..................................................................................................... 64 Leasing Agent ............................................................................................................. 64 Roving Manager (Relief Manager) .......................................................................... 64 Maintenance Worker ................................................................................................. 64 Administrative............................................................................................................ 65 Growth Potential ........................................................................................................ 65 Classified Search ........................................................................................................ 65
Chapter Nine: The Interview........................................................................................ 66 What Do I Say in the Interview? .............................................................................. 66 Part One: Preparation.................................................................................................... 67 Part Two: Greeting........................................................................................................ 68 Part Three: The Beginning............................................................................................ 69 Part Four: The Body...................................................................................................... 70 Tell Me About Yourself................................................................................................ 70 Part Five: The Close...................................................................................................... 72
Chapter Ten: Negotiating Your Salary ....................................................................... 73 Employment Agreements ......................................................................................... 73 Will my credit be checked?....................................................................................... 73
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Letter of Explanation ................................................................................................. 74 Negotiating Points......................................................................................................... 75 Closing Comments..................................................................................................... 76
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Part One: Training for the Job
Is Managing Right for You? If you hate paying rent, working for others, and having a lack of time to attend to
your “real” life then maybe you can benefit from this type of work. Apartment
managing will provide you with a flexible schedule so that you can pursue
others goals and interests, and it can give you the financial freedom you need to
make new decisions that we unavailable to you before. If you are ready to make
a positive change in your life and make a greater effort to be successful, you must
be willing to do the work necessary to achieve your desired level of success. If
property management is something you choose to do, I hope that it brings you as
much stress-free living and success as it brought me.
Warmest Regards,
Marguerite
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Chapter One: Working by Phone
The Phone is Your Friend
Taking incoming phone calls is one of the most
important aspects of your job. You can qualify your
caller, you can pitch them, and you can even rent the
unit on the phone. The single most important aspect of phone work is keeping a
pleasant voice and maintaining a willingness to help. Every time you answer the
phone, you are represent the company that hired you. So if you cannot be
pleasant when you pick up the receiver, then don’t pick it up It could be a
shopper (someone hired to spy on you to verify that you are doing your job).
The phone can be used to decreases your work and increase your productivity
and efficiency. A friendly, professional, pleasant voice is a valuable asset and a
key to success
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Voice Mail Recording
When a manager answers the same questions all day long and
continually repeats him or her self, he or she may
inadvertently become cranky and take it out on the caller. One
way to avoid sounding negative or bored is to design an
interesting voice recording that will answer the callers most
frequently asked questions.
Why Should Someone Rent From You?
Be Prepared: Be able to answer this question for yourself. Why should they rent
at your building? What’s great about it?
List all the fantastic aspects of your building, even if they seem minor.
1. Small and Cozy Building
2. Great Location
3. Quiet Residents
4. Intercom Entry
5. Gated Parking
6. Laundry Facilities
7. Pool
List all the fantastic aspects of the individual units.
1. Balconies
2. Lots of Closets
3. Underground Parking
4. Covered Parking
5. New Blinds or Drapes
6. New Carpets or Hard Wood Floors
7. Built in Kitchen Appliances
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Outgoing Message
Write an interesting outgoing message, and if it is a good one, your callers
will visit your property and rent your unit. This recording reduce the amount of
time a manager spends taking calls so that the manager can be more efficient
and productive. A voice-mail number can be placed in ads too. When prospects
call the voice-mail number, the caller will be informed before speaking to the
manager. His or her “general” questions will be answered in the recording.
A sample recording has been provided. This sample will give you an idea
of what might be said in a recording. It is up to the manager to use his or her
best judgment about what to say. Keep you voice pleasant and appealing.
Customize your recording to communicate to your callers your own personal
enthusiasm for your property. After all if you like where you live, others will
probably like it too.
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Sample Voice Recording
Thank you for calling. You’ve reached the Garden Apartments general
information line. Please have a pen and paper handy because I am going to
answer all your questions and give you my direct phone number at the end of
this recording.
The Garden Apartments are located at 555 N. Peach Street near 3rd and
State Street. We are located near bus stops, shopping, entertainment, and plenty
of restaurants.
We are a charming 16 unit building that is modern and luxurious. We
have elevators, and intercom entry, laundry, and gated parking with a minimum
of two spaces per unit.
We have several two bedrooms units available. The units are very
attractive and large with lots of closets and windows and the carpets are new.
The kitchens are equipped with refrigerators, gas stoves, and a dishwasher.
I’m sorry, we do not accept pets. Our rents are competitively priced,
starting at $1, 500.00. I would love to meet with you personally and show you
our beautiful property. If you have questions, please call me directly at (323)
555-1212, or simply stop by during office hours, which are M-F noon to 2pm. I
look forward to meeting you soon..
If you would like to schedule an appointment, or you have more
questions, please call me directly at…
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Responding to a Telephone Inquiry
When someone calls, whether he or she has
listened to your recording or not, you can assume that he
or she is interested in renting your unit because the
shopper called. And if someone stops to look, you can
assume that people do not stop and look at what they are
not interested in. So at this point, you can assume the “sale” or assume the renter
wants to rent from you. It’s up to you to convince him or her further, providing
this person is a qualified and desirable renter.
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Follow These Tips When Dealing With Callers
1. Welcome the caller and thank him or her for calling.
2. If you are tracking your advertising, ask the caller how he or she found
out about your property.
3. Find out what the caller’s needs are: one bedroom, two, etc.
4. Tell the caller about the building’s most positive amenities.
5. Discuss the best aspects of the unit.
6. Answer all questions, be honest and overcome objectives.
7. Encourage the caller to come by and see the unit if you think the caller is a
valuable prospect.
Tracking Phone Activity
When you first start a job, it is important to track your
incoming calls. These calls provide valuable information.
For example, if you ask the caller how he or she heard about
you, you can track your advertisement and find out What
ads pull. You can keep a list of how many people called and how many
scheduled appointments, and how many did not schedule and why..
Analyzing can help you communicate what is working and what is not
working at your building in terms of leasing. For example, if five people turned
away because you don’t take pets, then the boss needs to know this. That does
not mean that policy will be changed and you will take pets, but rather that the
higher ups will know why a unit is not renting. In other words, you can account
for the abundance of or lack of calls, appointments, and leasing and can track it
so that you can take the glory or point out the problem and suggest a solution.
Use the telephone as a tool to make your job easier. Develop a phone voice that
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you can rely on, and use it every time you answer the phone. You should be
prepared and professional yet pleasant and inviting. The whole idea is to use
your charm to entice people to consider your vacant unit as their new home.
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Chapter Two: Power Leasing It’s All About Relationships
Many people hate the idea of selling. We conjure up images
of a loudly dressed, pushy con artists spewing lies
convincingly and smiling all the while. People who sell us
useless products often make us feel dumb. It is part of their
negative strategy to pressure us to “sign on the dotted line.”
This type of sales person is passé, although a few dinosaurs still exist. Today’s
sales people are trained to be attuned to the needs of the customer. When focus is
placed on need, the whole atmosphere changes and the customer or prospect
feels nurtured and taken care of, not pressured and taken advantage of.
You may ask, what does selling have to do with being an apartment manager?
As a resident manager, you will be leasing. Leasing is sales. There, I said it! The
big “S” word. Don’t be intimidated though. I’m going to break the process
down so that you can see the necessity of going through it. Each part of the
process flows smoothly to the next, and each response from the prospect dictates
which direction you will follow.
Don’t think of leasing as sales. Think of it as finding out your prospect’s
needs and then deciding whether or not you can satisfy those needs, and if you
can, be willing to share that information with your prospect and point it out to
him or her.
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The Leasing Formula 1. Screen and Qualify
2. Pitch or Withdraw
3. Close
4. Overcome Objections
Step One: Screening & Qualifying
When the potential resident arrives, you will greet him or her, say
something pleasant and comforting, review his or her needs and then go on a
tour of your building as you move toward the vacant unit you are seeking to
lease.
You can use this opportunity to perform step one and two of the process:
(1) screen and qualify and (2) pitch or withdraw.
