Anonymous member created a new topic '...

We believe one of our buildings has a bed bug infestation. We are having the common areas sprayed and each apartment inspected, but don't necessarily want to tell the tenants why. Has anyone ever had this issue? If so, do you have a notice you used? Any help/recommendations would be appreciated.

Read More...

Mark Tanguay So what you're saying is that you're scheduling your Semi-annual routine preventative treatment? Cool. I appreciate that you're being pro-active to ensure your community remains pest-free.

Guest Insider FYI: the adjacent units should be treated with a hormone disruptor at a minimum. This keeps them from molting, which they do several times before adulthood, and will control any strays that might have or might will migrate over. Of course, if, during inspection, you find evidence of infestation in an adjacent apartment, then the tenant must go thru the whole drill. I did not tell tenants the particular pest the treatment was for when this treatment was needed on my property. No way. My rental is in a small town. The rumor mill never forgets or forgives. A friendship even ended when someone felt they deserved to know the reason and I refused to tell.

Guest Insider I would be honest, you don’t have to be super forthcoming, just that the units need to be inspected as this is a common risk of home dwelling and that you are trying to be proactive. If the truth does come out and you withheld your true intentions behind pest control entering their unit, you will lose the trust by your residents and that’s almost impossible to ever get back.

Guest Insider Why don’t you want to tell? Honest is key.

Guest Insider Can kill an apartment property's reputation in this situation.

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Jaymz Yates depends on the problem you are trying to solve.

Guest Insider Agreed. Short version is converting denials and conditional approvals without eating bad debt, plus which one the site teams actually like using. Full detail in my reply to Stacie above. Curious where you would land on that.

Stacie Tennyson What is your pain point? These all do different levels of things.

Guest Insider Fair question. Pain point is denials and conditional approvals. We are turning away applicants who miss on income or credit but would likely pay, and the fallback today is a larger deposit or a family cosigner, which slows leasing and creates headaches when someone defaults. Looking for the cleanest way to convert more of those applicants without taking on bad debt. Interested in how each handles the guarantee side and how claims actually work. Also curious about support and ease of use. Who is responsive when a site team has a question, and which one do the teams actually like using?

Stacie Tennyson Anonymous Got it. I’m a vendor. I work for Rentable.com. While we don’t use lease guarantee we do have a security deposit option to pay in installments versus all at once. Check it out and if you want to learn more you can email me. [email protected]. No worries if it’s not what you’re looking for. Out of the ones you mentioned I’d likely look more at Guarantors. But keep in mind they sell multiple levels of protection so ask about that.

Guest Insider Liberty Rent

Guest Insider No clue about Cosign, but OneApp really good. I like so much more than Guarantors.

Whitney Leap

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Property managers are asked to wear an absurd number of hats.Salesperson. Marketer. Accountant. Customer service representative. Collections specialist. Vendor manager. Problem solver. And sometimes therapist.But the best property managers eventually make one important shift: they stop thinking like employees managing a property and start thinking like owners protecting an investment.That idea came through repeatedly in my recent conversation wit ...

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

*** UPDATE ~ A suspect has been arrested. He is a resident at the community.

This makes my heart hurt. What is your Management Company doing to address safety of the staff on your properties?

February 12 (Houston, TX): A gunman entered the leasing office at Westchase Forest Apartments, killing one female employee and injuring a male employee before dying by suicide.

July 20 (St. Paul, MN): Three apartment-management employees were killed inside a leasing... Show more

Guest Insider I was in the business for many years! I have dealt with irrational prospects who get denied and angry residents over evictions, maintenance issues and billing. Sometimes it even gets loud so there can be many reasons. Maybe even random but again its a wild job.

Guest Insider They do need to start designing offices with this in mind. We’re sitting ducks.

Guest Insider Beyond the Balloons Training & Consulting Services offers AVERT training - Active Violence Emergency Response Training. Done on-site with drills, hands on stop the bleeding practice and active shooter training. Our facilitators are AVERT certified. Please connect if you are interested. It's important. Seconds count. We have to train to be in these types of situations - online compliance isn't enough. Hands on training.

