Leasing Consultant

Leasing Consultant roles at established multifamily operators like Hawthorne Residential Partners tend to be more demanding than they appear on paper. Yes, the job involves tours and follow-up calls. But the real work is reading people quickly, matching a prospect's needs to a specific floor plan or view, and converting genuine interest into a signed lease before the competition does. In a coastal market like Myrtle Beach, where seasonal traffic creates real swings in prospect volume, that skill set gets tested regularly.

What This Role Actually Involves

Hawthorne calls this position a Leasing and Live It Specialist, which tells you something about how the company frames the job. The leasing side is what you'd expect: greeting prospects, conducting personalized tours, responding to phone and web inquiries, processing applications, completing move-in paperwork accurately, and contributing to occupancy and renewal goals. The "Live It" side is the culture layer. Hawthorne expects its leasing staff to coordinate and attend resident events, maintain a welcoming environment in common areas, and help market the community through social media and local outreach.

The schedule runs Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM, and Saturdays from 10 AM to 4 PM. One weekday off keeps the workweek at 40 hours. Occasional evening availability is required for resident events, so this isn't a strictly 9-to-5 position. That's worth knowing upfront.

Compensation includes an hourly base plus monthly leasing and renewal commissions, along with leasing incentive programs. The benefits package covers medical, dental, and vision, a 401k with a company match, paid time off (including your birthday), paid parental and adoption leave, pet insurance, and company-paid life insurance. A valid driver's license is required. One year of customer service, sales, or apartment leasing experience is preferred, though not required. A CALP credential is a plus.

Skills You'll Bring vs. Skills You'll Build

This role requires clear communication across every channel. You need to be comfortable on the phone, in person during a tour, and in written follow-up emails. It also requires genuine persuasion ability. Not pressure tactics. The kind of listening and objection-handling that earns trust and helps a prospect decide with confidence.

What the role builds is equally valuable. You'll develop a working understanding of leasing metrics: occupancy trends, traffic patterns, conversion rates, and renewal performance. You'll get exposure to the operational rhythm of a professionally managed apartment community. Those are the exact skills that prepare you for an Assistant Community Manager role, which is the stated next step in Hawthorne's internal career path program.

What Separates Strong Candidates

The candidates who perform best in leasing roles at companies like Hawthorne aren't just friendly. They're organized under pressure, consistent with follow-up when traffic spikes, and genuinely curious about what each prospect actually needs. The ability to stay coachable matters too. Hawthorne has defined processes and a culture they train toward, and candidates who treat that as a foundation rather than a constraint tend to advance faster through the career path program.

• Comfortable managing high inquiry volume without letting follow-up slip
• Able to conduct tours that feel personalized, not scripted
• Willing to work Saturdays as a routine part of the schedule
• Interested in growing toward a management track, not just filling a leasing seat

Hawthorne ranks among the top 50 largest multifamily management companies in the country, with a concentration in the Southeast. For someone early in a property management career, that scale means real infrastructure: training resources, a defined career path, and the kind of operational exposure that a smaller fee management shop can't offer.