Multifamily Insiders - Apartment Marketing | Property Management | Resident Retention | Apartment Investment | Apartment Jobs - Forum

Subject: Does being online increase real-world event attendance? - by: Christopher Higgins

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:59:23 -0500

I think it does, and has. When I have had webinars on my website, it has usually increased attendance at my next apartment association "gig" or when I have a general admission event in a market. I think the cross-marketing can be very valuable. What I have found is a number of events are well-marketed online and even virally, but then they don't live up to the buzz by producing a sub-par event. Obviously people won't go back, regardless of how well the marketing people handle promotions the next year. Attending a show like TAA (Texas Apartment Association), FAA (Florida...) and Brainstorming certainly reinforces the idea that apartment events are no longer dull trade shows with four seminars off in the partitioned ballroom. They have to be fun, involved, engaging events with multiple ways to learn, connect, network and have fun. Few state or city events fit this bill. But I also know that relying on Internet marketing only can be a mistake. When I first launched my business, granted 7 years ago is a long time, I missed a number of possible attendees by relying on e-mail marketing campaigns. This was before the opt-in and spam crackdowns, but I had small e-mail lists and, often, small classes. When I began to use direct mail postcards, a phone blast system and the old stand-by, fax blasts, I got much better numbers. Some older property managers are still not too thrilled about the Internet. They don't open e-mails from people they don't know, they aren't hanging out on portals like Multifamily Insiders. We don't want to just ignore them, so we market the ways that reach them.

Subject: Federal, County, State or any type of funding for privately owned apartment - by: Holly Bray

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:25:58 -0500

Yes, there is money available for renovations. How big is your property, how much work needs to be done, and do you already have the historic designation?

Subject: How much does role playing fit into your training program? - by: Brent Williams

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:22:27 -0500

Thanks for all the great feedback everybody! I remember when first started out, we did very little role playing, and like Chrissy mentioned, I did not feel comfortable at all. I preferred just talking to the prospect, but that could have been because any failure I had was somewhat sheltered, while I felt I was being "judged" in the role-playing. That said, looking back now, I wish there had been much, much more role playing as it gives opportunities to feel out different techniques and use it as a collaborative process.

Subject: Operate 100+ unit apartment complex with expenses below $4,500? - by: valerie valerio

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 07:35:11 -0500

4500.00 a unit per year? Maintenance, the cost of turnsovers, repairs (carpets, vinyl. What condition are they in? How old are the heating units and carpet? I would say yes if water heaters are flushed, heater maintenanced and filters changed. Yes it is possible.

Subject: CPM vs CCRM - by: Doug Chasick

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:33:30 -0500

In absolute agreement with my fellow CPM members and just fyi, CAA is no longer affiliated with NAA, although several CAA affiliates have left and become direct affiliates of NAA.

Subject: Calling all affordable housing professionals. - by: Pedro Maysonet

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:31:23 -0500

Hello, I am a Affordable Housing Professional, with over 11 years experiance in LIHTC, BOND, HOME, SAIL, and many USHUD programs in a national level, and I'm always looking forward to network with other professionals and share our experiance.

Subject: Wanted: The REAL Scoop on Using Social Media! - by: Pedro Maysonet

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:22:10 -0500

Hi Julia, First let me say this is a phenomenal topic. We are at a new age in our lives that online social networking (social media) is a key component in our success in establishing who we are and what we have to offer, no matter what profession you are in. For example, my wife and I recently were looking for a new pediatric doctor for our daughters, and if they didn’t have a website, we didn’t even consider calling them. We think, if the professional does not care to tailor to the new world, then obviously they are not worth our business. It may sound crazy to you, but think about it. If you truly want to keep your business up and running and you want to really share your experience and success with potential and current clients, wouldn’t you take the time to establish a website and join a few local online social Medias? I would! Another example, I rejoined Apogee New Dawn as their VP of Affordable Housing, but I realized that my passion was not truly in the operational world but actually in the social world. While, all my life I have been what I believe a good operational guy, I wanted a change in life and decided to transition over to Business Development and Client Relations, where I get to explore the world of Social Networking. As soon as I started my new role with the company, I realized that the key component for my future success would be networking. I visited the traditional local chambers, churches, local developers, etc. But I realized that the world is at a new age, and that most individuals are now networking online, that’s then new social empire. As soon as I started joining online social networks such as MFI, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. I noticed a huge increase in my exposure, and immediate connections with other people in needs. This year alone, I have successfully acquired over 5 new communities thanks to my online social media, 3 of which simply a reconnection of old clients found online. Now, online social media is not always the best thing for everyone. For example, I have not found Facebook, Myspace or even Linkedin to be successful in marketing rental communities. Also, our company has recently taken the approach of denying access to onsite employees to the above social media websites, because it was found that many of them were spending more time chatting with friends and updating their profiles vs. providing our customers with the best quality of service. I believe it takes a responsible adult to be able to understand the appropriate usage of social media. If you are going to use the online social media for your company advertisement or community promotion, I would suggest you assigned someone from your marketing or corporate sector. This individual should update each post at a minimum three times a day. Once in the morning, once mid-day and once before close of business. This way you can hit the people just arriving in the morning checking their emails and sites, people during their lunch break surfing the net, and people at home relaxing. And updating their profile. Hope this helps! Sorry for the length :)

