The property management industry does not stand still. If 2025 made anything clear, it’s that the pace of change is accelerating.
Over the past year, I’ve spent time with property management leaders across the country at conferences, in one-on-one conversations, and hosting the NARPM podcast. The challenges they raised were consistent: rising costs, difficulty hiring, stretched internal teams, and growing expectations from residents and owners.
In 2025, property managers learned that reactive hiring and overloaded teams aren’t sustainable. In 2026, the companies that win will be the ones that build predictable hiring systems, define roles clearly, and use staffing as a lever for growth instead of a constant source of stress.
What Did 2025 Reveal About Property Management Staffing Operations?
Across the industry, 2025 was a year of staffing reality checks. Conversations at events like NARPM conferences, IMN forums and leadership retreats echoed the same themes.
Rising Costs Put Staffing Under the Microscope
Payroll, benefits, and vendor costs all continued to rise. In many markets, rent growth simply didn’t keep pace. Margins tightened and staffing models that once felt manageable suddenly felt fragile.
This forced leadership teams to ask harder questions:
- Where is our team spending time?
- Which roles are critical, and which are overloaded?
- Are we staffed for how we actually operate today?
For many companies, the answers were uncomfortable but necessary.
Maintenance Pressure Exposed Gaps in Support
Maintenance coordination remained one of the most demanding areas of property management. Higher service volumes, slower vendor turnaround, and rising resident expectations exposed a common issue I saw repeatedly: internal teams were stretched too thin.
Even strong vendor relationships couldn’t offset:
- Unclear role ownership
- Inconsistent coverage
- Reactive staffing decisions
Without the right support in place, bottlenecks became inevitable.
Expectations for Speed and Communication Kept Rising
Residents, owners, and vendors all expect faster response times and clearer communication than ever before. In 2025, the companies that struggled most were often relying on generalist roles to cover too many responsibilities.
The takeaway wasn’t that teams needed to work harder. It was that staffing structures needed to evolve.
Which Staffing Predictions Came True in 2025?
Several trends that were once considered optional or experimental became standard practice in 2025.
Remote Teams Became Normalized
Remote staffing is no longer a fringe solution. In 2025, it became a core strategy for property management companies looking to stabilize workloads and control costs.
What I saw work best were teams that:
- Clearly defined remote roles
- Set expectations upfront
- Integrated remote team members into daily workflows
When done well, remote staffing improved response times and reduced pressure on internal teams.
Resident Experience Became an Operational Priority
Resident experience has moved beyond marketing language. In 2025, it became a staffing reality.
Delivering consistent communication and proactive service requires:
- Dedicated roles
- Clear ownership of the resident journey
- Enough coverage to meet demand
Companies that aligned staffing with resident experience expectations were better positioned to keep service levels high.
What Should Property Managers Expect in 2026?
The staffing trends in property management from 2025 are not slowing down. In anything, they’re accelerating.
Predictable Hiring Will Replace Reactive Hiring
In 2026, waiting until teams are overwhelmed to hire will continue to create problems. Predictable hiring systems will become essential, not optional.
That means planning roles in advance, documenting responsibilities, and building talent pipelines before the need becomes urgent.
Specialized Roles Will Continue to Emerge
Generalist roles are giving way to specialization. I’m seeing more companies create focused roles around:
- Resident experience
- Maintenance and vendor relationships
- Marketing strategist and video editing
- Asset manager assistant
Specialization allows teams to move faster, reduce errors, and scale more effectively. Especially when paired with remote support.
Efficiency Will Be Measured Across the Entire Operation
Efficiency in 2026 won’t be about squeezing more out of individuals. It will be measured across workflows, communication handoffs, and system integration.
Leaders will evaluate whether their staffing models support communication, handoffs, and accountability, or slow them down.
Property Management Forecast for 2026
Technology matters. Processes matter. But people operations tie everything together.
Based on what we’re seeing across the industry, successful property management companies in 2026 will:
- Shift from reactive to planned hiring models
- Use remote team members to stabilize workloads, not just cut costs
- Create specialized roles instead of generalist overload
- Measure efficiency across workflows, not individuals
- Invest in people operations as a growth and strategic lever, not overhead
How Can Property Management Leaders Prepare for 2026?
Preparing for 2026 doesn’t require reinventing your business. It requires intentional staffing decisions.
Audit Your Hiring and Onboarding Processes
Start by identifying where hiring slows down or breaks down. Look at how long it takes to fill roles, how consistently candidates are evaluated, and where onboarding processes create confusion.
A structured hiring process reduces risk and improves long-term retention.
Identify Roles That Can Be Supported Remotely
Not every role needs to be in-house. Many property management functions can be supported remotely when expectations and workflows are clear, including:
- Leasing coordination and follow-up
- Maintenance coordination and work order management
- Accounting and administrative support
- Resident communication and inbox management
Use Assessments and Structured Interviews
Hiring mistakes are costly. Structured interviews and assessments reduce guesswork and help ensure candidates are aligned with both the role and your team culture, particularly in remote environments.
Build Hiring Systems That Scale Without Adding Overhead
Growth should not automatically mean more internal staff. Scalable systems allow property management companies to grow door count while maintaining service quality and cost control.
This is where remote staffing, automation, and clear role ownership work together.
Staffing Is the Advantage Going Into 2026
The biggest lesson from 2025 is simple: staffing can’t be an afterthought anymore.
Property management companies that invest in clear roles, predictable hiring, and scalable staffing models are better positioned for whatever comes next.
At VPM Solutions, we work closely with property managers navigating these exact challenges every day. What we see consistently is that teams who take staffing seriously experience less burnout, stronger operations, and more sustainable growth.
For property management leaders thinking ahead in 2026, a scalable staffing strategy starts with clarity. Create a free profile with VPM Solutions to start growing with confidence.
