maintenance technician

assistant manager

property manager

grounds maintenance worker

leasing consultant

1st Lake Properties

This is yet another job masquerading under the "we're like family" guise when in reality the main office management are similar to a high school clique of mean girls who fire property workers and maintenance workers based on if they like you or not.

Main office management frequently hires workers who clearly lie on their resumes and doesn't know half of what they claim to. They are also quick to terminate even well trained workers instead of issuing warnings. Because of this, 1st Lake has become a revolving door for maintenance workers where they're constantly losing them.

Upper management has a terrible understanding of what jobs/work orders could potentially take all day and what jobs will only take 10 minutes at most. This has resulted in ridiculous situations like one worker getting assigned to a project that will take all day by themselves while 3 to 4 workers get assigned to something that takes them 45 minutes and relax until it's time to leave.

Pay is extremely bad and most workers use 1st Lake as a training ground for experience towards their next apartment maintenance job where they'll be paid more and treated better.

This job loves to wave in peoples faces that they got awards for "best work culture" but it's something that only applies to those who are clever enough to lie efficiently and take advantage of how ignorant the main office is. Good luck if you're just trying to behave and work normally here.

I can for the first time say I truly love what I do, the people I have the privilege to work with and the environment I am creating along with an amazing mentor and boss. I have worked in very toxic environments that my loyalty kept me tied to, but my experience with 1st Lake has been nothing short of wonderful and a breathe of fresh air. My Regional Vice President truly cares for every single employee she leads, works along side us and supports our goals. My staff as well as our sister properties work as a team and lend support so we can thrive together and no one is left too overwhelmed. I feel very appreciated and valued which helps drive me to reach higher each day. The workload sometimes has its challenges, but leadership from the very top to my direct boss has always offered a helping hand and make sure to not let me or others burn themselves out. 

1st Lake offers very helpful training and the efforts of the education department support employee growth and encourage advancement.

No company is perfect, but my experience with the leaders and staff of 1st Lake have been fantastic and I look forward to growing alongside these wonderful women and men for years to come. 

Since leaving 1st Lake, I have learned that the grass is most definitely greener with other management companies.   1st Lake uses outdated software because they won't spend the money on Yardi or One Site.  The pay is low compared to the industry standard, the bonuses are small, and it isn't easy to qualify for the quarterly bonus.  They are the only company I know that doesn't pay renewal commissions (my current company pays $100 per renewal).  It doesn't matter if the resident signs a renewal lease or if the lease "auto" renews; the efforts of the on-site staff go unrewarded.  They tend to micromanage- the property managers have very little decision-making authority.  The maintenance staff is underpaid and overworked.  Turnover with maintenance is high, resulting in angry and frustrated residents. The rents are high, and the apartment quality is low (especially for the older properties).  It is not a bad place to get started in a property management career because they do offer training, but in the long term you can do better.

I highly recommend working for First Lake Properties. The owners truly care about your well-being and success, and it shows in the way they support and invest in their employees. The management team and owners are excellent at recognizing and rewarding hard work, making it a great place to grow and advance in your career. The staff are also a huge asset to the company, as they work together as a team to complete projects and achieve common goals. 

First Lake is very generous towards its employees and the community. They consistently host events for employees and their families to bring everyone together and build a strong sense of community. Additionally, they regularly organize charity drives and volunteer opportunities, demonstrating a genuine commitment to giving back and making a positive impact. This is a company that truly values its employees and the community, and it is a privilege to be part of such a compassionate and caring organization. 

Overall, it is a positive and productive work environment that fosters growth and success for all employees.



The phones are constantly ringing and the mandatory sales presentation scores are monitored and all phone calls are recorded. The problem with the phone presentation is 15% of your score is making a caller commit to a visit with no regard for out of town callers. Lots and lots of forms, IT department has total control of your computer and often seem unwilling to make needed changes or corrections to make your job easier. The software is outdated and you have to input the SAME information into three different types software because they do not communicate. You are completely overwhelmed with unnecessary paperwork...reports for reports. They pay lower than the competitor and lots of gossip. It's not what you know or how  you preform. It's lots of politics like with most small companies. They have such disregard for their residents and every move out goes to collections for something. I once won a gift card at a sales meeting and there was nothing on it...

As a former Assistant Project Manager at 1st Lake Properties, I can confidently say that this company prioritizes profits over people—both employees and tenants. The management is disorganized, out of touch, and unwilling to invest in quality improvements, which leads to poorly maintained properties and frustrated tenants.

Employees are overworked, underpaid, and given little support. Upper management refuses to listen to the people actually doing the work, yet they micromanage every decision without understanding the reality on the ground. Instead of fixing real maintenance issues, the focus is on quick, cosmetic "band-aid" fixes to make things look acceptable—until the next inevitable problem arises.

If you’re a tenant, don’t expect timely maintenance, clear communication, or fair treatment. If you’re a prospective employee, prepare for burnout, low morale, and zero appreciation for your hard work. Stay away.

Accurate paperwork required on ALL aspects of job (time, work performed, inventory, etc.)
Job required many different kinds of duties performed.
Training was relatively inadequate for maintenance positions.
Residents all had different conditions and preferences for work (alarms, work when not home, work when someone home, morning/afternoon, pets, etc)
Co-workers were nice, but took advantage of loopholes and scheduling to cut down on work.
Management was hit or miss on involvement and managing tickets and projects.
Hardest part of the job was managing ticket scheduling with higher and lower priority tickets popping up constantly throughout the day.
Most enjoyable part of the job was doing make-readies. More laid back and more self-managing.

1st Lake is a company that will mentor and train their team members to success.  One of the things I like about 1st Lake is that they uphold the confidentiality of employee issues. When an employee is terminated, they have numerous warnings before being let go, and it is not discussed with other employees, which is a great thing.  I have worked for other companies that had a rumor mill. Conflict resolution is offered and the HR department is very open minded.
Weekends are required - no different from any other property management company.  
I've been with 1st Lake for many years, and I would recommend this company to anyone -- at any location.  I have assisted in Baton Rouge and the North Shore, as well as Metairie - all policies and procedures apply to all.   If you are someone that works hard, accepts being held accountable and will follow all policies and procedures, this is your home!

What is the best part of working at the company?
They have a large footprint and good training

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The impossible work loads, the unrealistic goals, the lack of support.  Nobody seems to care about helping others succeed or even take responsibility for themselves. It is very cut throat and you will be thrown under the bus in order for your RVP to try to save face.  They are the lowest paying company in the area in this field and benefits are not very good.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Watch for the knives aimed at your back

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Running never ending reports and trying to make your RVP understand that you need services that are going to make your properties profitable

I've been employed with 1st Lake Properties for 5 1/2 years now and the decision to come here has been the best decision I could have ever made. Before the pandemic started I was already impressed with 1st lake but during the pandemic I've become even more impressed.1st Lake has gone above and beyond to make sure we are stay safe and healthy while still being bale to help our residents and prospects. We are delivered mask and other PPE equipment weekly. If we need something all we have to do is ask and they deliver. With 1st Lake properties, the sky is the limit when it comes to career growth. If you are not sure how to do something they will teach you. The have the best education department that I have ever experienced in a work place and we are always learning new things each day. It has been a pleasure to work for such an amazing company. I count my lucky stars. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Maintenance technician 18 salaries reported	$21.75 per hour
Assistant manager 15 salaries reported	$18.07 per hour
Property manager 7 salaries reported	$54,286 per year
Grounds maintenance worker 14 salaries reported	$15.66 per hour
Leasing consultant 12 salaries reported	$16.98 per hour

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