Today, the challenge for property management companies isn’t just hiring more leasing agents—it’s finding skilled ones.
According to the National Apartment Association, the top skills employers look for in leasing professionals include communication, customer relations, managing properties, and marketing.¹
But data from job boards and candidate profiles shows a major gap between what employers want and what job seekers actually have:
- Communication: 43% of job postings ask for it, but only 10% of job seekers highlight it.
- Customer Service: More than half of postings mention it, but just 25% of job seekers list it.
- Property Management: 33% of jobs require it, yet only 16% of candidates have it.
- Marketing: Needed in 21% of postings, but only 16% of profiles include it.
A leasing agent plays a crucial role in managing properties—they help fill vacancies, keep tenants happy, and act as the face of the company for new renters. Without these key skills, it’s hard for them to deliver on what the real estate business really needs.
If you’re one of the many companies struggling to find skilled leasing agents, this article will help you understand why the gap exists—and more importantly, offer top strategies to attract, train, and keep top leasing talent.
What’s Behind the Shortage of Skilled Leasing Agents?
Here are the reasons why it’s tough to find and retain skilled real estate agents today:
1. Shifting Job Expectations
Today, the role of a leasing agent has expanded beyond traditional responsibilities. Before, they were limited to holding rental property tours, handling lease agreements, and maintaining tenant relationships.
Today, a leasing agent is also expected to handle tasks like digital marketing, using social media platforms to attract tenants, and managing property listings online. Additionally, the best agents can handle special software and use data analysis tools to monitor trends in the industry.
2. Training Gaps
Even though there’s a growing need for digital skills, there isn’t enough training to support it. Many property companies don’t have structured programs to help new real estate agents build the skills they need.
In fact, a survey by the National Apartment Association found that 22% of respondents said their training was not enough and needs improvement, especially in areas like AI, mental health, and legal compliance.²
This shows that a large part of the real estate workforce still feels unprepared to meet the changing needs of the job.
3. Industry Competition
It’s already tough for property managers to provide proper training, but on top of that, they also have to compete for skilled leasing agents.
The competition is especially fierce in big cities, where housing demand is high. Plus, property companies aren’t just competing with each other; they’re also up against industries like real estate and retail for the same talent.
This makes it difficult to offer attractive salaries or benefits that can draw in experienced professionals. Some companies now offer signing bonuses or higher hourly wages to bring people in, but these don’t always keep employees for the long term.
4. Lack of Alignment Between Job Posts and Candidate Skills
Many real estate companies use outdated or overly general job descriptions that don’t fully reflect the specific demands of the role.
For example, they might mention broad skills like “customer relations” without explaining the types of interactions real estate agents will face, such as handling online inquiries or conducting virtual tours. These descriptions often overlook the technical skills needed, like proficiency with management software.
As a result, real estate professionals may not even realize what skills they need to develop to meet the expectations of the companies they’re applying to.
5. High Turnover Rates
Property companies may have a few skilled agents or managers, but high turnover makes it difficult for them to pass on their knowledge and skills to others. The real estate management industry faces a turnover rate of 33%, which is much higher than the national average.³
Many leasing professionals leave within their first year due to burnout or because the job doesn’t meet their expectations. As a result, property companies struggle to maintain a steady, skilled team.
6. Limited Career Development Opportunities
Another major factor contributing to turnover is the limited opportunities for career advancement. After earning a real estate license, many property professionals lack clear career paths and formal mentorship, leaving them feeling stuck in their roles.
Without the chance to move up, many agents see little reason to stay long-term and may choose to apply their skills elsewhere.
How to Attract and Retain Skilled Leasing Agents
Improving your hiring practices is important to address the skills gap. However, you can also focus on strategies like enhancing internal training and finding the right partners.
1. Offer Competitive Compensation
Today, a skilled leasing agent looks for more than just a paycheck. They want compensation that reflects their skills and the work they do. This means offering more than higher salaries.
