Near almost every college or university, there are a wide variety of options for student housing. In many cases, there is the potential for new residents – from students that are moving off campus, moving from a different state, or that are transferring schools. To bring those students to your property, it is important that your community is able to stand out against other competing properties in the area. There are various ways a property can take advantage of the area they are located in to bring in new student renters.

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In today’s web-based world, it is essential that communities establish an online presence and manage their reputation online. Though it is difficult to completely control what can be said about your property online, it is important that you are active in the online space. If a community fails to protect or establish an online reputation, they could be at much more of a competitive disadvantage than a neighboring property. It is important for a property to stay updated with community-related chatter on major social media sites.

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Keeping your employees motivated is a challenge for just about any business, but is especially important in a leasing office for an apartment complex or large number rental properties. The less inclined and excited your employees are to sell and move in new renters, the more the overall profits will suffer. Not only will the sales pitches be weak on each property they show, but the lack of enthusiasm can be felt by prospective renters through the leasing agent, which will also detract from leases. Below are some tips to motivate your leasing agents to stay excited and motivated to lease as many available properties as possible.

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After a rough few years in the housing and rental market due to the down economy and recent recession, it appears as if everything is beginning to turn around in 2013. While it’s too early to invest everything in the rental and housing market at this moment, there are some emerging trends that are clearly evident so far in 2013 that are important to know if you work in the real estate and property management business. A number of these emerging trends are listed below.

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The more communication property managers and their residents have, the better, as it usually leads to better, stronger business and personal relationships between both parties. This will make everyone’s living and working experience better and make renters stay for extended periods of time and property managers attentive to their residents’ needs. As communication has gotten so much easier in recent years, using social media to connect the two parties is a logical idea. Below are some ways engaging with renters on social media can be used to create an open line of communication between property managers and their renters on a regular but casual basis.

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As operational costs, property taxes and inflation go up, raising rent is inevitable. Failure to match the going rental rates of your surrounding area, and to adequately cover all expenses, will only serve to hurt your bottom line  And if you delay on this change, you’ll be facing an even larger rental gap to cover in the future, which will endanger your ability to retain renters through the transition.

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In the business world today, almost all attention is focused on keeping the customer happy. So it is safe to say that the same rule applies for landlords to make their renters happy. Resident satisfaction is very important because it is a way to ensure a sustained retention rate.

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Was one of your New Year’s resolutions to spend less time stressed out and more time on things you enjoy? If so, you’re like many others! Some of the top ten New Year’s resolutions include spending more time with family and friends, fitting in fitness, learning something new and getting organized. What is the common denominator in those resolutions? You need more time!

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Social activities are a great way to build rapport with your residents, encourage them to get to know their neighbors and become involved in your apartment community. If you’re looking for ways to make your property and residents more social, these are some ideas to get you started:

Summer Socials: Take advantage of nice weather and create outdoor activities for your residents. If your property has a pool, invite renters to attend a pool party and grill up hamburgers and hot dogs for the guests. Have an ice cream social one night, or hand out treats to residents as they pass by the leasing office as a nice surprise as they come home from a long day at the office. Read More

With winter and the holiday season quickly approaching, many of us could use some time to think about what we can do to make sure we stay healthy through this busy time of year. Changes in the weather increase our chances of catching a cold or flu, and decadent food – from Halloween candy to Thanksgiving pies and Christmas cookies – is available at every turn.

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