Don't take everything personally! 6 years in the business and I still have to remind myself of this on occasion when problem tenants start attacking my management style because they got in trouble.

Listen to your residents. I know you want to run a tight ship but I think its much better to listen to people and not try to do everything by the book. Bend a little, do not get on a power trip. I managed A+ property's and I have managed D property's. Believe it or not my favorite being about a C property. I have since long retired. As I started to climb the ladder I was determined to come in strong but as the years went by I ended up being a VP of Property Management. I tried to teach my managers to listen to their residents. Of course you have to use your best judgement some people will lie to you but I found that if you listen and get to know them in most cases you can work things out on rent collections. Everyone runs into trouble now and then and its usually embarrassment that makes them hide from you. I know most Management Company's have strict rules on Leasing an apartments, they use to send shoppers out to make sure that you were doing things exactly the way they wanted you to. I was ask many times what is the best way to lease an apartment. My answer always being the same, "I can't tell you how to lease an apartment everyone has their own style that works for them" Of course I did send out shoppers but it was only to make sure that they were not doing anything or saying anything that was just terrible. I use to also be a shopper and In most cases the leasing agents were trained to do it a certain way I always felt like the Leasing agent was reading a script to me. I find it much better to be yourself. I believe of course price has a lot to do with leasing but I also believe that most apartments are leased on the leasing agents personality. I hope this helps someone, I enjoyed my career in the Multi Family industry.

My most inportant pieces of advice are:

Screen carefully

get everything in writing


The most important maintenance item is maintaining a good landlord/tenant relationship

That is some of the best advice. I didn't burn my bridge. When I was laid-off from one job, I was in a casual
conversation with a former supervisor. She immediately asked me if I was interested in the job I currently have. Best decision I have made career wise so far. Networking is good.

Good maintenance is hard to find... and curb appeal works wonders!

Turn around... run the other way as fast as you can!