You can lead your prospect to thinking in the affirmative and find out
their interest level by asking the proper questions. Ask questions where you can
expect a “yes” answer. For example, you might ask, “This is an attractive building
isn’t it?” or “Our flower garden is gorgeous, isn’t it?” or “We just spent a fortune on
our pool, isn’t it beautiful?” or “You can’t tell from here, but we just had a brand new
roof put on, we’re always doing things to improve the building, don’t you think it looks
as if we keep it up?”
This type of promotional banter shares with the customer several ideas:
(1) We take pride in ownership, (2) We allow the customer a chance to relax with
casual conversations (3) We allow the customer to disagree if he or she feels
differently (4) We promote our activities and attitude.
Don’t underestimate the power and effectiveness of this simple process.
This promotional dialogue will also set the stage for the rest of the process.
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After you promote your building, the customer will probably respond.
This response is very telling. Did he or she agree aggressively or did he or she
not agree at all? If you get an enthusiastic positive response, you can begin to
assume the sale. In other words, talk to the customer as if he or she has already
decided to move in. If you get a negative or luke-warm response, you need to
investigate and ask more questions to find out what the customer finds
objectionable. If you have any kind of early resistance, you are already
encountering objections, and you must face them head on.
It’s time to begin your investigation by asking questions, proper and
related questions that are useful. In a casual, conversational tone, find out the
needs of the client by asking any, and possibly all, of the questions below. Keep
in mind that you should not make the client feel as if he or she is being
interrogated. Create a tone of friendship and courtesy. Be helpful and find out
what’s going on in their lives to make them move.
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Screening and Qualifying Questions to Ask
1. What kind of work do you do?
2. Do you like it?
3. How long have you done it?
4. Does it pay well?
5. How long have you lived at your current address?
6. What made you decide to move?
7. Have you seen anything you liked?
8. If yes, why didn’t you rent it?
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Client’s Response Analyzing It
During this process, you should be alert to the
customer’s responses and listen for dialogue that signals
flashing green lights suggesting that you continue on with this
process, and you should listen for dialogue that signals flashing
red lights suggesting that you stop. In other words, at this
point you are deciding whether or not this person, or these
people, will make good residents. You will decide whether or not you want to
“pitch” them or “withdraw” from the process.
If your prospect does not have a job and has lived at his current residence
for only two months, then red flags should flash because how can he pay his rent
if he does not have a job? If he is moving after only two months, why? This
prospect needs more investigation, more questions. This is what I mean when I
indicated that the customer’s response will dictate which direction the leasing
process will follow. Ask more questions, and you may find out that the prospect
may not have a job, but maybe he or she has a large savings. The only way you
will find out is by asking questions, which leads us to the objections, and we’ll
deal with those a little later.
What are green lights? Green lights are responses that tell us this prospect
will probably be a good resident. He or she is dressed nicely, communicates
well, has a valid reason for moving, has a good job, earns a good income, and is
established. It sounds as if this person could easily pay the rent and does not
move around very often.
The color of the signals you have received from the prospect dictates your
next move. If you had flashing red lights, then you need to investigate further.
After investigating, if you decide that this prospect is not a good prospect, then
withdraw. Do not illegally discriminate (a discrimination list below will aid you
in knowing what is legal discrimination and what is illegal discrimination). If
you had flashing green lights, then you need to go to step two and pitch.
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Illegal Discrimination
Race, religion, creed, national origin, marital status, family status, student status,
handicapped, sex, sexual orientation, aids victim, legal income, and age.
Legal Discrimination
Income, time on the Job, personal bills, negative references, lack of ID, pets, lying
on the application, and occupancy standards.
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Step Two: Pitch or Withdraw
When you decide that you must withdraw, make sure that you are not
misjudging a person. It is a good practice to always treat everyone the same.
However our levels of enthusiasm may fluctuate from person to person
depending upon what answer he or she has given to our inquiry. We are not
being rude or mean if we dismiss someone as not being qualified, if they are not.
It is not fair to them to lead them on if you feel they will not qualify. And if you
charge them an application fee knowing they probably won’t qualify, then you
could be bordering on illegal.
In order not to discriminate, most companies set a certain qualifying
criteria for everyone and if the person meets it, then they are approved, if they do
not meet the criteria, they are not approved. Currently the rule of thumb is that
the renter, or renters, must earn three times the amount of the monthly rent. So
if you rent a unit for $1,000.00, then the applicants must collectively earn a
minimum total of $3,000.00.
There are many different reasons why you might withdraw (ditch) from
encouraging a prospect to move in. A “problem person” may exhibit:
Rudeness
Vulgarity
Inappropriate or Offensive Behavior
Something else all together
When you withdraw from a prospect, you should in no way be rude or
abrupt. Simply don’t encourage this “problem person,” but continue to answer
questions and to offer courtesy.
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The Vanna White Presentation
If you have green flashing lights for this prospect, when
you walk into a unit, present it as if you are Vanna White,
even if it’s the worst unit you have. We can’t judge for the
resident whether or not he or she will like it. Point out
every single thing that is good with the unit and nothing
bad. You can even be as specific as to pointing out how
many electrical sockets are available. It may seem silly at
first thought, but when you think of how technologically inclined we are, you
might see the importance of having a lot of electrical outlets. Anyone who lives
in an old building knows what I’m talking about because in the old days, before
computers, TV’s, Stereos, Faxes, etc., apartments did not have very many
electrical outlets. There wasn’t that much to plug in.
Smile, speak warmly, show enthusiasm, show interest in the prospect,
listen to his or her responses, and respond accordingly. Always point out the
good; ignore the bad or down play it. Keep your dialogue focused on promoting
the building and the unit, but keep it subtle, don’t over do it. Keep it
conversational.
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Step Three: Closing is Asking For The Sale
Any professionally trained sales person will tell you the first rule of
closing is to ask for the sell. “Asking for the sell” means creating a clever and
interesting question that requires a response from the prospect, preferably a
“yes” response.
Closing Questions
• So what do you think, does it suit your needs?
• Do you want to take it?
• Do you want to move in?
• Do you want to be my neighbor?
Assume the Same
One of the most common closes is the Assuming the Sale close. If the
prospect has displayed a considerable amount of interest and did not pose any
objections, treat them as if you expect them to move in. You can do this by
making statements such as, “You’ll love how quiet it is around here.” Take them
to your office, hand them an application, and ask, “Do you want to do the
paperwork now?”
When your prospect answers in the negative or does something to
indicate that he or she has not made a final commitment, then you are at the
threshold of step four.
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Step Four: Overcoming Objections
Learn to Resolve Problems
Overcoming objections is the single most important part of
the sales formula. If you do not overcome objections, you
will not be able to close, and if you do not close, you will not
make sells; if you do not make sells, you will have vacancies.
If you have too many vacancies -- for too long -- your boss
will become very disagreeable and your job will be in jeopardy.
Overcoming an objection is sometimes nothing more than looking at
something in a different way and pointing it out. When a prospect shows
resistance to making a decision to move in, you must go to the core of the
problem by asking questions then try to overcome the problem or reason and
come up with a solution.
You might respond by acknowledging his or her concern, then point out
something he or she admired, and then ask a closing question. Consider the
scenario below.
Sample Close – Overcoming an Objection
Manager: “What do you think will it suit your needs?”
Prospect: “I don’t know. It’s kind of small.”
Manager: “Yes, these new modern apartments aren’t as big as the older
buildings, but we offer more amenities such as central air and our fantastic pool.
Do you feel the size is something you can overlook since we have all those other
nice things that you liked?”
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When the prospects explain their reasons not to move in, they are
expressing a concern about their needs. If they have not made a decision to move
in, then they are not yet convinced that this building will meet their demands or
desires. This is an opportunity to resolve a problem. To begin, listen to the
objection, make sure you understand it then try to find a way to resolve it.
The close and overcoming objections is an ongoing banter of questions
and answers between you and the prospect. You have to be a clever person, a
good communicator, and a person who likes to help others.
The Main Secret to Closing
When you ask a closing question, do not say another word until the other
person speaks first!
Many a good deals were lost because of an overly talkative sales person.
