Leasing Specialist

The Community Builders, Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

12 Paid Holidays & tenure-based PTO

403(b) retirement plan with companya0

Health Savings Accounts contributions

Life & Disability Insurance

Job summary

The Community Builders in Chicago seeks an energetic Leasing Agent who thrives in a sales-driven role and focuses on customer satisfaction. You will manage the full leasing cycle from lead to close, tour properties, and help implement marketing plans.

Knowledge of affordable housing and LIHTC is preferred, with strong organizational and communication skills to keep occupancy high and vacancies low. You will be the face of the community, coordinating with the Property Manager and staff to resolve

Qualifications

• Reliable sales and customer service experience with a focus on leasing.
• Ability to follow leasing criteria and process applications promptly.
• Knowledge of landlord-tenant laws and fair housing practices.

Responsibilities

• Greet, pre-qualify, build rapport, follow up and close leases with prospects via phone, email and site visits.
• Conduct property and apartment tours, highlight neighborhood features and amenities.
• Process rental applications quickly and manage verification timelines.
• Maintain accurate applicant and resident data and prepare required reports.
• Adhere to AFHMP and company policies; meet deadlines and deliver excellent service.

Skills

Sales

Customer service

Close the deal

Organization

Multi-tasking

Communication

Attention to detail

Professional conduct

Education

High-school education or above

Tools

Word

Excel

Outlook

Job description

Career Opportunities with The Community Builders

A great place to work.

Careers At The Community Builders

Current job opportunities are posted here as they become available.

Join a growing organization that is strengthening neighborhoods across the nation! The Community Builders, Inc. (TCB) is one of America\'s leading nonprofit real estate developers and owners. Our mission is to build and sustain strong communities where all people can thrive.

Position Description:

The leasing agent must be knowledgeable, friendly, energetic and have a dynamic personality. The leasing agent\’s role is primarily a sales position with a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction, meeting goals, and achieving results. As a leasing agent, you will be responsible for the sales process from start to finish, minimizing vacancies, maximizing occupancy, maximizing tenant retention, creating or assisting with the annual marketing plan, implementing it and making adjustments as needed. Through providing excellent customer service, following up with leads and helping current residents resolve problems as they arise, you will become the face of the property. The leasing agent is also the concierge of the community; they must know their surrounding community and be able to sell it. This position reports directly to the Property Manager

Must specialize in Affordable Housing and Tax Credit.

Essential Functions:

• Greet, pre-qualify, build rapport, follow up and close the lease with prospects for phone, email and site visit traffic
• Responsible for community and apartment tours, handling objections and selling features and benefits of the neighborhood and the property
• Understand and implement site’s leasing criteria in order to pre-qualify and process applicants
• Ensure that rental applications are processed in a timely manner and work with relevant staff to ensure that the verification process is completed in a timely manner. Target goal is to keep affordable applications processing time under 30 days and market rate applications within 14 days.
• Process appropriate denial/ineligible letters in a timely manner and in accordance with TCB policy
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date waiting and transfer lists (if applicable), including purging by TCB policy
• Maintain prospect, applicant and resident data, utilizing TCB standardized forms from guest cards to lease files and entering data from these forms into site logs as required
• Compile reports with traffic/leasing information, work order information and area info as needed for upper management
• Conduct rent comp studies quarterly or as required by the Property Manager
• Assist in developing marketing plans including events, internet ads, print ads, outreach, marketing copy, order marketing materials, placing ads and submitting for approval to TCB’s marketing department
• Collect application fees and deposits as applicable
• Responsible for completing the lease package for each rental, including renewals as applicable, renewal notices and questionnaires.
• Complete all follow up including prospects within 24 hours of initial contact/visit and new resident follow up within 30 days after move-in
• Schedule and perform move-in orientations and inspections and maintain resident handbook
• Responsible for the appeal of the rental office show unit and all made-ready vacants
• Schedule leasing office hours in order to meet the expected results, including evenings, weekends and holidays
• Understand and adhere to the AFHMP (Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan), as applicable.
• Ability to maintain professional conduct in all situations.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Assist occupancy specialist as needed and as time permits
• May be requested to complete special projects as assigned

  Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

  • Self-starter, self-motivated and requiring minimal supervision
  • Problem solving skills
  • Must demonstrate strong sales, customer service, organizational, multi-tasking, communication skills and the ability to close the deal
  • Attention to detail required
  • Understands the impact of the first impression and follow up as integral elements of leasing
  • Knowledge of Federal Fair Housing Laws & Guidelines (training provide). Familiarity with market rate leasing and LIHTC applications. COS and C3P certifications are preferred but not required.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills required
  • Basic computer skills, including Word, Excel and Outlook

  Physical Demands & Work Environment

  • While performing the duties of this job, the employee routinely is required to sit; walk; talk and hear; use hands to keyboard, finger, handle and feel; stoop, kneel, crouch, twist, crawl, reach, and stretch.
  • The employee is occasionally required to move around the building or site.
  • Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
  • The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.
  • May require travel dependent on business needs.
  • Must work under deadlines and ability to meet deadlines.

  Education & Experience:

  • High-school education or above
  • Prior experience of at least one year in leasing and affordable housing
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • 12 Paid Holidays & tenure-based PTO accruals
  • Employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts
  • Company paid Life & Disability Insurance
  • 403(b) retirement plan with company match
  • Tax-advantage accounts: commuter/parking, medical & dependent care FSA
  • Hospital & Critical Illness Insurance
  • Confidential, 24/7 Employee Assistance Program
  • Pay: $23/hour

  The Community Builders is an equal opportunity employer.

  The Community Builders utilizes ClearCompany to manage recruiting - you may receive email communications from the following domains:*.clearcompany.com *.hrmdirect.com *.clrco.com *email.clrco.com.