Brent is exactly right. The only people who take time out of their day to write reviews are usually those who have a grievance. Solicit reviews from your best residents, those that have a positive image of the community and acknowledge the changes to improve the living experience there.

I did that at a community and I will tell you, it DOES work! We managed to have the highest rating out of our competitors by honest to goodness reviews from actual tenants (not staff!). We had prospects calling to book appointments...they didn't want a sales presentation, they were already sold based on what they had read!

Going further, having those ratings helps build your "sense of community". Work it into your sales presentations. People take notice when searching...AptRatings.com comes up MANY times at the top of the page when searching for apartments on Google. Your customers are aware of what's being said...address the problems BEFORE they ask, explain what improvements are being made and how much quality of life has improved so far!

Another way to set a positive tone is to host events. I organized community events for our residents and it built that sense of community that many residents told me they were looking for. Sushi n Sake Night, blood & toy drives, Taste of Italy, holiday craft fairs, summer soirees...many of these events were FREE due to generous donations from local area businesses. They LOVE doing that sort of thing and it helps them get the word out about their business.

The other thing I would recommend...think about what added "services" you can add to your existing amenities. For example, we had a workout room...we added classes twice a week ($50/class). We also have a DVD kiosk installed (free for us!), we offered stamps and envelopes at the front desk, Otis Spunkmeyer cookies (free oven and smells great!) made daily, personal training (at resident's expense), cooking classes (Pampered Chef will do for free!)...there is so much you can do!!!

Regarding the "activity" on the grounds, have you thought about extending a Preferred Employer discount to police officers and/or contacted the local police dept. and letting them know that you will offer a significant discount (20%)to an officer that has a labeled car interested in residing there? Having that car parked in the lot not only adds peace of mind for prospects AND current residents, but also deters those looking to commit illegal activity.

I could go on and on...I've worked at both lease up/luxury communities and older C properties. If you'd like more help, feel free to email me. I'm happy to help!