Below is an example of someone who bumbles a closing with too much chatter.
Fumbler: “So what do you think? Do you want to move in? Because I
really think you will like it. I love it. All my friends love it. We could put some
new blinds up for you if you want….”
The problem is, we did not hear from the prospect! He or she was not
given a chance to speak or be heard. Maybe the prospect is not ready to decide
because he or she has more questions. The only way we will know for certain is
to hear from him or her. After we ask a closing question we should stay silent
and listen fully and completely to the response. The prospect’s answer will
dictate which direction we will go.
The proper way to close is by asking a closing question then…
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Stay Silent Until You Are Given An Answer - Reason For Silence
Respect for the other person.
It is polite to allow time for a person to respond after you ask a question.
The person needs time to think and respond without your interrupting.
Silence forces them to respond.
Response is a good thing even if the response you get is negative.
Objections you can overcome, and rejection you can accept. So one-way or
the other, when your prospect responds, you will know where the two of you
stand in the deal. And knowing where you stand with the prospect is everything
in closing and negotiating.
Sample - Walk Through Close
It is easy to stumble at any point in the close because this is actually where
things can come together or fall apart. It is imperative that you take charge and
be the leader all the way through the process. An excellent method of closing is
the walk through process. Let your prospect know what will happen next.
Consider the example below.
Sample Dialogue
“Okay, Martha, It seems as if you are interested, let me tell you what will
happen next when you decide to rent.
You will need to fill out an application.
You can fill it out now or you can take it with you and fill it out later and
drop it back by or fax it to me.
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We charge a nonrefundable $25.00 fee. If you fax your application, you
can pay the application fee later.
In addition to the application, we require proof of income. Your last three
check subs or your last year’s tax return will do. And if you have an
unusual or hard to prove income, you can provide your last three bank
statements if they show deposits for the month.
We require a $100.00 dollar fee to hold the apartment.
If for any reason you are not approved, the 100 dollars will be refunded.
Once I receive your application, I will fax it to our main office along with
your proof of income. And they take it from there. They usually call back
within 24 hours.
Once you are approved, I’ll call you with the good news and we can
schedule an appointment for you to come in and pay your move-in fees
and sign your paperwork.
The Rent is _________________
The deposit is _______________
And the total move in is__________________
We require the move-in fees in cashiers check or money order, but after
that of course you can write us checks.
Do have any questions you would like to ask me?”
(Stay Silent and Listen to Answer)
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It’s a long spiel, but it’s highly effective. If the person decides to rent, he
or she needs to hear this information anyway, so you are just pushing the
possibility forward a little more.
Stay friendly, alert, helpful, and ask lots of questions. If you are a people
person, you will enjoy this job, and it is an excellent opportunity for you to
network and meet with all kinds of interesting people.
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Chapter Three: Advertising And Marketing
Advertising and marketing means getting your property
out there in the visible world. It means making flyers to
hand out to prospects. It means making flyers to hand
out at local markets, placing them on community
billboards, and coming up with creative ways to reach
people to rent your units. Even the voice mail recording
that we discussed in aspect number one is a marketing
tool because it gets our information out there. Advertising and marketing can be
complex or simple. You can pay for ads and you can get them for free too.
Employers often do not require the manager to know about advertising
and marketing, but if you do, it is a huge plus.
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Market Survey
A market survey is a survey of your closest competitors. To do a market
survey you walk your neighborhood pretending to be a renter and go in and see
what the other apartment buildings are leasing their units for and what they look
like. If you do not want to do this work, then do it over the phone.
Once you have this information you can put it in a report and give it to
your boss and use it to lease units.
It can be very useful. For example, if you can’t rent a unit, and you find
out through the market survey that your competitors are renting for less, then
you can understand why your unit is not renting and maybe your boss will
lower the rents or offer move-in specials. And when a prospect tells you they are
checking around, you can honestly tell them what’s out there.
How to Design Your Own Ad or Flyer
1. Collect other ads as examples.
2. From the examples, write your own ad by reviewing and compiling a list of
words and phrases that you find attention getting and that depict an accurate
picture of your property.
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Consider One of the Attention Getting Headings:
Beautiful Building, Lofts, One Month Free, Huge, Beautiful View, Low Deposit,
Special, Luxury, Good Area, Pool, intercom entry, Close to Shopping, Laundry
Facilities, Meeting Rooms, Underground/Covered Parking, Modern Building,
European Building, Elevator, Beautiful Lobby Views. Balconies, Gym, Pets
Allowed, Quiet, Fireplaces, Lots of Windows, New Carpet, Trees, Microwaves,
Dishwashers, Refrigerators, Central Heat and Air, Large Closets, Tall Ceilings, or
anything else that will entice someone to your building.
Today with almost everyone having a computer, everyone can be an expert at
flyers and other promotional material.
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The Garden Apartments Small European Garden Style Apartments
Pools, Fireplaces, and Peacefully Quiet
Join Our Community (213) 555-1212
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Chapter Four: Paperwork
How Hard Can It Be? Your “Master Book” will be your best organizational
tool. In that book, you can have samples forms that you
use often such as move-ins, move-outs, bookkeeping, and
basically anything you need. You need to have this
information at your fingertips for quick and easy
reference.
Most companies will give you some type of orientation introducing you to
their company and their policies and procedures. Some companies will make
you go through intensive training with their company specialist, others will send
someone to you, while some supervisors will simply give you a few forms, a
little advice, and consider you oriented.
It is a waste of time to learn about all paperwork forms and procedures
because each company has their own forms, standard or specialized, and
methods for how to use them. If you learn to use one form, it may not be the one
that your company will use. So focus on understanding the paperwork process
and its necessity.
As an example of how different companies can be, I’ll tell you about one
company I worked; they had 17 forms that had to be filled out before a person
could be approved for move in. On another job, my supervisor couldn’t find any
leases. My boss said, “I’m sure we must have one somewhere.”
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Put Together Your Master Book
One of your goals as a manager is to stay organized. A
three ring binder with tabbed dividers inside is an
extremely helpful tool. I get a little fancy with my book and
design a colorful front-page cover to place inside the plastic
front. Often I put essential information there such as the
name, phone number, and address of the building I will be
managing and of the company I will be working for. I also
note the name of my supervisor.
It makes you stand out as a pro when you do extra things to bring
attention to your skills and talents. When you have a colorful, organized,
efficient notebook to work from, your residents and your supervisor will notice.
I’ve often had people pick it up, look at it, and make positive comments such as,
“I need to put something like that together for me.”
What Goes Into the Master Book?
1. Master Resident List
Information About Your Residents
Resident Names and Apartment Numbers
Resident Phone Numbers – Home and Work
Monthly Rental Rate
Storage Space
Entry Code
Parking Space
Size of Apartment
2. Master list of Emergency Phone Numbers
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24-Locksmith
24-Hour Plumber
24-Hour Carpet Cleaner
24-Hour Electrician
24-Hour Glass Repair
24-Hour Board Ups
3. Vendor Names and Phone numbers
4. Maintenance Requests
5. Bookkeeping
6. Correspondence In
7. Correspondence Out
8. Advertising and Marketing
9. Original Forms
10. Entry Code Instructions
11. Misc. Instructions and Information
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Most Common Paperwork Needed
Every company will have different but similar paperwork. Don’t be
intimidated. Paperwork is mostly filling in the blanks. Do not rely on these
forms for everything. It is not uncommon for managers to develop their own
inner office forms to help them stay organized. It’s up to you to put together any
system or method you want to help you organize your office.
When you are given your paperwork, review the material. Listed below
are a few forms you will work with:
Employer Agreement
This is your agreement with the company that hired you. It will tell you
valuable information about what to expect if you quit, or are terminated.
Assignment of Duties
This is a very detailed list of your job responsibilities.
Rental Application
Make sure you have plenty of these to hand out and fax out.
Having a prospect fill out an application is the first step in the leasing
process. Nothing definite happens until you receive an application from a
prospect.
Standard Lease
The lease is the single most important document between the renter and
his or her management company. Everything refers back to this
agreement. And in extreme circumstance it may end up in court.
