Looking for advice on getting into property management

[Kyle Rodriguez]

Hello everyone,

I have been looking for ways to get into the real estate business for a little while now and I’m turning to this great community for some advice.

I have listened to many of the podcasts and I’m inspired all the time to become a real estate investor but don’t know what angle to take. Now let me start off by saying I have graduated from college but I’m not able to utilize my degree for a job. It just isn’t going to happen unfortunately. That being said I would like to focus on getting a career started in the real estate industry in some form to sustain my living as I work towards becoming an investor myself. With real estate being my means to financial freedom I’d like to get into it as soon as possible. What kind of career options are even available in the real estate field?

My thoughts as of right now are becoming a property manager. I’d really like to know the business and learn how to become a great landlord for my future properties. I feel like this would be perfect to get started so I can learn my market and gain experience managing properties before I go off on my own. I have also noticed on the podcasts that many people have issues with property managers not taking care of their properties very well. They don’t have the same mindset as an investor does and investors seem to go through multiple PM companies before finding someone they can trust or just managing it themselves. I would hope to fill that gap of investor to property manager by working on properties as if they were my own while having that investor mindset.

I’d also like to put it out there that I am currently supporting myself by waiting tables. Now if it weren’t for my quite large student loan debt for the degree I mentioned earlier I honestly wouldn’t have it that bad and could save up to invest right out of the gates. Unfortunately it only just keeps me afloat here in the outskirts Denver as well as prevents me from getting any kind of loan from the bank. Becoming a real estate agent wouldn’t really work for me right now because It’d be harder to sustain my life on commissions especially with the market so saturated with agents right now, it wouldn’t be the best option for me in my opinion. That is why I am eager to find a salaried job in this industry to pay the bills while gaining as much experience as I can. Making cash every day is nice but you don’t make much and it’s not a reliable way to live. If I get sick and can’t work I can’t pay the bills. Plus I make the most money on the weekends so going to or holding open houses would be tricky starting out. I’m not trying to make excuses, I know it can still be done and I’ve heard people waiting tables and being an agent on the weekends before, I’m just looking for the most stable option right now.

So how can I become a property manager? I have looked for jobs online through Indeed, Linked In, Monster, etc. I haven’t found there to be much in the form of requirements except the typical; excellent written and verbal skills, proficient in some sort of office suite, high school diploma, Bachelors preferred (only advantage from my degree), and lastly multiple years of experience. But how do I get the experience in the first place? I have applied to numerous firms hoping for the chance to show them how much of an asset I’d be but to no luck. Am I not looking at the right job? Do I need to start out as let’s say a leasing agent? Or something else? What are the requirements for that? Is there some sort of class I can take to help give me an edge? I’ve been strongly thinking of getting my CAM (Community Association Manager) license and going that route. Would it be worth it to take the classes? There have been many new developments and new neighborhoods sprouting up all around Colorado so that gives more potential for these jobs right?

Thank you for taking the time to read all of this. Any and all advice is much appreciated.

Kyle Rodriguez