Excerpt from Chapter 3, Strategies for Selecting and Retaining Personnel 

One of the most important business functions inherent in real estate management is personnel management.  Often learning other property management skills, such as effective marketing , budgeting, or even financial management is relatively easy compared to managing employees effectively. 

As part of a service industry, a property management firm and the properties in its portfolio are judged by the quality of their employees.  This is especially relevant for assisted housing communities because their success usually is not based solely on a return on investment or other economic barometers that apply in conventional housing. Therefore, while the bottom line is widely used to define a property's success, achievement of the bottom line depends on qualified professional employees.  This chapter will address the site manager's role in hiring, supervising, and retaining site personnel.