A condo property manager oversees the daily operations of a condominium community and maintains the policies and rules of the condominium association. Condo property management as a career choice provides salaried pay and transfer opportunities as condominium communities operate throughout the United States. Training is available to job seekers interested in preparing for entry-level positions in this field.

Function

Condominium communities require on-site management personnel to oversee the needs of condominium owners. Developers of large planned communities often contract management and operational duties through a property management company. The company then appoints a property manager to the community. The condo property manager ensures that association rules and regulations are functional and honored within the community and on its common properties. The manager also assists new owners with questions and move-in processes and is the first-level mediator between individual owners who might have a property dispute.

Skills/Qualifications

Condo property managers need excellent management skills as they oversee all community employees from leasing agents to maintenance workers. They also serve as supervisors for outsourced contract employees, such as construction crews, landscapers or fitness program consultants. Managers need to be extremely competent communicators and disciplined record keepers. Condo property managers ultimately represent the condominium owners and must be flexible when dealing with community emergencies.

Education Requirements

Most property management companies prefer managers to have a college education in business management, real estate management or a finance field. Solid work experience in real estate management is a benefit. Property management programs are available through universities, community colleges and specialized trade schools. Some accredited schools offer online degree programs as well. Traditional college programs average four years of classroom education while accelerated online programs allow graduation within three years.

Advancement Potential

Most condo property managers begin their careers in either an administrative position within the main office of a property management company or as a leasing agent working for a property management company on site at one of its contractual communities. Successful managers who have built up knowledge and experience through managing various properties often branch out and become property/community developers or open their own management companies. Depending on the career path, individuals may need to obtain real estate licensing.

Salary

According to PayScale's online salary tracking, entry-level condominium property managers earned average annual salaries ranging from $37,156 to $62,831 in June 2010. Compensation often includes mileage/fuel reimbursement and on-site housing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that employment for condo property managers should increase by 8 percent between 2008 to 2018, about as fast as the national average for all occupations.