Schedule

Better grasp the evolving student housing market by learning about the most recent trends, from the interior and exterior design and floor-plan popularity to programming common areas, amenity selection and newer topics such as gender-neutral spaces. Walk away with an understanding of what is trending right now and what to think about when building and renovating. (TUE-A1) 

Are you losing out on prospective residents because of your online reputation? Based on recent findings, 70 percent of prospects choose to visit properties with the best online reputations. Gather insight into students' thought processes, motivations and preferences toward online apartment search as well as the influence of online ratings and reviews, all based on J Turner’s 2017 national research study involving more than 10,000 students that tracked step-by-step how they navigate the internet to find their way to your property. Additionally, walk away with knowledge on how major review and ILSs operate, as well as the strategies to excel in online reputation management. (TUE-A2) 

Get ready to turn! From pre-planning, bid preparation for vendor selection and advance ordering of supplies to scheduling for timely resident move-outs, reducing holdovers, and staff and vendor scheduling, with many turns occurring in less than 10 business days, it is critical to prepare in advance for one of the largest controllable operational expenses that hit your bottom line. Discussion will include how a successful turn affects new move-ins and influences first-time residents to renew or move out when the time comes. (TUE-B1)

As a new community is wrapping up the construction phase and heads into stabilized operations, the developer and management company often are hustling to ensure the building will open on time. During these often hectic times, details such as stocking the maintenance shop and ensuring the office equipment is tested and functional can be lost in the fray. Learn about the tools, tips and tricks industry-leading developers and managers use to ensure they are fully operational and can deliver a positive customer experience on day one. (TUE-B2)

As the student housing business matures, original, by-the-bed communities are now over 20 years old. These assets are well located, but with tired finishes, dated amenity packages and outmoded exterior colors and skins, they’re pushed into the middle- to lower-tier ranges for rents. Uncover value-add strategies such as identifying the property in the market, the acquisition, valuable in-unit upgrades and clubhouse amenity improvements that provide both usefulness and the “Wow!” factor to help bring out the charm (and ROI) of older communities. (WED-C2)

Millennials aren’t living in student housing anymore; Gen Z, also known as the  “iGeneration,” were born in the mid-1990s, putting them within a few years of renting their first apartment. Gen Zers only know life with high-tech gadgets and the internet, so student housing operators better be prepared to exceed this generation’s technological needs. Does this mean adding Alexa’s or Echos into every apartment home? Or offering even more technology driven services? Learn how to strike the balance between giving students the key amenities they want while delivering a high ROI. (WED-C3) ​

Every new year comes with prognostications on trending marketing strategies, but what new trends actually have an effect on a marketer’s mindset? Learn three marketing megatrends (People-Based Marketing, Intricate Customer Journeys and Bottom Line Analytics) that have effectively driven long-term change in how marketers approach recent shifts in consumer behavior. Review an in-depth analysis of each megatrend with fresh data, case studies and strategies that will steer the marketer's mindset toward innovative solutions to address today’s seismic shifts in consumer activity. (WED-D1) 

Through case studies of apartment communities with successful sustainability projects in place, explore the technology, student engagement and marketing opportunities for sustainability in student housing, as well as insight into how universities nationwide are placing a growing importance and commitment on sustainability. (WED-D3) ​