First Time/Returning Renter Handbooks....Lend a Helping Hand!

I'm sure we've all been there. Sitting across from a new college graduate searching for their first apartment, or better yet, a new high school graduate searching for their college apartment. How about that 50 year old gentleman going through a divorce who hasn't rented since 1974! No matter their situation, first time and returning renters have one thing in common...they have no idea what they're getting themselves into! Now this can be a problem, not just for them, but for you too! If you think about it, many of the "miscommunications" and "issues" you have with your residents likely come from first time renters, or people who perhaps haven't rented in a very long time. There's a huge learning curve here for everyone, but the good news is you can nip it in the bud before it becomes a problem. Do that by creating a First Time Renter/Returning Renter Handbook.

A First Time Renter/Returning Renter Handbook is specially designed to help green renters know what to expect throughout the rental process. There are so many benefits to both you and the renter when you provide them with this helpful tool. First and foremost, it sends the message that you care about them. Secondly, it shows them that you're knowledgable about renting and gives them a sense of trust. Finally, it gives them the information that they need to skate through your rental relationship effortlessly with minimal issues.

Creating your handbook will take some time. The idea here is to be as thorough as possible, yet keeping it simple and easy to understand. The best time to distribute your handbook is right after a tour. If you've gathered from the tour that the prospect is a new renter or hasn't rented in quite some time, give them your handbook as a gift following the tour. Tell them that whether they choose your community or not, you want them to have as much information as possible and be an informed renter. They'll love that you're showing them that you genuinely care and aren't trying to just gain a sale, thus building trust. Your community, no matter what, will now remain at the front of their minds throughout their apartment search.

So just what should your handbook contain? The key is to keep it general, not specific to your community. You do, however, want to tailor it to your state and the applicable laws and regulations. Here are some of the basics you'll want to cover...

• The Leasing Process. Explain the process of leasing apartments. Talk about taking community tours, rental prices, specials and fees. Emphasize that things change from day to day. The application process-what they need to provide and what they can expect. Choosing an apartment.
• Signing the Lease. People expect that they'll have to sign a lease, but so many people get flustered when they see the millions of addendums they have to sign. Explain what they may encounter. Also tell them when it needs to be signed and who needs to be present (co-signor situations).
• Rental Payments. Go over the methods used to make payments and when they need to be made. Don't forget to explain proration of the first and last month.
• Moving In. Explain when they can get the keys, the move in checklist/inspection.
• Residency. Talk about the basics of apartment living. Being courteous to their neighbors. Utilizing community amenities. How to request maintenance. Who to talk to when they have concerns.
• The Renewal Process. Tell them when they can expect to learn about their renewal rate. How and when to give notice if they chose to. What happens if they go month to month.
• Moving Out. Explain the move out inspection. Perparing the apartment for move out. Normal wear and tear. Turning in keys. When to expect the return of their deposit.

This list is by no means complete and as you get writing, you'll surely come up with more to add. As I mentioned before, be thorough, but be simple. Perhaps rather than writing lengthy paragraphs and sentences, use bulleted lists and simple phrases. You can also add graphics to make it visually appealing. It may seem like a lot of work now, but once it's complete, you'll have it forever and it will surely be a great tool for your community!

Morgan Oney, CAM: My App Connection (www.myappconnection.com) Get a custom mobile app for your community! Users can pay rent, submit service requests & so much more right from their phone!

It's Spring Cleaning Time! 10 Tips to a Tidier Office

Yes, it's that time of year again. Time to get out with the old and in with the new. Time to get into those nooks and crannies and add some sparkle to every corner of your home. Time to clean out your closets. Time to get down and dirty!

I know, spring cleaning really isn't all that much fun (for most of us), but it's something that most of us do to "de-clutter" not only our homes, but our minds and attitude as well. The fact is, having a clean, tidy and organized environment around us brings us peace. So here's the thing. We spend all this time cleaning our homes, organizing our bills and important papers, cleaning out our closets, etc., That's all well and good, but where do you spend the majority of your day? At the office! So why not take your spring cleaning on the road? It only makes sense that if tidying and organizing brings us peace and allows us to focus on other tasks, then we should make sure that the place we spend most of our time is as peaceful as can be!

