At Cortland, we operate with a forward-thinking approach that challenges conventional norms and actively seeks insights beyond traditional industry boundaries. As a recognized leader in the multifamily sector, our focus on performance, innovation, and disciplined execution continues to drive strong growth and market leadership. We are committed to building a best-in-class organization by empowering top talent with the resources, autonomy, and support needed to deliver results and advance their careers in a high-performance environment.
Description
As the Due Diligence Associate, you’ll play a key role in evaluating real estate investment opportunities by analyzing property operations, coordinating with on-site and regional teams, and supporting seamless transitions into our portfolio. This is an ideal opportunity for an analytically minded early-career professional looking to grow their exposure to real estate transactions, operations, and investment strategy.
You’ll partner closely with property management, marketing, and asset management teams to assess operational performance, review key documents, and ensure every acquisition aligns with our investment standards. This role offers broad visibility and hands-on experience in the full due diligence lifecycle.
- Assist in the comprehensive analysis of acquisitions, including property inspections, financial reviews, lease audits, operational assessments, and compliance verification
- Assess physical assets such as appliances, HVAC, and mechanical systems, identifying and documenting required upgrades or replacements
- Review and audit lease files to confirm tenant compliance, occupancy status, and accuracy of reported revenue
- Maintain accurate due diligence files to document operational, regulatory, and lease-related findings
- Analyze service request history to identify maintenance trends, deferred repairs, and opportunities for cost-effective solutions
- Collaborate with Property Management and Marketing to evaluate existing vendor contracts and leasing strategies, identifying savings, service improvements, and occupancy drivers
- Track warranty and maintenance records to ensure compliance with service schedules and protect long-term asset value
- Conduct vendor evaluations during due diligence to assess quality and cost-effectiveness across key services (e.g., fire life safety, cleaning, security)
- Manage onboarding and transition of vendors for newly acquired properties, ensuring continuity, compliance, and alignment with company standards
- Coordinate with Asset Management and third-party partners to establish or renegotiate vendor contracts in line with operational and budget goals
- Gather, evaluate, and present vendor proposals for short-term operational repairs
- Verify property permits and licenses are current and compliant with local regulations, ensuring all documentation is accurately maintained and accessible
- Serve as a liaison across internal teams—Investment, Property Management, Operations Support, Legal, Finance, and Compliance—to ensure due diligence findings align with corporate objectives
- Coordinate with external stakeholders, including sellers, vendors, and ownership groups, to ensure clear communication, aligned expectations, and a smooth acquisition-to-operations handoff
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Finance, Business, Economics, or a related field
- 1-2 years of experience in real estate operations, investment analysis, or related fields is preferred
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel
- Strong analytical skills
- Familiarity with property management operations, vendor management, and lease auditing
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to present data effectively
- Highly organized with attention to detail and an ability to manage priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Must be able to travel up to 50% of the time to conduct on-site assessments and collaborate with property teams
About Us
Founded in 2005, Cortland is an international, vertically integrated multifamily real estate investment, development, and management firm with a resident-centric approach to living experiences. Recognized as one of the top 10 multifamily owners and operators in the US, Cortland combines in-house design, construction, and operations to deliver value and innovation across its portfolio.
Join us as we reimagine apartment living and drive outsized returns through purpose, performance, and people.
Cortland is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud to support and celebrate diversity in the workplace. We are committed to equal consideration for all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If you have a disability and need an accommodation or assistance with the application process and/or using our website, please email Careers@cortland.com
Cortland is a drug-free workplace.
Cortland participates in e-verify to verify the employment status of all persons hired to work in the United States.