Real Estate & Property Management Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Tucson real estate work runs from foothills brokerages on River Road to student housing a few blocks from the University of Arizona and apartment communities across the metro. The guides below cover every real estate and property management role in Tucson, who is hiring, what it pays and which jobs need an Arizona license.
Why Real Estate & Property Management Work Is Different in Tucson
Tucson is one county with very different housing markets: older midtown neighborhoods, foothills custom homes, master-planned growth in Marana, Oro Valley, Vail and Sahuarita, and a retiree market in Green Valley along I-19. Agents tend to specialize by area or buyer, and the local brokerages, Long Realty, Tierra Antigua Realty, Realty Executives Arizona Territory and Keller Williams Southern Arizona among them, compete to sign and train them.
The rental side has its own rhythm. Tucson-based HSL Properties runs apartment communities from its East Broadway headquarters, while national managers such as Greystar, Cardinal Group and Core Spaces operate student housing near the UA, on Fourth Avenue and Sixth Street, that leases on the school calendar. The federal wage survey counted about 980 property, real estate and community association managers in the Tucson metro in May 2023, and leasing jobs are the usual way in. Commercial buildings are managed for owners by firms such as Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR.
Top Real Estate & Property Management Employers in Tucson
These employers hire across Tucson's sales, leasing and management jobs:
- Long Realty - long-established Southern Arizona brokerage with Tucson offices, including River and Campbell, that signs licensed agents.
- Tierra Antigua Realty - seven Southern Arizona offices, a 100% commission model and its own Tierra Antigua University training.
- Realty Executives Arizona Territory - brokerage headquartered on East Sunrise Road, with the Hogan School of Real Estate as an office resource.
- Keller Williams Southern Arizona - market center on East River Road for Tucson agents and teams.
- HSL Properties - Tucson apartment owner and manager hiring community directors, assistant community directors, leasing consultants and maintenance staff.
- Greystar - national manager of Tucson apartments and student housing, including Union on 6th, Envii and Album in Marana.
- Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR - Tucson commercial brokerage with a property management division.
Real Estate & Property Management Career Paths in Tucson
- Sales - Real Estate Agent. Licensed, commission-paid work at a brokerage, with a path to broker, team lead or office manager.
- Residential management - Leasing Consultant, Property Manager and Community Association Manager. The common ladder starts in leasing and climbs to assistant manager, community manager and multi-site roles.
- Transactions and valuation - Escrow Officer, Title Examiner and Real Estate Appraiser. Office-based work behind every closing, at title companies, appraisal firms and the county.
How to Start a Real Estate & Property Management Career in Tucson
- Arizona real estate salesperson license - required to sell real estate and to manage property for others for compensation; issued by the Arizona Department of Real Estate after a 90-hour prelicensing course, a 6-hour contract writing course, the state exam and a DPS fingerprint clearance card.
- Prelicensing school - the Hogan School of Real Estate on East Grant Road has taught salesperson and broker courses since 1973, in person and online.
- Leasing experience - the usual entry to property management; leasing jobs typically ask for customer service or sales experience, not a license.
- Brokerage training - programs such as Tierra Antigua University train newly licensed agents.
The license is legally required for agents and for anyone managing property for other owners for compensation. Residential leasing agents and on-site managers who work at one location without special compensation, such as commissions, are exempt, so most leasing jobs need experience and employer training rather than a license.
Real Estate & Property Management Salaries in Tucson
- Entry - roughly $16 to $22 an hour for leasing consultants, based on recent Tucson listings, often with bonuses.
- Mid - roughly $26 to $34 an hour for community and property managers; the federal wage survey put the Tucson median for property, real estate and community association managers at $28.69 an hour, and title examiners at $29.46, in May 2023.
- Senior - roughly $70,000 to $95,000 a year for multi-site and commercial managers, and $100,000 and up for top-producing agents.
These are estimates that vary by employer and experience. Agents earn commission rather than wages, and Arizona's average for real estate sales agents was $61,410 a year in May 2023. Apartment employers often add leasing bonuses, and some, such as HSL Properties, offer employee rent discounts and pay for certificates and education.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to work in real estate in Tucson?
To sell real estate or manage property for other owners for compensation, yes: an Arizona real estate license from the Arizona Department of Real Estate. Leasing consultants and on-site managers at one property without special compensation are exempt.
What is the easiest way into property management in Tucson?
A leasing job. Student housing near the University of Arizona and apartment communities across the city hire leasing consultants with customer service experience, and the path runs to assistant manager and community manager.
How much do real estate agents make in Tucson?
It depends on closed sales, because agents work on commission. Arizona's average for real estate sales agents was $61,410 a year in May 2023, and first-year income is often lower while an agent builds a client base.
Which companies hire in Tucson real estate?
Long Realty, Tierra Antigua Realty, Realty Executives Arizona Territory and Keller Williams Southern Arizona sign agents, HSL Properties and Greystar hire for apartment leasing and management, and Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR manages commercial buildings.
Where can I take real estate classes in Tucson?
The Hogan School of Real Estate on East Grant Road offers salesperson and broker prelicensing in person and online, and some brokerages run their own training for new agents.
Ready to get started? Browse all current real estate and property management job openings in Tucson, AZ on TucsonHIRED and apply today.