Hiring a virtual assistant for property management can be a game-changer for your business.
The right one takes repetitive tasks off your plate. They can improve tenant and client relations and help your operations run smoothly.
But here’s the thing: hiring the wrong virtual assistant (VA) can create more problems than it solves.
To save you time, money, and headaches, here are 11 common mistakes to avoid when hiring a property management virtual assistant and what to do instead.
1. Hiring Without a Clear Job Description
One of the biggest mistakes is jumping in without knowing what you actually need.
If you’re vague about the responsibilities, you’ll end up with the wrong candidate. Or worse, someone guessing their way through your tasks.
Fix it: Define the core tasks. Maybe you want them to handle tenant communication, manage listings, or schedule showings.
You also need to prepare the tools they’ll use. Lastly, be very clear about the outcomes you expect.
2. Focusing Only on Cost
Yes, affordability is one of the biggest perks of hiring a property management virtual assistant. But cheapest rarely means best.
A $5/hour VA with poor communication skills and no real estate experience will cost you more in the long run. They will make a lot of mistakes that might cost you opportunities.
Fix it: Consider weighing experience, reliability, and performance alongside price. Don’t just compare rates. Make sure to compare value.
3. Overlooking Real Estate Experience
General administrative experience is great. However, property management has its own unique challenges.
The trickiest aspects of the business include lease renewals, tenant screening, and maintenance follow-ups, among others.
Fix it: Prioritize candidates who’ve worked with real estate CRMs. They should understand basic property management workflows and know the lingo.
4. Skipping the Tech Test
A real estate virtual assistant who’s not tech-savvy will slow everything down. Don’t just assume they know how to use the tools you rely on. Test them.
Fix it: During the hiring process, give them a sample task using your CRM or project management tool. Can they follow directions, navigate the software, and submit work correctly?
5. Not Testing for Communication Skills
Your virtual assistant for property management will often be the first point of contact for your clients. If they can’t write a clear email or handle a phone call professionally, that’s a problem.
Fix it: During the interview, assess both written and verbal communication. Ask them to draft a sample response to a tenant issue or role-play a vendor call.
6. Ignoring Time Zone Compatibility
If you’re managing U.S. properties and your real estate VA is on the other side of the world with zero overlap in working hours, things get messy fast.
Fix it: Confirm their availability matches your peak business hours. If not, ensure their shift overlaps sufficiently to cover time-sensitive tasks.
7. Failing to Set Expectations Early
Even great virtual assistants can fail if expectations are unclear. Many property managers assume the VA will “figure it out.”
This mindset often leads to frustration on both sides.
Fix it: Establish clear KPIs, communication protocols, and schedule weekly check-ins from the outset.
Overcommunicate early, and then automate later.
8. Not Vetting for Attention to Detail
From listing rental prices to scheduling property inspections, a small error can become a big problem. So you need to make sure your VA pays exceptional attention to detail.
Fix it: Give your candidates a simple task. It could be to proofread a fake lease, find an error in a property description, or summarize a maintenance ticket. Sloppiness is a red flag.
9. Hiring Without a Trial Period
A resume and interview only show so much. What you really want to see is how they perform on the job.
Fix it: Start with a 1–2 week paid trial period. Set real tasks. Evaluate their performance, communication, and initiative before locking in long-term.
10. Doing It All Yourself
Sourcing, screening, testing, interviewing, onboarding—it’s a lot. And if you’re not experienced with virtual hiring, it’s easy to miss red flags or hire the wrong person out of urgency.
Fix it: Consider working with a vetted recruitment agency, such as Search Party Recruiting.
11. Not Planning for Long-Term Support
Hiring a virtual assistant for property management isn’t a one-and-done task. Roles evolve. Your business grows.
If you don’t have support to scale or replace underperformers, you’re stuck.
Fix it: Partner with a service that not only helps you hire, but supports you after the VA starts. They should be there to help, whether it’s scaling your team or replacing someone if things don’t work out.
Want to Skip the Guesswork?
At Search Party Recruiting, we specialize in helping property managers hire top-tier virtual assistants without the hassle.
Here’s what makes us different:
Fast Turnaround
We connect you with deployment-ready VAs, often within a few days.
No waiting weeks. No sifting through bad fits.
Tailored Matching
We don’t just find you “a VA.”
We find your virtual assistant for property management, someone who matches your tools, workflow, and business style.
Risk-Free Hiring
If your real estate VA isn’t the right fit within 90 days, we’ll replace them at no cost.
No stress. No wasted time.
Ongoing Support
Hiring isn’t the end. It’s the beginning. We stay with you.
We assist you in adjusting roles, answering questions, and helping you scale.
Ready to Find Your Next Great Virtual Assistant for Property Management?
Let’s talk.
Book your free discovery call today, and we’ll walk you through how we find, vet, and match you with the right virtual assistant for your business.