Rules & Regulations
This forms sets the rules for the building such as pool hours, laundry
hours, late payments, occupancy, and more.
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Rules and Regulations
If you have trouble with noisy residents or residents who do not follow
conformity, this piece of paperwork will help set the tone for what will
and will not be allowed in the building.
Move In/Out Summary
A Move In/Out Summary is a form that indicates the condition of the unit
when a resident takes possession. Possession means they move in. When
the person moves out, you cross check the move-out condition of the
apartment with the move-in condition, and this will tell the owner or the
management company how much money to give back to the resident from
his or her deposit. This document is very important if there is any debate
at move out time such as, “It was that way when I moved in.” If you have
your Move In/Out Summary filled out properly, and in their file, then
you have evidence.
Notice to Enter Dwelling
According to the law, a landlord cannot randomly enter your apartment at
will. He or she needs to give you adequate notice unless the situation is
an emergency. The law does not specifically state that a resident should
be given a 24-hour notice, but it is widely accepted that a 24-hour notice is
sufficient.
3-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit
Many residents do not pay attention to these notices the way that they
should. Receiving frequent notices can look bad on a resident if you end
up in court. This document is very, very important, especially if you end
up in court. Make sure everything is filled out properly and thoroughly.
This is the beginning of an eviction.
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Cover Letter to 3 Day Notice
Since residents often dismiss the 3-day notices and forget to pay their rent,
I like to attach a cover letter explaining the importance of the notice and
the importance of responding in the appropriate amount of time. Please
see the sample letter.
Declaration of Services
The back page of the three-day notice. This form will be used in court if
you go into eviction. It is another form of proof of delivery.
Monthly Report
Some companies want you to fill out a report when you turn in all your
rent checks. Usually you simply fill in the blanks.
Security Deposit Refund
More than likely, you will not be the one making the decision on how
much deposit money is refunded to the resident, but you will have to fill
out a form indicating the areas in the unit that need repair or
improvement, and this form will be an aid in determining how much of
the deposit it returned. This form along with the move-in/out form will
determine how much of the deposit the resident receives back.
Incident Report
An incident report is a one-page (more if needed) report about an incident
that you deem important. You will want to write down the details of the
incident and all the important information. This form will go in a file,
and/or be faxed to your boss if you deem it that important. A sample has
been provided for you.
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Paperwork Tips
When you fill out paperwork go slowly.
Have a sample of how to properly fill out the form nearby.
The Most Important Parts of the Application
Name, Previous Address, Driver’s License, Social Security Number, Date of
Birth, and Visually Check Their ID.
Collect Money and Write a Receipt When you get word that the prospect has been approved, schedule a date
to sign the lease, distribute the keys, and collect fees. Prepare the
paperwork in advance; use colored highlighters to highlight where the
resident should sign or initial. Have all the forms that you need to hand
out ready and available. When you receive money, make sure your write
a receipt for it and that the person giving you the money has a copy.
Additional Paperwork Required by the Job • Make deposits (sometimes)
• Write survey reports (sometimes)
• Bookkeeping: receipts, invoices, misc.
• Work Orders for Maintenance
• Misc.
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Sample of Cover Letter to Accompany 3-Day Notice
Dear Resident (Use their real name),
You have failed to pay your rent on time or respond to previous notices
regarding your late payment.
Please be informed you have been issued a three-day notice to pay rent
or quit. This is a legal document. If you do not pay your rent or move out
within the next three days, this matter will be turned over to the company’s
attorneys.
If that happens, I will be unable to accept your rent check. In order to pay
your rent and cancel the legal action you will have to speak to the attorneys
directly and negotiate a settlement. The attorney will more than likely demand
that you pay your rent, your late fees, and his fees, which usually range from
$150.00 to $300.00. If this matter is not resolved and you go to court and lose,
your credit will be severely affected for that next seven years.
I would not like to see you evicted, as you are a valued resident. Please
take care of this matter as soon as possible, and if you are having troubles and
cannot pay, please discuss the matter with me personally. I am very good at
problem solving.
Thank you,
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Sample: Incident Report
Your Name Apartment Name Apartment Address (213) 555-9826 Re: Resident’s Name and Apartment Number
On Dec. 5,1997, Mr. Kenneth Smith in unit 208 pulled into the driveway leading
to the garage gate. He pressed his remote control and nothing happened, the gate did not
open, and he drove in anyway, smashing the gate and causing extensive damage.
The resident claimed that he did not notice that the gate did not open and
drove in out of habit. Seconds after the incident, I was at the location and
noticed that Mr. Smith was very red in the face and seemed to be disoriented. I
approached him in an effort to determine if paramedics were needed and I
noticed that he had a cut elbow and was slightly bleeding, but not in the least bit
life threatening. It was minor, but since Mr. Smith was an elderly gentleman, I
called 911 to report the incident and seek assistance. After talking to Mr. Smith I
assumed that he was intoxicated. He was mumbling, stumbling, and the smell of
alcohol was strong. Several other residents were near enough to witness the
incident and they made comments about his apparent intoxication. While I
waited for paramedics to arrive, Mr. Smith left the scene and went into his unit.
The police arrived at the same time as the paramedics. The police noticed
his state but commented that because he left the scene and went to his apartment,
they could not do anything about it because he could claim that he drank the
alcohol in his apartment after the incident to calm his nerves.
Listed below are the names and phone numbers of the witnesses to the
incident.
Angela Seals
Resident Manager
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Witnesses:
Sharon White (213) 555-1436
Carl Dreaden (213) 555- 5893
Chris Snife (213) 555-9872
Allie Lester (213) 555-3098
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Chapter Five: Resident Relations
Are the Residents Nice? The most important thing to know about dealing with
residents is that you should keep it pleasant. There is
nothing worse than walking through a building where
tensions are high and nerves are frayed. It is much
nicer to walk through your property and have people
smile at you and say hello than it is to walk though and have people snarl at you.
Collecting rent, coordinating repairs, enforcing rules are all areas of your
work that will require your attention. If you have good communication skills,
are a relatively nice person, are organized and efficient, then you will not have
any trouble taking care of your residents.
How you get along with your residents will not be of a major concern
with your supervisor unless the relations are so bad that she or he must
intervene.
How you get along with your residents will be of major importance to you
because the atmosphere that is created is one that you must live in on a day-to-
day basis. If it is strained, your life will have excess stress in it, and if your
resident relations are pleasant, you will reap a tremendous amount of rewards.
It feels wonderful to walk through a building and receive warm greetings
and salutations.
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Create a Pleasant Environment
While you can’t make everybody happy all the time, you can create a nice
environment in your building so that when you walk around people smile and
greet you warmly. You can do this by taking care of the needs of your residents.
Resolve Noise Complaints
Listed below are a few ideas for dealing with noisy residents:
A. Request that the noisy resident turn on his or her music during the day
to it’s loudest level that causes complaints. Then have the resident
walk outside his or her door and see if it can be heard. If it can be
heard, it is too loud. Go back inside and turn it down and check it
again. Continue to do this until everyone is satisfied that no one
outside the apartment can hear the noise. On the volume control have
the resident place a mark on the stereo or television to indicate that
this volume is the highest acceptable level.
B. If a stereo or TV sits on the floor put padding under it. This reduces
the noise.
C. Pull the stereo or TV away from the wall.
D. Residents who play music at night should keep their windows and
doors closed.
E. Request neighbors to exchange phone numbers. If a resident plays his
or her music too loud, the residents can resolve the matter by calling
each other.
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Persistent Noise Problems
If a noise problem persist, the only way to effectively deal with it after all else has
failed, is to call the police. After the police are called, write an Incident Report (a
note giving the details of the problem) and put it in the resident’s file and/or
send a copy to your boss, and the noisy resident, and anyone else you deem
important.
If you do not call the police, but someone else does, write an Incident
Report based on their information. If you can get a police report, that would be
helpful. In any instance, keep records of the problem and when it occurred.
You can use this paperwork in two ways. (1) You can approach the
resident with all that you have, and this may cause him or her to realize how
much trouble he or she is causing and correct it. (2) You can evict the noise-
maker using your notices as evidence.
