Asking renters to leave you a review may seem a little needy, especially if you’re new to the online endorsement game. But consider these reported stats about consumer behavior:

• 92 percent of consumers read online reviews .
• 40 percent formed an opinion after reading between one and three reviews.
• 68 percent trust local businesses more when they have positive reviews. 

The numbers speak for themselves. These days, increasing your community’s reviews is critical to connecting with would-be renters. If another tenant vouches for an apartment company (even if it’s a stranger), her peers are more likely to sign a lease.

Now comes the trickier part: the ask. While there are certain tactics you should avoid when soliciting a review, a successful request requires being proactive and identifying the right time. Check it out:

DO’S

Ask in person

The online review actually begins in person. Think about it. Tenants are more likely to write something about your community if they have a relationship with it. That’s why it’s important for your on-site team to maintain face-to-face interaction. Simply saying ‘hello’ or checking in occasionally can go a long way to leaving a positive impression.

Once you’ve established a reputation for being personable and providing excellent service, you’ll likely get a compliment, or at least a sincere “thanks.” This is your moment; you’ve officially “earned” the ask. Explain that you value feedback, and ask if the renter would mind posting hers online.

Automate your request

If remembering to ask for reviews proves to be a struggle, you can always automate the process. Just add a short request in your email signature (with a link to your preferred review site). It’s a less personable method and may not yield as big of a return as an in-person request, but it can work as a great reminder for, say, a renter who meant to do it but forgot.

There’s just one important caveat. With an automated request, you risk sounding tone deaf. For example, if you’re emailing a renter about a dispute or grievance, asking for a review may come off as insensitive—or worse, it could backfire and motivate an already-irritated tenant to rant about you online.

Respond to as many reviews as possible

Responding to reviews is great PR, even if it’s just to say thank you. Here’s why: 1) You acknowledge the time and effort the renter spent on writing about you. 2) It shows leads and people browsing your review page that you care about your tenants.

And if you want to make sure you always keep up with your online reviews, we can help with that. Reputation Scout monitors the web for mentions of your communities. From reviews to social media chatter, you’ll always know what renters are saying about you, and have the tools to strategically respond.

DON’TS

Harass renters

This hopefully goes without saying, but don’t pester your renters for a review. As a general rule, the power of your request diminishes with every subsequent ask. After a while, you will probably start to come off as desperate, which can actually hurt your reputation.

However, if your requests went unanswered, you can “renew” your credibility. If a renter who previously ignored you or forgot about the request compliments your team or community later, this may be an opportunity to ask again without seeming needy.

Be tactless

As we mentioned above, timing is key to asking for a review. Making a request out of the blue may not only come off as awkward, but it also decreases your chance of success. More importantly, always read the situation. If a renter seems upset or angry (even if it’s not related to your community), it’s probably not the best time.

Demand that a renter change a bad review

Bad reviews are tough. They not only personally sting, but they can potentially harm your reputation. However, it’s generally a good idea to respond to them on the review site. Using empathy and non-confrontational language, express your desire to resolve the problem in public so that all visitors to the site can see your excellent customer-service skills in action. (Of course, if a reviewer seems particularly hostile, you may want to message her directly.)

Once the situation has been rectified to the renter’s satisfaction, it’s not inappropriate to ask her to update the original review… but don’t push it. You don’t want your efforts to solve the problem to seem insincere. You can make one request directly, or post a follow-up comment on the review thread.

Companies like AirBnB and Uber seem to create direct competition for the multifamily industry, but there are ways to harness the essence of the sharing economy to bolster your property. While there are some potentially messy issues surrounding the use of AirBnB in a multifamily property, there are other options out there that will allow you to indulge in the sharing economy.

Parking Placement

Whether it’s a resident in your property or someone in the surrounding area, you can utilize any extra parking spots you may have in your parking lot. Companies like Parking Panda have proved that people are on the lookout for a safe and convenient place to park their car. This is an especially great opportunity if you have a residence that is close to attractions or is in a downtown area.

Storage Solutions

One problem many first-time renters face when they move into their new place is downsizing. If you have the space to offer additional storage to renters, this may already be part of your business model, if not, it can help bring in some extra revenue. And it may come as no surprise, but there are now apps that connect people with space to spare with those who own a ton of junk and have an apparent aversion towards traditional public storage spaces. Who wouldn’t want to store their belongings in some random stranger’s garage? What could possibly go wrong?

