Leasing assistants show and lease apartments, condominiums, townhouses and residential homes. Commercial leasing assistants show and lease office buildings, but there are no different skills involved compared to a leasing assistant. The objective of a leasing assistant is to lease a piece of property to a responsible renter. Leasing assistants may work for individual landlords, apartment communities or real estate companies. Leasing assistants do not require a license to work.

Descriptions

Leasing assistants accompany prospective renters to view properties of their choice. They discuss the size and layout of the rooms, location of shopping centers and the schools nearby. They also discuss rent price, living standards and the terms of the leasing contract. Leasing assistants may also negotiate leasing terms and move-in specials.

Responsibilities

A leasing assistant will show various properties and have knowledge of layouts and amenities, while completing a leasing agreement or contract with a prospect. They will collect rental deposits and monthly rental payments. In addition, a leasing assistant may contact prospective renters who have inquired about renting a specific property. This person may also pull credit reports on prospects and compile listings of available rental property. A leasing assistant may also do other administrative duties, like faxing, copying, greeting guests, and answering telephone calls.

Qualifications

Some qualifications require working on the weekends or/and the ability to speak bilingual. A friendly and professional attitude will be a necessity. Good communication skills will also be a requirement. This person will be expected to be a fast learner, proactive, sometimes with high energy, and detailed-orientated.

Experience

Prior sales experience and customer service skills are beneficial for leasing assistants. A college degree is not a requirement for most leasing assistants, however, an associate’s or bachelor’s degree can be helpful to negotiate salary. The employer will look more for prior experience as a leasing assistant or experience in real estate.

Environment

A leasing assistant will be on their feet quite often while showing property to various prospects and will be subject to different weather climates. They will usually dress business casual. They will also spend some of their time in an office environment surrounded by one or more leasing assistant. They will work at their own desk with a computer, and maintain leasing applications. This person will also spend a great deal of time talking to a diversity of people and must communicate well to others.

Benefits

The leasing assistant provides inside knowledge about a property, which is a benefit to the potential renter. In addition, leasing assistants will usually have valuable information about the area the property is located in, including statistical information about average income, age groups, the school district, and nearby stores and restaurants. Lastly, as of June 8, 2010, according to Indeed.com, leasing assistants average $34,000 per year in the United States.