Leasing Agent resume example

Choose the right format for a Leasing Agent resume

Use a reverse-chronological format. Property management companies and apartment REITs want to see your most recent leasing experience first, because occupancy trends and renewal rates from the last 12–24 months matter more than anything you did five years ago.

Keep the resume to one page if you have fewer than eight years of experience. Two pages are acceptable for senior leasing consultants or property managers who oversee multiple communities. Use clean section headers, 10–12pt font, and at least 0.5-inch margins so the document passes through Yardi, RealPage, or Entrata applicant-tracking exports without garbled formatting.

• One page for 0–7 years; two pages maximum for senior roles
• Standard fonts only: Calibri, Arial, or Georgia — no script or decorative typefaces
• Save and submit as a PDF unless the job posting specifically requests a .docx
• List each property by name, unit count, and asset class (Class A garden-style, mid-rise luxury, student housing, etc.)

Write a professional summary that leads with results

Your summary sits directly below your name and contact info and should be three to four sentences. Recruiters spend about seven seconds on an initial scan (Ladders eye-tracking study, 2018), so open with your years of experience, property type specialty, and one or two headline numbers.

Example: "Results-driven Leasing Consultant with 5 years of experience leasing Class A multifamily communities in the Dallas–Fort Worth market. Consistently maintained occupancy above 96% across a 312-unit portfolio and ranked in the top 10% of leasing agents company-wide for two consecutive years. Proficient in Yardi Voyager, Knock CRM, and RealPage ILM. Certified Apartment Leasing Professional (CALP) through NAA."

Write work-experience bullets that show leasing performance

Each bullet should follow an action-verb + task + measurable result structure. Leasing is a sales role, and every metric you can attach — occupancy rate, closing ratio, average days to lease, renewal percentage, or monthly revenue generated — makes your bullet credible and ATS-friendly.

Avoid vague language like 'assisted residents' or 'helped with tours.' Instead, name the specific activity and tie it to a business outcome. Two strong examples are shown below.

• Conducted 30–40 property tours per week and converted 38% of prospects to signed leases, exceeding the community's 28% closing-ratio benchmark for 14 consecutive months
• Implemented a follow-up cadence in Knock CRM that reduced average lead-to-lease time from 18 days to 11 days, contributing to a 4-point occupancy increase (91% → 95%) within one quarter

Skills and certifications recruiters and ATS systems look for

Property management recruiters search for exact software names — Yardi, RealPage, MRI Software, Entrata — and credential abbreviations. Spell them out correctly and consistently. A dedicated Skills section with 10–15 keyword-rich items helps your resume rank well when a recruiter searches.

Certifications from the National Apartment Association (NAA) carry real weight. The CALP (Certified Apartment Leasing Professional) is the entry-level benchmark; the CAM (Certified Apartment Manager) signals readiness for a property manager promotion. Fair Housing compliance knowledge is non-negotiable and should appear explicitly.

• Software: Yardi Voyager, RealPage ILM, Entrata, MRI Software, Knock CRM, Funnel Leasing, AppFolio
• Certifications: CALP, CAM, CAPS (Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor), NAR membership, Fair Housing certification
• Hard skills: lease-up campaigns, renewal negotiations, concession management, Blue Moon lease execution, market-survey analysis
• Soft skills worth listing: bilingual fluency (if applicable), objection handling, resident retention, conflict resolution

Education, licenses, and additional credentials

A high school diploma or GED is the minimum requirement at most properties, but an associate or bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or real estate strengthens applications for luxury or corporate leasing roles. List your highest degree, the institution, and graduation year — no GPA unless you graduated within the past two years and it is above 3.5.

If your state requires a real estate salesperson license to negotiate leases (Texas, for example, requires one for certain leasing activities), list the license number and expiration date. Also include any completed Fair Housing training courses, CPO (Certified Pool Operator) certification if relevant to your property, and fluency in a second language as a separate line item — bilingual agents command a premium in many markets.

• List active real estate licenses with license number and expiration date
• Include NAA Education Institute course completions even if you have not yet sat for the full credential exam
• Note any experience with affordable housing programs (Section 8, LIHTC) as a separate credential line

Mistakes to avoid

• ×Listing occupancy or closing-ratio numbers without context — always include the community's total unit count or the benchmark you were measured against so the figure means something to a hiring manager.
• ×Using the generic job title 'Leasing Agent' when your actual title was 'Leasing Consultant' or 'Leasing Professional' — mismatched titles can disqualify you from ATS searches tied to the exact posting language.
• ×Omitting the property management software you use daily, such as Yardi or RealPage, because you assume it is implied — recruiters filter by software name, and if it is not on your resume, you will not appear in those searches.
• ×Leaving Fair Housing compliance off the resume entirely, which is a red flag for any property management employer because it signals either a gap in training or carelessness in presenting qualifications.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a real estate license to work as a Leasing Agent?

It depends on the state. Some states require a real estate license — or a separate leasing agent license — for certain leasing activities, while others exempt some on-site leasing employees. Check your state's real estate commission website and list any required license prominently on your resume.

What metrics should a Leasing Agent put on a resume?

Focus on occupancy rate, closing ratio (tours to signed leases), average days to lease, renewal percentage, and monthly or annual revenue from new leases. If your property ran a lease-up campaign, include the number of units leased and the timeframe. Even one or two hard numbers make your resume significantly more competitive than a bullet that only describes duties.

Is the CALP certification worth getting before applying for leasing jobs?

Yes, especially if you are early in your career or switching from retail or hospitality sales. The Certified Apartment Leasing Professional credential from the NAA is recognized across the multifamily industry and signals that you understand lease documents, Fair Housing law, and the leasing cycle. Many apartment operators list it as preferred, and some offer tuition reimbursement once you are hired.