Groundskeeper

Groundskeeping at a stabilized apartment community is one of those roles that directly shapes first impressions before a prospect ever walks into the leasing office. At a property like Bexley 3Five in South Austin, the curb appeal you maintain on a Tuesday morning is doing real marketing work. Weinstein Properties has been in this business for over 70 years, still family-owned, and they run a hands-on operation across more than 60 communities in five states. That matters here because you're not an afterthought on the org chart.

What the Work Actually Looks Like

This is a Monday through Friday, 8 to 5 position, which is a better schedule than a lot of grounds roles in this industry. That said, Weinstein is upfront that the work is physical and sometimes unpleasant. Daily trash pickup, pet waste station cleaning, trashing out units between turns, operating backpack blowers and power washers, light painting, weeding, and general upkeep of outdoor spaces. You'll work in Austin heat. That part's not negotiable.

The role also calls for some versatility. On any given day you might be supporting the maintenance team on a punch list item, helping make a unit show-ready, or handling housekeeping tasks in common areas. A golf cart and trailer are part of the toolkit. So is a willingness to do the same recurring tasks without letting the repetition affect your standards.

• Daily litter and pet waste collection across the community
• Operation of blowers, power washers, and light hand tools
• Trash-outs and make-ready support between turns
• Outdoor maintenance including planting, weeding, and general landscaping upkeep
• Light painting and interior housekeeping tasks as needed
• Coordination with maintenance and leasing staff

Who Tends to Succeed Here

The candidates who wash out in grounds roles are usually the ones who underestimate the repetition or overestimate how much variety there is day to day. The ones who stick around and move up are reliable, self-directed, and genuinely notice when something looks off without being told. Attention to detail on a grounds team means catching the overflowing trash before a prospect tour, not after.

Starting pay is $18 per hour with quarterly bonuses on top of that. There's also a stay-on bonus available after 90 days in good standing, worth $1,000. Benefits include health, dental, and vision coverage, a 401k with company match, paid holidays, birthday time off, and a rent discount.

Where This Role Can Go

Weinstein explicitly invests in growing people from the ground up, and groundskeeping is a real entry point into maintenance tech work. We've seen plenty of people start on a grounds team and move into HVAC-certified maintenance roles within a few years. If you want to build a career in residential property management maintenance, starting here gives you exposure to the full operation of a community. That's worth something.