Real Estate Operations Administrative Assistant

Summary/objective

Support the Director of Acquisitions and the Asset Manager across multiple properties by coordinating vendors, collecting bids and compliance paperwork, scheduling property appointments, supporting leasing, booking travel, and organizing receipts and property files so leadership can make fast decisions and maintain strong documentation.

Reporting & Working Relationships

• Primary support for the Director of Acquisitions and Asset Manager.
• Works with vendors, agents, tenants/applicants, escrow/title, HOA’s, and utility providers.
• Authority limits: may gather bids, schedule, and organize documentation, but does not approve budgets, sign contracts/leases, or authorize payments without written approval. Upon written approval, communicate authorized payment details to our accounting department.

Essential functions

Vendor Sourcing, Bids, and Job Management (End-to-End)

• Search for vendors/contractors/handymen by city/zip and build a reliable vendor base by trade (handyman, HVAC, plumber, electrician, roofer, cleaner, lawncare, etc.).

• Contact vendors and confirm availability, service area, trip fee/minimum, timelines, preferred communication method, and ability to provide photo/video updates.

• Send the same scope of work to 2–3 vendors and collect written bids by a set deadline.

• Prepare a clear Bid Comparison Summary for leadership (price, timeline, materials, warranty, exclusions, and payment schedule).

• After a vendor is selected: coordinate start date, access, and job schedule; track progress and request before/after photos.

• Follow up through completion and payment: collect final invoice, confirm work completion, ensure paperwork is on file, and submit a complete payment packet to the accountant.

Vendor Onboarding & Compliance Paperwork

• Maintain an approved vendor list with contact information, service notes, and coverage area.

• Collect and file vendor requirements: W-9, Certificate of Insurance (COI) (request Additional Insured when needed), license information (when applicable), and ACH/payment details. Provide insurance information to our insurance department.

• Track vendor status: Approved / Pending Documents / Not Approved, and follow up until complete.

Scheduling, Appointments, and Property Access

• Schedule and coordinate showings, inspections, contractor visits, and turn-key walkthroughs.

• Coordinate access details: lockbox codes, one-time codes, showing instructions, gate codes, and tenant coordination when occupied.

• Confirm appointments 24 hours before and send same-day reminders to all parties.

• Keep calendars updated with address, time window, attendees, and access instructions.

Tenant Operations (Leasing Support)

• Post/refresh listings (Zillow, Facebook, etc.) and respond to inquiries using screening questions (move-in date, income, credit target, pets, and rental history).

• Pre-screen applicants and collect required documents (ID, paystubs, bank statements, vouchers if Section 8, etc.).

• Prepare lease packet for e-sign (lease, addenda, utility instructions, and move-in checklist).

• Track move-in/move-out logistics (keys, deposits, important dates, and utility transfer confirmations).

Travel Booking & Trip Administration

• Book out-of-state travel logistics as requested: flights, hotels, car rentals, and calendar blocks; maintain a clear itinerary.

• Organize travel confirmations and save all travel receipts for accounting and property expense tracking.

Receipts, Expense Tracking, and Spreadsheet Organization (Per Property)

• Gather and save all receipts/invoices for every property and related travel.

• Label and file receipts by property and category (Repairs, CapEx, Utilities, HOA, Insurance, Taxes, Cleaning, Lawn, Supplies, Travel, etc.).

• Maintain a property expense spreadsheet with date, vendor, amount, category, description, payment status, and a link to the receipt, or obtain reports from accounting.

Property Files & Document Control

• Create and maintain a folder structure per property (Lease, Rehab, Utilities, HOA, Insurance, Taxes, Receipts, Photos, Warranties, Permits/Inspections).

• Keep copies of leases, addenda, inspections, permits, warranties, and photos in the correct property folder.

• Maintain a Property Profile Sheet per property (address, lockbox information, paint codes, vendor contacts, appliance model/serial numbers, and warranty information).

HOA and Utilities Coordination (Per Property)

• Maintain HOA contact details for each property and handle routine communication (rules, dues, resale packages, approvals, violation notices, and general questions).

• Coordinate utility set-up and transfers for every property (electric, water, gas if applicable, trash) including start/stop dates, account confirmations, and any required applications or deposits.

• Request and track new mailbox keys (or rekeys) when needed; document who received keys and where they are stored.

Contract-to-Close Coordination (New Acquisitions)

• Coordinate escrow/title communication and track contract deadlines (inspection period, financing/appraisal dates, closing date, and document due dates).

• Schedule inspections and organize repair requests; collect bids quickly when repair estimates are needed for negotiations or planning.

• Respond to document requests from escrow/title by gathering and providing entity documentation as needed (EIN, operating agreement, authorized signers, insurance, and any other requested records).

