One of the most stressful parts of job hunting is preparing for your interview. But flexing your successful property management skills is the first step to showcasing your abilities — and acing your next property manager interview. What’s more, knowing what questions to expect during the interview is a great way to ensure you have great answers prepared.
Read on to learn how to prepare for your next property manager job interview. We’ll go over the 10 most common interview questions for property managers. Finally, we’ll explore some questions you should ask at the end of your interview.
In this post, we cover:
- How do I prepare for a property management interview?
- How do you nail a property manager interview?
- What are the 10 most common questions and answers for managers?
- What questions should I ask at the end of an interview?
How do I prepare for a property management interview?
Preparing for a property management interview can be anxiety-inducing. However, with our useful tips, you don’t have to stress.
Here are some surefire ways to prepare for your next interview:
- Dress to impress. Your interview is your chance to make a great first impression on the hiring manager or building owner. So, dress professionally in order to look the part during your interview.
- Prepare follow-up questions. Prepare a few questions for the interviewer to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role. Additionally, coming up with thoughtful questions to ask during your interview helps you glean crucial information about certain aspects of the position.
- Know your local building codes. Showcase your knowledge by staying up to date with local building codes and ordinances. This will equip you with valuable information you’ll need to manage the building more effectively once you get the job.
- Know your state landlord and tenant laws. Stay on top of your state’s landlord and tenant laws to ensure you adhere to local guidelines.
How do you nail a property manager interview?
So, you recently applied for a property manager position and are wondering how to impress your interviewer. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Here are some property manager interview tips for acing your next interview:
- Provide examples of your problem-solving abilities. Discuss challenges you’ve faced at previous buildings to demonstrate that you can overcome any obstacle in order to manage a building successfully.
- Showcase your leadership skills. A property manager is a liaison between a building’s owner and residents. So, demonstrate your ability to delegate tasks to staff — and ways that you address resident concerns.
- Talk about wins and positive results at previous buildings. Provide statistics and examples of how you’ve boosted resident retention, streamlined maintenance efforts, and implemented modern access control solutions to showcase your positive impacts.
Explore the basics of property management training:
What are the 10 most common questions and answers for managers?
Like most job interviews, property manager interviews typically ask the same set of questions. Have a friend conduct a mock interview with these questions to practice your answers.
Here are some common property manager interview questions to expect in your next interview, plus a guide to the best answers:
- What makes a great property manager?
- What are your strengths as a property manager?
- What property management software do you use?
- How do you handle pressure?
- What are the basics of property management?
- How do you handle contractor disputes?
- What types of rental properties have you managed in the past?
- How does your resident screening process work?
- Can you describe a situation with a difficult resident and how the matter was resolved?
- How long are your rental units typically vacant?
1. What makes a great property manager?
A great property manager is proactive, displays exceptional communication skills, stays organized, and knows local building codes and housing laws inside and out.
Simply highlighting your awareness of these skills will give the building owner or hiring manager confidence in your ability to excel in the role.
2. What are your strengths as a property manager?
Want to showcase your strengths as a property manager?
Focus on these particular strengths:
- Your leadership abilities
- Relevant experience
- Positive feedback you received during your property management training and beyond
3. What property management software do you use?
Property management software helps:
- Automate repetitive tasks like tracking prospects and sending out follow-up emails.
- Book tours and keep track of vacant units.
- Gather leads about prospective residents and track where they are in your marketing funnel stage.
Knowing the basics of a PMS may be the key to your success as a property manager.
Some of the most widely used property management software systems are:
- Entrata
- Appfolio
- RealPage
- Buildium
4. How do you handle pressure?
Property management is a stressful industry, so being able to handle pressure is an important part of the job. Share a few examples of how you’ve previously handled pressure skillfully to help you stand apart from other candidates.
5. What are the basics of property management?
The basics of property management are:
- Creating a portfolio for the rental property.
- Collecting rent from residents.
- Facilitating routine maintenance.
- Filling vacancies promptly.
- Overseeing the daily operations of the property.
6. How do you handle contractor disputes?
Handling contractor disputes comes with the territory of being a property manager. In fact, remedying contractor disputes swiftly — and without burning any bridges — is the hallmark of a great property manager.
7. What types of rental properties have you managed in the past?
There are many types of real estate properties that you may have experience managing, including residential apartments, gated communities, commercial offices, and industrial warehouses.
Additionally, having experience with many different types of properties helps you tailor your leadership style to the specific needs of the building.
What’s more, most property managers are expected to manage hundreds of units with ease. So, if you have experience with large-scale buildings, you should highlight this during your interview.
8. How does your resident screening process work?
Screening prospective residents is an important part of being a property manager. Outline how you find, gather, and nurture high-quality leads for vacant units.
Acquiring high-quality residents is the key to signing more long-term leases and improving tenant retention.
9. Can you describe a situation with a difficult resident and how the matter was resolved?
It’s normal for property managers to run into issues with residents. So, property managers need to have conflict resolution skills to remedy these disagreements promptly.
With this in mind, recount a particular scenario where you effectively resolved a resident dispute or disagreement.
10. How long are your rental units typically vacant?
One of the most crucial performance metrics to highlight in your interview is your ability to reduce unit vacancy time. This proves to the property owner that you can meet and exceed their expectations.
What questions should I ask at the end of an interview?
Asking questions once your interview is over shows you’re proactive about pursuing the role. This will set you apart from other candidates.
Here are some property management interview questions to ask at the end of your next interview:
- What does a typical day look like in this role? Every property is different, so knowing the routines of the building you’re interviewing for is crucial as the new property manager.
- What goals do you have for your building? Knowing the building owner’s goals for their property allows you to begin strategizing immediately. Then, you can prioritize meeting these goals.
- What are the immediate projects that you’d like me to tackle? When a building owner or hiring manager is looking to hire a property manager, they usually have an idea of the most pressing projects that need addressing. Asking about these projects shows you’re genuinely interested in improving building operations.
Takeaways
- Prepare for your next property manager interview by dressing to impress, preparing follow-up questions, knowing your local building codes and ordinances, and knowing your state housing laws.
- Providing examples of your problem-solving skills, showcasing your leadership abilities, and highlighting previous wins and performance metrics will help you ace your next interview.
- Consider conducting a mock interview using 10 common real estate property manager interview questions to practice for your interview.
- Come prepared with a few follow-up questions. This will show that you’re engaged and enthusiastic about the position.
