Technology has pushed online leasing to the forefront of renting apartments, but the apartment design choices renters see in person still matter plenty. While some these days will rent sight unseen, lots of prospects want to experience the look and feel of the common areas and individual units before making a decision. So, it’s important for properties to look their updated best when potential renters come calling. And this means design that fits with the times. In this spirit, we take a look at some of the top apartment design trends for 2022. Designs are on a relatively slow drift toward new ..read more

hero (noun): a person admired for achievements and noble qualities What does an everyday hero look like? You may encounter one and not even know it until the story is revealed. Meet Grant Corbett, a RealPage® submeter service technician who put everything on the line to save a resident's pet from a very serious situation. His story is indicative of selflessness and courage that, as CEO and President of RealPage Dana Jones says, "doesn’t always come through on a résumé. I am so thankful we have Grant, and I know we have more like him who rise to the occasion to do great things." The day started ..read more

Apartment properties stand as one of the nation’s largest consumers of energy. As owners and operators feel the growing impact on their operations, the ever-evolving world of utility management shows a lot of promise in controlling costs and increasing both asset value and savings. Energy deregulation In 1978, new Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) policies began to open the nation’s electricity transmission system to retail suppliers, effectively allowing qualified generators and wholesalers onto the country’s grid to create wholesale market competition. In the mid-1990s, under press ..read more

Deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold multifamily investments can be especially vexing during an economic downturn. But managers and investors who dive deeply into currently available high-quality multifamily market data can effectively navigate tricky markets such as the current one and make sound decisions about asset disposition. Naturally, acquiring distressed properties may make good sense when the economy tumbles. But knowing which markets offer the most promise in recovery isn’t always obvious because not every market or submarket is the same. Downtown high-rises in Dallas and Houston ..read more

How many times do your residents see the leasing staff compared to the maintenance team? Think about it. Before online payments, leasing office staff could count on seeing a resident up to a dozen times a year, at least when the rent was due. Now with conveniences such as resident portals and online leasing, residents are probably venturing to the leasing office far fewer times. Maintenance teams are out in the community working on maintenance issues or repairs. Or, they are seen working in and around apartment buildings, giving a big opportunity for maintenance techs to have face time with re ..read more

The fourth and final session of a recent four-part webcast series on the prospect experience took a bit of a curve towards a subject that impacts both renter and rental property: mitigating risks such as fraud, evictions, property damage  and other costly events. It’s the part of the renter experience right up front, as prospects are screened and identity- checked and insurance is put in place or verified – ideally, with the least amount of disruption, delay or friction. But it’s just as much about protecting the property as protecting the renter by shielding them from potential liability ..read more

Benchmarking utilities has become a way of life in multifamily. Not long ago, the EPA introduced its Portfolio Manager, a repository for a commercial property’s utility consumption data for benchmarking. By 2014, the arduous task of establishing an equitable energy efficiency scoring system for multifamily properties had arrived and the EPA invited portfolios to track consumption. Five years later, multifamily properties are not just being asked to benchmark – in some areas, it’s required. As we seek out new ways to protect our precious resources, local and state governments are mand ..read more

Imagine a world where a prospective renter finds an apartment online, hops into a car and drives to the community to take a look around. But this home hunter detours the leasing office and walks, unaccompanied, into a vacant apartment to see what’s inside. Nobody is there, just the curious prospect and empty space. After opening closet doors and kitchen cabinets, the visitor imagines how the couch may look here or over there. A short time later, the prospect leaves and closes the door behind, and maybe heads to the leasing office. Then again, maybe not. This future resident may come back two o ..read more

Submeter maintenance means potentially avoiding unnecessary expenses and regulatory headaches. In Massachusetts, landlords must “retain an affirmative obligation” to maintain submeters and any other water conservation devices. They must also respond in a timely manner if a resident complains about an overcharge, and the resident shall have “all rights and remedies provided under law for such overcharges or such violations.” The same goes for Texas, where the rental property owner is responsible for installing, maintaining and testing all submeters or point-of-use submeters. If a resident asks ..read more

The U.S. energy market is easing into 2022 on the heels of a roller coaster ride, and while pricing is stabilizing the outlook continues to present challenges for multifamily utility management. Most eyes remain on natural gas: storage capacity has dramatically fluctuated since 2019 and this year more peaks and valleys are forecast. The build-back from depleted stock early in the pandemic along with other factors are adversely affecting storage, although inventories leveled somewhat by the end of 2021. For much of the year, weekly injections into storage fell below expectations. This trend is ..read more