Property Manager

Ka-Tet Property Management – Property Manager

Chicago, IL | Hybrid | Flexible W2/1099 structure | License requirement: Active Illinois Real Estate License required (Illinois Managing Broker License preferred)

The job in one sentence

Run day-to-day property management like an owner and like a human: build predictable operations, protect net operating income, and deliverable a renting experience tenants want to brag about, in a company built with community equity in mind.

Why Ka-Tet is different

Ka-Tet exists to build community equity through generational property wealth . That means:

• We treat residents with respect. “Your mother is a tenant.”
• We plan to reduce anxiety and cost. Plan, don’t avoid.
• We’re in it for the long haul. Stability is a strategy.
• We respond to tenants and owners’ same day. Answer the call.
• We believe community extends beyond our customers—we share resources for Chicago tenants and owners, period.

We’re building a firm that becomes actively preferred by residents and worth a premium to owners because we protect and grow investments without treating people like problems.

Read this first (fit check)

If you think “tenant experience” is fluff—or believe property management is mainly about enforcing rules—this role will frustrate you. If you believe great service is a competitive advantage and you can back it up with strong operations, keep reading.

The opportunity

This is a founding operator role . You will start hands-on—maintenance coordination, leasing, resident issues, owner reporting—then build the systems and team that scale.

We’re launching with a “friendly” base portfolio (5 doors / two buildings ). Our 2026 target is 30 doors and $60,000+ in gross monthly rents . If we hit that on our aligned and ambitious timeline that we’ll set together, you’ll help hire the next teammate.

If you want a predictable corporate job with perfect processes already built, this isn’t it. If you want to be in a hands-on role in building the process and owning outcomes, welcome home.

What you’ll own

1) Resident experience (Same-Day Response is the standard)

• Deliver same-day response to residents—every day (even if it’s “we’re on it, here’s the timeline”).
• Handle concerns, repairs, quality-of-life issues, and lease compliance with calm urgency and respect.
• Reduce friction, earn reviews (on our website, Reddit, etc.), improve retention.

2) Maintenance + vendor leadership (Protect the asset, reduce emergencies)

• Build a reliable vendor bench (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, GC, cleaning, etc.).
• Triage maintenance, assign vendors, manage scopes, ensure quality, and close the loop with residents.
• Create preventative maintenance routines that reduce cost and chaos.

3) Owner outcomes (Profit, not just revenue)

• Produce clear owner reporting: income/expense summaries, maintenance logs, and planning updates.
• Recommend rent strategy and renewals aligned to the Chicago market.
• Help owners plan long-term maintenance and future investments.

4) Leasing + growth (Doors under management)

• Market vacancies, show units, screen applicants, and execute leases with compliant processes.
• Meet potential owner clients, explain Ka-Tet’s approach, and win new management relationships.
• Help refine pricing models and service packages as we grow.

5) Build the system (Startup = process you create)

• Run communications through a central platform (Buildium) so anyone can step in seamlessly.
• Create playbooks/SOPs for: maintenance intake, after-hours issues, turns, leasing pipeline, owner reporting, resident onboarding, vendor onboarding.
• Use tech + human-in-the-loop AI to move faster, but never let automation be the final “voice” externally.

How we work

• Accomplishments over attendance: flexible hours if results are excellent.
• Slack for internal, email for long-form: meet clients where they are (text/email/voice), but keep records centralized.
• No task too small / no job too big: we all take out the trash sometimes.
• Opinionated is good: bring ideas, back them up, know when to push vs. support.

Who you are

• Practical but optimistic: sees problems, proposes solutions, stays positive.
• Deeply service-minded: you genuinely like helping people.
• Organized under pressure: clear communication, clean documentation, consistent follow-through.
• Comfortable with ambiguity: startups aren’t neat, but you can make them orderly.

Requirements

Must-haves

• Active Illinois Real Estate License (required).
• 2 - 3+ years residential property management experience ( Chicago market strongly preferred).
• Proven ability to manage leasing end-to-end: marketing, showings, screening, lease execution, and onboarding.
• Strong maintenance coordination + vendor management: triage, scopes, scheduling, follow-through.
• Comfortable using property management software (Buildium, AppFolio, Yardi, Rent Manager, or similar) with clean documentation habits .
• Clear, respectful communication style and a customer-service mindset (Same-Day Response standard).

Preferred

• Illinois Managing Broker License.
• Experience building systems/playbooks (SOPs) and improving workflows.
• Experience growing a portfolio (winning doors, improving retention, driving reviews).

Compensation

We can’t offer a six-figure base out of the gate. We can offer a flexible, performance-aligned package, typically structured as:

• Base pay $65,000
• Strong bonus program – earn up to a $1k per door bonus
• Growth incentives tied to doors under management + retention + review outcomes
• Clear path to higher comp as the portfolio grows (30 doors / $60k monthly rents is the 2026 target)

Benefits are limited initially (startup reality), improving as we scale.

How to apply

1. Email Resume to [email protected] or apply via LinkedIn

2. In lieu of a cover letter, provide short answers (a few sentences each) to:

• What does “Your mother is a tenant” mean in practice?
• How do you maintain same-day response when you’re overwhelmed?

Pay: From $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person