Now I've seen some scary leasing offices in my day! It amazes me how things just get ignored. I know we all have a lot going on and our days can be pretty hectic, but I'm sure we can all find some downtime to spruce things up. Not only will you appreciate your new surroundings, but it will make you more confident about your community, and in turn, you'll pass that confidence along to your residents and prospects.

I'm sure you all know the basics of cleanliness and know what needs to be taken care of in your space. But, I'm also sure that there are some areas that you may overlook! So here are 10 tips on how to make your office space the most clean, organized and inviting place it can possibly be!

1. Clean, clean, clean. You may have a housekeeper that takes care of cleaning your clubhouse/leasing office for you. If you do, that's fantastic, but don't get complacent. There are sure to be areas that he/she misses. You're the ones that are there every day and notice every little thing. So take some time to go through your space with a fine tooth comb, dusting, scrubbing and disinfecting every surface you can possibly find!

2. Don't ignore your amenities! I know it can be a challenge to keep your Fitness Center fresh. You probably use air fresheners and wipe down the equipment every so often, but when was the last time you did a good disinfecting sweep of the entire place? Get rid of those germs by thoroughly cleaning your equipment, floors, mirrors, etc. Have a Business Center? Wipe down those phones and keyboards...they're breeding grounds for germs! Do the kiddos have a playground in your community? If so, freshen up the mulch and sanitize the equipment and you'll have all the parents signing your praises!

3. Tackle that mystery meat! When was the last time you cleaned out your fridge? Is that take out container from TGI Fridays over a month ago still in there? Do you dare to open it up and see what's inside? Take some time trash everything inside your fridge and freezer that's not used regularly or immediately.

4. Check out your package room. If you accept packages for your residents, chances are you've probably got some sitting there that have been there for quite a while. It's easy to forget about them once they've been dropped off. Send notices out to all of the residents with packages still there. Offer to deliver them to their apartments for them if they're unable to make it to your office during business hours.

5. Keys please! Oh, the key room. Likely a big mess. Chances are you have keys all over the place. Blank keys, unmarked keys, keys in the wrong place, etc. Getting them organized will make it easier on both your maintenance and office teams.

6. Come out of the closet! Typically, closets become the catch all for things that we have no idea where else to store. Start going through them and finding homes for everything. More likely than not, many items can be placed elsewhere and I bet a lot can go in the trash!

7. Lost...found...donated. If you have a lost and found box that has some items that have been hanging around for a while, consider donating them. Once you've hung onto them for a substantial amount of time, odds are they're not going to be claimed and they're doing no one any good just hanging out in a box.

8. Holy paperwork! Yes, I know. Paperwork stinks. File piles mound up quickly and before you know it, you're swimming in a sea of the stuff. As annoying as it may be, getting your paperwork filed, shredded and trashed is not only necessary in cleaning up your space, but it's critical in making sure you don't misplace anything (which can be a while nightmare in and of itself!)

9. Oh sweet tooth. Do you have candy in your office? Perhaps you have candy jars on your desk or mints by your front door. If so, chances are the candy at the bottom of those jars is REALLY old! We have a tendency when we refill our goodies to just dump more in on the top. Sounds good, right? Your jars look full and all is good. Well, all is good until an unsuspecting child cracks a tooth on that year old butterscotch disk that they so innocently grabbed!

10. Out of sight, out of mind. What's the number one place you put things in your office in when you don't know where else they should go? Your desk! I've seen it all scattered in leasing consultants' desk drawers....Chapstick, food, business cards, office supplies, jewelry, perfume, sanitizer, as well as some things I'd rather not mention! Clean them out, then organize your drawers with a handy drawer organizer. They're only a few bucks and do wonders for tidying up that small space.


I hope you've found these tips helpful! Feel free to add more in the comments section if you have something to add!

Morgan Oney, CAM: My App Connection...designing affordable mobile apps for apartment communities to connect with their residents and prospects. Users can pay rent, submit service requests and more with one click on their phone! http://www.myappconnection.com

Recovering Damages Before You're Damaged: The Pre-Move Out Inspection

Probably one of the most frustrating things when you work on site is the mountain of uncollected move out charges that are piling up in record levels these days. With the economy the way it is, people just don't have the extra money to pay several hundred or even thousands of dollars for charges stemming from damage to their apartment. Sometimes you'll get lucky and and that magic check will appear in the mail after someone moves out. But most of the time, you'll probably suffer a loss, whether it be on the complete debt or on a portion of it if you send it over to a collection agency to collect. It may seem like a helpless situation. You can't get blood from a stone, as the old saying goes. But, believe it or not, there are things that you can do to nip this situation in the bud and recover more of your damages than you ever thought possible.