Guest Insider beyondtheballoons.blogspot.com/2026/07/active-viol…

Guest Insider I dont know what can be done, but I have seen developers put extra precautions on the QAP to get assets built, at a cost to them, and then its up to the management companies to enforce them. But thats on the new development side. Items like extra cameras, extra lights. Higher fences, etc. Thats for areas known for crime that needed NICE affordable housing options in areas that are declining. NEXT, its on the management company to determine whether or not they want to manage a property in areas like that and rarely do they turn down business.
All that being said: Crime knows no address, as well know, and even at the best A+++ properties if someone wants to hurt someone, all the cameras and guards in the world won't deter them. They could be followed home, or to the store even. (It's been known to happen!)
So, what CAN management companies do? Close offices and have maintenance only in site? Then what? Properties would be like the wild west! I can't even imagine what the pool and...I dont know what can be done, but I have seen developers put extra precautions on the QAP to get assets built, at a cost to them, and then its up to the management companies to enforce them. But thats on the new development side. Items like extra cameras, extra lights. Higher fences, etc. Thats for areas known for crime that needed NICE affordable housing options in areas that are declining. NEXT, its on the management company to determine whether or not they want to manage a property in areas like that and rarely do they turn down business.
All that being said: Crime knows no address, as well know, and even at the best A+++ properties if someone wants to hurt someone, all the cameras and guards in the world won't deter them. They could be followed home, or to the store even. (It's been known to happen!)
So, what CAN management companies do? Close offices and have maintenance only in site? Then what? Properties would be like the wild west! I can't even imagine what the pool and clubhouse would be like with no office staff and then Maintenance teams will do as little as they can do, because their pay won't increase and most of them are already are overqualified and underpaid. I think we need to really make these conversations collaborative amongst all interested partners and stakeholders, but owners and developers, & even HUD should to be involved in these conversations.
Laws and policies are how on site personnel function. So without full cooperation and policy change as well as funding from owners, nothing will change.
Its truly a 💩 rolls downhill situation!
At conferences this should be fully opened up to panels with owners, developers, insurance carriers, management companies and on-site teams. But at the end of the day it all comes down to one thing. Money. If no money is being made to pay owners, they wont build. They wont own. We will start winding down as a business model if they aren't making money.
I have so much more to say, but its like screaming into a void.
Bottom line: if you feel your life is in danger at ANY job, walk away. Its not worth your life. Show more

I dont know what can be done, but I have seen developers put extra precautions on the QAP to get assets built, at a cost to them, and then its up to the management companies to enforce them. But thats on the new development side. Items like extra cameras, extra lights. Higher fences, etc. Thats for areas known for crime that needed NICE affordable housing options in areas that are declining. NEXT, its on the management company to determine whether or not they want to manage a property in areas like that and rarely do they turn down business.
All that being said: Crime knows no address, as well know, and even at the best A+++ properties if someone wants to hurt someone, all the cameras and guards in the world won't deter them. They could be followed home, or to the store even. (It's been known to happen!)
So, what CAN management companies do? Close offices and have maintenance only in site? Then what? Properties would be like the wild west! I can't even imagine what the pool and clubhouse would be like with no office staff and then Maintenance teams will do as little as they can do, because their pay won't increase and most of them are already are overqualified and underpaid. I think we need to really make these conversations collaborative amongst all interested partners and stakeholders, but owners and developers, & even HUD should to be involved in these conversations.
Laws and policies are how on site personnel function. So without full cooperation and policy change as well as funding from owners, nothing will change.
Its truly a 💩 rolls downhill situation!
At conferences this should be fully opened up to panels with owners, developers, insurance carriers, management companies and on-site teams. But at the end of the day it all comes down to one thing. Money. If no money is being made to pay owners, they wont build. They wont own. We will start winding down as a business model if they aren't making money.
I have so much more to say, but its like screaming into a void.
Bottom line: if you feel your life is in danger at ANY job, walk away. Its not worth your life.

Gerry Hunt Ohhhh how I agree with you!!

Guest Insider We need a back door, an escape route. The current plan on our leasing office is to smash out a window. My office next door has no escape whatsoever.

Guest Insider I have a current crazy who has made threats. Definitely keeping my taser charged and asp handy.

Gerry Hunt It is sad that we even have to think about this kind of stuff. But we do. And our personal safety must be our first priority.

Guest Insider We have our leasing office locked and by appt only.

Guest Insider What exactly are they expected to do? What could have been done from a management perspective to have prevented this?

Guest Insider Defensive weapons? I remain constantly aware of my surroundings.

