Property and Real Estate Managers

Employers

About 284,120 people in the United States are employed as property, real estate, and community association managers. Many work for real estate agents and brokers, owners of real estate, or property management firms. Others work for real estate developers, government agencies that manage public buildings, corporations with large property holdings used for their retail operations, real estate investors, and mining and oil companies. Many are self-employed as developers, apartment building owners, property management firm owners, or owners of full-service real estate businesses.

Starting Out

Students who are about to graduate from college can obtain assistance from their career services offices in finding their first job. You can also apply directly to property management firms and check ads in the help wanted sections of local newspapers. Property and real estate managers often begin as on-site managers for small apartment house complexes, condominiums, or community associations. Others start out as assistants to managers of large properties. Some property managers begin as real estate agents or in another position in a real estate firm and later move into property management.