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‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: 3 Creative Ways to Attract New Renters
You can learn a lot from ’80s movies. Like, when you have the house to yourself, the most productive way to spend your time is to dance in your boxers and Ray Bans. That you can win back the woman you love by blasting music from a boombox in the middle of the night. That if you play hooky, you should stay as visible as possible by performing on a parade float. Yup, ’80s movies are really informative. One of the lessons property managers can take to heart is from one of my favorite movies from the 1980s: Troop Beverly…
‘Editor’s Notebook’ with Diana Mosher: New York City’s Got Green Game
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg stirred controversy when he proposed banning large sugary beverages in an effort to fight the obesity epidemic. If enacted, this ban would be the first in the country. Now, in his final State of the City address, he has raised some eyebrows by proposing a ban on styrofoam food packaging. Not sure why this would surprise any constituents, since we already know the material isn’t biodegradable, and as the mayor’s office reminds us, plastic foam packaging makes up an estimated 20,000 tons of the city’s annual waste. The ban would require approval by the…
Guest Blog: Property Management—No Longer the Stepchild, but Leadership Challenges Continue
There remain significant hurdles in finding forward thinking, impactful people to lead operations, particularly in our industry’s larger organizations. Why is this the case and what is the industry doing about it?
‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: 4 Things Property Managers Can Learn from Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is here once again—the most polarizing of all the holidays. (Seriously, the only thing that gets equally as much love and hate is the series finale of Lost. Ba-dum ching. Nailed it!) But, whether you’re out romancing your sweetheart, watching slasher films, or romancing your sweetheart by watching slasher films, we can all agree on one thing: At least there’s candy. Anyway, love the holiday or hate it, there are definitely some things property managers can learn from Valentine’s Day. Everyone should be your Valentine. Remember in elementary school how you had to give everyone in your class a…
‘Editor’s Notebook’ with Diana Mosher: Are Your Apartment Communities Socially Responsible?
Afghanistan is frequently in the headlines, but many Americans know very little about this distant and mysterious land. Connie Duckworth wants to change all that—and she also wants the decision makers in the apartment industry to know that a hand-woven rug from Afghanistan would be a perfect conversation piece in their multifamily communities. Especially in those markets with a socially responsible renter demographic. And also because now there’s a new collection designed by some of the world’s most celebrated “starchitects.” Duckworth founded her non-profit Duckworth launched the project in 2004 with 30 carpet weavers, but since then ARZU has created over…
‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: Micro Units: Yay or Nay?
Some things that are “micro” are awesome. Like, um, Micro Machines, those metal toy cars that really freaking hurt when you accidentally step on them. There are micro minis (which make regular mini skirts look absolutely conservative). Uh, Microsoft Word. And microscopes. Yay for science! And now, micro-unit apartments are gaining popularity. Are you jumping on the micro-unit development bandwagon? There are certainly benefits to renting out micro-units (and there are several ways to market them). Less square footage means you can have more units in your building than you would with traditionally sized apartments. That means more renters, and…
‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: The Super Bowl Blackout and Generating Ideas for your Multifamily Community
So, did anyone watch anything interesting this weekend? (And, no, Girls doesn’t count because I don’t like that show, and Downton Abbey doesn’t count because I don’t watch it.) You know what I’m getting at: It was the Super Bowl! And, while from a commercial standpoint it was a little disappointing (besides a clydesdale that made me cry), it was a pretty exciting game. The 49ers came back in the second half and put up a good fight. And Beyonce—and the Destiny’s Child reunion—were awesome. (Side note—how do you dance in 5-inch heels? I can barely avoid tripping while I’m…
‘Editor’s Notebook’ with Diana Mosher: Connecting with Lenders Online
Simply put, they are more willing to take a risk on those operators that have embraced technology. Is your team working smarter—not harder? The apartment owner with a robust platform has more time and money to spend on the asset.
‘The Accidental Economist’ with Jack Kern: A Practitioner Transcendent
The 2013 meeting of the National Multi-housing Council in Palm Springs just ended, amid the specter of packed conference rooms, a multitude of free flowing cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and more parties than one could conceivably attend, though I tried my best. Cocktails and memory are archenemies, and ultimately the vistas began to look eerily similar, perhaps because of a visit through a different door. The magic of the attendee badge essentially assures that all are on a level playing field—high-level executives standing aside new entrants to the profession. In many ways, the NMHC conference serves more than any other…
‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: Splurge or Save? Advice for Developers and Property Managers
Sometimes buildings are constructed quickly so that people can start renting as soon as possible and owners can start seeing a return on their investment, and, hopefully, a profit. But sometimes when people move too quickly they end up making mistakes or cutting corners that could end up costing them down the road. (Seriously, do you think Superman would actually have worn his underwear on the outside of his tights if he had slowed down and thought a little bit when he was getting dressed?) Though you might see faster results when you do certain things by the book when…