“What Renters Want” With Jessica Fiur

“With great power comes great responsibility.” If that statement is good enough for Spider Man, it’s certainly good enough for social media managers. Because mistakes on social media, especially professional pages, can happen very quickly, and be seen by thousands of followers in an instant. Take, for example, US Airways’ latest social media gaffe. The company’s official Twitter account tweeted a pornographic image involving a woman and a US Airways’ branded toy airplane. (I’m not going to link it, so use your imagination. Or don’t. Seriously. Don’t.) The tweet was in response to a customer who had complained about a…

“I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I’m with isn’t it, and what’s it seems weird and scary to me. It’ll happen to you, too…” —Abraham Simpson, The Simpsons There are tons of articles about what Millennials are looking for in an apartment. You know the drill already. Come on, sing it with me: Wi-Fi, pet-friendly, areas to socialize, green. But everyone wants these things now, not just Gen Y. And, really, Gen Y is the same as Gen X were when they were younger, as were Baby Boomers. Just with better…

What do Gwyneth Paltrow and cupcakes have in common? They both make you feel really bad about yourself. Also, they are both have gotten themselves a lot of publicity recently (well, not the cupcakes personally, because they’re inanimate. Unless they have somehow become sentient, in which case I feel really bad about eating them) for being creative. Gwyneth Paltrow announced, via her lifestyle newsletter Goop, that she and longtime husband/terrible singer Chris Martin are “conscious uncoupling” (read: they are getting a divorce). And, it was recently announced that Sprinkles Cupcakes in New York City is putting in a cupcake vending…

Residents’ prescriptions are none of their property managers’ business. And that’s probably for the best. When a resident comes down to the office to make a maintenance request, it’s better that the property manager doesn’t say, “Sure, I’ll fix that toilet [which you probably clogged up with your hemorrhoid ointment].” But what if that prescription is for marijuana? With marijuana being legalized in some states, this might be something property managers have to contend with, especially in smoke-free buildings. After all, you can make buildings smoke free, but no one has a prescription for cigarettes. Marijuana, legal or otherwise, could…

In college, I could eat an entire pint of Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby in one sitting. (I took the Freshman 15 as a challenge, which I totally won.) It’s been years, but if I ran a few miles and skipped a few meals before, I bet I could still do it. But just because I could eat an entire pint of ice cream in one sitting, does that mean I should? Yes. Ice cream is delicious. Bad example. How about this: Just because I could sing all the words to Livin’ on a Prayer, does that mean I should? No,…

This year, the Super Bowl will be held in East Rutherford, N.J. I live in New Jersey, not too far from there. So this news has produced a wave of emotions in me: apathy, indifference, boredom, hunger and just a smidgen of all-consuming rage—all the local restaurants are going to be packed near game day, and that traffic that Jersey is famous for (along with Bon Jovi, The Boss and smelling like a garbage barge) will be even worse. And apparently I’m not the only one who has a problem with the Bruno Mars concert with a side of football….

Do you know what’s adorable? A baby. You know what isn’t adorable? Channing Tatum. (Seriously, someone tell me what the appeal is. I mean, he’s certainly not ugly, but still, meh. Give me Collin Firth any day, amiright, ladies?) Oh, and listening to a baby crying. Crying babies are certainly not adorable—just try sitting next to one on an intercontinental flight. Or living next to one. Have you heard about the So, as a property manager, what should you do if your residents complain to you about their neighbors Ferberizing their baby (or if they just complain about a crying…

It’s important to know who’s coming in and out of a building. That way, crimes can be prevented, and if they do occur, they can be solved more easily. No one wants to live somewhere that isn’t safe. But does everyone need to know everyone’s business all the time? According to an article in The New York Times, after some burglaries at fancy buildings in Manhattan, property managers are considering installing more security cameras throughout the buildings, on top of whatever security measures they already have (doormen, cameras just in common areas, laser mazes, etc.). The issue, then, of course…

Think back to your Internet dating days. (Don’t give me that look. You can admit it—we all did it. And if not, you totally know someone who is currently using an online dating service.) Profiles that had spelling and grammar problems were bad. Ones that mentioned a love of country music were worse. But the absolute deal breaker? A profile with no picture. That profile could be for a multi-millionaire rock star with chef-quality kitchen skills who can quote The Simpsons, run marathons and reach things on the highest shelf, all the while volunteering with orphans on the weekends, but we’d…