Jessica Fiur is the editor-in-chief at Multi-Housing News and Commercial Property Executive and writes the award-winning blog What Renters Want.

Jessica has been with the company since 2011 and previously was with Weekly Reader and IQPC. Contact Jessica at jessica.fiur@cpe-mhn.com, on Twitter @jfiur or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicafiur/.

Economy Watch: Job Growth Anemic Again in May

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. economy created a net of 69,000 jobs in May, a bit less than the revised April figure of 77,000.

‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: 6 Things Both Parents and Students Want in Student Housing

When it comes to student housing, it sometimes seems like students and parents want completely different things. After all, parents—who are usually the ones paying—want value for their money. They want their kids to be able to study. They don’t want their kids just going to toga parties and starting food fights and pretending to be zits. And while most students want to do well in college, they also want to be near their friends, and the bars and the parties. But, despite what their parents think, they don’t want to imitate the zany Animal House antics. In fact, most…

‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: 6 Amenities You Need, and 2 You Don’t, For a Vacation Rental

It is finally, finally Memorial Day weekend. Do you know what that means? It’s Fleet Week, we can all wear white again, and even though it’s not technically summer yet, it’s the official kick off of the barbecuing season! (Though white sundresses, baby-back ribs, and the possibility of cute sailors asking you for directions around Times Square is sadly never a good combination.) And, of course, vacation! From now until Labor Day, people will be using their vacation days (or if they used them all during the winter doldrums, pulling a Ferris Bueller) and going somewhere tropical, and hopefully pina…

‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: Should Smoking Be Banned in Apartments?

When I was a freshman in college, after going out to the bars, you’d come home with cigarette burns on your arms and your cute halter tops smelling of cigarette smoke. Sadly I was more concerned with the smell, but that might have been the amaretto sours talking. Luckily smoking is illegal in most bars and restaurants now. But what about in apartments? Many apartments are already smoke-free. And, according to a recent article in The New York Times, “Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg introduced legislation that would require most residential buildings to adopt a smoking policy and disclose it to…

‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: How Should You Find Your Next Apartment?

There are so many decisions you have to make during a given day. Should you invest your money in a reliable bond or a riskier stock (and should you look up what stocks and bonds are or just nod and put the end of your glasses in your mouth indicating you’re giving it serious thought)? Should you ask for that promotion at work? Is it worth it to DVR the finale of Glee even though you’re 90 percent sure you’ll be home to watch it? And what about when you’re looking for a new apartment? There are several ways to…

‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: Field of Dreams (Because You’re Sleeping There)

You know what I like about baseball? Cute men in uniform, popcorn that has more than a day’s worth of calories and watching the people who clean up the field do the “YMCA” dance during the fifth inning. That’s it. But, apparently some people actually like watching the game. Whatever—who am I to judge? It is America’s national pastime, or so I’m told. Anyway, I recently read about a “baseball-oriented development.” The D.C. area, where this stadium is located, is experiencing a renaissance, though the writer of the piece is attributing more residents to the local condos to having nowhere else…

Could Your Apartment Be Haunted?

What would you do if a resident said his apartment was haunted? Here are some explanations for possible “supernatural” occurrences.

‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: In Honor of Mother’s Day: Motherly Advice For Moving into a First Apartment

Mother’s Day is upon us again. And, whether you’ve had your brunch reservations made months in advance or you forgot and are seriously debating whether that “Mothers Day Roses Shipped 4 Free” spam email you got is legit, it’s time to sit back and thank your mom for all she’s done. Like how true the advice she gave you when you first moved into your first apartment was (although you’d never actually admit it to her). Here is some of the advice I received when I first moved into an apartment. What advice did your mom give you when you…

‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: 6 Unwritten Apartment Rules That People Always Break

Yesterday I went to a concert right after work. Though it was one of my favorite bands (Eve 6, in case you were wondering. The ’90s are totally back. Like, whatever), it wasn’t something I had planned in advance. I Forrest Gump-ed my way into the tickets that day because I happened to check Stubhub.com and happened to see they were playing and that there were tickets left. Anyway, because it was so last minute, I had to go in my work clothes—slacks and sensible ballet flats, instead of my normal concert attire consisting of jeans and Converse. But, sadly,…

LeaseHawk, Formerly CallSource Multifamily, Opens Arizona Headquarters

Three months ago, multifamily technology entrepreneur Mike Mueller acquired CallSource Inc.’s multifamily.