Setting the Tone for Your Spaces

We consistently look at apartment buildings and one constant theme is the poor condition of entryways and communal spaces.

Outside of servicing maintenance requests in a timely fashion, one of the biggest things owners can do to show tenants they're not sardines living in a box is to have incredibly nice common areas.

Common areas and entryways are often the first things people see when entering a building and are a reflection of you as the owner.

You want residents to be proud about their space and feel cared for.

Small things like:

-FF&E (Furniture, Fixture, Equipment): Choosing quality light fixtures, furniture, art, mailboxes, you name it.

People can sense cheap, don't stick a recycled light fixture from a previous project on the ceiling.

Nobody wants to get rained on while grabbing mail- make sure that doesn't happen.

The buildings we target don't have amenities such as pools or workout centers but the same concept applies.

-Cleaning: Having these spaces polished on a scheduled basis- straight forward but make sure that air duct 15 feet up on the ceiling is getting hit.

-Landscaping (you can actually add value to your property here): First, cut lawns and trim trees on a scheduled basis.

Next, get creative if you're able to.

A few well placed shrubs, trees, and (quality) outdoor furnishings can change the entire feel of an outdoor space.

Nobody wants to get splinters from a cheap bench while sitting in direct sunlight.

If they do, you're planting a seed of resentment and probably less likely to get that renewal request many months before the lease expires.

-Security: Straight forward but crucial.

Exterior surveillance cameras, night-time security lights, walkway lighting, etc.

You don't want people walking in the pitch black.

These little things can be a driving force in keeping residents happier and renting from you longer.