Green Holidays

Planning new landscaping for your apartment community? Here is an idea that you could copy!

For those who are not LA based we need to find away to offer this to our residents this year! Christmas trees are 1) awkward to transport and 2) terribly depressing when they’re discarded in January. Los Angeles landscape architect Scott Martin has his way; he founded The Living Christmas Company, which gives LA residents the chance to temporarily rent a living Christmas tree and have it delivered right to their door. Unlike regular Christmas trees, around 20 million of which are felled each year in the US, living trees are transplanted, roots and all, into pots to be enjoyed over the festive period. After the holidays, Scott and his team pick up the trees, replant them and nurture them until next year.

http://livingchristmas.com/

Deck the Halls!

• Start decorating for December on the day after Thanksgiving. This not only gives you plenty of time to decorate appropriately, but helps you and your staff get into the holiday mood. Break out the eggnog and put on some holiday music to really get the festivities flowing!

• We all know that nothing smells like a real Christmas tree, but few things are more practical than a realistic-looking artificial one (the key word here is realistic… unless you’re going for retro kitsch, silver foil isn’t an option). A little pine-scented potpourri in a pretty bowl can supply the scent, as can a few strategically placed real pine boughs. (Note: spraying pine disinfectant on your artificial tree will not do the trick. I only say this because I actually know someone who tried.)

• Tiered rows of poinsettias make an excellent “tree”! Have your service team assemble a stand made of progressively smaller boxes that stack on top of each other, with a wide enough margin around each to place rows of potted poinsettias. Place a dowel in the center of the top box to attach a star!

• Decorate your tree to complement your décor and atmosphere. You can choose a more sophisticated, coordinated set of decorations; or make it a little more “homey” with hand-made ornaments contributed by your staff and / or residents. Add plenty of brightly wrapped “presents” (empty boxes) under your tree. Use the nicest wrapping papers you can find (red, green, silver, and gold foils look great). Your local fabric or craft store should have an excellent supply of ribbons from which to choose, including wire edged varieties that can be shaped into big elaborate looking bows with little trouble.

• Remember that the holiday season doesn’t mean Christmas alone. Chanukah and Kwanzaa are also celebrations of the season. Decorate for and plancommunity events accordingly. Find out more about the holiday traditions ofall your residents, especially if yours is a multicultural community. I once attended a holiday party where the host’s decorations included a gorgeous Christmas tree decorated in an African theme for Kwanzaa and a lovely Menorah burning in honor of Chanukah. The guests were inspired by the decor to get to know more about each others holiday traditions. We all learned a great deal that evening, and felt as though we had truly experienced the joy of the season.

• Play holiday music in your Leasing Center, clubhouse, and even models! The staff may tire of them, but they’ll really brighten the mood for your visitors.

• Keep a running supply of holiday refreshments (cookies and punch or spiced cider) in the Leasing Center for visitors. A crock-pot full of warm spiced cider makes a great treat for future residents visiting on a cold day.

• Lights are a must. The tiny white outdoor ones are perfect for trimming windows and shrubbery .

• Don’t forget your models! A miniature decorated Christmas tree on the coffee table or counter, a few wrapped “gifts”, and some pine or cinnamon potpourri is all it takes to add a warm holiday touch to a decorated model, or turns a vacant apartment home into a holiday mini-model! Play a little seasonal music in the background, and you’re ready to welcome your new residents home for the holidays!

• Be careful not to overdo it. Simple elegance is best. Plastic figures on the roof or a puny tree can look tacky and convey a tired image. Remember that the holidays can be a stressful time of year for your residents; and are especially trying for future residents who are searching for a new home during the hectic holiday season. Your message of polished professionalism will be well received and appreciated.

Happy Holiday Activities

• Host a tree-trimming party in the clubhouse, and supply all of the materials for residents to make the ornaments!).

• Hold a Christmas tree drawing. Give away a tree, complete with decorations!

• Plant a live tree.

• Hold a door, patio, or balcony-decorating contest. Award the winners with a special wreath on their door, and / or a holiday gift certificate.

• If you community features include fireplaces, deliver firewood on December 23rd with a note offering “Warmest Holiday Wishes.” If you can’t afford to give firewood away, make it available for convenient purchase on-site.

• Promote January and February lease renewals by sending out a stocking cut out of construction paper that reads: “Spend another year with us and we’ll put something extra in your stocking! Renew your lease today!”