Tips on Collecting Rent
1. When you rent a unit, stress to the resident immediately about how
important it is to you that the rent be paid on time.
2. Place phone calls and send Out Friendly Reminder notes on the second
day of the month.
3. Send out Three Day Pay Or Quits on the third or fifth
(according to your lease agreement) unless it falls on a Sunday or a
Holiday.
4. Send out a cover letter with your three day pay or quits.
5. Always respect the resident’s privacy and never try and collect the rent
in front of others.
6. Never criticize or badger.
7. Always show a willingness to help.
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Drug Problems
If your building has serious drug problems, MOVE! If you choose to stay,
cooperate with the police and contact them for advice and information.
Sometimes you can offer a free apartment or a reduced rental rate to a police
officer as incentive to move in. Keep in mind they will not do anything for this
deduction other than live there. The hope is that the visibility of a police officer
in the building will discourage drug activities.
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Chapter Six:
Maintenance and Emergencies Will residents wake me up in the middle of the night?
If you know a lot about maintenance, good. But if you don’t
know a lot about maintenance, you need to know some basics.
Not because you will need to do the work, but because you will need to
supervise the work.
Maintenance and the Law
The law requires landlords to provide and maintain a safe and habitable
dwelling unit, including: effective water proofing and weather protection of the
roof, walls, windows and doors. Plumbing, gas, heating, electric and water
fixtures must be safe and kept in good working order. Also, dead bolt locks must
be installed and maintained in working order on all main swinging entry doors,
and windows designed to be opened must have locks. The landlord must also
keep the grounds free of trash, rodents, and vermin, provide sufficient number of
trash receptacles and keep the floor, stairways and railings in good condition.
Timely Repairs According to the Law
The law requires a landlord to make repairs within a reasonable period of time.
Thirty days notice is always considered reasonable, but urgent repairs should be
completed sooner. For example, if your heat breaks down in the middle of a cold
spell the landlord should act quickly. If a tenant’s toilet breaks down, and it is
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the only toilet in the apartment, this is an emergency, and it should be taken care
of ASAP.
Maintenance Essentials
The manager needs to know the locations of all cable boxes, phone boxes,
heaters, and other necessities in the building. Maintenance is not always
required, but it is always useful. The more a manager can do the move valuable
he or she is to the employer. And knowing how to work in maintenance can
offer you additional income for the service. If you can do any of the following
items, most certainly consider them an asset and add them to your resume.
Plumbing & Electrical
Unclog garbage disposal, unclog toilet, unclog all minor drains, change
stems, seats, washers and o-rings, install aerators, install low-flow shower
heads, repair pop-up lawn sprinklers, replace fire sprinkler heads, shut off
water main, shut off stack valve, check hot water heater pilot, and more.
Shut off gas main, manually open garage gates, recode garage remotes,
change locks, install locks, install door stops, oil hinges, hang drapes,
repair curtain rods, repair curtain rods, repair string pulley, put closet on
track, install medicine cabinets, install shower door handles and rollers,
install toilet paper holder, tooth brush holder, and towel holders.
Janitorial
The Assignment of Duties form is a list that owners and management
companies request managers to fill out along with the employee
agreement. It specifies what services you have offered to provide.
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Responsibilities - What Manager’s Must Do:
• Conduct Walk Throughs (Inspect units)
• Schedule and Supervise Vendors and Repair People
• Supervise Make Readies
(Make Readies are the units that have been vacated and in need of
repair.)
• Supervise Move-Ins and Move Outs
(Generally, it’s a good idea to be around when someone is moving in
or out, you never know what might happen. It makes the resident feel
good knowing you are there in case he or she needs your help.)
Emergency vs. Request
An emergency deals with health and safety. If a window, door, or lock is
broken, that is an emergency. If a toilet is broken and they only have one
toilet then that is an emergency too. If they have two toilets, you still must
fix the broken toilet, but if one is working then that is not an emergency.
What you deem an emergency and what the resident deems an emergency
may vary greatly. The best way to know for sure is to ask your supervisor
what he or she deems to be an emergency and also discuss their
company’s procedure for emergency repair.
Maintenance Checklist
Do you know how to do ANY of the tasks listed below? If yes, make a
separate page listing your skills and attach it to your resume. (You could
make extra money knowing how to do these maintenance tasks.)
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Are You Ready to Work?
Now you have all the information that you need, a general overview of
what is expected of you as an apartment manager. In part two you will
learn how to take this knowledge to another level and use it to your
benefit. Knowing what is expected of you will help you during the
interview process because you will be able to “talk shop” in such a way
that you will let the supervisor or owner know that you know what you
are doing and are therefore a good prospect for the position.
If you listen to this material and study this manual, you will be completely
prepared for the task of apartment managing. Good luck, and it’s time to
move on to part two – Employment Opportunities.
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Part Two: Employment Opportunities
Chapter Seven: Preparing for the Search
What Are the Benefits & Drawbacks of Apartment Managing?
Different managers have different motives for managing
apartments. What we all have in common is our dislike for paying rent, our need
or desire to stay at home, and our freedom to live life differently.
Benefits
• Free Rent
• Paid Utilities
• Paid Services (laundry/water/cable/newspaper & more))
• Work From Home
• Set Your Own Easy Hours
• No Boss Standing Over You
• Free Time to Pursue Other Interests
• Insurance Benefits (Sometimes)
• Bonuses and Commissions (Sometimes)
• Growth and Career Potential
Drawbacks
• Loss of Privacy
• Complaining Residents
• Emergencies
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Who’s Eligible for This Type of Work?
All kinds of people are eligible: Seniors, single women, single men, couples,
couples with children, and those of alternative lifestyle. You don’t have to have
a college degree, computer skills, or maintenance skills, but it doesn’t hurt if you
do. You can work part-time or full, and if you have a nine to five job, you don’t
have to give it up.
How Much Can I Expect to Get Paid?
Free Rent Managers are usually offered a free unit to live in. This unit can be a
single, a one bedroom, a two bedroom, or something else. It may have a
private office attached, or there may be one near your apartment, or you
may work out of your own apartment. Sometimes you are allowed to
pick the unit you want from the vacancies, and sometimes the supervisor
will provide a specific unit for the manager. Some supervisors offer a
rental reduction only for very small buildings or very sought after
buildings.
The Salary The rule of thumb for salary is ten to twenty dollars per
unit (give or take a few dollars) as the monthly salary.
For example, if you manage a 30 unit building you may
be offered $300.00 to $600.00 per month, or more.
If you or a partner offers maintenance, cleaning, gardening, or any other
additional service, then you will be compensated for the extra work. You
can even offer your services to the company and receive extra freelance
jobs earning additional income.
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Commissions Sometimes companies offer commissions for the units leased. These
commissions can range from small ($25.00 per unit) to large ($100.00 per
unit, or more).
Bonuses Sometimes companies even go so far as to offer bonuses to managers who
collect their rents on time.
Utilities Quite often your utilities will be paid, or, at least, a utilities allowance will
be offered. And if you use your own phone, then you should receive a
telephone allowance.
Benefits You may or may not receive medical or other benefits; each company
varies. It never hurts to ask.
Perks You can also receive perks such as free cable, free newspapers, discounts
on water, and even quarters for your monthly laundry. These perks do
not come from your supervisor but rather from the vendors who service
your building.
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Types of Buildings Most new managers start with a small building, which is 15 to 30 units. A
medium size building is usually 30 to 65 units, and a large building is
above 65 units. Buildings come in a wide variety of types and styles from
plain to luxurious. From high-rise to family style.
What do Employers Want?
New managers feel intimidated when they begin their job search because they
run up against the objection of not having experience. Employers want a
manager who has experience because they want to know that the manager can
do the job. Your training prepares you for the job. So it is up to you to
communicate your ability. You can do this by using the terminology that you
learned in your training, discussing some of the aspects of apartment managing,
and showing your confidence in your ability to do the job. If you possess any of
the skills listed below, let the supervisor know it because owners and supervisors
find these skills and characteristics valuable: Common Sense, People Skills, Sales
Skills, Trustworthiness, Dependability, and Stability.
