Everyone needs a place to live and, if they don’t own a home, they might live in an apartment. When so many different people live in the same building, they need someone to manage things like rent, maintenance and other tasks that keep the building working well. Resident managers are people who do all kinds of jobs like these that help keep apartment buildings looking nice and working well.
Working as a resident manager can involve many different tasks, depending on the situation. Most resident managers do at least some of the cleaning of public areas like the hallways and lobby. In small places with limited staff, they might also do repairs and general maintenance of people’s showers, sinks, cupboards and anything else that needs work.
Much of the work of resident managers involves dealing with the people who live in the apartments. They collect rent every month, make arrangements for people moving in or out, answer questions and respond to emergencies such as frozen water pipes or keys that don’t work.
Resident managers live in the buildings where they work, which might mean that tenants come to them with problems at any time of the day. Because their work is often unpredictable, resident managers might work evenings or weekends, and possibly even at night. However, they can usually take extra time off at a later point if necessary.
Resident manager jobs usually have no special educational requirements beyond a high school diploma. However, managers should know how to use basic computer programs and be able to communicate well with people. They might need to hold meetings when tenants need extra information, and they need to walk around the property regularly to look for any problems that need to be fixed.
Looking after the grounds of the building is an important part of the resident manager’s job. This might involve shovelling snow in winter, raking leaves in fall, and mowing the lawn in winter. The building’s caretaker is often in charge of doing these jobs, but the resident manager should be prepared to do them as well, if necessary.
Salaries for resident managers can vary a lot, from about $25,000 to about $75,000 per year. Most of them, however, earn about $45,000, depending on their education and experience. One way to earn higher salaries is to get official qualifications from real estate management institutes or from other places that train people in that kind of work.
Another benefit to being a resident manager is receiving a free apartment. They might still have to pay for their telephones, television connections, and other things, but normally the cost of the apartment is included in their salaries and benefits.
All kinds of people, young, middle aged or elderly, can work as resident managers. If you enjoy organizing things and working with people, it might be the right job for you.