Subject: Multifamily Real Estate Brokers - by: Ken Catalano

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:19:07 -0500

Good afternoon all, we are commercial real estate investors targeting multifamily properties. That being said, I am trying to locate quality commercial real estate brokers in Ohio, more specifically in Cincinnati and Cleveland areas. If anyone has and leads please let me know. I am only looking for quality, efficient, and professional brokers. Thank you.

Subject: In need of an experienced multifamily management firm - by: Ken Catalano

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:09:14 -0500

Thank you everyone for the responses. We have teamed up with Apogee New Dawn out of Boynton Beach, Florida. We have found them to not only be very professional, but also very efficient and resourceful.

Subject: Is Anyone Using ApartmentRatings.com Effectively? - by: Dennis Smillie

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:55:52 -0500

As long as ApartmentRatings is structured to deliver feedback without ownership of the comments scores will always be significantly lower there. Its the back end of the distribution curve, plain and simple. ApartmentRatings is about their placement in the SEO environment, not validated feedback. Look at what drives their revenue model. If you survey, your scores have positive value, and are typically 40% higher than ApartmentRatings.com. Use them to your benefit. They are yours, and more reflective of your customers perceptions in the aggregate than anonymous sites. If you don't survey your residents,you are still surveying anyway. (YELP

Subject: Security Cameras - by: Terry Hubblefield

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:45:16 -0500

There is a company out of St. Louis I know of that just does video surveillance for apartment complexes. They are members of the local St. Louis Apt Assoc (Watchtower Security). They do everything including reviewing the video as a full service monthly for clients. Just adding my two cents. They would probably know answers to some of these questions. I'd go to the source.

Subject: Apartment Guide vs. ForRent - by: Christine Searight

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:15:56 -0500

As we know, media fragmentation is at an all time high and it's become ever more challenging to reach consumers with a clear, consistent message. It's imperative that advertisers have at their disposable as many consumer touchpoints as possible to reach potential renters. At Apartment Guide, we reach consumers with an integrated marketing approach through innovative online, mobile and print solutions. And, our integrated approach is paying off - we're driving more unique visitors to our website than any of our competitors (4.65 million unique visitors in July as measured by comScore)and more quality leads than ever for our advertisers. For example, in Fort Lauderdale we delivered 116 leads to every advertiser on average in August. In Atlanta, we sent 88 leads and in Orlando, we delivered 87 leads to each of our advertisers in August. And, we continue to find innovative ways to reach on-the-go consumers including our iPad, iPhone and Android apps. Feel free to contact me for more information about Apartment Guide.

Subject: Private Money Looking to Connect with Developers - by: April Zimmerman

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:22:10 -0500

We have a class A project ready to go in Columbus, Ohio looking for funding. Please contact me at azimmerman@columbus.rr.com if you are still interested and may come this direction.

Subject: Is anyone successfully using Velocity for water and utility billing? - by: April Zimmerman

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:17:26 -0500

Our apartments are individually submetered for water so residents are required to pay for what they use.

