A property preservation technician cleans out, secures and looks after vacant and foreclosed homes for banks, loan servicers and asset managers. They change locks, haul debris, winterize, cut grass and make small repairs, then photograph each step so a client who may never visit can see the work was done.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, building services companies · BLS, May 2025
Annual pay: 10th percentile $35,830, middle half $40,800 to $59,770, 90th percentile $73,180. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Reports to
Lead Technician
Department
Operations
Schedule
Weekdays, some weekends and on call · Driving between vacant homes all day, with rush calls after break-ins, freezes and storms, and a busy grass season
Serve as an integral team member responsible for cleaning, securing, and preserving vacant properties to maintain company asset integrity and support overall operational efficiency. Contribute to the company’s mission by ensuring that each property is maintained to high standards, safeguarding assets from damage or theft.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Clean and maintain vacant properties by removing trash, debris, and unwanted materials.
Secure property premises by locking doors, windows, and activating alarms as required.
Conduct basic repairs and coordinate with relevant teams when specialized maintenance is needed.
Document work performed and report any significant findings or security breaches to supervisors.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Conduct routine property inspections and perform cleaning tasks to prepare homes for transition or sale.
Coordinate with property management teams regarding schedules and priorities for cleaning and preservation services.
Engage with homeowners, real estate agents, and property managers professionally during on-site visits.
Maintain accurate records of work performed and materials used for effective communication and follow-up.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Property turnaround time: Complete cleaning and securing in under 4 hours.
Customer Satisfaction Rating: Greater than 4.8 stars based on post-service surveys.
Incident reporting: Zero security breaches or property damage incidents per quarter.
Compliance rate: 100% adherence to cleanliness and security protocols per property inspection.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent required; technical/trade certification preferred.
Minimum of 1 year of experience in property maintenance, cleaning, or a related field preferred.
Strong communication skills and attention to detail in performing maintenance and reporting tasks.
Basic understanding of cleaning tools, safety protocols, and property securing procedures.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience in property preservation, real estate maintenance, or facility management environments.
Prior exposure to working in environments that require both cleaning and security responsibilities.
Familiarity with local codes, safety regulations, and industry compliance standards.
Proven track record of reliability and efficiency in similar service-oriented roles.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs consistently during the course of duties.
Comfortable working in varied environmental conditions including hot, cold, and outdoor settings.
Frequent bending, climbing, and exposure to dust and debris during property clean-up and maintenance tasks.
Capability to work for extended periods in physically demanding situations while maintaining safety standards.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work hours are Monday through Friday with occasional weekend assignments as needed.
On-call duties may apply during emergencies or urgent property preservation situations.
Travel between properties within the designated service area on a daily basis.
Work performed both indoors and outdoors, requiring adherence to safety and environmental guidelines.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Hourly rate between $18 - $24 per hour, commensurate with experience.
Performance-based bonuses available based on quality and timeliness of service delivery.
Health, Dental, and Vision insurance provided as part of the benefits package.
401(k) plan and other fringe benefits available for eligible employees.
10. Company Culture and Overview
Our company thrives on a culture of excellence, innovation, and mutual respect.
We are committed to personal and professional growth, supporting our employees with ongoing career development and training opportunities.
We celebrate teamwork and believe every team member’s contribution is pivotal to our shared success.
Join us in creating a supportive work environment where every individual can achieve their professional goals while contributing to a high-quality, customer-focused service experience.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
Every job is an empty house someone else left behind, for a client who may never see it in person. The photos and the work order are how the company gets paid.
HUD defines broom-swept
For a home going to HUD after an FHA foreclosure, the servicer must hand over a house that is secured, winterized where needed and broom-swept. HUD defines broom-swept as, at a minimum, reasonably free of dust and dirt and free of hazardous materials or conditions, personal property, and debris inside and out. Vehicles and other personal property are removed following state and local requirements. Other investors have their own guides, and the work order names the one that applies. Source: HUD: FHA Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1, last revised August 12, 2026 (property preservation and protection).
Once a foreclosed home belongs to the servicer, HUD has the front door lock kept secure and every other outside door's lock rekeyed or replaced, all set to one key code. Sliding doors get a slider lock, anti-lift block or bar, and HUD says not to brace, nail shut or block doors and windows. Broken glass is cleared inside and out and the glazing replaced. Garage door openers are disconnected, with the remotes left inside. Source: HUD: FHA Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1, last revised August 12, 2026 (property preservation and protection).
Droppings get soaked, not swept
Empty houses draw mice and rats. CDC says to open the doors and windows for 30 minutes and leave while the place airs out, and never to sweep or vacuum droppings, urine or nests. Gloved techs then soak droppings and urine with a bleach mix or a disinfectant registered with EPA, wait 5 minutes or as the label says, and wipe up with paper towels. Source: CDC: How to clean up after rodents.
