Cons:
This company is a shell of what it once was.
I began my career in the multifamily industry with Alliance Residential. At the time, it was a collaborative, people-focused environment that invested in training, development, and internal growth. When Greystar acquired Alliance and the merger occurred, the culture shifted quickly and dramatically—and not for the better.
Over the years following the acquisition, leadership quality in the Mountain Region noticeably declined. Regional managers and directors were hired who lacked the operational knowledge, leadership skills, and accountability needed to effectively support site teams. Decisions often felt disconnected from on-the-ground realities, and feedback from property-level employees was routinely ignored.
Training and professional development were some of the biggest failures. I worked across four different properties and went years without meaningful training in my role. I repeatedly asked senior leadership for additional education on systems, compliance, financials, and the technical aspects of my job. Those requests were either dismissed, delayed indefinitely, or met with vague promises that never materialized. Growth opportunities were talked about constantly, but in practice, development stalled completely.
Compensation is not competitive for the market, especially given the workload and expectations placed on employees. Greystar leans heavily on brand reputation rather than offering pay or benefits that reflect the demands of the job. Many talented employees leave not because they want to, but because they are forced to choose between burnout and financial reality.
As Greystar began losing properties in the Mountain Region to competitors who are simply doing it better, leadership priorities shifted even further away from employees. The focus became protecting owners and clients at all costs, often at the direct expense of on-site teams. Instead of advocating for employees, leadership acted primarily as client defenders, leaving staff unsupported, overworked, and exposed.
I also witnessed deeply concerning business practices during my tenure—things that bordered on malpractice and mismanagement. Accountability was rare, and problematic behavior often went unaddressed because of fear of litigation. Terminating underperforming or harmful employees was an extremely slow and opaque process, not because of fairness, but because of the company’s extensive legal exposure.
What makes this especially disappointing is that Greystar used to be a good place to work. It was once a company that fostered growth, collaboration, and pride in the work. Over the past several years, that culture has eroded into something unrecognizable. Morale is low, turnover is high, and the people who care the most are the ones who burn out the fastest.