Subject: HTML5 and SEO - by: Ken Shafer

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:18:55 -0500

HTML5 is coming and there's no doubt about that. So, I've been reading up on it to get ready. The more I learn about it, the more ways I can find that it could impact SEO. If you're looking to get into more of a technical discussion about it, I'm totally interested. I've got an article posted to my personal blog that I hope can get the conversation started...HTML5's Semantic Markup and SEO (http://shaferdesigns.com/seo/html5s-semantic-markup-and-seo/)

Subject: Creative Apartment Community Video - by: Joanna Starling

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:48:06 -0500

I thought this was great! I enjoyed watching it! I would definately want to go check this place out. (and I am 30-something)

Subject: Questions about Local Relationship Ideas - by: Michael Gillmer

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:07:01 -0500

Hello MFI, I am not only new to this website but I am new to this business. I work for a company that does "lease ups." I have a few questions about marketing to local business and i am sure my ideas are not new, but I am not seeing anybody discuss in further detail how they do it...other than they do and it is a great idea. I am in Buffalo, NY so there is not a lot of companies in this area that own as many apartment complexes as the company I am hired to help. They have 10 complexes in the area and over 5000 units. We offer a resident referral. I want to hit local large employers and offer their employees rent specials. I know we can't give the company the referral fee as it would be considered a kick back. (right?). So i was thinking about teaming up with a local charity company and donating the referral fee to a charity of their choice. I was also thinking i could talk to local charities as they already have relationships with companies to see if I could take advantage of the relationship they already established. I also wanted to hit up local restaurants and talk to bar tenders as I know they have their fingers on the pulse of the community. Other then handing them business referral cards, possibly advertising on their place mats, letting them advertise in our welcome package...what other things can I suggest to them? Do i request to sit in their next meeting and talk with servers? Any suggestions would be great? Michael Gillmer

Subject: SEO Myths Posts Are Up - by: Ken Shafer

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:14:28 -0500

Hi all - Just a quick heads-up that I've got a new article posted to MFI called "Five SEO Myths You Should Avoid (http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/multifamily-blogs/five-seo-myths-you-should-avoid.html)." You can also view this article on the Apartments.com blog (http://www.apartments.com/blog/) Sometimes I hear a lot SEO information/advice being passed around to our multifamily community that isn't 100% accurate. I hope this clears up one or two things. Enjoy!

Subject: Explaining FourSquare - by: Tamela Coval

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:27:28 -0500

I might already be the Mayor, so say "Hey" if you check in.

Subject: Tweaking Your Title Tags Posts are Up - by: Ken Shafer

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:35:10 -0500

That may vary from site to site. Basically, it depends on how often a search engine's crawlers visit your site. The next logical question is "how do i get my site crawled?" One way to increase crawl frequency is by increasing the number of sites that link to you...which you should always be doing anyways. I've also read that some people are having success getting new content crawled and index by including a link in a Twitter post. Search engines are constantly crawling the Twittersphere looking for real-time content. The theory is that including a link in twitter will get a search engine to notice that page faster. I see how it would work for new content but I can't guarantee results for existing content. Worth a shot, tho! Hope that helps! Just let me know if you have any follow-up questions. Thanks!

Subject: "New" Amenity Ideas - by: Andrew

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:15:27 -0500

The company I used to work for Pacific Living Properties has installed a community garden at a property in Chico, CA. From what I know it has been very well received by the mostly college student residents. Contact the leasing office for more info - www.pacificliving.com.

Subject: Why did they leave? I don't have a clue... - by: Brent Williams

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:52:38 -0500

So I guess the question is why do people hate their neighbors so much? And if this is such a factor in resident turnover, then why aren't these factors addressed in the lease as reasons to terminate a lease? Is it because management won't act on that option because they are afraid of lawsuits and bad reviews?

Subject: Maintenance Response Time Standard? - by: Bob Wainner

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 23:51:59 -0500

Bill and Pedro...great comments, input! I agree that rapid maintenance response time is VERY CRITICAL to the success of EVERY apt. community. In the last apt. community I rented at, it was over 9 weeks for maintenance to get to 10 items. They did get to my front door issues...a lose door that was ajar even when both locks were locked and the peep-hole was BLACK. After I had given notice and moved out early on my lease...the Corporate VP e-mailed me attachments of "work orders" that were "back-dated" to a day 2 weeks BEFORE I moved out. I took digital photos of all of the problems the day before I moved out. Needless to say, I wasn't happy. I would consider that "fraud" or at least very dishonest business practice. Every Manager and Corporate Office should understand that "maintenance" has to be the most important issue to almost every tenant. Bob Wainner Plano, Texas

Subject: Yardi Advanced Solutions Conference - by: Kris E.

