Leasing Specialist
The Affordable Senior Housing Foundation
Location: Kernersville, NC Reports To: Operations Coordinator Status: Part-Time, Non-Exempt
About The Organization
The Affordable Senior Housing Foundation is a North Carolina nonprofit owner-operator of senior living communities across the Triad and western North Carolina, spanning independent living, assisted living, and memory care. We provide quality, attainable housing for moderate-income seniors and operate with integrity, compassion, and professionalism.
Our 55+ independent living community in Kernersville came under new ownership in February 2026 and is now 61 apartment homes across two nearby buildings. New leadership is modernizing the entire operation, and this position leads that charge on the ground. This community is NOT a Section 8 / HUD funded property.
Position Summary
This is not a traditional property manager role, and it is not a desk job. We are hiring a high-energy, technology-fluent leasing professional to be the executor of a modernization plan: fill our remaining vacancies, renew and re-paper our existing residents onto current leases and current market rents, and move all 60+ households off paper, checks, and money orders and onto the AppFolio platform — online applications, electronic leases, resident portal, online rent payment, and digital work orders.
You will own the entire lead-to-lease funnel and the resident onboarding experience. Day-to-day operations are already covered: a full-time maintenance technician handles repairs, an on-site marketing manager supports demand generation and building oversight, and a portfolio Operations Coordinator owns the big-picture management of this and our other communities. What is missing — and what we are hiring for — is a leasing closer who is also comfortable being the person who drags a paper-based property into a modern digital platform, one resident at a time.
If you are energized by conversion metrics, CRM pipelines, e-signature workflows, and the satisfaction of watching a 78-year-old resident pay rent from her phone for the first time, this is your role.
The First 120 Days
Priority Mandate
1. Lease the vacancies. Six apartment homes are currently available in a community priced well below market. These should lease quickly.
2. Convert the resident base to AppFolio. Enroll every household in the Online Portal and move rent collection to online payment and autopay.
3. Re-paper the community. Move every legacy paper lease onto the current standard lease with a complete, compliant resident file.
4. Establish the market. Support a comparable-rent study and execute renewal pricing that closes the gap to market with professionalism and care.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Leasing, Sales, and Lead Conversion
Own the lead-to-lease funnel end to end: source, respond, tour, apply, screen, approve, sign, and move in
Respond to every inbound inquiry — phone, text, email, or web form — within one business hour during posted hours
Log and work 100% of prospects in the property management CRM with scheduled follow-up until leased or closed, with a documented reason for every loss
Conduct in-person and video tours across both buildings (45 apartment homes at the main community, 16 apartment homes a quarter mile away)
Maintain accurate, photo-forward, professionally written listings and keep syndication current across Apartments.com, Zillow, Facebook Marketplace, and the community website
Build and work a grassroots referral network: churches, senior centers, Councils on Aging, hospital and rehab discharge planners, home health agencies, senior move managers, and local REALTORS
Plan and host open houses, tour events, and resident-referral campaigns, including occasional pre-arranged weekend events
Report weekly on leads, tours, applications, approvals, signed leases, closing ratio, and days-on-market
Digital Conversion and AppFolio Onboarding — Priority Project
Serve as the on-site execution lead for the community’s conversion from paper files to AppFolio
Audit and rebuild every resident file: current lease, ledger, contact and emergency contact information, renter’s insurance, vehicle registration, and age-eligibility documentation
Enter, validate, and reconcile all resident, unit, and lease data in AppFolio
Enroll every household in the AppFolio Online Portal and personally walk each resident through first login — in person, one at a time, as many times as it takes
Convert residents from checks and money orders to online rent payment, with eCheck/ACH autopay as the standard, against a documented adoption target
Move all new and renewing leases to electronic signature and retire the paper lease packet
Coach residents to submit work orders through the Online Portal, reducing reliance on the voicemail work-order line