Guest Insider 1. Online application process! Then people will realize it is not physically the staff, denying applicants.
2. Work orders - should have online process so they speak directly to a maintenance tech within the company. Not screaming and yelling a a lease agent. Or an outsourced maintenance company.
3. Set up like a Dr office- go into a lobby, not directly one on one !
* I was in the business 35 years! So do not come at me, most management companies look at the bottom line. Not the humans in the offices!

Gerry Hunt Good ideas. AND I agree ~~ "most management companies look at the bottom line. Not the humans in the offices!"

Guest Insider #1 and #2 are already in place in most any leasing office i know of. #3 wouldn’t prevent a thing.
Don’t come at you? I’ve given you no reason to be overly defensive.
You are correct, companies look at the bottom line. It’s the main reason to have a company. To make money. To be profitable. You accepted the position and have every right to walk away if it’s not for you. It’s simple.
Im sure there are much safer jobs where people don’t ever come in with aggressive behavior although I can’t think of one.
Everyone seems to want to find blame in any situation like those that are listed. Blaming a company for not keeping employees safe when a raging lunatic comes into an office with a gun is just wild to me.

Gerry Hunt In this case, the office had cameras everywhere. They did not prevent the killings ~~ they did record the killer! I agree with you ~ if a lunatic wants to KILL ~ they will. This is not just happening in our offices, it happens in schools, hospitals, churches & on our streets. It becomes REAL when it happens in our office. Prevention ~~ I do not know if there is any! My heart goes out to the families who have to deal with this kind of crazyness.

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

In this series I'm going to peeling the onion on the real problems that sit behind the problems you face when you own or manage real estate. It's the fact that every time you solve for one problem another can appear. That's especially true the moment you reach for technology.We all feel this when we try to fix a pain point with a spreadsheet, a form builder, or a custom-built tool. The original problem improves… and suddenly ...

Chelsea Kneeland

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Hi all,I work for a multifamily owner/operator in New England and am looking to compare field experience with the newer BRK / First Alert Precision Detection hardwired alarms, primarily:

SM110V-AC
SMCO110V-AC

These replaced older BRK models.Since installation, we've experienced an ongoing number of...

Read More...

Chelsea Kneeland

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

When's the last time a client called you just to catch up, not because they need a lease reviewed or a property valued, but because they wanted to hear your take on the market?If that happens often, you've already got the thing most agents spend their whole career missing. If it doesn't, keep reading.Most agents spend years chasing the next deal. Building a pipeline, a book of business, a reputation. Nothing wrong with that, it's part of our job. ...

Chelsea Kneeland

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Industry Resources

More Industry Resources

Industry Resources

More Industry Resources

Losing a team member is often one of the biggest disruptions of any company, but it can hit property management even harder than most.

Imagine a 250 unit property - that property often has ~2-3 office team members and similar for maintenance.

Losing an office team member isn’t just one person -...

Read More...

Chelsea Kneeland

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

A few weeks ago, Alex brought up the importance of performing due diligence at night, to see the property's secrets that don't show up during the day.

Today, Ken brings up an entirely different consideration - due diligence in the rain.

Granted, the weather doesn't always cooperate, but rain unlocks a whole host of other hidden issues a property may be hiding.

----------

Ken Doble

There's a photo of your future mold claim sitting on your phone. It's a drain full of dirt.

Flooding shows up on a property, and the first call goes to the landscaper. He comes back with a proposal for a new trench and a couple of box drains.

He is a reasonable guy who gives you a proposal that will fix the problem. What rarely happens first is somebody pulling that grate and cleaning out what's under it.

Water is the most patient enemy a building has. It works nights and weekends. A one-inch-per-hour storm on a 10,000-square-foot roof throws about 104 gallons a minute at your site drainage. A clean 4-inch lateral at 1 percent slope carries about 100. You have no margin on a good day. Take away a third of that pipe with silt and leaves, and the water picks a new route. Usually through your slab.

