6 Assistant Property Manager Interview Questions [Updated 2025]

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Assistant Property Manager interview questions and answers.

What would you do if a tenant calls and tells you that the water pipes have burst in the rental property? See answer
Can you share what types of property management software you’re familiar with? See answer
Have you ever needed to deal with difficult residents in the past? See answer
What practices do you use to ensure routine maintenance and upkeep of rental properties? See answer
Can you talk about a time you disagreed with a supervisor about a resident situation and how you resolved the issue?
What is your process for choosing new potential residents for the properties you manage?
Have you ever had to evict a tenant? If so, what was your reasoning and how did you approach the situation?
What types of rental properties have you managed and how do you think they prepared you for this role?
Do you have experience marketing rental vacancies at your property? If so, what strategies did you use and what was the result?
What documents do you review to evaluate whether a prospective tenant qualifies to rent your property?
Are you comfortable working outside of typical business hours to conduct inspections, oversee maintenance or assist tenants?
How would you define the role of ethics in relation to an assistant property manager’s role?
Why is it important to get a security deposit from a prospective tenant?
While conducting an employment check on a prospective tenant, you realize that the contact information they provided doesn’t work. Upon searching the name of the company, you find no results. How do you address the situation?
A tenant who typically always pays their rent on time suddenly starts to make late payments. How do you communicate with them about your expectations?

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6 Assistant Property Manager Interview Questions and Answers

What would you do if a tenant calls and tells you that the water pipes have burst in the rental property?

The 2025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05assistant property manager will be in charge of taking care of different types of emergencies. Their focus should be on resolving the situation as quickly and smoothly as possible as well as ensuring that the tenant is satisfied. The candidate should be able to handle tasks such as contacting contractors, sorting out insurance and running legal procedures. The applicant also needs to understand the different procedures used to resolve emergency situations. What to look for in an answer:

Has a clear strategy for resolving issues
Strong communication skills
Demonstrates problem-solving abilities

Example:

“First, I would call an inspector and check in with the insurance company to see if the situation is covered under the contract terms. Then, I would call a contractor to fix the broken pipes.”

Can you share what types of property management software you’re familiar with?

Depending on the scale of your business and the number of properties, it’s likely your candidate will be handling the needs of multiple properties. Furthermore, if you’re contracting an 2025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05assistant property manager from a property management firm, you need to know whether or not they can handle a large property portfolio and deliver top service no matter how many properties they’re in charge of. What to look for in an answer:

Identifies various software programs
Demonstrates how software is used to improve management abilities
Explains how to maximize time using software

Example:

“My go-to software is SimplifyEm’s property management software. It keeps track of the different tenants and all the accounts associated with the properties.”

Talk about a time you disagreed with a supervisor about a resident situation and how you resolved the issue.

When you’re looking for an 2025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05assistant property manager, it’s likely you’re hiring the candidate to support a team of property managers. You’re looking for an individual who has great ideas and is able to learn quickly on the job. However, you don’t want someone who continuously questions the way that the team operates or the supervisor’s vision for the property. What to look for in an answer:

Examples of past disagreements, with reasons clearly outlined
Ability to work with and under others
Emotional maturity

Example:

“At my previous job, my supervisor wanted to bypass tenants with less-than-perfect credit scores. Racial profiling became an issue. We compromised with credit scores and pay stubs.”

Have you ever needed to deal with difficult residents in the past?

Not all tenants will be easy to work with. Some will not pay their rent on time, while others may deliberately destroy the property. The 2025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05assistant property manager should know how to work with clients like these and which people to contact should problems arise. This can include contractors and lawyers if the property has been damaged. On the other hand, tenants’ needs and concerns should be quickly addressed. What to look for in an answer:

Provides examples of working with tenants
Knows how to communicate effectively
Has the ability to diffuse tense situations

Example:

“There was one tenant who would become agitated whenever it came time to collect rent. In order to collect rent from him, I’d stay calm and work directly from the contract he had signed so that all of our conversations were based on facts.”

Walk me through your process of choosing new potential residents for the properties you manage.

If you’re looking to leave your property under the candidate’s care, then it’s critical they demonstrate that the property is consistently rented and profitable. Additionally, attempts to racially profile tenants may have strong legal consequences since federal law prohibits property owners from doing so. It’s important that the potential hire is fair and methodical when selecting tenants so that you don’t run into any legal trouble in the future. What to look for in an answer:

Explains criteria in selecting new tenants
Avoids using race/gender/religion as reasons to rent
Comfortable speaking to new people

Example:

“When I screen tenants, I look for cash flow and payment records. Good income and no delinquent debts mean they’ll probably pay rent on time, so I prioritize these types of applicants over others.”

What practices do you use to ensure routine maintenance and upkeep of rental properties?

Assistant property managers are legally obligated to perform inspections on rental properties to check for mold or pest infestations. They also need to replace fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors accordingly. In addition, they also need to maintain the exterior of a rental property. This question allows interviewers to gauge a candidate's ability to maintain routine cleaning and repair procedures to ensure the health and safety of tenants. A candidate's answer should emphasize:

Commitment to safe, well-maintained properties
Organization and scheduling skills
Adherence to property laws

Here is one example of a quality candidate answer:

Example:

"I use a digital calendar to schedule routine maintenance for each of my rental properties and track completed maintenance activities. I also make sure to complete a property inspection after tenants move out and bring in trade professionals to help identify more in-depth maintenance required."

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6 Assistant Property Manager Interview Questions and Answers

What would you do if a tenant calls and tells you that the water pipes have burst in the rental property?

Can you share what types of property management software you’re familiar with?

Talk about a time you disagreed with a supervisor about a resident situation and how you resolved the issue.

Have you ever needed to deal with difficult residents in the past?

Walk me through your process of choosing new potential residents for the properties you manage.

What practices do you use to ensure routine maintenance and upkeep of rental properties?

Hire your next Assistant Property Manager today.

Explore Interview Questions by Title & Skill

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