• Hang stocking or wreath shaped party reminders on your resident’s doors the day of your holiday party.

• Team up with a local charity to provide a gift-wrapping service to your residents.

• Clear out a storage area and offer it to parents in the community as a “Santa’s Hideaway” for gifts. You may want to have residents sign a release of liability, and allow access to only select staff members.

• Plan a “Twelve Days of Christmas” party count-down.
• Hold a Santa’s storytelling hour in the clubhouse (gives parents a little free time to assemble and wrap presents!).
• If your area allows referral incentives, create and distribute a referral flyer that reads “Let us Give You a Christmas Present!”
• Host a one-day, on-site Christmas tree sale with a local charity that sells trees.
• Print holiday safety tips in your newsletter.
• Plan to offer Christmas tree recycling on-site. It makes great mulch, and is a nice way to get some positive press as well!
• Hold a drawing for front-row tickets to a local performance of The Nutcracker or A Christmas Carol.

Holiday Party Themes

• Toyland – A magical world of giant lollipops, candy canes, ornaments, toys and huge packages wrapped up with colorful ribbons. This fantasy theme will bring out the child in every resident.

• Surfin’ Santa – Tell your residents to leave their heavy coats at thedoor and come out to the beach! Set up a volleyball net with beach balls.Add a “Christmas” palm tree. Hang a bright sun, beach towels, sand pailsand shovels with a sprinkling of Christmas decorations (pink flamingos withholiday wreaths around their necks, beach pails full of Christmas cookies,life preserver Christmas wreaths, etc.)

• Reindeer Round-up – Bring the spirit of the West alive with Country and Western holiday music. Decorate with a cactus done up as a Christmas tree. Use rope around the room like garland, and serve western-style treats.Last But Not Least – Remember to Stay in the Holiday Spirit

• A warm inviting smile from your staff is the perfect crowning glory to your holiday decorating efforts. Greet everyone with a warm welcome, and ensure your faces and attitudes reflect the same joyous message that is presented by your community decor. Nobody wants to lease an apartment from The Grinch!

• Don’t be distracted by the Holidays to the point that you forget your number one mission. It’s more important than ever that our residents andfuture residents receive the full benefit of our commitment to provide quality service.

Lori Konover contributed this idea to us.

Idea/Theme: We implemented complimentary gift wrapping at our primarily single Navy guy property, from Thanksgiving until 2 days before Christmas. They loved it, their families were impressed!!
Estimated Cost: 50.00
Results: Several residents stated that they renewed simply not to have to wrap gifts anymore!

Elsa  from Centra Asset Partners contributed this idea

Category: Management

Idea/Theme: "Candy Cane Treasure Hunt"

Materials needed: Candy Canes, Labels, Vases, Ribbon,

Print specials/concessions on labels and place them on the Candy Cane, insert Candy inside decorative vase. Offer prospects to participate in the treasure hunt for a special/concession.

Same idea can be used for renewals.

Key Visuals: Candy canes, vases, ribbon, decorative tissue.

Media Vehicles: Fliers, direct mail, My Space, Craig List, Facebook.

Estimated Cost: $85.00

Stay tuned to Multifamilypro for more great holiday ideas!

Here's an excellent way to recruit associates. I did this to get potential leasing candidates, but it could be used for any position. It was a huge success!

One of the issues we determined needed immediate attention was
recruiting. My suggestion was to host a FREE SEMINAR on what it takes to be a leasing consultant. We decided to try the idea and target individuals in the retail and restaurant markets, because as a leasing person they would have better hours.... no more night shifts and better benefits and perks.

To prepare, we secured the use of a training room for a two-hour session. We placed an ad in the restaurant section of the newspaper on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It was also placed in the retail section on Sunday. Seating was limited to 30 participants.

We created handouts using the Leasing Consultant Job Description Welcome Page. Candidates were paired up and used the sheet to gather information, so they could stand and introduce each other. (A great way to identify outgoing personalities!) We also distributed our Human Resource brochure, pens with the company job line number and email address, and blank job applications

We had attendees sign in with their names, phone numbers, and current job industries.

WOW!! What a success! We had over 40 people call and sign up. Twenty actually showed up. Out of the 20, 19.... yes 19, are good candidates! Eleven stayed and filled out an application. The Regional manager set up interviews for the next day.

