Leasing Consultant
Department:
Operations
Reporting to:
Property Manager
FLSA Status:
Non-Exempt
General Purpose:
A Leasing Consultant is responsible for facilitating the leasing process for prospective residents, promoting resident satisfaction and retention, coordinating renewals of existing leases, and managing day-to-day interactions with prospects and current residents. Specifically, Leasing Consultants are expected to achieve optimum performance in the following areas:
- Lease the community.
- Market the community.
- Facilitate resident relations and resident retention programs.
- Coordinate and manage day-to-day office operations.
- Partner effectively with both office and maintenance associates in the community, as well as associates from the corporate offices, ClearWorth sister communities, competitors, locators, and vendors.
- Execute special projects and assignments as requested.
Essential Functions:
- Lease the Community:
- Answer the telephone to greet, build rapport with, and invite prospects to set appointments to tour the community.
- Respond to internet/email leasing inquires within 2 hours and strive to convert these inquiries to telephone conversations and property visits.
- Complete a Guest Card for every interaction with a prospect, whether the first point of contact is via internet/email, telephone, or in person. Enter all Guest Cards into OneSite daily.
- Warmly greet and build rapport with each prospect and provide a customized community tour that fits their unique needs, hot buttons, and preferences. Strive to show a vacant made-ready apartment, as well as the model.
- Adhere to Fair Housing Standards in all interactions with prospects and residents.
- Verify and screen applications and notify the applicant of approval/denial within 72 hours.
- Follow-up on undecided prospects by setting a second appointment to visit via handwritten thank you card, telephone call/message, and email per Clear Worth Policy. Design innovative follow-up strategies.
- Maintain Guest Card, application, screening, follow-up, and activity log documentation in OneSite.
- Adhere to budgetary guidelines for market rent, advertised rent, and concessions/specials offered. Consult with Property Manager before approving different amounts.
- Promote rentable items such as washer/dryer sets, garages, carports, etc.
- Refer prospects to ClearWorth sister communities if your community does not fit their financial or personal needs.
- Notify maintenance and office staff of move-ins and move-in date changes to ensure adequate time for apartment preparation.
- Prepare lease files for move-in, including the TAA lease, all addendums, and additional documentation per ClearWorth Policy.
- Walk units to ensure readiness for move-in within 48 hours prior to the Move-In date.
- Prepare move-in/welcome gifts and packets.
- Move-in residents by having them review and sign the lease and all move-in documentation appropriately: issue keys, gate/access cards, or remotes.
- Maintain priority waitlists.
- Maintain Leasing Notebooks with information about the community, including but not limited to: a completed product knowledge survey, floor plans, and local information and resources. Leasing Notebooks should be available at each leasing desk and in each model.
- Participate in daily “kick-off” staff meetings.
- Participate in weekly community staff meetings.
- Market the Community:
- Complete a daily opening inspection checklist to ensure the cleanliness of the leasing center, the model,
the condition of the leasing path, the grounds, and amenity areas. In the model, ensure the following has been
completed:
- Music is playing.
- The lights are in working order and on.
- The temperature is comfortable.
- Refreshments are available.
- A fresh scent exists.
- Inspect community signage daily and ensure that bootlegs, banners, balloons, and brochures are in excellent condition.
- Prepare cookies or provide candy, bottled water, or coffee each morning. Notify the Community Manager when supplies are needed.
- Complete a daily closing inspection at the end of each day by doing the following:
- Turn off the lights in the model, leasing center, and appropriate common areas.
- Turn off the music in both the model and the leasing center.
- Turn down the temperature in both the model and the leasing center.
- Lock all doors and activate alarms where applicable.
- Implement outreach and marketing programs and activities as instructed by the Property Manager.
- Assist with monthly market surveys by calling competitors to obtain current rental rates and specials. Visit them quarterly/ as needed.
- Participate in monthly marketing meetings.
- Complete a daily opening inspection checklist to ensure the cleanliness of the leasing center, the model,
the condition of the leasing path, the grounds, and amenity areas. In the model, ensure the following has been
completed:
- Maintain Resident Satisfaction and Facilitate Resident Retention:
- Ensure that residents’ needs are handled with exceptional responsiveness, care, and urgency.