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:45:54 -0500

The Yardi Advanced Solutions Conference will be held October 13th - October 15th at the Fess Parker DoubleTree in Santa Barbara, CA. I have been to 9 of these so far and find that each year is better than the prior. Each of these conferences packs a ton of information: Great sessions with Yardi's experts in each respective market and module, knowledgeable consultants, and very valuable networking opportunities. If you are unable to attend the one in Santa Barbara, there is also another conference in the spring in Washington DC, which is equally beneficial. I highly recommend all companies that use Yardi attend one, if not both of the conferences each year.

Subject: Welcome! - by: Ken Shafer

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:10:47 -0500

Hi Gail! Welcome to the group! Feel free to let me know if there's any SEO-related topic you're interested in talking about. Good luck with the new career! -ken

Subject: Refinance Rental Properties - by: Zee Sanders

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:05:03 -0500

Good morning Bill....I'm a comm real estate investment banker...specializing in multifamily,hotel, assisted living facilities & self storage lending...I have 2 very good loan products that may be of interest to you. You can expect rates to be from 4.75%-8% on a comm refi...pending LTV & N.O.I ! Give me a call or email to discuss your goals, i.e- cash out , reposition, 1031 exchange, etc. I CAN HELP ! Thanks Zee Sanders C.E.O Zeus Capital Funding Inc. www.zeuscap.com (704)231-9921

Subject: Do you get a lot of traffic from Facebook? - by: Daisy Nguyen

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 23:11:08 -0500

As a consultant with an active facebook presence, I get about 30% - 50% of my traffic from facebook.

Subject: Why You Should Be "Listening" In Social Media - by: Pedro Maysonet

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:29:06 -0500

Brent, I know exactly what you are talking about. Unfortunate you can’t please everyone in the world, and you always going to have someone out there trying to put your name down. Recently it happened to me. If you look at my linkedin.com page, all you will see is positive reference and strong experience background, however, about a month ago, we terminated an employee, who took it upon himself after termination to go and use the “reference” section to speak ill about us as individuals and as an organization. The good news is that our positive recommendations overcame his ill remarks, and ultimately LinkedIn Support recognized the issue and eliminated his membership. So, all I would recommend is to keep doing the job to the best of your ability, provide quality service across the board, and you will see that your positive feedbacks will exceed your negatives. As for the negatives, do not attack the person who wrote them, simply address the items as a whole with your positive feedback of the situation. Ultimately, people will realize that the truth about your firm and your ability to get the job done and provide quality service.

Subject: Resume Writing help. - by: Christopher Higgins

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:44:41 -0500

A well-written and planned resume is vital. This is your indication into how well the employee will correspond with prospects and residents. How professional they are in dealing with vendors or the public. If they have spelled things wrong, made poor word choices or just bungled the job in general on their resume, they will do it on other correspondence too. I have seen resumes where the actual person's name was misspelled! Phone numbers didn't have enough digits. I have received them with coffee rings. You still see them without e-mail addresses or where the most recent work experience isn't listed or is at the bottom, rather than the top. Seek advice if you don't know how, but make sure your resume represents your best effort. It is your billboard!

Subject: Cost per Door - by: Diana Glocker

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:18:09 -0500

Hi, Depends on your market. You may wish to check out the NAA yearly survey. For non members and members who didn't participate in the survey, there are fees to see regional and more parsed (read useful) data. However, the executive summary is available at: http://www.naahq.org/resources/data/IES/Pages/default.aspx. Feel free to contact me to discuss further at 415.209.5027 or via email at diana@quantumacqusitions.com

Subject: Quarterly Conference Call Invitation - by: Pedro Maysonet

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:50:25 -0500

Please send me the information to PMaysonet@TheApogeeCompanies.com. Thanks, Pedro

Subject: Send in your rent and vacancy information - by: Jack Kern

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:27:28 -0500

Hi. We're getting very close, through the National Student Housing Council, to independently being able to process and then distribute current rent and occupancy trends for markets. Many of you have offered to contribute time, join the committee and participate in the discussion. I'm planning our first call-in chat sometime in September, so if you or your firm are interested, please let me know and we'll be sure you're included in the future. Very kind regards and thanks, Jack

Subject: Fire Stop - by: Mary Welch

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:43:44 -0500

Hi All, Can anyone share experiences about Fire Stop or similar products? www.stovetopfirestop.com is the product I am looking at. It seems like a no brainer to me, but one management company said they don't work well for senior projects? Thanks in advance for any info you can share. Mary

Subject: Roller Coaster Apartment Community! - by: Sandi Phillips

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:11:00 -0500

Amazing!!!! Can't wait to see photos of the interior when completed! What a dream job to market such a unique community!