Deliver patient, repeat, hands-on technology coaching to a senior resident base; assume nothing about device, internet, or app comfort
Maintain a live unit-by-unit conversion tracker and report adoption progress weekly
Applicant Screening and Lease Execution
Apply the Foundation’s written, uniform resident selection criteria to every applicant, without exception and without deviation
Collect application fees and run complete screening: credit, criminal background, eviction history, rental references, and third-party income verification
Verify and document age eligibility for the community’s 55+ Housing for Older Persons file
Prepare and execute leases, addenda, house rules, and required disclosures electronically
Collect the community/move-in fee, security deposit, and first month’s rent through the platform before keys are released — no exceptions, no side arrangements, no cash
Confirm renter’s insurance is in force at move-in and remains in force through the lease term
Deliver a professional, well-organized move-in orientation covering the portal, autopay, work orders, and community rules
Renewals and Rent Repositioning
Own the renewal calendar and begin renewal outreach no later than 90 days before every lease expiration
Transition legacy paper and month-to-month residents onto the current standard lease with a complete, compliant file
Deliver renewal offers and rent adjustments with advance notice, clear explanation, and genuine respect — this is a long-tenured senior resident base, and retention through the repositioning matters
Conduct quarterly market surveys of comparable 55+ and conventional communities: rents, concessions, amenities, fees, utility structure, and absorption
Recommend renewal pricing by unit type and support the Foundation’s move toward market rents
Present ancillary services — meal service, housekeeping, expanded activities, and other resident programs — at move-in and at renewal
Report renewal rate, retention, and rent-to-market progress monthly
Rent Collection and Digital Payments
Monitor delinquency daily in AppFolio and make first resident contact on day one of delinquency
Issue late notices and North Carolina 10-Day Notices to Pay Rent or Quit through the system, in accordance with Foundation policy and NC law
Escalate to the Operations Coordinator before offering any payment plan, waiver, or accommodation
Accept certified funds only — money order or cashier’s check — in any enforcement situation, and obtain prior approval before accepting payment from a resident under an active notice
Maintain accurate resident ledgers and post all activity in the system the day it occurs
Support Summary Ejectment filings, documentation packages, and court preparation as directed
Move-In, Move-Out, and Maintenance Coordination
Conduct digital move-in and move-out inspections with full photo documentation on every unit
Prepare itemized security deposit dispositions within North Carolina statutory deadlines
Coordinate unit turns with the full-time maintenance technician and track turn days per unit
Enter, route, and close out resident work orders in AppFolio — the maintenance technician performs the work; this role owns intake accuracy, resident communication, and closure documentation, not repairs
Escalate emergencies immediately and keep the resident informed through resolution
Care-Level Referral and Portfolio Placement
Conduct a needs-based conversation with every prospect and family, not just a unit tour
Recognize when a prospect’s needs exceed independent living and refer to the Foundation’s assisted living and memory care communities
Coordinate warm handoffs to the appropriate community so that families stay within the Foundation rather than being lost to a competitor
Refer only — never assess, diagnose, or represent care levels; clinical determinations belong to licensed staff
Compliance and Reporting
Operate in full compliance with the Fair Housing Act, the Housing for Older Persons Act 55+ requirements, North Carolina landlord-tenant law, and Foundation policy
Complete Fair Housing training within 30 days of hire and maintain it annually
Document every material resident conversation in the system the same day it occurs
Maintain complete, organized, digital resident files — leases, applications, screening, correspondence, and notices
Deliver a weekly one-page scorecard: leads, tours, applications, leases signed, renewals, portal adoption, autopay adoption, delinquency, and vacancy
What This Role Is Not
This is not a sit-at-the-desk-and-answer-the-phone position. Success here is measured in leases signed, renewals captured, rent moved to market, and residents fully live on AppFolio — not in hours logged in the office.
This is not a maintenance role. A full-time maintenance technician handles all repairs and turns.
This is not a portfolio management role. A traveling Operations Coordinator owns budgets, vendors, capital projects, and multi-property oversight.
