PM exodus: 2 in 5 property managers to exit the industry

In total, over 400 property management professionals were surveyed, with more than 60 per cent feeling overwhelmed by their workload as pressure continued to increase.

The survey found that 43 per cent of property managers identified legislative change as the biggest operational challenge that agencies faced, closely followed by 32 per cent citing compliance pressures as their primary concern.

Alternatively, 65 per cent of agencies reported using or testing AI, in a bid to alleviate some of the administrative burden property managers faced.

Kolmeo CEO Scott Bateman said the survey highlighted the state of the industry after a period of significant change.

“Property management has undergone enormous change over the past decade, but we’ve never had a national benchmark that genuinely captures the experiences of the people doing the work every day,” Bateman said.

“We knew there were increasing pressures around workload, compliance and workforce retention, but rather than relying on assumptions, we wanted to create an independent evidence base that the entire industry could learn from.”

The report identified three priorities for the industry’s future: reduce administrative complexity, invest in professionals through stronger leadership and career development, and innovate using technology and AI.

Batemand said that the data reinforced the idea that the future of property management would not simply be adopting new technologies, but creating a more sustainable profession.

“Technology is only one part of the equation. If we want property management to thrive over the next decade, we also need to invest in people, simplify the work and make better decisions based on evidence rather than assumption.”

“Our goal is not simply to publish a report, but to contribute something meaningful to the profession and provide a blueprint that helps shape its future.”