Estate manager or house manager?
An estate manager runs a large property or several homes, along with the budgets, contractors and staff that come with them. A house manager runs one home day to day.
By L.A. Williams Placement. Updated November 2026.
Side by side
Households draw the line in different places, but this is the usual split.
| Area | Estate manager | House manager |
|---|---|---|
| Property | A large property or several homes | One home |
| Staff | Hires and leads the household staff | Organizes a small staff and often works alongside them |
| Money | Sets and tracks budgets | Handles day-to-day spending |
| Upkeep | Manages contractors and projects on the house and grounds | Books suppliers and repairs |
Which one to hire
Start with a house manager if you have one home and a small staff. Once there are several homes or a large staff, you need an estate manager. And when each home already has its own manager, the person above them is usually a director of residences.
If you're not sure, tell us how your household runs. A house manager is the smaller hire, and for plenty of single homes it is the right one.
Hiring either role
We place both in Los Angeles, New York and Florida, and each has its own page: estate manager placement and house manager placement.
For candidates
Email careers@lawp.agency with the subject line Resume.
Start a search
Email us with the role you need to fill and when you need someone.