Recently Apartment Guide released a list of the top 15 amenities apartment prospects searched for on ApartmentGuide.com.  Although this can't be used as a guide for ALL apartment prospects, it's an interesting read.   Washer and Dryer in Unit Pets (allowed) Air Conditioning Some Paid Utilities Washer and Dryer Connections Dishwasher Balcony Garage Cable Ready Furnished Available Fitness Center Swimming Pool Short Term Lease Available Gated Access Oversized Closets The most interesting amenity ranking in my opinion?  The fitness center and swimming pool, which is an apartment tour staple, is incredibly low on the list at numbers 11 and 12!...

Homeowners and business establishments are implementing energy saving initiatives on their own accord. These moves are wise on their part as energy saving activities are a must to conserve valuable resources and should have continuous implementation until the time technology is available that can produce renewable, environmental-friendly and really cheap electricity. Although many have already started energy saving measures such as turning off the computer when not in use or using compact fluorescent lights instead of light bulbs to illuminate their rooms, many are not aware of how much their appliances are actually consuming electricity. While many are probably aware of what the Energy Star label means in their relatively newly purchased appliances, majority of homeowners may not be knowledgeable as to what appliance guzzles the most energy. Knowing this information can help in planning your energy savings program so you can focus your actions in how to control or efficiently use appliances with the biggest energy consumption – resulting in more manageable electrical bills as well as reduced environmental impact. How Much Electricity does Standard Home Appliances Use? The 2007 Buildings Energy Data Book have listed space heating as the highest energy user in a home at 31% followed by space cooling at 12%. The remaining electrical energy usage is consumed by standard home appliances for various household applications. Although each individual appliance may not consume as much as heating or cooling, summing up all the electricity usage by these appliances can be significantly big. These appliances are ranked...

I gotta feeling The BlackEyed Peas will be showing up flashing Camden Residential tattoos at the 2010 NAA Education Conference and in their next music videos. You guys gotta see this. I've tweeted it and posted on the RentWikiHouse page.  Camden Residential ROCKS. Easy to see why the company is included in Fortune 100's "Top Places to Work". Come on Apartment Operators...let's see what YOU've got. [video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtFxQeJvdd0 433x300]...

Seattle has proposed new legislation that will amend its Land Use Code (LUC) and eliminate parking requirements for some urban apartments -- if it makes it through public hearings and becomes law. Responding to the Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and tree regulations, the City Council has proposed several important low-rise development zoning changes. The legislation will not affect any single-family zoning areas, but it could have a very positive impact on multifamily in these highly urban locations.   In addition to clarifying and organizing regulations, the Committee’s proposal will eliminate parking requirements for multifamily properties in urban villages within walking distance of mass transit stops. Rebecca Herzfeld, a supervising analyst on City staff well-versed on the proposed amendments, offered a specific definition of this particular zoning change.  She explained it this way:   "For our purposes walking distance is not something you can measure with a ruler the way the crow flies.  You have to measure the way someone would actually walk it, which does not include jumping over fences or going through somebody else's backyard."   In addition:   "Our traffic planners have defined a reasonable walking distance as 1325 feet, which is about a quarter of a mile.  A block outside of downtown is around 400 feet but neighborhoods vary, so it's between three, three-and-a-half, maybe four city blocks.  Of course, not everyone would walk that far to public transit, but again, our experts define this as an acceptable distance."   Herzfeld clarified whether or not Seattle's zoning laws grandfather existing buildings into some other zoning class.  They do not.  Per Herzfeld, zoning regulations blanket...

Ever since the deregulation of electricity in various states such as Texas, people are given the power to select their Retail Electric Providers. This also paved the way for more competition in an otherwise monopolized industry, giving consumers the option to choose companies that can provide comparatively cheap electricity or be environmentally helpful by choosing companies that make use of alternative forms of energy resources. However, with the myriad REPs that provide electricity to the millions of consumers in the state, it would be difficult to choose among these companies without a standard or a common basis that everyone would comply with. In this regard, the Public Utility Commission of Texas or the PUC have implemented the Electricity Facts Label (EFL) that each of these electric companies should provide consumers. The EFLs provide consumers with an apples-to-apples comparison between companies helping them choose which REPs they will work with. Once they’ve chosen a company, the EFL would then serve as a contract between the REPs and the consumers, with the REPs disclosing everything the consumers need to know about their electrical service. Getting to Know the Electricity Facts Label Similar to the nutrition label required by the FDA for all food manufacturers and products, the Electricity Facts label is also required by the PUC from Retail Electric Providers to give consumers a standardized information sheet where they can learn, and compare, critical information about the REPs products and services. The EFL also serve as a compliance form that indicates the details...

