Terrible Commission Structure, Great Autonomy - Leasing Consultant Equity Residential Employee Review

4.0
Aug 7, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- If lucky, you may get a property with a great manager. Most places do not, but I did - You learn to master CRM - You can hone your sales abilities with custom tours - YOU can build a skill set on your own, just take on the project you desire: event planning, marketing, etc - Corporate office is responsive - Flexibility with your work schedule - Ability to create your day-to-day schedule - Commission CAN be good if your property is in the right neighborhood

Cons

- Compared to other property management companies, the commission tier is terrible. You barely start seeing 4 figure commissions once you lease 10+ apartments a month - Most communities have terrible management. Managers leave early, speak down to employees - Training = online training that focuses more on software skills and less on sales. Minimal training in-person - NO opportunities to advance outside of leasing. The only way up is towards Sr. Leasing or Property Manager. Interested in accounting, marketing, or corporate affairs? Tough luck. Move to their HQ in Chicago. - Corp office allocates all funds to new communities. Older offices aren't even funded for basic things like business cards. - Culture is all dependent on community managers. - Corp office always trying to increase prices on residents who then complain to leasing agents.

Explore other reviews about Equity Residential

5.0
May 28, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

great benefits and pay along with culture

Cons

don't have any at the moment

avatar
Equity Residential Response
1mo
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with Equity Residential. We’re thrilled to hear that you’ve had such a positive experience and that our benefits, compensation, and culture have stood out to you. Creating an environment where employees feel supported, valued, and empowered to succeed is a key priority for us, and it’s rewarding to know that those efforts are reflected in your experience. Feedback like yours reinforces our commitment to investing in our people and fostering a positive workplace culture. Thank you for being part of the Equity Residential team. We appreciate all that you do and look forward to your continued success with us!
2.0
May 7, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Housing discount, strong portfolio exposure, opportunity to work across multiple communities, and valuable experience in a fast-paced leasing environment.

Cons

Management loves to preach “teamwork” until something goes wrong, then suddenly it’s every employee for themselves. Very documentation-heavy culture where certain managers seem to enjoy writing people up more than actually developing talent. Communication is inconsistent, accountability is selective, and favoritism is hard to ignore. Commission structure is shockingly low for the workload and expectations. Leadership often presents itself as organized and supportive, but behind the scenes there’s a lot of blame-shifting, targeting of employees, and policy confusion — especially regarding employee housing and lease transitions. My own experience at the end of my employee lease felt retaliatory and left a very negative impression.

avatar
Equity Residential Response
2mo
Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback about your experience as a Multisite Leasing Consultant. We appreciate your recognition of the opportunities for portfolio exposure, cross-community experience, and the fast-paced learning environment. Roles like yours require adaptability and strong relationship-building skills, and we value the contributions of our onsite teams. We’re sorry to hear that aspects of your experience, particularly around communication, consistency, leadership support, and trust, did not meet expectations. We understand how important it is for employees to feel supported, developed, and treated fairly, especially in collaborative team environments. Your feedback regarding communication between HR and onsite teams, management practices, and employee housing processes is valuable and helps highlight areas where we can continue to improve. We also encourage you to continue sharing your feedback with your HR Business Partner or through our confidential Call to Action Hotline, available 24/7 by phone at 800-231-5699 or online at CallToActionHotline.com, so concerns can be reviewed appropriately. Thank you again for sharing your perspective. Feedback like yours plays an important role in helping us strengthen the employee experience across our communities.
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