First things first, tackle the issue as far in advance as possible. That means doing a pre-move out inspection, typically between 30 and 60 days prior to the move out. I've seen these done probably 50% of the time, but trust me, the properties that do them have a much better collection rate than the properties that don't. When you inspect an apartment prior to the move out, you have an opportunity to accomplish several things.

First, you are able to assess the condition of the apartment well before the move out date and determine what maintenance needs to be done, resulting in a quicker turn.

Secondly, you create an opportunity to have the resident correct some of these issues prior to moving out, resulting in cost savings for both you and them.

Finally, by assessing charges while they're still residents, you now have more bargaining power than you would have had you assessed charges after they've moved out.

If you've never done a pre-move out inspection before, then you may be wondering exactly what to do and how to handle the information after you've done it. Here's what I recommend based on my experience on site...

1. Once a resident gives notice to vacate, send them an acknowledgement that you received their notice. In this acknowledgement, you can input their scheduled pre-move out inspection date.

2. When you conduct your inspection, do it as if you're doing the final inspection. Look for cleaning charges, damages, etc.

3. Once you've completed the inspection, create an "invoice" of their charges. This will look much like your standard SODA, with a few exceptions. Be sure to note that this is only an estimate and is subject to change upon move out if more things are found.

4. On the invoice or in an attached letter, let the resident know that you're willing to give them the opportunity to take care of as many of the items as possible on their own to save them money. Be sure to let them know that if they decide to replace items, repair damages or clean, it must be done to your satisfaction and with approved parts only. Then, alongside each item on the invoice, note each item that can be taken care of by them, like cleaning, holes in the walls, etc. Many minor fixes can be done by them easily, but be sure to save the big things, like carpet issues or major damages, for your staff and vendors.

5. On the invoice, give them an opportunity to pay in full by a certain date for a discount. While it stinks to have to lose money by discounting something they obviously owe, it'll cost you less in the longrun in time and money if you have the balance collected as soon as possible.

6. Also, let them know that payment arrangements can be made should they need more time to pay. Should that be the case, offer to meet with them in person to design a plan that works for everyone. By meeting with them face to face, you're building on the relationship that you've already established. It's a proven fact that people are more willing to pay debts when a personal relationship is involved, so working with them while they're still residents is certainly beneficial. The moment they walk out your doors and into their next residence, you'll immediatley become lower on their priority list.


If you find yourself in a position where you still have an outstanding balance when the resident moves out, or, if there are additional charges that need to be assessed from after the pre-move out inspection, you may need to get creative. Probably the best thing to do is to offer a discount for paying by a certain date. This discount should be a little less than the one that they were offered if they paid before they moved out, but still an enticing offer for them. Just be sure that whatever you decide to offer, you make it a policy and you're consistent for every resident. You don't want to be offering different discounts for different residents or you'll find yourself in a Fair Housing mess!

Hopefully you've found these tips and tricks to be helpful. You too can be a rock star in your owner's eyes! :) If anyone has any tips to add, please feel free to comment below!


Morgan Oney, CAM
http://www.mynewsletterconnection.com/ Affordable, unique and stylish online and print newsletters for apartment communities!

Need Holiday Cards?

There's no better time to let your residents know you appreciate them than at the holidays. But sending them all a holiday card can be expensive and tedious...until now. I've ordered my holiday cards for years through Shutterfly.com. They make high quality cards to fit just about any budget. Their designs are unique, their shipping is fast and their quality is awesome. The best part is they're far more affordable than the other greeting card companies that are out there. I can't recommend them enough, so certainly give them a look if you're planning on sending cards out to your residents....you'll be glad you did!

You can view their selection of holiday cards here...

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards

Happy Holidays! :)

Getting the Most out of Your Resident Newsletter

I don't know everything about everything, but one thing I consider myself to be an expert on is resident newsletters. It's my thing. It's what I do, it's what I love. I started writing them 9 years ago when I worked on site and I've been publishing them professionally for other communities now for a year. In the past year, I've had the opportunity to see how other communities write their newsletters. It's really interesting to read each community's submission each month, that's for sure. And I don't necessarily mean interesting in a good way!

