Property manager job description template: the portfolio, the license question and fair housing lines
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"Property manager: oversee daily operations of residential and commercial properties" could be an onsite manager at a 280-unit apartment community with a leasing team and two maintenance technicians, a portfolio manager at a fee management company handling 150 scattered single-family rentals for thirty owners, a commercial manager overseeing office buildings and tenant improvements, or a community association manager working with an HOA board. The duties, the licensing question and the hours differ in each. A useful property manager job description names the property type and size, the owner relationship, the team, what the manager controls (budget, leasing, collections, maintenance, vendors), and whether the work needs a real estate or association management license in your state. Below are the seat types, the licensing, fair housing and classification lines with sources, a copy-ready template, screening and scorecard rows, and common mistakes. For the first call, use the property manager screening questions.
Name the seat first
| Seat | What the work looks like | Must-have that separates it |
|---|---|---|
| Onsite residential community manager | Leasing team, renewals, delinquencies, resident issues, maintenance coordination, monthly owner report | Has run a community of similar size, met occupancy and collection targets and managed onsite staff |
| Portfolio or fee manager (third-party) | Many properties or owners, owner communication, vendor bids, move-ins and move-outs, trust accounting with the broker | Has managed property for owners other than their employer and kept each owner informed |
| Single-family rental manager | Scattered homes, turn coordination, inspections, renewals, vendor dispatch over a wide area | Has managed turns and repairs across many addresses without losing track of cost |
| Commercial property manager | Leases with operating expense recoveries, tenant improvements, building systems, reconciliations | Has prepared expense reconciliations and handled tenant improvement projects |
| Community association manager | Board meetings, budgets and reserves, rules enforcement, vendor contracts, owner communication | Has worked for a board, run meetings and prepared an annual budget |
Then settle the facts: property type, units or square footage, number of properties, age and condition, occupancy situation (stable, lease-up, turnaround), onsite team size, the property management software, on-call duties, whether housing is offered, and who the manager reports to. If the role is leasing or sales on commission, start from the real estate agent job description template; if it is mostly repairs and turns, the maintenance technician job description template.
Licensing, fair housing and classification lines, with sources
Not legal advice. The points below were checked against the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, the California Department of Real Estate, the Florida Statutes, HUD and Department of Labor sources as of October 2026. Licensing rules and exemptions are set by each state; confirm with the state real estate commission and counsel.
The license question. BLS says property managers may need a license from the state where they work, that in most states property managers must have a property management license or real estate broker's license, and that in some states community association managers also need a real estate license (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, last modified August 27, 2026). Two state examples:
- California. The Department of Real Estate says Business and Professions Code section 10131(b) requires a broker license for leasing or renting, soliciting tenants or collecting rents for another for compensation, that there is no separate property manager license, that a salesperson may do this work only under the supervision of their broker, and that owners managing their own property do not need a license (DRE licensee alert, 2016).
- Florida. The broker definition covers renting and leasing real property for another for compensation (Fla. Stat. 475.01), while the exemptions include salaried employees of an owner, or of a registered broker for an owner, who work in an onsite rental office of an apartment community in a leasing capacity, and salaried managers of a condominium or cooperative apartment complex for rentals of no more than one year (Fla. Stat. 475.011).
If your state requires a license for the duties, write it as a must-have with the state; if the manager works under your company's broker, say so.
Fair housing. HUD summarizes the Fair Housing Act as prohibiting discrimination in housing because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status and disability (HUD Fair Housing Act overview). Name fair housing compliance as a duty and say training is provided; check state and local protected classes too.
Exempt or nonexempt. A manager whose primary duty is managing the property, who customarily directs two or more full-time employees and whose hiring recommendations carry weight may meet the executive exemption (DOL Fact Sheet 17B). Each test requires a salary of at least the standard level, which the Department of Labor lists as $684 a week. A portfolio manager with no staff needs a separate review, often under the administrative test (DOL Fact Sheet 17C).
The property manager job description template
[Community / Portfolio / Commercial / Association] Manager,
[Property name or region]
[Company], [city, state] — on site [days and hours], on-call
[rotation], [housing offered / not offered]
Pay: $[min]–$[max] per year, plus [bonus tied to (occupancy /
collections / renewals), if any].
[Benefits summary, if required.] [Exempt or non-exempt, after review.]
