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Are you searching for a leasing agent job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a leasing agent. Feel free to use our leasing agent job description template to produce your own leasing agent job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a leasing agent.

 

Who is a Leasing Agent?

A Leasing Agent is a professional that acts as a connection between an owner or management firm and tenants to ensure that their properties do not have any vacancies. A leasing agent works with property owners to find prospective renters for their buildings. This may include promoting properties, creating lease contracts, and qualifying prospective tenants. This may also entail acting as a property owner’s representative.

 

Below is a breakdown of some major duties of a leasing agent:

1. Leasing Agents Market Properties:  Effective apartment marketing is the first step toward successful apartment leasing. Make it obvious that you are looking for a candidate that understands how to advertise and market properties both online and offline. Leasing agents should understand how to use online and social media to promote vacancies. Offline marketing competence comprises local ads, physical signage, billboards, and fliers.
2. They carry out Property Tours: Leasing agents must be skilled in showing apartments and giving tours. This is the essence of any agent’s job, and to succeed, they must know a bit or two about real estate. Real estate knowledge is required to highlight the advantages and benefits of the apartment and complex.
3. Screen Tenants: Tenant vetting and screening is an important step in the lease process. To be thorough, you must ensure that all information provided is correct and up to date. The finest leasing brokers understand that getting just any tenant into the building is not as important as getting outstanding renters to sign a lease.
4. Leasing Consultants bargain Lease Terms: An agent that treats tenants with dignity from the start might lead to higher tenant retention rates in the future. Negotiation skills are also required to close a contract and convince a tenant to sign a lease.
5. Carry out Move-In and Move-Out Walkthroughs: Agents must understand how to deal with and respect prospective tenants as well as clients who have already signed a lease.
6. Receive Rent and Security Deposits: Agents must understand how to handle and serve prospective tenants as well as clients who have already signed a lease.
7. Leasing Agents Supervise Property Maintenance: Leasing agents are not responsible for executing any actual property maintenance. They must, however, be aware of what is going on and around the land. This section includes small repairs as well as major modifications as needed.

 

Leasing Agent Job Description

What is a leasing agent job description? A leasing agent job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a leasing agent in an organization. Below are the leasing agent job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a leasing agent job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.

• Enter and update information about prospective and existing landlords and tenants into a computer database.
• Examine properties and notify maintenance workers of any problems.
• Publicize available properties and offer property tours as part of marketing activities.
• Screen prospective tenants to ensure they meet the eligibility standards.
• Finalize lease applications and assist with application information verification.
• Inform prospective tenants of the outcomes.
• Examine properties when renters move in and out.
• Provide information to tenants and handle their issues and problems in collaboration with them.
• Maintain and save documentation efficiently.
• Receive rent, security deposits, and other fees as they become due.
• Make properties available and offer amenities that will appeal to prospective tenants.
• Help property owners navigate the property market by acting as a landlord.
• Make available properties known through a range of media and promotional materials.
• Consider prospective clients’ needs, living standards, and economic viability.
• Check rental application information and personal references.
• Meet with prospective tenants, show them around the apartments of interest, and emphasize the benefits of the flats and property.
• Prepare lease documents and carry out measures following property standards and regulations.
• Conduct credit and background checks to qualify potential tenants.

 

Qualifications

• Possession of a High School Diploma, a General Educational Development Certificate, or an equivalent qualification.
• At least three years of experience as a leasing agent or in a similar job is required.
• Knowledge of the Real Estate Industry, property management principles, and applicable legislation.
• Having a valid driver’s license.
• Proven track record of successful sales in the business.

 

Essential Skills

1. Educational Qualification: A high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate is required for leasing agents. Many properties prefer candidates with some level of post-secondary education, such as an associate degree. Real estate, sales, and business courses are all relevant. Candidates who have completed leasing certification courses and hold a leasing license are also preferred by some properties.
2. Relevant training: Many leasing agents obtain on-the-job training to master the specialized skills, processes, and technology required for their profession. This training is frequently included as part of a leasing agent’s onboarding process at new employment. On-the-job training might range from a few weeks to a few months. A period of following current leasing agents and doing duties in your profession under direct supervision until you are comfortable enough to execute your responsibilities on your own is common in training.
3. Certifications: Certifications enable you to demonstrate your abilities and capabilities to existing and prospective employers. In some states, leasing agents must be licensed or certified. Leasing agents can also obtain certificates to expand their knowledge of their obligations and develop their careers. Popular leasing agent certifications include:

• • State Leasing Licenses

Certain states require leasing agents to get a state license before acting as leasing agents. Candidates must typically pass an approved leasing agent course and/or examination, as well as pay a license fee, in states where licensing is required.

• • National Apartment Association (NAA) certification

The National Apartment Association (NAA) awards the National Apartment Leasing Professional (NALP) certification. To become certified, you must have worked as a leasing agent for at least six months, however, you can begin taking the course before you have this experience.

• • Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) certifications

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) provides commercial leasing brokers with several courses and certifications. Some of these courses necessitate at least 3-5 years of experience for leasing agents and property managers.