We have even had several candidates stop by the area office to fill out an application because they could not make it to the seminar. A few have called and asked when will we offer the seminar again!

The following is a breakdown of where these candidates are from:

4 - no current job

2 - retired

1 - student

2 - convenient store

2 - restaurant

1 - federal government housing

1 - medical records clerk

1 - telemarketing

1 - retail

1 - receptionist jewelry shop

1 - real estate paralegal

1 - payroll/benefits

1 - field interviewer

1 - clerical

Contributed by Donna Olson,  when she was the SW Regional Education Director, Equity

by Tami Siewruk

The last time you played “let’s pretend,” chances are you were only concerned with the three R’s (reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic). This time, we’re going to play a grown-up game of let’s pretend, where you get to be the resident or future resident—and we’ve got four R’s of an apartment community's to contend with (Rentals, Renewals, Retention, and Results).

Several months ago, we had half of the employees at a community pretend to be residents, and the other half pretend to be future residents. They were instructed to leave the community, then return as residents or future residents in order to gain some fresh insight.  Their observations might teach you a thing or two about your own apartment community. Here’s what they found:

• There were no clear signs in the parking lot telling future residents where they could or couldn’t park.

• Trees and bushes had grown over the main entrance sign so that both future residents and visitors of current residents had trouble identifying the community.

• When they took a “child’s eye” view of the community, our pretenders found the leasing center clubhouse pretty boring. They suggested hanging photographs of the leasing and service staff, along with a brief statement telling something interesting about them, like their favorite hobbies.

• The signs throughout the community sounded like someone had a bad attitude.

• When the leasing center was closed for a few minutes, there was no place for the visitor to sit and wait, and no system for leaving a message.

• The staff wasn’t prepared for rainy weather, with raincoats or oversized umbrellas to share with future residents; and there were no mats to prevent water and mud from being tracked in when showing an apartment.

• The main entry door to the office was difficult to open.

And the list went on! This very simple exercise identified plenty of areas that needed attention; and focused the employees on what was needed to more effectively deal with their current and future residents.

Try it with your own staff. If you think your staff will have trouble viewing your community objectively, invite the staff from another community to come in and pick it apart. Don’t be defensive; picking your community apart is a good thing. Imagine how much better it will be when you put it all back together—the right way!

Sometimes, especially when we take over a property or replace a Manager, we find that the collection policy has not been followed, which almost always produces a major mess. Although it would be nice if we could just tell the Residents that “There’s a new sheriff in town” and you better start paying according to the terms of your lease as of TOMORROW, it’s not quite that simple.

When we do not hold our Residents to the terms and conditions of the lease, and we let it go on for a while (30 days or more is a good rule of thumb), most jurisdictions require us to give the Residents a thirty day written notice which tells the Residents that you intend to start enforcing the terms of the lease again.

Following this article, you will find a sample copy of a letter that must be delivered to each Resident at any community where the rent collection policies have not been enforced.

IMPORTANT: I am NOT an attorney! PLEASE have this reviewed by your attorney before you use it – I make NO WARRANTY that this language complies with the laws of your jurisdiction!

Again, the purpose of this letter is to re-state our rent collection policy so that it will stand up in court during an eviction procedure. If a property has not been strictly enforcing the rent collections provision of our lease, a letter such as this must be used to “reinstate” the policy contained in the lease. By sending each Resident a thirty (30) day advance notice of our intention to enforce this lease provision consistently and without exception, we will be able to avoid any surprises if and when we go to court with a delinquent Resident.

The letter should be copied on your community letterhead, and signed by the Manager. Type or print the delivery date on top of the letter, and then print a rent roll for your community and give it to the person delivering the letters. The letters should be delivered to each apartment, and slipped under the door. As each letter is delivered, place a checkmark next to their name on the rent roll. After all letters have been delivered, write the following on the bottom of the rent roll and have it signed and dated by the person who delivered the letters, and have their signature witnessed by one person:

“I hereby certify that on (Day, date and time period) I delivered a copy of the attached letter to each and every Resident listed on this Rent Roll.”

For time period, put the range of time during which the letters were delivered: “Thursday, January 24, 2012, between 3:00 PM and 5:15 PM”.

