Case study
How a real estate business hired a bilingual virtual assistant for property management
A real estate business needed reliable help with rental invoicing, tenant communication, AppFolio administration, and cold calling after a previous part-time VA underperformed. Global Squirrels helped hire a full-time bilingual virtual assistant from Latin America with property management experience. Global Squirrels handled sourcing, screening, interviews, onboarding, payroll, and workforce administration, giving the owner more time for higher value business priorities.
Executive summary: Combining property management and outbound support in one full-time role
A growing real estate business needed dependable administrative support across rental property management and outbound sales activities. The owner was handling recurring rental invoices, tenant communication, property management tasks, and cold calling while also overseeing a separate computer components business.
A previous part-time virtual assistant had not delivered the efficiency the owner expected, particularly on routine tasks that should have been completed quickly. This time, the company wanted a dedicated professional who worked exclusively for the business.
The company partnered with Global Squirrels to hire a full-time bilingual virtual assistant from Latin America with property management experience, Spanish communication skills, and proficiency in AppFolio.
Global Squirrels handled sourcing, candidate screening, resume review, interviews, onboarding, payroll administration, and ongoing workforce support.
The successful hire added approximately 160 hours of dedicated support each month, took ownership of recurring rental invoicing, improved communication with Spanish-speaking tenants, maintained AppFolio records, and supported outbound cold calling.
Within the first 90 days, the owner reduced the amount of time personally spent on repetitive property administration by approximately 10 hours per week while maintaining more consistent tenant communication and monthly billing.
About client: Real estate operator managing rental properties and multiple business activities
The challenge: Previous part-time support was not delivering enough efficiency
The owner had already tested virtual assistance through another provider.
The experience created frustration because simple administrative tasks were taking longer than expected.
For a property business, delays in seemingly small tasks can create larger operational problems.
An invoice created late may lead to tenant questions or delayed payments. Incomplete AppFolio records can make it difficult to understand the status of a property. Slow tenant communication can increase follow-up work for the owner.
The client wanted to avoid repeating that experience.
This time, several hiring requirements were non-negotiable.
The employee needed to work full-time.
The owner wanted a dedicated professional working exclusively for the business for 40 hours each week rather than someone dividing attention between several clients.
Spanish communication was essential.
The assistant needed to communicate confidently with Hispanic and Spanish-speaking tenants without requiring the owner to translate or intervene.
AppFolio experience was required.
The owner specifically asked for AppFolio proficiency to reduce training time and allow the new hire to become productive more quickly.
Cold calling remained part of the role.
The employee also needed enough communication confidence to support outbound activity alongside property management duties.
Finally, the client had a target budget of approximately $1,500 per month, which made Latin America and Mexico attractive hiring markets.
The solution: A bilingual AppFolio virtual assistant from Latin America
Global Squirrels recommended a hybrid virtual assistant role combining property administration and outbound communication.
Instead of sourcing a generic VA, recruiters focused on professionals who could manage the specific workflows already operating inside the business.
The candidate profile prioritized:
- Spanish and English communication
- AppFolio experience
- Property management experience
- Rental invoicing
- Tenant communication
- Cold calling ability
- Administrative organization
- Full-time availability
- Stable employment history
- Ability to work independently
The search focused primarily on Latin America and Mexico because of language compatibility and the client’s monthly budget.
The selected candidate joined as a dedicated full-time resource at approximately $1,473 per month, within the owner’s planned budget.
The role was structured so the employee could begin with recurring property management responsibilities and gradually take ownership of additional administrative and outbound tasks.
How the hiring process runs: From AppFolio screening to full-time onboarding
1. Build the role around recurring responsibilities
Global Squirrels documented the tasks the owner needed completed consistently.
These included rental invoice preparation, tenant communication, AppFolio management, cold calling, and general property administration.
AppFolio experience was clearly listed as a required qualification rather than something the company would teach after hiring.
2. Source candidates in Latin America
Recruiters focused on candidates with relevant property management backgrounds and Spanish communication skills.
The screening process also reviewed employment stability to reduce the likelihood of turnover after onboarding.
3. Prescreen candidates before client review
Global Squirrels evaluated applicants for communication skills, work history, property management knowledge, and software experience.
Candidate profiles were typically prepared within 3 to 4 business days after the hiring request was submitted.
4. Review resumes and total costs before committing
The owner received candidate resumes, employment histories, and compensation information before deciding who to interview.
No hiring fee was required simply to review candidates.
5. Conduct interviews and select the best fit
The client maintained control over final selection.
Interviews allowed the owner to verify AppFolio experience, Spanish communication ability, cold calling confidence, and understanding of property management responsibilities.
6. Complete onboarding
After the candidate accepted the offer, Global Squirrels coordinated onboarding and payment administration.
An onboarding deposit approximately equal to one month’s cost was collected after selection and could be used for applicable employment obligations, with unused amounts refundable according to the agreement.
7. Manage timesheets and ongoing administration
The employee worked directly under the client’s management.
Global Squirrels supported payroll administration, timesheet workflows, leave management, and other ongoing employment processes.
Results: 160 monthly hours of dedicated property management and sales support
The new hire provided a more reliable operating rhythm for the real estate business.
1 full-time bilingual virtual assistant
The company replaced fragmented part-time support with a professional dedicated exclusively to its workflows.
Approximately 160 hours per month
The owner gained consistent capacity for property management, tenant communication, billing, and outbound support.
Monthly rental invoices prepared on schedule
The assistant took responsibility for preparing invoices around the 18th of each month, reducing the risk of billing delays.
Spanish-speaking tenants supported directly
Routine questions and follow-ups could be handled without requiring the owner to personally manage every conversation.
AppFolio administration centralized
Property information, tenant records, and recurring administrative activity were maintained through the system by someone already familiar with the platform.
Approximately 10 owner hours reclaimed each week
By transferring repeatable administrative work to the VA, the owner gained more time for property decisions, acquisitions, flipping opportunities, sales activity, and the computer components business.
The company also gained something its previous VA arrangement had lacked: dedicated accountability.
Testimonial: Support that fits the day-to-day workflow
Why companies choose Global Squirrels
Global Squirrels helps businesses hire dedicated international professionals based on the actual skills, software, language requirements, and working arrangements needed for the role.
Companies can receive support with:
- International candidate sourcing
- Candidate prescreening
- Software experience verification
- Resume and cost review
- Interview coordination
- Full-time remote hiring
- Onboarding
- Payroll administration
- Timesheet management
- Leave administration
- Ongoing HR support
Clients continue to manage their employee’s daily priorities and performance while Global Squirrels handles the workforce administration behind the hire.
For this real estate business, the result was a dedicated bilingual professional who could combine property management, AppFolio administration, tenant communication, invoicing, and outbound support in one full-time role.
Build dedicated support around your property management workload
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