You can focus on offering performance bonuses and benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. In addition to traditional pay, offering perks like signing bonuses or flexible spending accounts can make a big difference.
When your pay structure is in line with or better than industry standards, it motivates your current skilled employees and attracts potential ones.
2. Provide Flexible Work Schedules and Remote Options
After the pandemic, many people realized that work can be more flexible without hurting productivity.
Offering flexible schedules or remote options can help your team have a better work-life balance, which leads to higher job satisfaction and less turnover. At the same time, it can also attract more skilled candidates who value flexibility in their careers.
For leasing professionals, some tasks don’t always need to be done onsite. For example, answering inquiries, following up with leads, handling virtual tours, scheduling appointments, and updating listings can often be done remotely.
Even letting team members shift their hours slightly—like starting earlier or later—can make a big difference for parents, students, or people with long commutes.
3. Be More Targeted in Your Recruitment
If you’re still only posting jobs on your website or general job boards, you might be missing out on better candidates. Try these more focused strategies:
- Specialized job boards. These are websites made for specific industries. For leasing agent jobs, try platforms like the IREM Job Board and the NAA Career Center.
- Social media communities. Sites like LinkedIn and even Facebook have groups where professionals connect and share job leads. Posting or networking in these spaces helps you reach people who might not be job hunting yet but are open to new roles.
- Employee referrals. Your current team may know someone who’s a great fit. Referred candidates usually apply faster, stay longer, and fit in better with the team.
4. Create a Robust Training Program and Endorse It
If there’s a skills gap in your team, hiring isn’t the only solution. You can also build up your current staff by offering strong internal training programs and partnering with a real estate school. This is a smart move because a trained leasing agent already understands your company’s needs and culture.
A solid training program should combine both classroom instruction and practical, real-world experience. It should go beyond the basics covered in getting a real estate license, such as specialized digital marketing and basic AI tools.
Then, to attract more skilled workers, make sure to highlight your training and mentorship programs in your job posts, website, and recruitment materials. When job seekers see that you invest in their growth, they’re more likely to apply and stay.
5. Invest in Long-Term Career Development
Training is important, but it’s not enough on its own. Employees also want to see a clear path for growth.
Offering development programs like leadership training, educational support, or industry certifications can encourage leasing professionals to stay longer and continue improving their skills.
When people know they can move up to higher-paying or management roles after gaining more skills, they feel more motivated to do their best. This is especially true in real estate management, where the job is always evolving.
6. Partner with a Staffing Agency
Staffing agencies specialize in quickly matching skilled candidates to your company’s needs, saving you time and effort in the hiring process. These agencies often have a large pool of candidates with industry-specific experience, saving you time searching for qualified applicants.
By partnering with staffing agencies, you can also tap into their expertise in recruitment strategies. They can help you improve your hiring process, screen candidates more effectively, and even handle the paperwork and administrative tasks.
Need skilled leasing agents? Partner with The Liberty Group!
At The Liberty Group, we specialize in staffing for the real estate industry. We offer temporary staffing, direct hiring, and executive search to help you find the right talent quickly and efficiently.
Whether you need apartment leasing agents, property managers, leasing consultants, or other real estate professionals, we’ve got you covered with skilled candidates ready to meet your needs.
Call us today to discuss how we can support your staffing needs!
References:
- National Apartment Association. Apartment Labor Market Dynamics Report Q3 2024, National Apartment Association, 6 Nov. 2024, naahq.org/apartment-labor-market-dynamics-report-q3-2024.
- National Apartment Association. 2024 National Apartment Association Voice of the Property Management Industry Report, National Apartment Association, 2024, www.naahq.org/sites/default/files/202409/NAA_VOPM2024%20FINAL%20copy.pdf.
- Elliott, Kent, and Erika Daniel. “The Great Resignation Challenge.” National Apartment Association, 14 June 2022, naahq.org/great-resignationchallenge#.