Subject: New Business - by: Johnny Karnofsky

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:41:45 -0500

Reading the responses so far; I would need to tweak mine just a little bit... If I am being considered to take over the management for a distressed property; I would ask the owner(s) for the investment capital to resolve maintenance issues that have been overlooked. As these issues are being resolved, I would insist that the owner(s) give me the latitude in decision making to remove the residency problems (those that are consistently delinquent, committing criminal acts on the property, and/or causing damage to the property). I would create a time table based on the size of the property and the percentage of 'problem' residents. Once the maintenance and residency problems are resolved, I would create a time table to reach occupancy goals. I would build in a bonus/fee increase as follows: 1) Residency problems solved before target date. 2) Occupancy goals reached before target date. 3) Significant decreases in delinquency (both in income and expense). 4) Increase in NOI (for each 5% increase, build in a 1% increase in your fee; reviewed quarterly for the first year, then every 6 months). Make sure your agreement is for at least 5 years, then renegotiate.

Subject: Questions asked most by potential renter? - by: Pedro Maysonet

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:28:20 -0500

Andy, On the phone I would ensure that I get as much information regarding their needs, and provide them with as much detail about our amenities, management and area. I would try to stay away from giving the price, and explain that there are numbers of floor plan to choose from, and really try to bring them into the community to view them. Sell your property and your services over the phone, and then sell the rent once they are there in person. Hope this helps! Pedro

Subject: Applicant Rental History Verification - by: Pedro Maysonet

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:24:50 -0500

Hi David, We complete Prior Landlord verification on all of our applicants, even if they are approved without conditions by our screening division. We request a fax or mailed verification to be sent to us, which covers the length of residency, payment history (late or not), and if proper notice was given. We like to go back at least 2 years. If the information is not available via fax or mail, then in our conventional sites ONLY, they can complete a phone verification and possibly a home visit. Of course, if its an Affordable Housing community, then they will be required to have a written notification in the file. Hope this helps! Thanks, Pedro

Subject: Screening Company - by: Pedro Maysonet

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:43:46 -0500

Hi Crystal, My name is Pedro Maysonet, and I'm the VP of Business Development and Client relations for Apogee New Dawn. We are a national Real Estate Service company, we provide everything from tenant screening, debt service collection, to management and development. We have a division called JRD Property Services that specializes in Tenant Screening for all types of Real Estate Assets. Actually, their current customer base is over 30,000 units, and it includes HOA, CAM, Affordable Housing and Commercial Real Estate tenant screening. Please feel free to contact me at (561) 364-2001 ext. 1110 or via email at PMaysonet@TheApogeeCompanies.com for more information. We can really get you started ASAP, and the cost is extremely low!

Subject: Help Leasing Up a "C" Apartment Community - by: Pedro Maysonet

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:38:13 -0500

Trish, You need to treat this asset just like any A-B site. Same marketing efforts if not more. The first thing is making your current residents happy, because I'm sure if they havent had a manager for over 6 months, the customer service has taken a hit at this site. You dont want residents unhappy, because they can influance future and current residents in this community. So, first I would do a resident meeting to introduce my self, and get as much items address as possible. Then I would schedule a resident appreciation party, which can be part of your renewal marketing plan. Once I feel comfortable that I have shown my current resident that there is a new manager and cares about them, then I would go full blast with open houses and outreach marketing for new rentals. I would even include a meet our current residents party. Hope this helps!

Subject: How do I get rid of that smell??? - by: blogger bloggy

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:52:00 -0500

Oh no, I hate cigarette smell. You might want to place small pieces of charcoal around the area for a couple of days. Make sure windows are close and so as cabinets. The charcoal will absorb the smell. Eventually, you can start using your exhaust fan, open windows and spray. BUt, it is most important that the charcoal absorbs the smell first.