• Maintain a simple closing checklist and provide regular status updates until closing is complete.

Standard Deliverables

• Bid Comparison Packet (per job): vendor bids + summary + recommendation + vendor documentation status.

• Payment Packet (per vendor): invoice + W-9 + COI + completion proof (photos) + approval note for payment processing.

• Weekly Operations Summary: scheduled appointments, jobs in progress, leasing pipeline, items requiring decisions, and overdue follow-ups.

• Updated Property Expense Spreadsheet: current expenses by property with receipts filed and linked (or obtain from accounting).

• Property Profile Sheet (per property) kept current, including HOA and utility contacts.

Tools That Are Used

• Google Drive or Dropbox (folder organization), Gmail, phone/text

• Google Sheets / Excel (expense tracker, vendor database, bid comparisons)

• Zillow Rental Manager / Facebook Marketplace (leasing support)

• DocuSign (or similar) for lease packets

• Calendar (Google/Outlook) for scheduling and reminders

Competencies

Analytical:

• Attention to Detail: Accomplishing tasks by considering all areas involved no matter how small; showing concern for all aspects of the job, accurately checking processes and tasks, being watchful over a period of time.

Communication Skills:

• Communication Skills: The ability to communicate clearly both verbally and written.

Continuous Improvement:

• Adaptability: The ability to adapt to continuous change and business needs.
• Creativity: The ability to generate, propose, and implement original ideas and practices.
• Professional Development: Commitment to ongoing professional development and staying up to date with industry trends.

Ethical Conduct:

• Confidentiality: Ensures all sensitive information is protected and handled in a manner that respects and honors the individual, or situation, the information pertains to and prevents the revealing or divulging of any such information unless it is necessary in the performance of your duties.
• Ethics: The ability to remain committed to truthfulness, honesty, accountability, and integrity above all else.

Interpersonal Skills:

• Initiative: Solves complex issues with good results, takes proactive steps to support team goals and address issues before they escalate, and seeks out opportunities to contribute beyond assigned duties to benefit the team.
• Professionalism: Approaches others in a tactful manner; reacts well under pressure; treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; accepts responsibility for own actions; follows through on commitments.
• Teamwork: The ability to effectively collaborate with others to achieve common goals and objectives. This involves working cooperatively with team members, valuing diverse perspectives, and contributing to a supportive and productive team environment.

Organizational Skills:

• Dependability/Reliability: Can be relied upon to complete tasks and meet deadlines, demonstrates a high level of reliability in all aspects of work, maintains regular attendance and punctuality, and meets commitments consistently.
• Multitasking: Handling multiple tasks simultaneously while maintaining quality and efficiency.
• Time Management: The ability to effectively manage time and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines.

Strategic Thinking:

• Decision Making/Judgement: The ability to recognize and respond to problems, systematically gather information, sort through complex issues, seek input from others, address root cause of issues, make timely decisions, make difficult decisions, use consensus when possible, and communicate decisions to others.

Technical Expertise:

• Compliance: Adheres to all regulatory and organizational policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of Position: Understanding of principles, practices, and standards of job or department.
• Quality of Work: Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness, looks for ways to improve and promote quality, applies feedback to improve performance, and monitors own work to ensure quality.

Supervisory responsibilities

• None

Work environment

• The work is generally performed indoors in a professional office environment.

Physical demands

• Primarily sitting with some walking, standing, and bending.
• Able to hear and speak into a telephone, or remote meetings.
• Close visual work on a computer terminal.
• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate any required computer keyboard, mouse, and other technical instruments.
• Occasional bending, stooping, reaching and lifting.
• Occasional squatting, climbing stairs, crouching and kneeling.
• Frequently lifts and carries up to 10-20 pounds.
• Repetitive motion - Hands, Arms.

Travel required

• This position requires local travel to multiple sites as assigned, able to run general errands 25-30% of the time, and on occasion may need to travel out of state for assignments.

Required education and experience

• Experience with spreadsheets and filing.
• Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, Google Sheets, Docusign, and Adobe.
• Basic Mathematics.
• Proficient in typing, minimum of 45 wpm.

Preferred education and experience

• High School Diploma (Preferred), AA Business Degree
• 3+ plus years’ experience in general office administration work, real estate, or equivalent.

Additional eligibility requirements

• Valid California Driver’s License.
• Have a reliable vehicle.
• May be required to drive personal vehicle to multiple worksites during the workday. Proof of current/active automobile insurance if driving personal vehicle and assigned to multiple sites.
• Pass a Pre-Employment Background Check.
• Pass a Pre-Employment Drug Screening.
• Must have a cell phone for communication and scheduling.

Benefit Conditions:

• Only full-time employees are eligible.
• May have a waiting period.

Other duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.