THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Assistance Animals and Liability: Dispelling the Myths by Victoria Cowart, CPM, NAAEI Faculty As requests for reasonable accommodations for service and support animals continue to climb, onsite teams need to understand what’s fact and what’s fiction when navigating them. While both fit in the general category of assistance animals, the laws governing each are different. Regulations about service animals are more specific and all valid reasonable accommodation requests must be honored regardless of the community’s current restrictions on animals. Read the article in The Mult ..read more

by Bendix Anderson People are still moving to metropolitan areas in the Sun Belt, according to the latest population estimates from the U.S. Census. In the rental housing industry, Census data is the first factor in a long equation used to underwrite investments. But firms have to consider many other factors as they plan new investments or simply try to operate their existing portfolios in 2024.  For just one example, managers in many growing metro areas in the Sun Belt now offer concessions to compete with new properties around them.  Read Bendix Anderson’s article in UNITS. The po ..read more

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP When It Comes to Parking, No News is Good News by Todd Katler Residents usually don’t mention parking in their community until it becomes a problem. Once they encounter a challenge, it can open the floodgates of negativity shared in online reviews. To avoid a hit to the community’s reputation, owners and operators need to put the power of parking management in the hands of residents. Innovative solutions make it possible to turn parking from a headache to stress-free. Read the article in The Multifamily Journal Avoiding Multifamily Hurdles Before They Occur by Gregory Loz ..read more

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP ESG: Why It’s Important and Ways Operators Can Excel by Miguel Gutierrez ESG plays a bigger role now in the decisions of investors, residents and stakeholders, so multifamily owners and developers need to highlight their commitment to environmental and social issues. Utilizing just a handful of industry best practices can help communities achieve successful ESG scores and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and affordability. Read the article in The Multifamily Journal Slowing Rent Growth, Rising Concessions: What to Do? by Andrew Ruhland The continued deceleration ..read more

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Incentivizing On-Time Payments: A Shift in Strategies by Terri Nicholson The multifamily industry is grappling with the problem of residents falling behind on rent payments, with almost 4.9 million households currently in arrears. To tackle this, the industry is focusing on improving rent collection processes by implementing resident reward programs with cash-back incentives. This approach aims to incentivize positive renter behaviors and enhance the living experience for residents. Read the article in The Multifamily Journal Why to Think About Retention More Broadly by K ..read more

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Creating the Perfect Pet Policy for Your Rental Property by Mike Shytle Being pet-friendly requires a lot more than just allowing residents to have pets. Communities need to establish comprehensive pet policies that consider all residents and pets, the nuances of the property and continuing efficient operations with the changes. Owners and operators should also consider eliminating restrictions, tempering pet fees, and properly tracking pet populations. Read the article in The Multifamily Journal Hamilton Zane CEO Discusses Multifamily Outlook for 2024 by Christine Serlin ..read more

by Christine Serlin Hamilton Zanze, a San Francisco-based real estate investment company, owns and operates nearly 125 apartment communities with almost 22,000 units across 27 markets, primarily in the West, Southwest, Southeast, East, and Mountain regions.  MFE recently caught up with CEO Kurt Houtkooper to hear his take on how the multifamily industry will fare in the year ahead, why investment sales are likely to pick up, and what Hamilton Zanze’s plans are for 2024. Read Christine Serlin’s article in the Multifamily Executive. The post Hamilton Zanze CEO Discusses Multifamily Outlook ..read more

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Unlocking Revenue Potential: 5 Strategies for Success by Wendy Doherty As the consistency and reliability of rent growth give way to stagnation, owners and operators are looking outside traditional sources and exploring other opportunities to maximize revenue. Outsourcing tasks that are large consumers of time, as well as streamlining operations, are examples of ways for companies to expand their revenue potential. Read the article in The Multifamily Journal Involving Maintenance in the Customer Journey by Doug Pike While the leasing team handles getting people into their ..read more

by David Nelson 2023 has been a challenging year for multifamily real estate. But make no mistake: investing in multifamily properties can still be a powerful vehicle for building wealth. In the midst of economic uncertainty and a slew of new apartment homes coming online, rent growth has softened. Nationally, rents increased by only 0.1% on an annual basis in October, according to RealPage. Rising interest rates, the increased cost of capital and the gap between buyers’ and sellers’ expectations have stalled multifamily transactions. In the third quarter, multifamily investment sales to ..read more

by David Nelson At initial glance, it makes sense that multifamily investors are largely sitting on the sidelines as 2023 draws to a close. High interest rates are making investment sales difficult, as buyers struggle to get deals to pencil out.  But as investors take a wait-it-out approach, one premise is often ignored—multifamily remains an attractive investment, even in the current market. There is little debate that investors have approached 2023 with extreme caution. The high-interest-rate environment—coupled with general market uncertainty—has caused transaction volume to decline d ..read more