Subject: Rent Reminders, Rent Past Due Notices - by: William Waldock

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:34:09 -0500

I give a paper notice right after the delinquency report comes out on the 7th-8th of the month. I will try and setup pay agreements with people since we own 500+ low-mod income units and they take a little more finesse. If anyone is over a month late they get a red 3 day notice posted to their door. We are probably a lot more lenient than A and B class properties but it's so much more profitable than just evicting people. We make good money off of late fees as well.

Subject: Yardi Voyager vs. RealPage's OneSite - by: William Waldock

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:30:15 -0500

FWIW we manage/own about 1000 units and as a company we are pursuing more acquisitions. We have been spending a great of deal of time deciding between Real Page and Yardi. Our research has pointed us towards Yardi Voyager due to the way we can interact with our data. From an owner standpoint we feel like Yardi was a better resource in terms of helping us make investment decisions than Real Page. We also like the singular database structure as well as their pricing scheme which is much better imho then Real Page's.

Subject: Please share your most creative and successful resident event! - by: Johnny Karnofsky

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:28:15 -0500

I don't know if this qualifies as an event, but given the rapid decline of the quality of customer service; maybe it SHOULD be...... I don't know about you, but I CELEBRATE when I get the service I EXPECT, as opposed to what I am willing to ACCEPT (often these are two different things)... Give your residents excellent customer service and anticipate their needs. Train your staff to realize that the single biggest line item on the budgets of your residents is likely to be their rent; and treat that relationship as such....

Subject: Number of Office Employees Per Apartment Community - by: Pedro Maysonet

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:00:48 -0500

Well, I personally love using the old rule of 1 person for each hundred units, but of course many different communities have their own unique challenges. For example, for a large affordable housing community, I might go over the 1 person for each hundred units, simply because I might have an onsite compliance agent or an activity director. Same thing for a high-end rental, I might go over the 1 person for each hundred units to add a resident coordinator or front desk personnel. However, I do try to stay at 1 person for each hundred unit or less if possible. Hope this helps!

Subject: AC certified maintenance pay - by: Pedro Maysonet

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:23:01 -0500

Well, it really depends in the area your site is located. For example, in the North i found it cheaper to simply contract an outside company for AC's, but in sunny south Florida, a AC tech is needed year round, so it would be more beneficial to hire one on staff. I would consider the amount of units, but typically I would hire an AC tech in South Florida for about $13-15 an hour with the appropriate credentials.

Subject: Who are the superstars in your apartment association? - by: Pedro Maysonet

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:18:22 -0500

I would have to say Patrick Garcia, he is our President of our Association Management division, and the direct contact of my association where I live. He is phenomenal when it comes to client services. He is extremely responsive and knowledgeable, and really cares for the best interest of the association. Our assessments have been maintain the same for the past two years, and that simply for his amazing form of budget controls and service. Go Patrick!!!!

Subject: Where Is The Multifamily Market Headed? - by: Bob Wainner

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:46:59 -0500

Subject: Too many positive reviews on ApartmentRatings.com? - by: Bob Wainner

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:08:41 -0500

Well...I agree, this is totally UNFAIR of them to censor POSITIVE reviews. It does seem to me though that there are just too many NEGATIVE reivews on ApartmentRatings.com - it's difficult to determine who's really being honest. I agree with the comment that do whatever you can to RESOLVE TENANT PROBLEMS before they become upset with the Property (when they are current OR former tenants). Most of the complaints I have read about have been slow maintenance response time, unhappy with the Manager or the Staff or charges after the tenants have moved out. These issues can all be resolved BEFORE they make it to that ApartmentRatings.com site and work against the Property. You never want a tenant to leave, but if they must, you don't want them to move out, because of a "reason" that could have been prevented in the first place. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE...in the office, quick maintenance response time and a clear understanding between the Manager and the tenant about what the move-out charges will be and specifically what they are for...sort of like doing damage control BEFORE is better than after. I actually believe it's a good idea to encourage tenants to write a review on ApartmentRatings.com.....if Management has done their job...hopefully, those reviews will be very positive. Because I feel those HIGHER rated properties do get more attention from people searching for apartments.

