The Secret to More Leases: Just Ask for It!Closing is the most critical step in the leasing process—and yet, it's often overlooked. Many leasing professionals excel at building rapport, showcasing the apartment, and handling objections, but when it comes to asking for the commitment, they hesitate.If you want to secure more leases, the key is simple: ask for it.Make Closing a Natural Part of the TourClosing shouldn't be a final, abrupt step; it s ...

 You'd like to see an apartment today....and you're moving when??If you're in the Midwest, we've got below freezing temps this week. Like a high of 12 today. If you're in leasing, you know everyone out looking for an apartment today wants to move in AUGUST!! So be ready! What better way to make a hot impact than being ready to show & go in the snow? Winter Leasing Tips:Make sure you've got warm winter gear for yourself and have some extr ...

Unlocking Your Professional PotentialResumes are the gateways to professional opportunities, but they can also be the barriers if laden with errors. As someone who reviews numerous resumes regularly, I am constantly surprised by the number of otherwise excellent candidates who overlook seemingly simple mistakes. These errors can be the deciding factor in whether a resume gets a second glance or is passed over entirely. However, the good news is t ...

 Embracing Mistakes: A Leadership OpportunityMistakes are inevitable. But how you and your team handle them speaks volumes about your leadership style and workplace culture. Do you ignore them, fix them quickly, or take a different approach?Often, mistakes aren't intentional. They happen when we're in a hurry, unsure of the correct process, or simply in need of a second set of eyes to review our work. The key isn't just correcting errors—it' ...

Snow shoveling out from a snowstorm and goals. The same but...the same. We got a crap ton of snow and ice in St. Louis this past weekend. As a homeowner, that means the joy of shoveling the driveway. About 7" of the very heavy white stuff had fallen by Sunday afternoon. I bundled up and shoveled one, 10' -12' clear path of the driveway. Sufficient to maneuver my car in and out. Mission accomplished! Today it had to be done again. Another 4-5 ...

I'm Not Just Leasing Apartments Anymore, I'm Building RelationshipsSince the 1980s, I've been dedicated to the multifamily industry, achieving a successful track record in improving occupancy numbers - fast. I've overseen and been involved in numerous lease-ups that have exceeded management and owner goals. I've helped hundreds, if not thousands, of prospects find new homes. And it all happened when I stopped just leasing apartment ...

 Hello, I'm your new hire. Now What? What is the first impression your new employees are getting? We're taught in property management that first impressions matter. ALOT. Why?? Because they do. In apartment leasing, we get 3 seconds to make a positive first impression. We stand, smile, shake hands, often in million dollar clubhouses that are set up and staged to impress. Because first impressions are that important.In these times o ...

Halloween is the perfect day to talk about resurrecting dead leads! Prospective renters inquire every day. We meet, greet, tour, and follow up once (or if you're really good, twice) then they're marked as "Dead".  When prospects lease elsewhere, again, "Dead" leads. Zombies. Prospects looking to rent 5 or 6 months out. They're not quite dead, but certainly on life support. What happens with that lead?Most of the ...

I'll admit, when I first heard the expression, 'turning around a property', I immediately envisioned Dorothy's house spinning in the wild Kansas winds in The Wizard of Oz. I quickly learned that although not completely accurate, I wasn't too far off! We hear this expression often in property management, usually from ownership and or upper management and typically on more challenging properties. But what does it really mean to turn a pro ...

The BS is coming! Budget Season!! It's July and budget season is right around the corner, if not knocking on the door. When management teams get to the grind of outlining costs, expenses, projects and projections for the upcoming year, are you including your onsite teams?  Both in the planning and investing in them?  Most industries include all of the key players when making goals, setting expectations, creating plans. Bu ...

 Leasing Training. Building Skills that Last.Leasing Training. The magical myth that a leasing agent can attend a 3 hour class or spend a day at a seminar and come back to the property and be a leasing rock star for life, just isn't true. There. I said it.Being a trainer myself, I wish it were true! I wish that everyone I had the pleasure of spending a day or a few hours with, practiced all the fant ...

Are You Dating Your Residents?If you're not, may you should be! No, not you and the cute resident in 202A, out for dinner and a movie. The dating as in - continued involvement with an intentional relationship strategy. Websters definition of dating states: The relation connecting or binding participants in a relationship. Often in multifamily, extensive plans are prepared to acquire new prospects, new residents. Budgets are made, expenses outline ...

Hiring challenges? Here's some top tips to help make your hiring process easier.Wages, location & commute are often the top 3 items on a candidates list. Offering this information upfront, in the initial job posting, can save you time and streamline the candidates applying. Post salary and wages. Candidates need to know this to move forward and apply or to keep searching for employment that meets their needs. Wages are why most people g ...