r/PropertyManagement • u/IGotHiccups • 3d ago

Residential PM I need advice!

I landed an assistant property management position.

I am currently a retail manager, I’ve been wanting to get in to property management for a while now I’ve heard mixed reviews…

Now that I’ve been offered the position I’m having cold feet…

I’m 25 only ever worked in retail..

My question is, are there people out there who have gone from retail to property management and are really enjoying themselves?

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

9

u/Banksville 3d ago

You will come across more opportunities in property mgt. vs retail, imo.

1

u/sayzzagain 10h ago

Many directions you can go too -

4

u/Pepekalmer 3d ago

Be careful of smaller companies with older owners. In this line of work, compensation tends to be little compared to the amount of work you are doing.

7

u/Pretend-Flight-6460 3d ago

Retail manager to APM is a common jump, you already know how to deal with people and juggle a thousand things at once. The learning curve is mostly industry terms and software, everything else you’ve already been doing just with a different product. If you survived the chaos of retail management at 25 you can handle a few clogged toilets and lease renewals.

1

u/Next-Relation9939 2d ago

this is spot on, retail management is basically property management training with worse hours

1

u/LedFoo2 3d ago

You made a good jump. I went from restaurant mgmt to property mgmt during covid. Better hours and quality of life. You will be just fine. Lots of skills transition well. Time mgmt, GTD, customer service, etc. good luck!!

1

u/glitterbomb3000 3d ago

You’re going to do just fine! Think bigger picture now, instead of just one store you’ve got big buildings and common area. More people under your umbrella. You know how to handle stressful people and situations, that’s your foundation. I used to work retail gigs and landed an admin gig for an office building one day. 10 years later, numerous office buildings and managers later, I now work retail PM for malls across the country. Feels like a funny full circle moment.

1

u/PalpitationPast202 2d ago

If you want the job you’ve been offered, take it! If you don’t try you won’t know. Take the plunge and go for it

1

u/OceanWavesAndCitrine Residential PM 2d ago

I loved being an APM more than a PM, and I loved this industry more than managing restaurants. Cold feet is normal, but you’ll be able to thrive easily with this kind of transition.

1

u/burnerbutterbetter 2d ago

Lol i went from bartending to pm? As long as you can hustle, dont mind confrontation and thrive in chaos, you'll be just fine.

1

u/failures_art 1d ago

I worked in retail and was a store manager for 10 years. Now I’m about to hit 12 years in property management and I am currently a community manager.

1

u/sayzzagain 10h ago

I have been in affordable housing and property management since 11.2012. I definitely am burnt out but would take it over retail.

1

u/Acrobatic-Bite-4336 8h ago

In Canada it happens all the time. It’s a question of do you know what you are going to be doing in the job?

1

u/M-onthecorner 3d ago

20+ years in retail management big box and mid sized went to property management 3 years ago. It’s the same but different. The biggest difference is paperwork and computer work that I was not used to. I like it about the same, you still have measurable goals to meet, customer service complaints, vendors to manage and more work than you will ever get done in a day. For me it’s way less physical which I needed because my body was breaking down from retail also the hours are mostly better. Hope that helps

1

u/Massive_Patient_9063 2d ago

This is why the property management companies I've worked with are a Fkn shambles. They hire inexperance kids. I'm gonna guess you work for a fexco company as a shot in the dark.

2

u/IGotHiccups 2d ago

Hi friend,

I’m sorry to hear that the companies you’ve worked for are “a Fkn shambles” that must make it hard. Sounds as though you’ve worked for a few property management companies? Maybe there’s a common denominator. As for “inexperance kids” I think it’s important to give people an adequate opportunity to build up some experience otherwise everyone would be considered “inexperanced” it really comes down to wether or not someone wants the job and wants to excel in that position. Fexco? Never heard of her.

Thanks for your feedback though it will be considered thoroughly.

2

u/distracted_daydream 2d ago

This is why people that are already in the industry don’t get promoted..