Resumes Several sample resumes are in this manual; pick one that suits your style.
Prepare a minimum of two. Your first resume will be a resume that lists your
jobs “chronologically” and the second will list be a “focused” resume.
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Chronological Resume
Start with your current or last job and place it first, then work backwards
and list the job you held before that one, and then list the job before that
one, and so forth, and so on. We’ll call this resume your chronological
resume.
Make sure you don’t have any typos. If you are not good at writing
resumes, or you have difficulty with grammar, hire a resume writing
service. They are very inexpensive.
Focused Resume
On the second resume, you need to customize your resume so that it is
enticing to the apartment owner or supervisor. In the very first section
instead of listing your last job, list your training with
ApartmentManagers.Net and list any other training that was even
remotely associated with apartment managing.
For example, if you have had sales training, this could be a big asset to
your ability to lease units, and as we discussed, leasing units is one of the
most important aspects of the job. After listing your training, list any job
that you had where your skills could easily be transferable to apartment
managing such as customer service, administrative, maintenance,
gardening, cleaning, sales, etc. Think of this resume as being a sales tool
for you. We’ll call this resume your focused resume.
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Resume Guideline Focused Resume Create a focused resume. A Focused resume is a resume that “focuses” on your skills and abilities as they relate to apartment managing. All information will clearly relay to the employer what you can do as a manger. Remember this resume is my selling tool. It is what helps me get you in the door, so it is an important document. Don’t Use Confusing Language – Keep it Clear Sometimes on resumes, the job seeker will try to be so impressive that the employer ends up scratching his or her head saying, what does this person do? Don’t be overly formal and cold in your approach and language. Make your language clear and direct. How it Looks – The Format I would recommend utilizing the computer to add a little flair and pizzazz to the look. Keep all resumes to one page only! If you have a lot of information consider using a smaller font. If you don’t have a lot of information, consider using a larger font and make certain that you keep all material centered on the page. In other words, don’t let the page look blank. Make your resume easy to read, symmetrical, and uniformed. Follow one format for all jobs. For example create a section for “job title” and a section for “job duties” is always useful. If you have direct experience that always goes first and consider putting it in bold. The salutation should include: Your Name, Your Phone, and Your Email The Order of Jobs The first job that you list on your focused resume is the job that is most impressive to a property supervisor. If you have direct experience, clearly give yourself a good title: “Resident Manager.” State where the building was, how long you were there, and how large it was. The next item on the focused resume will be the next impressive job that you had and how it relates to property management. And you will follow this format of listing jobs that are impressive to an employer. For example, here is how one resume reads, which is perfectly fine, but we want to remake it impressive to an property management supervisor. Job Title: Personal Assistant Duties: Assist the CEO, run errands, kept rack of dates and appointments, schedule meetings and did personal shopping, talent scouting and some secretarial tasks for a small up and coming record label.
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Consider changing to the below (don’t underline, I only did that so the next would stand out): Job Title: Assistant to Executive Duties: Liaison between executives and staff, ran errands, scheduled appointments and meetings, and all general administrative tasks. I am excellent with people and can easily give phone information to prospective renters, schedule appointments to show the units, and lease the units. Notice that I put in a brief sentence spelling out in explicit detail what task you can do in property management because of the job that had the transferable skill. In other words, I explained what skill was transferred. I showed that by answering phones and scheduling appointments, you can schedule leasing appointments and lease the units. At the bottom ad your educational accomplishments if they are impressive, or you can ad any special training, computer skills (but don’t get too detailed), and anything else that might impress an employer. If you know maintenance, include a separate list of your skills. Also list your tools if they are impressive. If you only have a few, general, at-home-tools, just state “some tools available.” Make this page as impressive and creative as the resume. This page is a very big selling tool. Do the best you can and start right away. This resume and maintenance list is going to be the tool that will get you in the door.
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Stephen Burns-Sample Resume
(310) 555-1212 [email protected]
Objective: To manage a small to medium sized building in a nice neighborhood. Skills and Abilities: Skilled at taking calls, scheduling appointments, showing units, leasing units, answering resident needs, paperwork, and all other apartment manager duties. Maintenance Experience: All levels of light maintenance and then some. I have attached a separate list. Some tools available. Job Title: Customer Service Manager Duties: Functioned as the liaison between the corporate office and the general office. Answered customer questions, direction flow of information, and kept track of all activities. I will easily work with the residents, take care of their needs, and take care of the needs of the property management office. My recording keeping skills are superb and my communication skills are excellent. Job Title: Office Manager Duties: Open the office, prepare for the day, confirm appointments, screen calls, direct flow of information, greet appointments, give presentations and reports, track activity, and all general office work. Scheduling prospective renters and showing units will be easy and enjoyable, as I enjoy working with diverse people and assisting those who need it. My ability to give presentations will be useful to this job and my ability to follow up and close will be an asset. Job Title: Secretary Duties: Answered phones, scheduled appointments, greeted customers, typed, filed, and all office duties. I work well on my own and I work well with others. I am self-motivated, so I can take care of tasks as they need to be. I am efficient and detail oriented.
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Suggestions for Resume
Objective I am trained, prepared, and confident that I can professionally
manage all the responsibilities required of resident managing. My previous
experience in sales, customer service, and administration prepared me for leasing
units, solving problems, and staying organized and efficient. I would like the
opportunity to apply my professional training and previous job experience to a
position as a resident manager. I offer dependability, honesty, and a commitment
to quality work.
Responsibilities Scheduling appointments, showing and leasing apartments,
collecting rents, posting payments, designing advertisement and placing ads,
supervising maintenance crews, working with vendors, serving three day pay or
quits, testifying in court (when necessary), walking the property, resolving
tenant problems, supervising move-ins and move-outs, plus all general
management duties.
Training Completed basic and advanced training with marguerite Cravatt at
Apartment Manager training that focused on the six main aspects of resident
managing: (1) How to Use the Phone to Rent Your Units (2) How to Power Lease
in 4 Easy Steps (3) How to Market & Advertise Your Building for Free (4) How to
Manage & Organize Paperwork (5) How to Have Good Relations with Residents
(6) How to Solve Maintenance & Emergencies.
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Application Forms
Before you head off to your interview, make sure that you fill out a
standard application form that you can pick up on line or at any book
store or office supply store. You won’t hand it in. The purpose of filling
out the application and taking it with you is so that you will be able to use
it as a resource. The completed application allows you to have all of your
necessary information all in one neat place.
What to take to the interview
When you go to your interview make sure that you take both resumes and
your application. If the application requires you to provide dates for your
previous jobs, you can refer to your chronological resume. Your focused
resume includes information highlighting your talents, abilities, and
previous experience relating to apartment managing. Your chronological
resume is your employment history. Neither resume should be longer
than one page. The chronological resume is for a reference and the
focused resume is for you to give to the potential employer. Of course this
procedure is not etched in stone.
As a manager you will be required to use your common sense and make
spontaneous decisions. Use those quality skills during your interview as
well. If you feel it would be more appropriate to hand in your
chronological resume, then by all means trust your instincts and hand it
in.
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The Interview Dress well, arrive a few minutes early, smile and be
friendly, practice good posture and body control,
keep your breathing smooth, stay alert, warm, and
friendly. Remember that no matter what you are
asked, the underlying question is “why should we
hire you.” So all of your responses and communication should tell the
interviewer that you are competent, qualified, and the best person for the job.
Responsibilities of a Manager
The training covers the main aspects of apartment managing so make sure
that you list the responsibilities at the start of your resume: (see resume samples)
• Scheduling Appointments
• Showing and Leasing Apartments
• Collecting Rents
• Posting Payments
• Designing Advertisement and Placing Ads
• Supervising Maintenance Crews
• Working with Vendors
• Serving Three-Day Pay or Quits
• Walking the Property
• Resolving Resident Problems
• Supervising Movie-ins and Move-outs
• Plus all General Management Duties
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Maintenance Skills
If you have any of the following skills, you will want to make absolutely certain
that you put this information in front of the employer. You can put it in your
cover letter or your resume, and if you are very skilled, you may consider
making a separate page and listing all the maintenance skills and tools that you
offer.