It is imperative that every apartment receive a copy of the letter no later than 30 days prior to the first day of the month in which you intend to reinstate the collection policy contained in your lease..

January 24, 2012

Dear Resident,

The successful operation of our community depends a great deal on our ability to secure professional services and quality materials, and pay for them in a timely manner. Just as you depend on your paycheck to meet your financial obligations, so do we depend on your timely rental payments, to ensure uninterrupted services to maintain and enhance your rental home.  Given our commitment to providing our Residents with a comfortable and well-maintained apartment home, we are sending you this reminder letter regarding the timely payment of rent.

First of all, let me thank all of you who have consistently paid your rent in accordance with the terms of your lease. I hate to bother you with this letter, but not all of our Residents treat their rental payment obligation in the manner that most of you do.

The lease that every Resident signed specifically states that the monthly rent is due on or before the first day of the month. This means that the rent is late on the second! The lease further provides a “grace period” of five days before a late charge is assessed. The lease is a legally binding contract, and we have never waived this provision, although it may not have been enforced “to the letter” in the past.

This letter will serve as our thirty (30) day notice that, effective March 1, 2012, we will expect ALL Residents to abide strictly by the rental payment requirements stated in their lease.  We will not be sending any late notices or reminders to any Resident whose rent has not been received by the 5th of the month. Anyone whose rent is not paid as of the morning of the 6th of the month will receive an Eviction Notice, and anyone whose rent is not received, along with the late charge, by the expiration of the Eviction Notice will be referred to our attorney for eviction. Any rents paid after the 5th of the month must be paid by Certified Check or Money Order; no personal checks will be accepted after the 5th.

Again, I apologize to each of you who has consistently paid your rent early or on time in the past; this letter is not directed to you, and I appreciate your sense of responsibility regarding your financial obligations. I must, however, notify each and every Resident to make certain that our continuing enforcement of this lease provision is known to all Residents. Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

(Name of the Manager)

Property Manager

...IF you must.

Here’s a surprise…an article from me on how to offer concessions! You don’t see that very often, and most of you know why. As a long-time opponent, I’m convinced that they make absolutely no sense. In a battle of concessions, communities are essentially competing to see who can give away the most free rent. How counterproductive is that!? It only serves to weaken the market for everyone and devalue our properties at the same time.

So by now you’re probably asking yourself why I’m writing a how-to article on concessions. The answer is that for many of you, they are a necessary evil. If you are in one of those intensely concession-driven markets, you may have no choice but to concede, just to keep your head above water. And if you have to concede, then it’s best to choose your concessions wisely—to make sure they do the most good for your occupancy and the least damage to your bottom line.

Unbreakable Rules for Offering Concessions

The most important thing to remember when offering a concession is…drum roll please…be strategic. Only offer concessions on the apartments  that really needs one to lease—that is, those with high vacancy or notices to vacate. It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at the number of managers who offer automatic, across-the-board concessions, even on apartment types that are easier to lease. Don’t make that mistake. It’s bad enough that you have to give away any freebies—but giving them away when you don’t have to is really a waste!

The second unbreakable rule of concessions is not to give something for nothing. Make residents “earn” their concessions by attaching conditions that is favorable to you. For example, if you are giving away a free month’s rent; extend the lease term by a month. Set signing and move-in deadlines that residents must meet to receive the special (to improve your numbers quickly). And, as extra protection, have them sign a “concession addendum,” stating that they agree to pay back any concessions given to them if they break their lease.

Types of Concessions

When it comes to concessions, you have many options. You can offer free rent, apartment upgrades, gifts, services…the list goes on. While offering apartment upgrades is undoubtedly the best choice for the long-term value of the property, it is not always the most effective. In fact, most of the communities surveyed for this article seemed to agree that money talks louder than new carpet or ceiling fans.

Free Rent

Even if you opt for this easy, direct route, you must still make some important decisions—like how much to offer and when residents get it. Below are some options.

• Go with the classic “______ Month’s Free Rent.” Usually, the amount of free rent is tied to the length of the lease signed (i.e., 1/2  month free on a six-month lease; 1 month free on a 12-month lease). For it to be most effective, at least part of this free rent will need to come at the front of the lease. Several of the communities we surveyed noted that offering a “last month’s free rent” promotion didn’t work.

• Offer whatever the other guys are offering. Run a “we’ll match our competitors’ specials” offer.

