Leasing sites — billboard locations, telecom tower placements, retail kiosk spaces — by negotiating with landowners and property managers. The work mixes real-estate negotiation with the technical requirements of whatever's going on the site.
A site leasing agent negotiates the lease of specific locations — billboard placements on private land, telecom tower sites, retail kiosk spaces, rooftop antenna installations — typically securing long-term ground lease agreements on behalf of an outdoor advertising company, telecom carrier, or property developer. The work mixes real estate negotiation with the technical requirements of whatever's going on the site: a billboard has visibility and setback requirements; a cell tower has coverage and structural considerations; a kiosk space has foot traffic and tenant mix factors.
Landowner negotiations are the core of the role. Many site leasing agents are working against existing lease agreements that are coming up for renewal, or approaching property owners who don't yet have a ground lease. The pitch is typically long-term monthly income from a site they're not using, with minimal disruption to their existing operations. That's a relatively straightforward value proposition in many cases — and a harder one when the landowner has concerns about aesthetics, liability, or prior bad experiences with the industry.
Site lease terms often run long — fifteen to thirty years for cell tower sites, multi-year renewals for billboards — which means the leasing agent is negotiating an agreement that will outlast any individual tenant or operator relationship. Getting the initial terms right, including rent escalations, early termination provisions, and maintenance responsibilities, matters more in site leasing than in standard commercial leasing because the lease will be read by many parties over a long period.
An honest look at who tends to thrive in this role — and who might find it challenging.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Leasing sites — billboard locations, telecom tower placements, retail kiosk spaces — by negotiating with landowners and property managers. The work mixes real-estate negotiation with the technical requirements of whatever's going on the site.
Median pay for a Site Leasing Agent is about $61K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $33K to $134K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Speaking, Persuasion, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, and Negotiation.
Most people in this role hold a bachelor's degree.
Employment in this field is projected to decline about 6.4% through 2034, with roughly 97,470 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Junior Site Leasing Agent, Booking Agent, and Talent Agent.
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