Cover Letter
The purpose of your cover letter is to address the needs of the employers
and to give them a sense of who you are.
If you are responding to an ad in the paper, open up your letter by
responding to that ad. Next you will want to make a positive comment about
yourself, and then close by asking for an appointment.
A sample cover letter is provided for you. Modify it and rewrite it to
reflect your own style and experience.
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Chapter Eight: Finding the Jobs
I’m Ready to Start My Search
The easiest and quickest way to find a job is through the classified ads in your
local newspapers. Most jobs are listed in alphabetical order and you can search a
variety of locations in the classifieds:
A Apartment Managers
P Property Managers
L Leasing Agents
R Resident Managers
There are several ways of finding your dream job. The easiest way is to respond
to an ad. Another way is to send out cover letters and resumes to lists from the
yellow pages and other sources or directories. And another way is to target a
specific area and write down apartment buildings you would like to manage
“Target Search.”
What Kinds of Jobs are Available?
The training prepares you for a job as a resident manager, but there are other
positions available.
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Assistant Manager Assistant managers work under resident managers. The building must be fairly
large. The assistant managers usually work part time, usually on the weekends.
They often live on the property, but not always.
Leasing Agent A leasing agent position is the easiest job to obtain. The best assets you can have
for the job is your personality and sales ability. Leasing agents work part-time or
full. The pay is usually good and commissions are commonly offered. Most
leasing agents work off site, which means the leasing agent does not live on the
property. However, this is not always the case. Most of the properties that need
a leasing agent are usually large. Leasing is an excellent position to hold because
you can learn the ins and outs of the work first hand; you will be gaining
valuable experience that will help you, and you will be adding another segment
to your resume which includes direct experience.
Roving Manager (Relief Manager) A roving manager, or a relief manager, is a manager who works at a property
temporarily. The manager may be on vacation, ill, or unavailable for some other
reason. The relief manager takes control of the building and manages during the
absence of the resident manager.
Maintenance Worker See the list of maintenance skills in the maintenance section of the manual. The
more skills that you have, the more it helps your chances of getting the job.
Maintenance workers can work on-site or off. The larger buildings will require
you to live on the property, and if you live off-site, your job will be more like a
nine to five position.
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Administrative Many property management companies need people to work for them in the
office. Administrative workers often need to have office skills, typing, computer,
and telephone skills.
Growth Potential There is room for advancement. Many property managers become supervisors
and some even end up owning their own property.
Classified Search
Review the classified ads provided and determine whether or not they are easy
for you to understand. Scrutinize the words. Learn to “mirror” the words in
your cover letter. If the ad states that the company is seeking someone good at
leasing, then you mention in your cover letter that you are good at leasing and
use an example or illustration to emphasize your point. If the job seeks someone
with good people skills, then by all means, mention how good you are with
people.
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Chapter Nine: The Interview
What Do I Say in the Interview? The interview process can be nerve racking.
There are ways to overcome the agony and
actually learn how to enjoy the process. The
more prepared you are, the greater your chances
are that you will give a good interview and win
the job. Most people are very bad at interviewing which is actually a benefit to
you. While they are fumbling and mumbling and doing and saying all the
wrong things, you will be poised, alert, and full of charm and personality doing
and saying all the right things.
Apartment managing is not the type of work that requires a degree or
years of experience. Yes, it is true that most management companies prefer a
manager who has experience. But what the owner or supervisor really wants is
someone who can do the job and do it well. This training is designed to prepare
you for every aspect of apartment managing. After the training, you should be
convinced that you can do the job. And if you are convinced, then all you have to
do is convince the owner or supervisor too.
This section is all about breaking down the interviewing process. There are five
major parts to the interview:
(1) The preparation
(2) The greeting
(3) The beginning
(4) The body
(5) The close
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You will find that this structure is very similar to the four step leasing
process (qualify, pitch or withdraw, close, and overcome objections). We will
discuss each section independently.
Part One: Preparation
If in the past, you have felt nervous and uncomfortable at a job interview
and felt as if you were in the hot seat being grilled for information, then you
need to change your ways and make the experience much more pleasant than
that.
One way to improve your interview skills is to be prepared. Prepared to
answer some of the most commonly asked interview questions. Don’t stumble,
mumble, or fumble your way through what to say. Begin now to mentally
practice your responses to the questions below. Each response should be
approximately 30 to 60 seconds. Not too long and not to too short. When you
are asked questions, don’t give a one-word answer. Remember that the
interviewer is trying to get a sense of who you are and what you can do. Make it
easy for him or her. And every time you answer a question remember that the
real question you are being asked is … why should we hire you?
Most Often Asked Interview Questions
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why have you changed jobs so much?
3. What are your strengths as an employee?
4. How long have you been looking for a job?
5. What are your biggest weaknesses as an employee?
6. What do your supervisors tend to criticize about you?
7. Tell me about your best or worst boss.
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8. Are you organized?
9. Do you work well under pressure?
10. Do you prefer to work with others or by yourself?
11. What was your best accomplishment at your last job?
12. Does the company you are working for now know that you are
looking?
13. Why are you leaving your job?
14. What interests you the most about this job or this company?
15. What appeals to you the least about this job?
16. Are there any people you have trouble getting along with?
17. What does the word “success” mean to you?
18. How would your coworkers describe you?
19. How do you handle problems and conflicts?
20. If you could change something about your personality, what
would it be?
21. If you were unfairly criticized by your supervisor, what would
you do?
22. What are your hobbies?
23. Do you have any questions?
24. May I contact your current employer?
25. Is there anything I should know about you?
Part Two: Greeting
The second part of the interview process after the preparation is the
greeting. Usually after you enter the office, you will be asked to sit in the lobby
for a few minutes then the supervisor will come and get you and lead you to his
or her office, or an assistant or other office worker will come and get you and
take you to the interview room. Remember to continue using good posture and
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good social skills. When you realize that someone is making contact with you,
stand up. Listen to what the person says when they introduce themselves. The
person may say, “Hello, I’m Mary, John Smith’s assistant. He’s ready to see you
now.” You can then follow Mary’s lead toward John Smith’s office.
When you walk to the interview room, use good posture, keep your eyes
and ears open, and give yourself positive affirmations and keep good feelings
running throughout your body because what is going on in your head and in
your emotions will be detected by the interviewer in some way. If you are
nervous, people will know. That doesn’t mean that you won’t get the job.
Everybody has some nervousness on a job interview, but don’t let the
nervousness or fear interfere with what you need to do. Stay calm, relaxed,
receptive, and observant. Remember this is not an interrogation but rather a
“let’s get to know each other opportunity.”
Part Three: The Beginning
Now we are at stage three of the interview process. You have prepared.
You have gone through the greeting, now you have made it to the beginning of
the interview and this is one of the most awkward parts of the process.
Usually you will sit in a chair across from the person who will interview
you. He or she will read over your resume or at least pretend to. Sometimes
there is an awkward silence. Be pleasant, smile warmly when you can, don’t
fidget, and be willing to start the conversation if necessary.
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Part Four: The Body
The body of the interview is the biggest, most complex part of the
interview. This is the question and answer period that makes you feel like you
are under interrogation. Interviews can last a few minutes, a half-hour, or
longer. When you answer questions, make each anser a presentation and make it
fresh and alert. Act as if it is the first time you heard the question even if you
have a prepared answer. Keep all answers brief and direct. Do not wander
around chattering, that is the death of an interview. Make sure you watch every
word that comes out of your mouth. Keep it positive, positive, positive.
Remember, you are making an impression.
Tell Me About Yourself
Probably the number one killer question that everyone dreads is, “Why
don’t you just tell me a little bit about yourself.”
You should embrace this question because this is your big, glorious
moment to sell yourself. Because the underlying question is, “Why should I hire
you?” Most people hate this question, therefore they don’t answer it well; they
squirm in their chair, they cringe, they say stupid things, and ramble on and on
endlessly without any clear direction of what to say. They start by talking about
where they were born and continue on to make a complete bore of themselves.