• Take a flat amount off the term of the lease. One property came up with the clever idea of offering “$2,010 off in 2010.” (How you actually dole out the savings can vary—see the following bullet points!)

• Reduce rental rates. Instead of giving a month or two away up front, some properties spread the “free” sum across the term of the lease. For example, instead of giving away two months at $600 on a 12-month lease, you could reduce the monthly rate by $100.

• Prorate the free rent. Offer a 15/10 discount, in which residents receive 15% off the rent for the first three months, then 10% off for the next three months. They pay the full rental amount for the remaining six months of the lease.

• Provide a coupon or voucher book, with each page worth a set amount. Residents can use the coupons or vouchers as they want throughout their lease term.

Gifts Galore

Not all concessions take the form of free rent. Some apartment communities opt instead to give away gifts. This can be a more economical approach than free rent. For one thing, you may be able to get by with offering a gift that slightly is less valuable than free rent. Don’t count on saving much money with this ploy, however. Future residents are going to be savvy enough to recognize that the free toaster at your property does not equal the month’s free rent at the place down the street! You’re better off looking for a gift that retails at approximately the same amount as the free rent you would otherwise be offering, then negotiating like crazy to get a volume discount. You might even want to work with one of your existing vendors, who already gets a fair amount of business from you.

The kinds of giveaways you can offer are limited only by your imagination—and your budget, of course! Below are some ideas that have been used by other properties:

• Gas cards
• Microwaves
• Paid moving expenses  (up to a set dollar limit)
• DVDs
• HDTV
• i-Pad  or anything "i"
• Pre-paid debit card
• Computers
• Washers/dryers
• Gas grills
• Free weekend trips
• 1-year membership to a local health club
• Service vouchers that can be used with a network of participating vendors, such as maid service, dry-cleaners, pet grooming, etc.
• Tickets/gift certificates for professional sporting events, cultural events, museums, parks, spas, restaurants, stores, etc. (One property offered $500 worth of these tickets, but allowed the resident to choose among the various types of events)

On-Property Extras

If you are looking for things to give away, you may not have to look very far. Many communities offer fee-based amenities and/or services that would make excellent concessions. Consider the following:

• Free garage or carport for a year
• No pet rent for a year
• Refunded application fee (usually used in conjunction with another concession)
• Reduced security deposit
• Free additional storage for a year
• Free heating during the winter months
• Free cable for a set number of months
• Free washer and dryer for a year
• One room furnished free for a year
• A pre-set amount of free washer and dryer use, for properties with shared laundry facilities rather than washer/dryer hookups (This works especially well if your laundry facility uses smart cards rather than quarters)
• Apartment upgrades—carpet replacement, crown molding, a new appliance, extra phone line, etc.

Mix-n-Match

There’s no rule that says you have to pick just one type of concession. You can put together “packages” that best suit your property and your market.  For example, you might offer $25 off the monthly rent plus a gift certificate to a local theme park. Or two weeks’ free rent plus new countertops in the kitchen. You might also offer a menu of concessions that residents can choose from. For example, with a 13-month lease, residents might get to choose one free month’s rent OR a free weekend trip OR $500 worth of services. With a six-month lease, they could choose from a $100 rent discount OR three months’ membership at a local gym OR free garage parking for three months.

What about Renewals?

We all know that it’s much less expensive to keep an existing resident than to find a new one and turn an apartment. It seems only sensible, then, that we’d offer our renewing residents at least as good a deal as we offer everyone else. Even so, the views on offering renewal concessions are mixed. Several of the communities I surveyed said they didn’t offer any concessions for renewals. Several others did offer concessions, but they were typically less than what was offered to new residents (for example, renewing residents might get $50 to $150 off their first month’s rent, complimentary carpet cleaning, or a night out on the town).

A couple of properties said that while they did not offer concessions to their renewals, if residents were aware of and asked for a current move-in special, they would give it to them rather than lose them. Only a few properties actually offered their residents concessions that were comparable to those offered for new leases—ranging from a free month to $500 off the first month to a $500 gift certificate.

Not to belabor a point…but in a soft market, it is more important than ever to close the back door. Before you make any decisions about concessions, be sure you look carefully at where your money will do the most good. If, by spending a little more on existing residents, you can win the renewal battle, you may not have to invest so much in the concession war—where there are no true winners.