Property and Real Estate Managers

Certification or Licensing

Certification or licensing is not required for most property managers. Managers who have appropriate experience, complete required training programs, and achieve satisfactory scores on written exams, however, can earn certification and such professional designations as certified property manager, accredited residential manager, and accredited commercial manager (which the Institute of Real Estate Management offers) and property administrator and facilities management administrator (which are offered by BOMI International). Such designations are usually looked upon favorably by employers as a sign of a person's competence and dedication. Other organizations that offer certification include the Community Associations Institute and the Community Association Managers International Certification Board.

The federal government requires certification for managers of public housing that is subsidized by federal funds. Business opportunity-and-property-investment brokers must hold state licenses, and some states require real estate managers to hold licenses.