4. Be Informed: Communities aren’t stagnant, neighborhoods are always changing, demographics and trends are always shifting and so much more. To stay ahead, or at least keep up, one of the best weapons a leasing agent can have is information.
5. Build Relationships Beyond Your Community: Finding ways to create and maintain relationships with people in the multifamily business outside of their community and company is one of the most critical things a good leasing agent can do. These connections are an excellent method to learn, improve, and get the newest tips and best practices from others in the field.
6. Embrace the Latest Technology: Nothing is changing faster than technology and the new technology is typically there to make your life or the life of your prospective residents easier. This makes staying up-to-date on the latest multifamily technology crucial.
7. Be Persistent and Proactive: Nothing is more crucial than proactive and persistent follow-up when it comes to qualities that will make a leasing agent successful. While it is easy to become frustrated when people say no, you must always strive for a yes. Proactively following up with incoming leads or active prospects will not only demonstrate that you care and are willing to assist them, but it will also provide you with a better understanding of where they are in the lease process.
8. Stay Competitive: A certain level of competition is necessary for the top leasing agent. While it is vital to be a team player, leasing is a sales function, and sales professionals must be competitive to be successful in this business. Even if they are only competing against last year’s goals, the top leasing agents desire to always outperform themselves. Leasing agents must be eager to compete and, more crucially, to win.
9. Keen listening skills: A good leasing agent is required to possess good listening skills. Actively listening to what a prospective resident wants, before going straight into selling them to the community, will not only save time during the process, but it will make that prospect feel valued. Active listening is a skill that isn’t necessarily innate, especially for competitive individuals. Listening first and listening with the intent of processing the information being provided in the conversation, not just listening to respond, will pay dividends in the long run.
10. Problem Solving Skills: Working in a multifamily complex is a difficult task. While your lease function may not involve all of the joys that come with managing the property and inhabitants, it will undoubtedly involve its fair share of issues and tough circumstances that must be managed. If you can position yourself as an active and successful issue solver on the team rather than shying away from controversy or uncomfortable circumstances, you will not only increase your leasing success, but you will also stand out as a valued member of the team. Look for methods outside of leasing, such as innovative marketing concepts, to help you close leases faster.
11. Ability to Accept Criticism: Whatever your leasing agent credentials, you must understand that learning is a constant process. You can make mistakes, but there is always an opportunity for progress and the desire to do better and be better. Any leasing agent training handbook will not teach you how to take criticism constructively. Nonetheless, receiving criticism and being able to take it constructively and use it to your advantage can make any leasing agent or employee a better leasing agent or employee. Take what is relevant from the critique, learn from it, and apply what you’ve learned to become a better person in the future.
12. Communication skills: Communication abilities include the ability to communicate verbally and nonverbally by active listening, observing, speaking, and empathizing. Leasing agents must have strong verbal and written communication skills to give exceptional customer care to tenants and generate professional leasing documents.
13. Detail-oriented Individual: Being detail-oriented entails paying close attention to small details. Leasing agents must be detail-oriented to include the necessary information in leasing agreements and spot urgent action items inside their properties.
14. Proper time management skills: Time-management abilities include the capacity to balance projects in such a way that you can fulfill your duties on time while still preserving a work-life balance. The majority of a leasing agent’s day is spent multitasking and prioritizing activities and tenant needs.
15. IT Expertise: Typing, system, and software expertise are all part of computer skills. Leasing agents must be computer literate because their employment entails typing and using Microsoft Office to build leasing contacts and marketing materials. They must also be able to use property management software.
16. Sales and marketing Abilities: Leasing brokers must be able to match a prospective tenant’s wants with what the property has to offer. They must also be able to clearly explain the details of a leasing contract to potential renters. During a tour, a successful leasing agent would often paint a picture of a possible tenant’s life on their property. To attract potential tenants to unoccupied premises, leasing brokers must also generate advertising and promotional materials.
17. Language skills: Depending on the demographics of the area, properties may prefer multilingual candidates.

 

How to Become a Leasing Agent

1. Finish up your education: Although a college degree or any level of post-secondary education is not needed, many employers prefer individuals with a college degree or some level of post-secondary education. Coursework in real estate and business is highly recommended. Candidates should also be well-versed in sales, contracts, and fair housing laws.
2. Obtain relevant work experience: Many towns prefer candidates with past sales, hospitality, or customer service expertise. Each of these industries, like leasing agent, need similar skills to be successful.
3. Make research about state requirements: To work as a leasing agent in several states, you must have a license. Licensing requirements differ by state, so you must investigate the rules in your location.
4. You may Complete a Leasing License Course and Examination: To work as a leasing agent in several states, you must first obtain a license. Licensing requirements differ by state, so you will need to examine the regulations in your location.
5. Get certifications: Certifications such as the National Apartment Leasing Professional (NALP) certification, while not needed, will help you demonstrate your experience and skills and stand out to hiring managers.

 

Where to Work as a Leasing Agent

• Apartment complexes.
• Brokerages
• Property management company.
• Companies.
• Residential or commercial properties.
• Landlords

 

Leasing Agent Salary Scale

Leasing Agent salaries in the United States range from $13,203 to $113,486 per year, with a typical compensation of $43,370. Leasing Agents earn between $43,370 and $54,100 on average, with the top 86 percent earning $113,486. The annual income for a Leasing Agent in the UK ranges from £16,000 to £70,000.

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