Dry day, here's what to look for:
Puddles still standing 24 hours after the rain stopped
Erosion behind the building, mulch fanned across the sidewalk, dirt washing out of the beds
Rust streaks and dirt striping down the face of the gutter, which means it's been overflowing at the seams for years
Alligator cracking and potholes clustered in one section of the lot. The base failed before the asphalt did
Water sitting in the catch basin on a dry day. The basin is fine. The line downstream is plugged

In the rain you don't have to look for anything. It shows you:
A gutter waterfalling over the front lip while the downspout runs dry
Water sheeting toward the building instead of away from it
A grate with water pooled on top and no pull. Worse, water coming back up out of it

The path residents take to walk around the puddle. They've been telling you for three years with their feet

Then run the boring list. Find your outfall first, because that's where these systems die. A headwall that silted a year ago will back up a perfectly clean lateral. Then work backwards. Pull the grates and vacuum the basins out, landscaper or vac truck depending on the depth. Camera the lines. Confirm every downspout discharges 5 feet out. Shoot your grade. You want 6 inches of fall in the first 10 feet off the wall, and on a built-out site with sidewalks you often can't get it, which is exactly why the area drains are there.

If you want to know how a property drains, walk it in the rain

A few weeks ago, Alex brought up the importance of performing due diligence at night, to see the property's secrets that don't show up during the day.

Today, Ken brings up an entirely different consideration - due diligence in the rain.

Granted, the weather doesn't always cooperate, but rain unlocks a whole host of other hidden issues a property may be hiding.

----------

Ken Doble

There's a photo of your future mold claim sitting on your phone... Show more

Guest Insider Great point. This is exactly why details matter. With Hydromax, I look past the surface and follow the problem all the way out. Paid for or not, if I see a drain, gutter line, or runoff issue that can create a bigger problem later, I’m going to point it out and clean the detail all the way to the street. That’s the difference between just washing a property and actually caring for it

Guest Insider This is very impressive, Kent. I have to say, I genuinely value and engage with your insights. You have a remarkable ability to identify the root cause of complex issues and, more importantly, translate those insights into practical and effective solutions. Your depth of understanding and clarity of thought are truly impressive.

Guest Insider Don't know you personally. What I do know for sure you gave a ton of good knowledge 💎!

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Brent Williams

Guest Insider Keep them locked up when you’re not there

jonathan I’ve been a contractor for years, getting your tools stolen from time to time is just a cost of doing business. Especially in multi family.

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Industry Resources

More Industry Resources

Industry Resources

More Industry Resources

Resident feedback is becoming more than a measure of satisfaction. It's a source of actionable intelligence that can help operators make smarter, more proactive decisions.As operators collect more reviews, surveys, and resident communications, artificial intelligence (AI) can help identify patterns, uncover emerging issues, and turn large volumes of feedback into meaningful insights. But technology alone is not the answer.The greatest opportunity ...

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

When most investors begin underwriting a real estate acquisition, they start with the numbers provided by the seller or broker. Rents. Utilities. Insurance. Repairs and maintenance. Property taxes. Most of those numbers provide a useful starting point.Property taxes can be different.One of the easiest mistakes to make when underwriting an investment property is simply taking the current property tax bill, plugging it into your pro forma and assum ...

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

If you've been a commercial real estate agent for any length of time, you already know the hardest part of this business isn't closing the deal, it's getting someone to actually respond to you in the first place.Most agents give up way too early. They send one email, make one call, and when they don't hear back, they move on to the next name on the list. The problem is, that's not how trust gets built. Trust gets built through repetition and cons ...

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

This fourth blog in our five-part series analyzing the 2025 SatisFacts Online Renter Study examines a contradiction that continues to challenge the multifamily industry. Over the past several years, operators have invested heavily in AI, centralized leasing, and an expanding suite of digital tools. Yet despite this rapid pace of innovation, renter ratings for the importance of technology have steadily declined since peaking in 2021.At first glanc ...

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

The next major shift in broadband competition may be happening under the radar.

We've all heard about the Verizon-Frontier, AT&T-Lumen, and Charter-Cox deals.

But the GFiber-Astound combination may be just as important for multifamily owners.

GFiber and Astound announced plans to combine,...

Read More...

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

One of my favorite interview questions to ask is:

“Tell me about a time you disagreed with your manager.”

And no, I’m not looking for the candidate to tell me they’ve never disagreed with a manager.

I’m interested in how they handled the disagreement.

Did they communicate professionally?

Could they explain their perspective without becoming defensive?

Did they respect the final decision, even if they didn’t agree with it?

You can teach someone a... Show more

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Event starts in:

Latest Surveys

New Insiders