As the class of 2012 turns their tassels and leave campus life, savvy grads are finding they still have some homework to do to identify the cities that offer the best opportunity for employment, a place to live and the best quality of life as a young professional. To help give these newly minted grads a leg up in both a competitive job and rental market, Apartments.com and CareerBuilder teamed up for the fifth year in a row to reveal the Top 10 Best Cities for College Graduates list. Backed by our expertise in apartments and jobs, we tailored our list to what matters most to new grads—a place to live that affords them a lifestyle they can enjoy and the best overall opportunity.
Check out the infographic below to see the top 10 cities for new grads, average cost of rent for a one bedroom apartment, hottest jobs and more. Did your city make the list? Even if it didn’t, tell us why your hometown is a fabulous place for new grads to settle down in the comments section. Read More
As property owners, managers or leasing agents, you understand the need to conserve energy at your apartment community. By installing energy-efficient appliances and windows and using eco-friendly alternatives for floors, countertops and paint, you are not only significantly reducing your carbon footprint, but also banking significant savings on energy costs. If 10,000 owners of large apartment communities change to Energy-Star appliances, the energy saved could power each of your TVs for 1,640,625 years! While the people on the property level are doing their part to protect the environment, we want to provide you with four sustainable tips you can share with your environmentally-friendly residents—leading up to Earth Day on April 22nd—that they can put into practice today.
1. Be a Savvy Shopper
Cut down on the amount of paper or plastic consumed by bringing a reusable shopping bag to the grocery store. If eco-friendly shoppers forget their tote, ensure those plastic grocery bags get reused to line garbage cans or when scooping kitty litter. Additionally, fuel and distribution costs can be reduced by shopping at local farmers’ markets instead of large chain grocery stores for produce. Read More
You’ve heard it a million times – first impressions are critical because they are the most lasting! It takes only seconds for renters to evaluate your staff and your community, and their original thought can be hard to reverse. But no pressure! From the outside passer-by to the face-to-face communication, below are tips to help you deliver a great first (and lasting) impression at your apartment community.
1. Keep your landscape well maintained: Set a schedule for your maintenance crew to trim the shrubs, pick the weeds, mow the lawn and plant flowers. If your team does not have time to whip out the gardening gloves, visit your local nursery for ready-made flower containers, hanging flower pots or window boxes to quickly and affordably dress up the entrance to your community. Read More
The social media panel discussion I participated in at the 2012 TransUnion Property Management Summit last week in Denver was astonishing for what did and didn’t happen. What did happen: The audience of multifamily professionals seemed surprisingly – if not a tiny bit begrudgingly – accepting of property ratings and reviews. They’re here to stay and there’s nothing we can do to stop it, was the prevailing attitude. Begrudging acceptance will never be confused with warm embrace, but what I witnessed was a giant leap from the outright resistance prevalent in the industry up until now.
And that’s a good thing. There’s plenty of research indicating how important reviews are in making a big purchasing decision, and there’s none bigger than deciding where to live. Read More
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
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.
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.
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
