Approaching Daily Tasks With Confidence, Is Critical In Philadelphia Real Estate
Matthew K. Harding is the president of Levin Management, which focuses on retail real estate services. They are one of the most recognized real estate firms in the USA. Levin offers a wide range of services including leasing, property management, lease administration, construction, and development.
When hiring for your company, what do you look for in an employee?
"Levin's talented property management and leasing professionals are the 'face' of our company at the shopping centers we serve. For those positions, strong interpersonal skills and a level of experience that enables them to approach day-to-day tasks and challenges with confidence and competence are critical. Our property managers must have strong technical knowledge of the ins and outs of shopping center operations. On the leasing side, market knowledge and relationship-building skills are key to working with retailers looking to establish and expand in the communities where our properties are located."
What advice would you give to someone entering into your field?
"The retail real estate services field is multi-faceted, and companies like Levin assist property owners in areas such as leasing, property management, construction management, marketing, and acquisitions and dispositions. In other words, people coming into this sector can choose to specialize in many different areas. The best ways to learn about the business – and whether to pursue a career in it – are talking to people who are already involved, joining networking organizations and events, and reading about the field as much as possible. Trade organizations, like the International Council of Shopping Centers and the National Retail Federation, have great source information available."
What changes have you observed in the past year as far as business growth and hiring practices are concerned?
"Levin is getting busier, reflecting general improvement in the retail sector as the economy and consumer confidence improve. During the past year, we have added nine retail properties totaling nearly 2.5 million square feet to our portfolio with new regional assignments, including managing and leasing agent for Bradford Plaza in West Chester and managing agent for Cheltenham Mall in Cheltenham Township. As we have staffed up to accommodate this growth, we have hired seasoned professionals as well as industry newcomers such as recent college graduates and professionals transitioning to our industry."
What is the median salary for a position in your field?
"Compensation in our field is wide-ranging and almost always depends on the level of experience. Pay structures vary as well. For example, property managers typically are salary based, while leasing sales people often have more of a commission-based package."
What type of education do you need for a position in your field?
"In an increasingly competitive business world, a college education provides an advantage across the board. That said, in our industry, related job experience or a strong motivation to learn about the business are the most important factors that set candidates apart. For leasing professionals, salesperson licensing is a requirement for orchestrating transactions."
Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. She reports on various topics such as: Social Media, Local Events, Entertainment, Food and Drink and more. Her work can be found at http://firstsendmedia.com/