Multifamily executive search is the specialized recruiting of mid- to senior-level leaders for market-rate apartment portfolios. H Two National is a national executive search firm dedicated exclusively to placing exceptional talent across all real estate asset classes and disciplines, from the site level to the C-suite. If you own, operate, or develop market-rate multifamily and need leadership that protects occupancy and grows net operating income, here’s how we run the search and the roles we fill.
Key Takeaways
- H Two National runs multifamily executive search nationwide, from site-level managers to C-suite leaders, for market-rate owners, operators, and developers.
- The firm has completed 5,000+ searches and recruits from a proprietary database of 252,470 candidates.
- Multifamily leadership hiring rewards operators who can protect occupancy, manage revenue, and retain on-site teams.
- This page covers market-rate multifamily. Affordable housing is handled as a separate practice.
What is multifamily executive search?
Multifamily executive search is a recruiting process for leadership roles across apartment operations, investment, and development. Instead of posting a job and waiting for applicants, a search firm identifies, approaches, and vets qualified leaders directly, including those who aren’t looking. H Two National runs these searches nationally for market-rate portfolios and recruits from the site level to the C-suite.
This page focuses on market-rate, conventional multifamily. If your portfolio includes HUD, LIHTC, Section 8, or tax-credit assets, see our affordable housing executive search practice, which we keep separate because the compliance demands differ.
Which multifamily leadership roles does H Two National place?
H Two National recruits across the functions that decide how a market-rate portfolio performs: property management, asset management, operations, and the executive suite. Most searches concentrate on mid- to senior-level roles where a single hire moves occupancy, resident retention, and returns.
Property management leadership
These roles own the physical performance of the community and the people who run it. Common searches include VP of Property Management, Regional, District, and Area Managers, and Community, Property, and Portfolio Managers. For a closer look at this function, see our property management executive search page.
Asset management, acquisitions, and development
These roles own the financial and growth side of the portfolio. Think VP of Asset Management and Asset Managers on the ownership side, plus leaders in acquisitions, development, construction, and finance. In a competitive market, the right asset or acquisitions leader can be the difference between a portfolio that holds and one that grows.
Operations and executive leadership
At the top sit the Director of Operations, COO, President, and other C-suite roles that set strategy and culture. These searches are often confidential, and the buyer is usually the owner or CEO.
Across these functions, our most common multifamily searches are for VP of Property Management/Operations, Director of Property Management/Operations, Regional Property Manager, and Community Manager. These are the roles market-rate owners and operators call on us to fill most.
Why is multifamily leadership hiring different from other real estate searches?
Multifamily is one of the most operationally intense corners of real estate. Revenue resets with every lease, occupancy can swing in weeks, and results depend on large on-site teams that are hard to keep fully staffed. A multifamily leader has to be an operator, a people manager, and a revenue strategist at once.
That makes the hiring stakes high. A strong regional or VP can lift occupancy, tighten renewals, and steady turnover across dozens of communities. A weaker one quietly erodes net operating income while the properties still look fine on paper. Market-rate operators also compete for the same experienced leaders, so the best candidates are usually employed and not answering job postings.
Turnover in particular is well documented. Site-level management turnover in property management is driven by chronic job stress, burnout, and inadequate work-life balance. According to Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) research, key factors influencing retention include work-life balance, career growth, and supportive workplace cultures. According to research supported by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) Foundation, the employee turnover rate within property management sits at approximately 31.4% to 33%, notably higher than the general national workforce average. Containing that churn is a core part of what a strong property management or operations leader is hired to do.
How does H Two National approach a multifamily executive search?
Every H Two National search is senior-led and built on direct outreach, not job postings. As multifamily recruiters focused only on real estate, we identify and approach qualified leaders directly, including those who aren’t looking. Searches draw on a proprietary database of 252,470 candidates, a real-estate market-intelligence platform with visibility into more than 7 million U.S. commercial properties, and a contact database of over 34 million mobile numbers.
Founder and CEO Leo Turley brings 43 years of industry experience, and President Katlyn Turley has led the firm since 2019. Every search is guided by a senior team member from first call to final offer, and each candidate is screened against the criteria you set.
You can engage the firm four ways: Retained and Contingency search for leadership roles, RecruitPlus, a subscription model for site-level hiring in set package sizes, and Permanent Placement. We match the model to the role, not the other way around. Because pay decides many multifamily offers, we also bring compensation context to every search. Our 2026 Real Estate Compensation Guide is a useful reference when you calibrate one.
We stay close to the sector through recognized industry associations, including the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), the National Apartment Association (NAA), and the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), which helps us map talent by market and asset class.
Timelines depend on the level of the role. Clients can expect to see their first candidate within 7 days. Lower-level searches such as Community Managers are often filled quickly, usually within about 45 days, while more senior searches typically take around 90 days.
A search that shows our depth. One search that stands out involved a client who urgently needed a Director of Compliance with specialized RAD experience. This was not simply about filling a role: without the right expertise, the client was at risk of losing a significant third-party management contract. We went well beyond traditional recruiting, conducting extensive market research, qualifying candidates at a much deeper level, and digging into the nuances of their compliance backgrounds, while identifying talent aligned with the opportunity and the client’s compensation budget. The result was a successful placement of a Director of Compliance whose expertise helped the client retain its third-party business, a reminder that the right hire can directly affect a company’s stability, reputation, and long-term success.
Who does H Two National serve?
H Two National partners with market-rate multifamily owners, operators, developers, and third-party management companies across the country. The right point of contact shifts with the role. For a President or executive search, the owner or CEO usually reaches out, while a Regional Manager, compliance, or property management hire typically comes through HR or a VP.
When you’re ready to fill a market-rate multifamily leadership role, H Two National can start a senior-led search built around your mandate. Talk to our team to scope the role and choose the right engagement model.
Multifamily executive search FAQ
What is multifamily executive search?
It’s the specialized recruiting of mid- to senior-level leaders for apartment operations, investment, and development. Rather than posting a role, the firm identifies, approaches, and vets qualified leaders directly, including those who aren’t actively looking. H Two National runs these searches nationally for market-rate portfolios.
Which multifamily roles does H Two National recruit for?
H Two National recruits across property management, asset management, operations, and the C-suite. Typical searches include VP of Property Management, Regional and Community Managers, Asset Managers, acquisitions and development leaders, and Directors of Operations, from the site level to executive roles.
Does H Two National handle affordable housing too?
Yes, but as a separate practice. This page covers market-rate, conventional multifamily. For HUD, LIHTC, Section 8, or tax-credit portfolios, see the affordable housing executive search page, which we keep distinct because the compliance requirements differ.
What engagement models does H Two National offer?
Four: Retained and Contingency search for leadership roles, RecruitPlus, a subscription model for site-level hiring in set package sizes, and Permanent Placement. H Two National matches the model to the role. Contact the team to discuss which fits your search.
How does H Two National find multifamily candidates?
Through direct outreach rather than job boards. Searches draw on a proprietary database of 252,470 candidates plus real-estate market-intelligence and contact tools, all led by a senior team member who screens each candidate against the criteria you set.