This is not a role for someone who needs to be managed. You will work largely unsupervised on site and are expected to drive your own pipeline and your own conversion schedule.
Qualifications
Required
One or more years of apartment leasing, multifamily property management, senior living sales, or comparable residential leasing experience
Demonstrated technology fluency — you learn new software quickly and without hand-holding, and you are comfortable with cloud property management platforms, CRM pipelines, e-signature, mobile inspection apps, digital document management, and video tours
Working knowledge of the full leasing cycle: marketing, lead management, tours, screening (credit, criminal, eviction, income verification), lease execution, move-in, renewal, and move-out
Working knowledge of Fair Housing law and fair, consistent application of written selection criteria
Genuine patience and warmth with older adults, including the ability to teach technology to residents who may never have used a smartphone application
Strong written and verbal communication; professional and composed in difficult conversations
Highly self-directed, organized, and accountable to numbers
Reliable transportation and a valid North Carolina driver’s license; ability to move between two buildings a quarter mile apart
High school diploma or GED; must pass a background screening
Preferred
Direct AppFolio experience — particularly resident onboarding, Online Portal rollout, online payment adoption, and electronic leasing
Experience converting a property from paper or a legacy system onto a modern property management platform
Experience in 55+, independent living, affordable, or senior housing
Experience leasing up, stabilizing, or repositioning an under-market asset
NALP, CAM, Fair Housing, or comparable industry credential
Familiarity with assisted living and memory care levels of care
Bilingual — English and Spanish
Schedule
Day time (In Person)
Posted Office Hours
Monday
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday
Off
Thursday
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Friday
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Saturday
Off
As-needed, pre-arranged events
Sunday
Off
As-needed, pre-arranged events
Posted office hours total 16 hours per week. An additional 4 to 9 flexible, largely self-scheduled hours per week are budgeted for tours, applicant processing, resident portal onboarding, renewal outreach, and referral development — typical total of 20 to 25 hours per week.
Weekend availability on an as-needed, pre-arranged basis for open houses, showings, and resident events.
Additional hours may be available during the initial AppFolio conversion period.
Compensation and Incentives
$18.00 – $22.00 per hour, depending on experience and platform proficiency. Non-exempt, part-time.
New Lease Bonus — $500 for each new resident lease signed and moved in.
Renewal Bonus — up to $250 for each renewal or re-lease of an existing resident, tiered to the rent-to-market progress achieved.
Digital Conversion Bonus — up to $1,500, paid against documented Online Portal and autopay adoption milestones across the resident base.
Bonuses are paid on the payroll cycle following the move-in or renewal effective date, subject to funds clearing and the resident remaining in good standing.
Mileage reimbursement for approved travel between community locations.
A strong performer in this role should expect meaningful incentive earnings on top of base wages. We would rather pay well for occupancy, renewals, and platform adoption than pay for hours in a chair.
Physical Requirements
Ability to walk both properties and conduct unit inspections regularly, including in outdoor weather conditions
Ability to climb stairs and access all areas of both buildings
Ability to sit at a desk and work on a computer, tablet, and phone for extended periods
Ability to travel between the two community locations during a shift
Working Conditions
On-site position — must be present at the community during posted office hours
Shared professional office environment with the community marketing manager and visiting portfolio staff
Frequent interaction with residents, families, prospects, vendors, and referral partners
Occasional evening or weekend availability for showings, open houses, and resident events
To Apply
Please submit your resume and a brief note telling us about a system, platform, or process you personally rolled out — and how you got people to actually use it.
The Affordable Senior Housing Foundation
The Affordable Senior Housing Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with the Fair Housing Act in all leasing and employment practices.
This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify this description at any time.
Pay: $18.00 - $22.00 per hour
Application Question(s):
- What property management systems have you used (example: Yardi, AppFolio, RealPage, etc.)
- Do you have experience working with senior citizens (55+) or working with a senior living community? (If so please explain your experience, if not, reply “NO”)
Work Location: In person