Utilities and winterizing follow set steps
HUD has the servicer turn utilities off unless local law, an HOA, a shared system, protecting the house, or equipment such as a sump pump or well needs them on, or keeping them on costs less. Live pipes and exposed wiring get capped. Water lines aren't cut and meters stay unless the local authority says so. Winterizing includes shutting water off at the curb and draining plumbing and heating, and freeze damage from a poor job falls on the servicer. Source: HUD: FHA Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1, last revised August 12, 2026 (property preservation and protection).
How much property preservation technicians make
The closest BLS group for property preservation technicians is maintenance and repair workers, general. Maintenance and repair workers, general who work for building and home services companies earned a median of $23.26 an hour ($48,390 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $49,590 median for maintenance and repair workers, general in all industries. About 24,200 of the 1,529,700 maintenance and repair workers, general in that survey work for building services companies.
Hourly, with the template's bonus for quality and speed. Helpers new to preservation work usually start below the general maintenance median shown here and move up as they learn locks, winterizing and repairs.
Building services companies
$48,390$48,390 median Middle half $40,800–$59,770 10th–90th $35,830–$73,180
All industries
$49,590$49,590 median Middle half $40,840–$62,620 10th–90th $35,350–$77,180
$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k$80k$90k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Building services companies
$35,830
$40,800
$48,390
$59,770
$73,180
All industries
$35,350
$40,840
$49,590
$62,620
$77,180
BLS doesn’t publish pay for property preservation companies on their own. These figures cover services to buildings and dwellings, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Works steadily alone in empty, dirty houses
Takes clear, complete photos without being reminded
Handles basic repairs: locks, glass, doors and small leaks
Follows a work order line by line and flags what's different on site
A valid driver's license for daily travel between homes
Teach these on the job
Each client's photo and work order rules
Winterizing to the client's procedure
Rekeying and lock code records
Safe handling of needles, droppings and mold
The work order app and photo uploads
Techs carry a phone or tablet with the client's work order app, rekey kits and padlocks, a truck and trailer for debris, a mower and trimmer, an air compressor for winterizing, and basic hand tools. Tell applicants who supplies the truck, trailer and tools.
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Safe entry
You arrive at a vacant house and the front door is standing open. What do you do?
A strong answer: Doesn't go in, steps back to a safe spot, knocks and announces from outside, calls the supervisor (and police if someone may be inside), and documents it with photos.
Behavioral · Care on unpleasant jobs
Tell me about the dirtiest or most unpleasant job you've done, at work, school or volunteering. How did you make sure it was done right?
A strong answer: Wore the right protection, followed each step without cutting corners and checked the result before leaving.
Can a technician throw out what's left in the house?
Not on their own call. Rules for personal property come from the client and state law, and HUD's guide says vehicles and other personal property are removed according to state and local requirements. HUD also wants appliances and fixtures found at the first vacant inspection left in place unless HUD approves disposal. The tech photographs what's there, follows the work order, and asks the lead before touching anything the order doesn't cover.
How much does a property preservation technician make?
Maintenance and repair workers, general who work for building and home services companies earned a median of $23.26 an hour ($48,390 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $40,800 and $59,770 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Is it safe to work alone in vacant homes?
It can be, with company rules. Set them before the first job: knock and announce before going in, look for signs someone is living there, and leave and call the lead if anyone is inside. Require check-ins at each stop and a charged phone, and tell techs never to reach into bags, couches or drawers bare-handed, since needles turn up. Send two people to big trash-outs and to homes with a history of break-ins.
Does the lead paint rule apply to preservation work?
It can. EPA's lead rule reaches paid work that disturbs paint in homes built before 1978. Small jobs are exempt: up to six square feet of disturbed paint in a room, or up to 20 square feet on the outside. Window replacement is covered at any size, so swapping a window in an older house takes a certified firm working lead-safe.
What should a technician do about mold?
Photograph it, measure it and report it. HUD's guide has the servicer fix the moisture source and document the damage, and calls for bids from licensed or certified mold or hazardous materials contractors when the growth may be a health hazard. EPA's home guide sends anything over about 10 square feet to its guidance for bigger cleanups, so large patches go to whoever the client approves.
What happens on a first visit to a newly vacant home?
The tech confirms no one is living there, then photographs every room, the outside and any damage, leaks, mold or pests. HUD has servicers document damage left by the borrower at that first inspection so it isn't blamed on poor upkeep later. Then the lock change, cleanout and securing steps on the work order begin.
What physical demands belong in a preservation tech ad?
The template asks for the capability to work long stretches in physically demanding situations, which is about the person rather than the work. List what the job involves: lifting up to 50 pounds, hauling debris bags to a trailer, bending and climbing in dusty houses, and outdoor work in summer heat and winter cold. EEOC guidance allows asking all applicants for the job to explain or demonstrate how they'd handle those tasks.
