This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

It may have taken a while to get here, but winter is upon us.  If you are lucky enough to live in a warm climate city, you don’t have to worry about snow removal.  But for the rest of us, winter means investing in a durable pair of boots, warm gloves and a shovel. Read More

This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

According to a recent study done by SatisFacts, move-out costs are estimated to average around $3,900.  When presented with figures like that, you have to think what can we do differently so our residents choose to renew their lease instead of leave.  You may be surprised to find that 54% of residents choose not to renew their lease based on controllable reasons such as poor customer service and lack of responsiveness.  You can find simple, inexpensive fixes to reconcile these issues and keep your residents coming back. Read More

As an Android enthusiast and a proud apartment dweller, I can assure you that my mobile phone never left my side while I was pounding the pavement during my last apartment search.  And, I’m not alone.  In a year or two, mobile phones are predicated to overtake PCs for accessing information online, which will certainly have an even greater impact on the way people shop for apartments.  Knowing that smartphone owners are brand loyalists (guilty!), Apartments.com launched an Android app to help provide renters—and smartphone lovers—with a variety of options to choose from during their apartment search.

A unique feature of the Apartments.com app is that it’s built according to Google’s guidelines, designed specifically for the Android phone to ensure users have the best experience.  While many companies simply port their iPhone app design over to the Android platform, we’ve tailored the rental search experience for them so that it feels like home.  With Android gaining momentum as one of the most preferred platforms across the country—representing 47% of the market share—Apartments.com is now broadening its reach to this growing segment of smartphone users looking for easy access to apartment information on the go.  Read More

This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

Is your apartment community active on Twitter?  With over 100 million users, odds are your residents are there and listening.  When you are tweeting, it’s important to keep a couple things in mind: share, ask, respond and reward. Read More

This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

If you haven’t heard of Pinterest yet, you will soon.  The popular new social site allows users to Pin items of interest onto virtual tack boards.  Links to cupcake recipes, interesting photography, Blackhawks players and wedding dresses have been inundating my feeds on both Facebook and Twitter, as people put together their boards.  The platform is still an invite only, VIP kind of site, but you can request an invitation anytime or receive one from a friend.  Here are the main things you need to know in order to speak Pinterest-ese. Read More

This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

Some people think making a New Year’s resolution is silly, but I would guess it’s because they never really followed through with one.  I think making a promise to improve or make a change is a great way to set yourself up for an awesome year!  With the ball drop only a couple days away, here are some tips for making a great resolution. Read More

This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

Back in January 2011, Facebook introduced their newest advertising product; Sponsored Stories.  These ads, which live on the right hand column of Facebook, use people’s friends to endorse a brand and encourage them to engage as well.  For example, let’s say I Like Apartments.com on Facebook and then I write a status update that says “Searching for my new apartment on Apartments.com!”  If Apartments.com has purchased Sponsored Story advertising, my status update, along with the brand, can be promoted to my friends. Essentially, Apartments.com would be using me as their brand advocate to my network on Facebook. Read More

This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

They have been talking about it for a while, but Facebook Timeline is officially launching.  This new view for profiles takes your life and puts it into; you guessed it, a timeline layout.  There are a lot of people asking why all the changes and can’t Facebook leave good enough alone?  It’s about providing a more user-friendly experience, said Kate Aronowitz, director of user experience and design for Facebook, in an interview yesterday morning.  Using the right hand control, users can quickly scroll through events, friends, photos, wall posts and more from any year in their life.  Although Facebook wasn’t around in 1970 (come to think of it, Zuckerberg wasn’t even around then), users can upload photos from that year to truly create a timeline of their life. Read More

This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

Try as they may, no one will ever be as festive during the holidays as these cities; it’s in their name! Who wouldn’t want to live in Eggnog, Utah? Read More

This post was originally written by Kerry Sugrue, former Social Media Specialist at Apartments.com. 

With the holiday spirit all around, this is a great time of year to get your residents together and show them your appreciation. Here are a couple fun ideas that you can do around your apartment community: Read More