Subject: Record setting heat impacting your bottom line? - by: Michael Lee

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:21:19 -0500

Have the record warm temperatures this summer increased the use of water and electricity at the properties you manage? What financial impact does increased water and electricity use have on your budgeting and financial performance? As a property management leader, what types of programs have you implemented to help curb energy use during the hot summer months?

Subject: Regarding Applications - by: Pedro Maysonet

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:06:36 -0500

Several different states have different privacy laws, which you will need to check in your particular state. However, many states have adopted the law of privacy protection by denying the landlords to maintain copies of banking or idenity in resident files. You are allowed to review and verify them in the begining, but must discard immidiately. Now, in the same note, many affordable housing agencies required that you verify and keep verification in the file for future audits to ensure complaince of the affordable housing program.

Subject: Leasing Commissions - by: Johnny Karnofsky

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:00:35 -0500

Jill Bounds wrote: Hi Johnny, I have seen reward programs structured similarly to what you proposed and it was an administrative nightmare to track. This was for non-commission type recognition designations. But the staff was so busy with the day to day tasks, that no one ever turned in their points. I certainly see how a monthly commission would certainly increase the motivation, but again, the management would spend a lot of time verifying the information. Would you charge back skips? I would make it so it is in the best interest of the team member(s) to report any NEW or RENEWING lease in a timely manner. Not reporting the lease means no payment is made. It could be as simple as scanning in Page one of each lease, and emailing it as a PDF to the District manager with the specifics (was it a new move in or a renewal, which team member(s) were responsible for the new lease, how much the monthly rent is, what the term of the lease is, and if any concession was made to the resident) so the district manager could approve the commission and forward to payroll. This should occur within THREE days of the lease being signed. I would charge back skips and evictions (retailers charge back returns) for the balance of the commissions owed on that particular lease (if commission is paid in a lump sum).

Subject: California question - by: Johnny Karnofsky

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:29:19 -0500

I would look at the credit individually. But as regards to income, I would look at the income combined and make sure the HOUSEHOLD income meets your requirements. In the event of roommates, I would make sure that they agree that if one of the roommates leaves, the remaining roommate must meet the income requirements on their own; either by increasing their income, or finding a new roommate that you can screen. Ideally, you will have roommates that will qualify on income individually anyway. I might also consider accepting non-resident co-signers. In that case, make sure the co-signer makes at least 4 times the rent in income (because they have their own obligations to meet).

Subject: RUBS or Higher Rent - by: Johnny Karnofsky

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:58:47 -0500

What's your email??

Subject: Feds rethink policies that encourage home ownership - by: Brent Williams

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:47:21 -0500

"Just how much should Uncle Sam do to help Americans buy their own homes? For 70 years — and for the last 15 in particular — the answer has been: Whatever it takes. Now, policymakers are pausing to reconsider. In the next few months, they'll weigh whether there can be too much of a good thing when it comes to helping families finance the American Dream. The rethink could mean a shake-up for a mortgage market addicted to government subsidies." Read the full article at USA Today: Feds rethink policies that encourage home ownership (http://www.linkedin.com ews?viewArticle=&articleID=169970274&gid=119845&type=member&item=26979063&a) (Courtesy of Bill Nettles (http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/userprofile/userprofile/Bill%20E_%20Nettles))

Subject: What type of learning captures your attention? - by: Chad Waite

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:31:19 -0500

I like to see when blog posts give specific examples or case studies on the content they are addressing. The oh-so-common example for me are the blogs that talk about correctly implementing social media in your business plans. It's easy to talk about the theory of correct implementation, however, it's much more effective when accompanied by a real-life example or a case study that examines and adds understanding to the content.

Subject: Are you actually healing the wound? - by: Jen Piccotti

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:41:12 -0500

Hi Pat - You make such an excellent point. It really doesn't make sense to focus 100% on "reducing turnover." That's too big to put your arms around. What you have done is focus on what we can refer to as "daily homework." The things you do on a daily basis to make the resident experience the best it can be contributes directly to how much value they feel they are receiving for the amount of money they are paying. In other words, you are spot on! The result of making it easy to be a resident, responding to needs and requests, resolving issues quickly, consistently enforcing rules and regulations in a respectful manner, and making it fun to be there - they all add up to less turnover. Well done!