Operations Insights

A monthly newsletter for professionals involved in onsite apartment operations and maintenance, with insights on trends, best practices, services and ideas for you to consider during day-to-day operations.

Involving Maintenance in the Customer Journey

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After move-in, maintenance associates are the primary points of contact for residents. So, why do maintenance teams only receive customer service training as a reaction to negative reviews while office teams receive ongoing support.   By taking a collaborative approach to reputation management…

Midwest Region Most Popular Among Renters

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Renters are putting their feelers out to place down roots in the Midwest. According to the November Rental Activity Report from RentCafe, Minneapolis is the most sought-after city. Detroit was third, Cincinnati was fourth and Kansas City was 10th on the list. Minneapolis finally broke through after…

Every Dollar Counts

By Andrew Ruhland | | Updated

One of the most important responsibilities in property management is establishing a budget for the coming year. However, for key decision-makers, it is also one of the most difficult.   According to NAA/IREM data, taxes and insurance account for 32% of most budgets, followed by 26% reserved…

Can Big Data Protect Against Loss?

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Shifting rental market conditions and rising inflation prompted operators to re-evaluate the definition of property performance and shift their focus to risk mitigation and bad debt management. During an Apartmentalize 2023 session, industry leaders discussed solutions to power property…

Conquering Today’s Top Talent & Supply Chain Shortages

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The pandemic and “Great Resignation” created many challenges for the rental housing industry, notably supply chain and labor shortages.   Despite historic imbalances and turbocharged competition, some apartment operators have demonstrated creativity and resilience to meet the needs of…

Catch Me If You Can... And I Bet You Can’t!

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It would be much simpler if fraud fell into a singular bucket. For instance, if fake paystubs were the only nefarious items property teams regularly encountered, things would be much easier to manage.   Unfortunately, multifamily associates also grapple with altered social security cards,…

NAA’s Most Recent Podcasts Focus on Dollar of Rent, DE&I

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The NAA Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association, recently sat down with NAA Director of Advocacy Research Leah Cuffy to review the breakdown of $1 of rent, examining all the expenses that comprise the total cost of operating rental housing, as well as looked at…

Addressing IRO Misconceptions

By Powered by IRO | | Updated

Rental housing plays a vital role in communities across the country, providing millions of individuals and families with safe and comfortable homes. Unfortunately, aspects of the apartment industry can be mischaracterized, leading to misconceptions about its business models and impact. The National…

Centralization: The Tech That Matters No Matter Your Definition

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There is no shortage of buzzwords being tossed around the multifamily housing industry, and one of the newest, “centralization,” has rapidly gained traction.   However, while the concept is extremely popular, the definition of the word varies by organization. Some combine all of their leasing…

The NAA ApartmentCast Tackles Rent Control

By Leah Cuffy | | Updated

Leah Cuffy, NAA’s Director of Advocacy Research, has joined The NAA ApartmentCast to discuss a perennial topic: Rent Control. From December 2022 to February 2023, NAA commissioned ndp | analytics to conduct interviews with housing providers and developers from three different markets impacted by…