So let's review for a moment.....what exactly is the purpose of a resident newsletter? Well, there are several. The first, and most obvious, is to create a sense of community and boost resident retention. This is achieved by letting readers know about community news and events so they know what's going on around them. Then there's the marketing aspect of a newsletter. What most communities don't realize is they can be a fantastic marketing tool, particularly if you have an online version of your newsletter. Newsletters give prospective residents an opportunity to have a window into the community. To see what it's really like to live there. Now that's a fantastic opportunity, but you'd be surprised how many communities ignore it.

If you're going to take the time and incur the expense of providing a monthly newsletter to your residents and prospects, then it only makes sense that you make the most of it, right? Whether you create your own newsletter each month or use a newsletter service, following the tips below will help you do just that.

1. Make your newsletter attractive. If you design your own newsletter, spend some time researching newsletters and find ones that stand out to you. If you use a service, find a company that offers unique designs. People are much more interested in reading something that's aesthetically appealing than something that's dull and boring.

2. Keep your content friendly. This is the biggest mistake I see communities make when I read their newsletters. I understand that people want to take the opportunity to address concerns of the neighborhood, but a resident newsletter really isn't the right place for it. Keep your content upbeat, friendly and happy. The majority of your residents probably don't let their dogs poop on the front lawn or leave their garbage in front of their door. Don't punish them for the acts of those few. If you do have concerns in your community, address them in a formal community notice and try to target that notice specifically to the offenders.

3. Increase your circulation. As I mentioned above, your newsletter can be a fantastic marketing tool, but the only way that's going to happen is if you get your newsletter out there. If you provide a paper newsletter, have additional copies made. You'll want to give them to every prospect who tours your community. In addition, target local businesses in your area that have spots for other businesses to leave information. Bring stands with you and leave copies of your newsletter for people to pick up when they're in that business. You can also bring them with you on marketing visits. Never leave your property without one as you never know when you may find yourself in a situation where you can give one to someone, just like a business card. Your newsletter will sell your property better than any fancy schmancy flier can!

4. Go online. If you haven't already, you definitely want to have an online presence for your newsletter. Having your newsletter online is convenient for your residents and is a great marketing tool. You can include links to your online newsletter on your website, Facebook & Twitter pages, Internet advertising, email signatures, blog, etc. You're opening that window again into your community and maximizing the amount of people that can see inside. If your company doesn't give you the access to put your newsletter online, there are newsletter companies out there that can at a very reasonable cost. And at the very least, you could at least start a blog for your community including the same information.

5. Check and double check! Every month, I receive submissions from communities that are loaded with spelling and grammar errors. Nothing screams "unprofessional" more than not having the basics like spelling down. Yes, spell check is great, but it can't catch everything. Proofread your work, then have someone else do it again for you.

I hope you find these tips helpful! If you have anything to add or have found success in writing your newsletter, please share below! :)

Morgan Oney, CAM
My Newsletter Connection-online resident newsletters and marketing solutions for apartment communities http://www.mynewsletterconnection.com

Creating a Neighborhood

When you think of your community, do you think you have a tight knit neighborhood? Are residents close? Do they interact with their neighbors? You may think so, but what do your residents think? Odds are, they aren't feeling as close as they could.

You may put on the occasional resident gathering to get everyone together, but are you truly building a neighborhood? Feeling a sense of community is huge factor in why people lease where they do, and an even bigger factor in why people stay where they are. While you may think you're doing everything you can to make that happen, I bet there's more that you can be doing. Try giving this a little more focus and I bet in the long run, you'll notice increased leasing, and most importantly, a higher retention rate.

Here are some ideas on how you can bring your neighborhood together. If you have any to add, please feel free to leave a comment!

1. Hosting regular resident events. This is a no-brainer. We all know that having social activities is critical. But it goes a little deeper than just planning a party here and there. The goal is to make your residents excited about your events so that they actually attend! You can do that by holding them regularly at accessible times (weekends are best when people are off), offering prizes (ask your vendors to donate if you're on a budget), playing games and making them fun. Also, be sure you're not doing the same old thing all the time. Change things up a bit so each one is different and interesting!

2. Hold outings for residents outside of the community. Work with local businesses to create a special night out for your residents at a discounted price, like a bowling alley, movie theater or restaurant. Residents will get a chance to socialize outside of the neighborhood and the outside environment will be a great way to get residents talking and interacting with one another.

