Walk your property. This allows the residents to "see" your interest. Go on maintenance calls. Look at the apartments to determine the actual shape their in. This might also reveal which maintenance team member is not giving their best effort. Get the grounds cleaned up. If the residents believe you they will give you some slack in your efforts to improve their lives.

Make your residents your number 1 priority, listen to them show them that you care and are there to serve them... TLC goes a long way! Be honest with them let them know you are there for them and your on their side.. be genuine remember this is their home!! Market on FB on Instagram, join the local Chamber of Commerce if you can, but most of all learn your competitors...visit with your community make your flyers take them out meet the people and build the relationships.. word of mouth is one of the best sellers..

Start a community Facebook group for neighbors so they can maybe help plan inexpensive and meaningful community activities, like a neighborhood watch, breakfast with the first responders, book club. Maybe get a local church to sponsor a kids club and get local businesses to donate to the events.

Be kind and be honest with what you can and cannot provide. A store bought cookie goes along way if you cannot provide anything else

Figure out a way to talk live, not email, with each primary lease resident and tell them you are there to make things better. Can't fix everything at once.

Sit with Maintenance and prioritize by age and urgency. Let residents know expected fix weeks 1, 2, or 3.

Anything not able to fix in 2-3 weeks, outsource it. Discuss with owners cost of delays (churn turns) vs cost of outsourced services.

Fix everything. Start outside with dangerous liabilities (broken stairs and railings, trip hazards, lack of lighting, etc). If owners won’t pay for it, they’re not serious about maintaining the property and you’d be smart to consider a new job. We specialize in “value” properties and our experience over 30 years is that residents start working with you to build a community as soon as they see broken things getting fixed. It’s a rough process—I wish you the best.