SUMMARY
You will manage [N units / N square feet] across [N] [property
type] properties, built around [year], for [owner type]. The
property is [stable / in lease-up / in a turnaround]. You will lead
[N] [leasing / maintenance / administrative] staff and report to
[title]. [You will work under our company's broker license.]
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Run leasing, renewals and collections to [targets].
- Prepare and manage the annual budget and explain monthly
variances to [owner / board].
- Coordinate maintenance and turns with [team / vendors], and
approve work within [limit].
- Handle resident or tenant issues, notices and lease enforcement
following [state] law and company policy.
- Follow fair housing laws in advertising, applications and
resident relations.
- Hire, train and schedule onsite staff.
YOU MUST HAVE
- [N] years managing [property type] of similar size, with
occupancy and collection results you can describe.
- [Real estate or property management license in (state), if
the duties require it.]
- Experience with [property management software] or similar.
- Valid driver's license [if driving between properties is
required].
NICE TO HAVE
- [Industry credential], experience with [lease-ups / affordable
housing programs / commercial reconciliations].
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
HOW WE HIRE
[Recruiter screen; conversation with (regional manager); a review
of a sample owner report or delinquency list we provide; property
tour and meeting the team.]
[EEO STATEMENT]
Need an adjustment to apply or interview? Contact [address].Pay and EEO
Post the approved range and check pay transparency laws by state. If housing is part of compensation, describe it plainly and have it reviewed. BLS publishes pay data for property, real estate and community association managers in the Handbook profile linked above; this page does not quote figures. Close with a short EEO statement and an accommodation contact.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupancy and renewals | "What was occupancy when you started at your last property and when you left, and what moved it?" | Results ownership | Numbers, the levers used (pricing, follow-up, resident experience), honest setbacks |
| Collections | "How did you handle delinquency at your last property, step by step?" | Financial discipline | A consistent, lawful process, payment plans, documented notices |
| Budget | "Tell me about a budget line that ran over. What did you tell the owner and what did you do?" | Budget management | Early warning, an explanation, a corrective plan |
| Fair housing judgment | "A resident asks for a reasonable accommodation. What do you do next?" | Compliance judgment | Takes the request seriously, follows policy, documents, escalates when unsure |
| Team and vendors | "Describe how you got a turn backlog under control." | Operations leadership | Prioritization, vendor management, a measurable result |
| License (if required) | "Which license do you hold, in which state, and is it active?" | Not scored: verified | License type and status checked with the state |
The later rounds are in the interview guide for real estate roles, and the first months in the 30-60-90 day plan for property managers.
Common mistakes in property manager job descriptions
No unit count or property condition
Candidates choose on size, age and situation. A turnaround needs someone who wants one.
Ignoring the license question
If the duties need a license in your state, a candidate without one cannot do the job. If they work under your broker, say so.
Hiding on-call duties
After-hours emergencies are part of the job at many properties. Say how the rotation works.
"Must be able to lift 50 pounds" by default
Physical requirements should match the actual work. Unneeded ones discourage qualified applicants.
Bonus with no measure
If there is a bonus, say what it is tied to. "Competitive incentives" means nothing to an experienced manager.
Before you publish
- Property type, size, condition, owner type and team size are in the summary.
- The license line reflects your state's rules for these duties.
- Fair housing compliance is a stated duty, with training.
- On-call duties, housing and classification have been reviewed.
- The pay range, EEO statement and accommodation contact close the posting.
Questions people ask
Does a property manager need a real estate license?
It depends on the state and the duties. BLS says that in most states property managers must have a property management license or a real estate broker's license. In California, the Department of Real Estate says leasing, renting or collecting rents for another for compensation requires a broker license, or a salesperson working under a broker, with exemptions such as owners managing their own property. Florida exempts certain salaried onsite leasing employees of an apartment community. Check your state's real estate commission.
What should a property manager job description say about fair housing?
State that the manager will follow fair housing laws in advertising, leasing, applications and resident relations, and that training is provided. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status and disability, and many states and cities add protected classes.
Is a property manager exempt from overtime?
Not automatically. A manager who runs a property or portfolio and directs two or more full-time employees may fit the executive exemption, and the administrative exemption is a separate test. Both require a salary of at least the standard level, $684 a week as listed by the Department of Labor. Assistant managers and leasing consultants need their own review. Check state law.
Should the posting list the number of units?
Yes. Give the unit count or square footage, the number of properties, the property type and age, and the size of the onsite team. A 300-unit lease-up and a 90-unit older community with deferred maintenance are different jobs.