3. Encourage resident participation by offering contests. Think of each building as a "team" and challenge them to complete different tasks. It will help them work together for a common goal and get them communicating. You could do contests for the building with the best looking balconies, cleanest breezeways, stylish front door, etc. Not only does it foster teamwork, but it's beautifying your community at the same time!

4. Work with a charity. Nothing brings people together like helping other people. Choose a charitable activity that will allow your residents to come together, like Habitat for Humanity or Race for the Cure. You're showing your residents that you can and bringing them together at the same time.

5. Encourage holiday antics. Have you ever heard of "booing" on Halloween or "elfing" at Christmas? It's where a person anonymously leaves a special poem and bag of goodies at a neighbor's doorstep. That person then does the same to 2 neighbors, then they do it to 2 neighbors, and before long, the entire neighborhood has received a treat! This can be done for pretty much any holiday. To get it started, announce the plan in your newsletters so residents know what to expect. Then get it started by sending treats to one or two residents in each building, anonymously of course. Try to do ones who you think will reciprocate! :) Watch it take off and your residents get excited about their little gifts!

6. Host a "Good Neighbor Contest." Let all of your residents know to be on the lookout for a neighbor doing something good to help out in the community. They can be picking up their pet waste, holding a door for someone, helping a neighbor with their groceries, etc. When they spot someone doing a good deed, they can report them to the office to be entered in the contest. Then hold a random drawing offering the winner a small prize, like a gift card to a local restaurant. It encourages acts of kindness among neighbors and lets them know that you appreciate it!


Morgan Oney, CAM
My Newsletter Connection-affordable & stylish online resident newsletters for your community! http://www.mynewsletterconnection.com

You're a social marketing pro, but just how social are you?

We spend so much time these days working on our social networking, but are we forgetting the true roots of what it means to be "social?" There are so many things these days that take the personalization out of life. For instance, when I'm at the grocery store, I love to use the self checkout line so I don't have to deal with the grumpy cashier. When I go to the bank, I chose the amazing new computerized ATM to make all of my deposits, avoiding the need to go to the teller. Heck, I can even buy stamps there so I don't have to make a trip to the post office. When I was recently looking to purchase a new car, I did all of my searching online and never even spoke to a person until I found the van that I wanted. I've realized that I rarely interact with an actual person these days. On one hand, I like it. It's convenient, it's on my terms and I don't have to be bothered by less than friendly people, which is what I always seem to encounter these days. But even though it's nice to do my own thing, it's also refreshing to actually talk to a friendly person every now and then.

A recent discussion post on a multifamily board got me thinking about this recent shift in the customer service industry and how it pertains to our industry. The question was in regards to inviting prospects to resident activities. It got me thinking that more than likely, we're not spending enough time actually being social with our residents and prospects. We spend so much time focusing our efforts on our internet advertising and our social media because that's the direction our industry has taken. And while yes, it's a great thing to move forward and stay current with the trends, it's also important to remember the general roots of customer service. Being present for your customers and giving them your personal attention is priceless in gaining their trust. Here are just a few things you can do to accomplish that. Feel free to add your own ideas in the comments section!

1. Invite your prospects to your resident socials. Most communities have events once a month. Print some invitations to those events and have them ready to go in your traffic information packets. By inviting your prospects to your resident events, you give them an opportunity to interact with you and your residents and see what it's really like to live in your community.

2. Make phone calls. So much is done by email these days, which is great, but a phone call shows that you care. Call residents on their birthday and follow up all service requests with a quick ring.

3. Send handwritten thank you notes. These are really becoming a thing of the past, but nothing is more personal than a handwritten note. Send them to prospects after they tour and residents after they refer someone.

4. Treat them like family. Send residents a card on their birthday, a small gift when they have a new baby or get married, etc. Think of each and every person as a member of your family, and when they celebrate an accomplishment or milestone, do what you would do as if it were one of your family members celebrating that event.

5. Give them face time. Most residents work during office hours and never get a chance to talk to the manager directly. Have a night once a week to leave the office open an hour or so late and have the manager accessible. If a resident has a problem that requires the manager's attention, they'll greatly appreciate being able to talk that matter over in person rather than on the phone or via email.


Morgan Oney, CAM
My Newsletter Connection-stylish and affordable online and print newsletters for apartment communities http://www.mynewsletterconnection.com