- Uphold, explain, and facilitate community policies.
- Execute daily services that promote positive resident relations such as package pick-up, work order follow-up, rent payment acceptance, and question answering.
- Document service requests in OneSite and ensures that the maintenance team receives these in a timely fashion.
- Monitor lease expirations and notices-to-vacate; make every effort to capture resident renewals by establishing an effective renewal program.
- Make contact early with residents whose leases expire per ClearWorth Policy.
- Move out residents by accepting keys.
- Coordinate and Manage Day-to-Day Office Operations:
- Ensure all activity is entered into OneSite on the same day as it occurs or no later than 10 AM the next business day.
- Ensure the accuracy and integrity of all data and property reports.
- Maintain organized community filing systems.
- Ensure all reports are completed and submitted on time.
- Maintain inventory of office supplies and lease and collateral material. Notify the Property Manager when supplies are low.
- Keep desks clean and organized.
- Respond to email three times daily: in the morning before the office opens, mid-day, and prior to the office closing.
- Check the answering service frequently. Distribute and respond to messages.
- Follow and uphold all safety regulations.
- 5.Partner Effectively with Both Office and Maintenance Associates at the Community, as well as Associates from
the Corporate Offices, ClearWorth Sister Communities, Competitors, Locators, and Vendors
- Develop and maintain a respectful, courteous, and helpful rapport with all on-site and corporate office associates, ClearWorth sister communities, competitors, vendors, and every customer. Respond to requests and inquiries in a timely manner.
- Maintain positive relations with all competitors and provide accurate data for their market surveys.
- Execute Special Projects and Assignments as Requested.
Qualifications/Basic Job Requirements:
Years of job-related experience:
6+ months apartment leasing or customer service experience preferred.
Degree required and area of study:
High School diploma or General Education Degree (GED); or six months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Desired Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
- Professional and enthusiastic demeanor resulting from previous sales, leasing, marketing, or customer service experience.
- Good communication and listening skills.
- Good customer service, sales, and negotiation skills.
- Effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
- Read, understand, and explain lease documents.
- Effective team player and interacts well with others.
- Organized and detail-oriented.
- Patient, even-tempered, and works well under pressure.
- Work with residents, prospects, vendors, and all customers and staff in a courteous, empathetic, and professional manner. A good understanding of customer service concepts and the ability to apply them will be necessary in this role.
- Maintain composure and function during crises or emergency situations.
- Read and interpret documents such as safety rules, legal correspondence, and procedural manuals.
- Write routine reports and correspondence.
- Add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Compute rates, ratios, percentages, discounts, and pro-rations.
- Apply common sense and understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
- Effective time management skills.
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Follow directions from a supervisor.
- Understand and follow posted work rules and procedures.
- Accept constructive criticism.
Certifications/Specialized Training:
- Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel.
- Knowledgeable in OneSite, Yardi, or other property management software.
Physical Demands:
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The associate must be capable of the following:
- Talking: The ability to clearly communicate policies, procedures, and processes; as well as detailed instructions or information accurately, loudly, and quickly in English.
- Average Hearing: The ability to hear normal conversations and alarms and to receive ordinary information.
- Average Visual Abilities: Average, ordinary visual acuity necessary to prepare or inspect documents or products or to operate computers. Depth perception is required.
- Physical Strength:
- Standing for prolonged periods of time.
- Walking long distances or for prolonged periods of time.
- Walking up and down stairs.
- Reaching and pushing.
- Climbing ladders.
- Stooping and crouching.
- Driving a golf cart.
- Carrying/lifting to 30 pounds.
- Repetitive Motions & Dexterity: Regularly requires repetitive motions using the wrists, hands, and/or fingers, including small movements such as typing and picking up small objects.
Work Environment:
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to outside weather conditions (i.e., hot, cold, wet, humid, snowy, or icy). The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
- The associate is frequently exposed to high-pressure demands to maintain financial and leasing objectives. The associate may receive and must manage frequent complaints from residents, vendors, staff, and prospects.
- Depending on staffing guidelines and reporting assignments, the associate may be required to work greater than 40 hours in a work week. Employees may be required to travel for professional training seminars, retreats, and meetings.
- Employees may work in a pet-friendly environment and be exposed to common household pets in residential units and common areas.