Let's talk about something that I recently discovered I am passionate about discussing. Washers and dryers. Specifically sets that are inside an apartment.First, let me just say that I love it when communities provide them.  It's definitely worth the investment because they help justify paying higher rent and can provide a bigger per unit return when/if the property sells. I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but I know from experience on new development deals that appraisers definitely pay attention to that when establishing value.For prospective residents who don't already own a washer and dryer this can sometimes be their reason for leasing. On the other hand, for those who already own a set, this can be their reason for NOT leasing. Why? Because we refuse to take ours out of the apartment to accommodate. Sorry folks, that doesn't make sense to me.What's the big deal with moving a washer and dryer out of an apartment so that a new resident can bring their own? I realize that it's not as easy as just taking them out. You've got to sweet talk your service team into moving them. Then you've got to find a place to put them. Trust me. I get it. At the same time, maybe it is that easy.My company recently started managing communities in Houston and I was surprised at how many times I was told "no" while I was shopping properties. Part of my "shopper story" was that I already owned a washer and dryer.  As a salesperson, I'm...

If you build it, they will come, right?  But the question should be:  If you build it, will they stay?  Are your amenities designed only for the initial lease, or are they designed to give value on an ongoing basis to your residents year after year?  With this in mind, I think we need to reevaluate our amenities with resident retention in mind, and see what is really making an impact on the renewal decision.   Today, I'd like to take a look at the common apartment gym in our apartment communities.  Although some gyms at higher end communities are truly state of the art (and don't apply to this blog), here are some traits of the vast majority of gyms relative to stand-alone fitness facilities: Small and cramped Limited number of machines Incomplete free weight sets due to theft Older and malfunctioning equipment Often only open during office hours The problem is that owning and maintaining a gym is not the core business of an apartment community, but rather an offshoot feature usually only designed for the initial sale.  Whereas actual gyms phase out old equipment and replace lost weights/etc, apartment communities often view the gym as a one-time expenditure, with less emphasis on upkeep.  Apartment community gyms are often relatively small rooms with few machines to begin with, and really only appeal to occasional users of the facility.    Let's take a look at the residents themselves and how they view gym membership/visits.  I had the pleasure of talking...

Paris, Stockholm, Vienna, Brussels, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Montreal, Lyons and even Washington, D.C. all have them with more cities on line to follow.  A concept gaining traction with urban planners is bicycle sharing.  The experience of several cities has produced enough data to show it’s popular with riders as well as another sustainable people transport strategy for cities.  Whether your city does or does not have a bicycle sharing program, however, consider one for your own property.   With vacancies up, tenant attraction and retention are an on-going challenge for most multifamily managers. Why not be the first in your neighborhood to implement a bike sharing program? Bike sharing has been used to reduce the traffic and congestion crippling the arterial infrastructure, but it can also reduce the number of cars you need to accommodate in your parking structure.   With bikes and walking back in vogue, some cities are even daring to close parts of streets to vehicle traffic with rave reviews from the public.  As the walking culture grows, bicycles can certainly be integrated into future designs that complement it.  Studies showing that greater walkability can be a key component in stimulating retail sales and a strong local economy makes for a vibrant, attractive community.   New York City joined the fray this week by closing portions of the famous Broadway theater district to all vehicle traffic. It is a pilot program intended to decommission difficult intersections and further discourage vehicle use. If it works as intended, the Mayor has telegraphed his intention to close more city streets to vehicular traffic.  New...

I don't want to call this 'the wish list'. I want to call it the "vitally important list" for properties. Yes, I know this will vary by location, but let's put together  a list of what we hear as the 'must haves' from the majority of our prospective renter clients, shall we? I'll start with a few things I wouldn't go without: Wi fi (It doesn't have to be free, but it has to be available)Double sinks in the kitchenMicrowaveWasher & dryer (or amazing community laundry)Pets allowedAbility to pay online AND charge my rent to my credit card   What do you HAVE to HAVE? Or what do your renters have on their 'must list'?  Lisa Trosien is an award winning multifamily consultant, degreed educator and speaker with over 20 years of industry experience in positively impacting  apartment communities' bottom line . Contact her via email, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  ...

Have you ever thought so far outside of the box that you thought you were crazy? Stop, write it down, put it on a piece of paper, wake up in the middle of the night and write it on something, anything...write it down and then DO IT! This promo is one that came to me out of the blue. Honestly, I have no clue where it came from, but now that it's here...here is what we are doing. During the month of December, anyone who leases gets a Snuggie as their move in gift! For goodness sakes, who would buy one of these for themselves? You should have seen me in Target purchasing 11 of them for the promotion...EVERY cashier looked my way!Check out the video below...as always Marketing is about creativity, thinking outside of the box and just having a great time! :)http://www.snuggieapartments.com/  ...