8 Key Skills You’ll Need as
a Leasing Consultant
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau, 776,00 new homes were sold in June 2020. This is a 13.8% increase from the previous month and a 6.9% increase from the previous year. Homes in the last couple of months have sold at an average of $384,700.
People need help buying and renting the perfect home for themselves and their families. This is where a leasing consultant comes in.
A leasing consultant is a challenging but rewarding job and the right leasing consultant skills will help you be the best in the business. Keep reading to find out what they are.
The Ability to Communicate Well with Others
Communication is a skill required in almost every job industry. Being able to effectively communicate is part of working well with others. This skill is especially important as a leasing consultant because most of the job is answering questions for potential tenants and explaining information about leasing an apartment or home in a way that’s easy to understand.
Friendliness and being able to connect well with a possible tenant is a crucial part of helping them find the perfect place. Positivity will make potential residents feel comfortable enough to become permanent residents.
Being Able to Multitask in a Fast-Paced Environment
Multitasking is a key part of succeeding in leasing consultant jobs. The work environment requires you to take on many tasks at once and knowing how to manage them well is important. You’ll have to do everything from answering phones, taking potential tenants on tours, answering questions about policies and pricing, and filling out leasing agreements.
The job requires you to do take on multiple roles and completing every task as efficiently as possible is a requirement you can’t slack on. One thing you can do to improve in multitasking if this is a skill you struggle with is to use a planner to organize all your tasks so that you don’t fall behind during the day.
Continue to Learn
Next on the list of important skills for a leasing consultant is the ability to continue to learn something new each day. This is important in every industry but it’s especially crucial to succeeding as a leasing agent.
This industry is constantly changing and keeping up to date will provide the best information to potential residents. Neighborhoods are also in constant flux and learning about those changes before speaking to possible tenants is the most professional thing you can do.
Make sure that before giving a tour of a new apartment, you’re informed about the demographics of the area, you know where all the schools are, you’re informed on the best parks and restaurants.
Learning from your peers and implementing new techniques will help you grow and improve as a leasing consultant so that you can do the best job possible for the new tenant and for your company as well.
Be Able to Work on Your Own
Having little to no supervision on the job is a selling point for many people but it can be intimidating if you’re new to the industry. Taking the initiative and learning to get through your tasks without having to report to anyone is part of being a good leasing agent.
Your day to day tasks are, for the most part, organized yourself and this is something you should be comfortable doing. Potential tenants may come into your office and you must be ready to answer all their questions confidently. This part of the job will keep things interesting and keep you on your toes for sure.
Have Successful Sales Skills
While a background in sales isn’t a requirement in order to become a leasing consultant. Being able to sell is a major part of the job and a skill that you should learn to sharpen when getting into the industry.
You want your potential tenants to become permanent residents at the property you’re trying to lease so being able to showcase all the benefits of living there and convincing them to sign the lease is crucial to your success.
Part of being a good salesperson is showing that you care about helping a potential resident find the perfect home. Continuing to check in with potential tenants will show them that your company cares about helping them navigate the leasing process.
Good sales skills also involve striving to surpass your goals. A competitive nature will help you win more often and sign more leases.
Know the Best Ways to Network
Some leasing consultant key skills include knowing how to network. Networking is all about meeting new people that can help you learn new skills and become a better professional in your industry.
Networking is a great way to find new ways to improve as a leasing consultant and bring new ideas to your practice, this will help your company and potential tenants find the new homes they’ve been searching for.
Networking through events and classes can help you learn new perspectives in the industry you wouldn’t have known about otherwise.
Have the Skills to Find the Best Solutions
Finding solutions to the problems presented to you makes a productive and successful worker. A leasing consultant must know how to find solutions to every concern a potential resident may have to ensure that they sign on a lease. Learning this skill will make you an integral part of your team.
Know How to Listen
When wondering what leasing consultants need to know, the number one answer is knowing how to listen. This might seem like an obvious point but it’s necessary to highlight its importance.
Listening to the concerns potential residents have and what they’re looking for in a home will make it easier to help them find the perfect place.
Skills to Ensure Success
Becoming a leasing agent is harder than it might seem but this list of leasing consultant skills will start you on the path to success.
Being able to communicate well with potential residents and working independently are some of the ways you’ll stand out as a stellar leasing agent.