It’s good for you that they botch it because you won’t! So therefore you will
stand out professionally and be set apart from everyone else which is what you
want to do.
Being prepared for the interview by preparing an answer for each
question is the professionally intelligent thing to do. Prepare a fifteen to sixty
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second answer completely rehearsed and ready to go. It should NOT sound like
it’s rehearsed, and you should be able to spontaneously change the dialogue
from time to time if need be.
What kind of pitch do you want to give?
Chronological
When you answer the “Why don’t you tell me about yourself “ question, you can
discuss your past work history and discuss how you can transfer that previous
work experience (and training) to the job at hand. It might be much like reciting
your resume in a conversational tone.
Focused
Another approach to answering the question is that you can discuss your best
assets and how they will help you as an apartment manager. You can tell them a
story about some success you had and tie it in with what you can do for them.
This is a more directed approach to selling yourself. And it is highly effective.
Make sure that you point out all your good points. Many people have difficulty
with this because we are taught to be modest and not to brag. If you don’t tell
this person how great you are, who will? You might tell him or her that you are
dependable, trustworthy, loyal, easy to get along with, attentive to details, a hard
worker, willing to please, a good problem solver, good at leasing, you get the
picture. List your best assets. You may want to talk about what you love about
this type of work.
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Do You Have Any Questions?
Sometimes the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions. Which
is a wonderful opportunity for you. Take advantage of it. Respond with a smile
and say, “Yes, I do. Thank you for asking. I was wondering, what are your greatest
needs at this building?”
This is a fantastic question and allows you to gather important
information. It gives you a chance to find out everything you need to know.
Part Five: The Close
Eventually the interview will come to the final phase. At this point you
have already gone through the preparation, the greeting, the awkward
beginning, the intense body, and now you are at the close. Sometimes the
interviewer will cut you off and say, “… we’ll let you know,” and you may feel like
you are being kicked out. Just remember, you are not the only person the
interviewer will be seeing. Maybe he or she is on a strict schedule. Take the
initiative and ask the closing question and/or make a closing statement.
One closing question that is very helpful to ask is, “So, let me ask, what are
my chances? Am I in the running?” Remember to be silent when asking a closing
question. Just sit there with a smile, emitting good energy.
If you get a sincere positive reaction and are told that you are in the
running, your next close question is “When do you plan on making a decision?”
After your closing question is answered, give a closing comment such as,
“Before I leave, I just want to say that if you decide to hire me, you can count on me to do
a good job.” Or you might say something to that effect; use your own words and
style, of course.
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Chapter Ten: Negotiating Your Salary
Standard Salary
$10.00 to $20.00 Dollars pre unit (or more), per month
Free Apartment
Paid Utilities
Commission on Rentals
Bonuses for On-Time and Early Rental Collections
Benefits
Free Cable
Free Newspaper
Discounts on Water
Free Laundry Money
Employment Agreements Review the agreement provided, and study each section and become
familiar with the various options.
Will my credit be checked?
Your credit will more than likely be checked, so if you have bad credit,
there are precautions that you can take to lessen your chances of your bad credit
becoming a problem. Just keep in mind that many people have less than perfect
credit. Many people have defaulted credit cards and medical bills or student
loans that were not paid.
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If you are uncertain of your current credit status, send off for your credit
history. It only costs about $8.00 and there are three main credit-reporting
agencies. Quifax, TRW, and Trans-Union. Most supervisors are lenient
regarding your credit because, after all, you won’t be paying rent. The worst
credit that you can have is an eviction. But even that can be overcome.
If you have bad credit and/or evictions, then you need to write a one-page
letter of explanation, and have it available.
Letter of Explanation Write a short (one page or less) letter explaining why you have this bad
credit and what you plan to do about it. Make certain the letter is grammatically
correct. If you don’t have confidence in your writing strengths, then take it to a
professional resume service, or a secretarial service, and have someone write it or
at least check what you have written and help you make appropriate changes, if
necessary. It won’t cost much to have a one page edited.
The reason you want to prepare a letter of explanation in advance is so
that you can avoid being embarrassed. The letter will also help you avoid
discussing the matter. And you really don’t want to discuss it if you don’t have
to because the moment that you start talking about your bad credit, you lose
negotiating power. It puts you in a negative light, no matter what. You lose
power.
No one feels good about explaining a personal problem. It’s awkward; it’s
embarrassing; it’s humiliating, and it’s simply very uncomfortable. So put the
matter in a letter, and leave it at that. Sometimes your boss will be kind enough
not to even bring it up.
WARNING: Don’t give this letter to the boss until he or she informs you
that the office will run a credit check.
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Negotiating Points
There are several points of negotiating that may be of importance to you.
Some of the main negotiating points are:
1. What is expected of you in terms of job responsibilities?
2. What hours are you expected to work?
3. What you will be paid in terms of salary?
4. Will you receive leasing bonuses or rent collecting bonuses?
5. Will your utilities be paid, and if so, which ones and how much?
6. Are you required to have a pager? If yes, will they pay for it?
7. In the event that one party or the other terminates the employment
agreement, how long do you have to move?
Negotiating is a point-by-point, give and take balancing act. Go slowly, make
sure that you are clear in your understanding, and consider the whole process
an opportunity to explore your opportunities.
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Closing Comments
Well we made it all the way through your training, and if
you have been listening to the audio training as well, you
are completely prepared, trained, and ready for the
enjoyable and profitable challenge of becoming a first
class resident manager – this is a career move that can
last you a lifetime. At any point in your life, if you need
a break from the normal, hum-drum, day to day grind of
the nine to five world, you can now successfully escape it. You now have the
knowledge that can earn you hundreds of thousands of dollars in saved money.
I hope that you enjoyed the training; I hope that I have helped you; I hope
that you have learned a lot. Thank you for becoming a part of our Apartment
Manager Training, and I wish you the best of luck for all your future endeavors.
Please visit us often at Cravatt.com and tell your friends can visit too. Don’t
forget we have helpful information for landlord/tenant issues, articles, and so
much more.
Best Wishes,
Marguerite
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About the Author
Marguerite Cravatt has worked as a property supervisor and trained hundreds of people how to live rent-free. She has been a resident manager for over 12 years. She is the author of the Live Rent-Free an apartment manager training manual which includes six hours of audio training.
She holds a master’s degree in English literature and is a dedicated writer. She writes in various genres such as romantic comedy, drama, sci-fi, and the avant-garde, and her prose is in various forms such as novel, novellas, short stories, and scripts. Marguerite also writes technical guidebooks, instructional manuals, and educational essays. Her fully developed writing portfolio is available for viewing at www.cravatt.com.
Marguerite continued her education with post-educational teacher training at UCLA, studied and trained in management success strategies for many years, became certified as a facilitator and motivational speaker in the field of cognitive and self-image psychology, and became certified as a facilitator of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Due to her training, Marguerite is an excellent speaker and lecturer. She has a skill and talent for making everyone comfortable from the front office receptionist to the CEO. In addition to writing, Marguerite owns and manages two web businesses and teaches English Composition at a Los Angeles college.
Before her writing career, Marguerite experienced success in the entertainment business working as owner and agent of MCB Talents, Inc., a talent agency located in Houston & Dallas. In Texas she cast talent in memorable, award-winning films such as Tender Mercies, starring Robert Duvall, Places in the Heart, starring Sally Fields, and Dallas, the Lorimar series. Marguerite left Texas for Los Angeles and opened Creative Casting, a movie extras casting agency. During her ownership, she cast an average of 24 feature films (and movies of the week) per year! A few recognizable Los Angeles films on her credits list include: Born in East LA, staring Cheech Marin, Wild at Heart, directed by David Lynch, and Nightmare on Elm Street, directed by Wes Craven, as well as many others.
Currently Marguerite is a member of the American Federation of Teachers
(AFT), the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and Women in
Film. In her personal life, Marguerite actively seeks culturally diverse
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environments by traveling. She has traveled throughout Egypt, Israel,
Western Europe, Mexico, Canada, and 16,000 miles around the United
States. Today she is happily single and lives in Los Angeles with her doggie,
Baby.