Bicycle Boarding

If your property has a bike locker or has a few spare bikes hanging around, you can rent out both the space and the bicycles. For those with bicycles, bike theft is a constant fear, so having a place to keep their bicycle would be a relief. You can rent out spaces in your bicycle locker by day, week, or month.

There is a lot of innovation going on in the sharing economy, and it’s important to know when your property may fit in with new trends. However, it’s also a good idea to start with the residents in your building before expanding your share economy business outside your property.

That’s why smaller apartment communities are special. While they may lack the suite of amenities offered by large multifamily corporate housing, they can provide a familiar, more intimate setting for people. After all, not all tenants want to feel like they’re just another renter.

On the other hand, simply having a small multifamily property isn’t enough. You need to create a sense of community if you want quality renters to renew their leases every year.

So how do you turn a perceived limitation into your biggest strength? Read on…

Use the right tech

You don’t have the resources of a big corporate community, so why act like it? Don’t worry about extravagant amenities. As a small property, all you need is technology to make the business of renting easier and family-like.

Whether it’s paying rent online or streamlining the renewal process, remove the cumbersome red tape of submitting a check or filing excessive paperwork—those are the kinds of things you might expect from a large community with bloated infrastructure. Instead, use a reliable platform like On-Site’s Resident Passport so renters can reach you quickly on their phones or with their favorite device.

Host events

Home isn’t just a location; it’s about the people who live there. Residents who know their neighbors are more likely to stick around at renewal time, so create opportunities for them to socialize.

Whether it’s a barbecue in the common area or movie night in your lobby, allow those neighborly relationships to bloom. Does your “family” share common interests? Host “play time” for communities with a large population of children, or happy hour for young professionals.

Once renters become friendly at an event, they’re more likely to socialize on their own and watch out for each other (e.g., collect the mail when a neighbor goes out of town; walk the dog of your friend down the hall when he has to work late).

Be personable

It’s important for leasing teams in any community to be friendly, but the stakes are higher for smaller properties. You have the chance to give more one-on-one attention to your renters, and get to know them. Say hello when you see them in the lobby, or send a message every now and then to each renter and make sure he’s enjoying his rental experience.

If possible, try to hire team members at every level who share your dedication to creating a friendly, family environment. Your leasing agents should be personable, but so should your maintenance and landscaping staff. Encourage them to greet tenants and listen to their concerns. Make renters feel like they’re connected to your community through every interaction with your on-site work force.

Snap-to on maintenance requests

If you want to highlight the family vibe in your community, it’s important that you’re always available to your renters—especially when it comes to maintenance. Nothing makes them feel less supported than a delayed response to an un-plungeable toilet. As a small community, you’re in a unique position to treat tenants’ maintenance needs like they’re your own. You wouldn’t live without hot water for a week before fixing the water heater, would you?

Also, follow up after the job is done. Send an email, make a call or even stop by for some quick facetime and show your concern. Prove that you’re not just interested in patching the problem and moving on. You’re genuinely interested in their well-being.

If you offer renters the kind of prompt service that you’d give to your own family, they’ll be more likely to renew their lease on the home that they love.

Despite the American Dream ranch-style house with a white picket fence that had risen in popularity throughout the second half of the 20^th century, taking on a minimalist lifestyle is not a new concept. Henry David Thoreau wrote about and encouraged what he called “simple living” in his book Walden in 1845, though the trend would not hit its stride until over a century later.

Tiny inhabitance began to grow roots in the 1970’s when tiny houses and capsule hotels appeared in the US and Japan. However, it wasn’t until the housing bubble burst worldwide in the later 2000’s that “simple living” hit its stride through necessity. Tiny houses began to crop up throughout the country and The Capsule Inn in Osaka, Japan, which had once been a unique lodging experience began to have competitors. In 2012 a capsule hotel opened in China, in 2014 there was one in Europe, the following year a capsule hotel was opened in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in the Philippines, and many more have followed ever since.

Tiny Houses

The tiny house phenomenon is something that was long in the making but seemed to become an overnight sensation when the show “Tiny House Nation” began to showcase the movement and the craftsmanship that goes into making tiny houses in 2014. To qualify as a proper tiny house, a property must be 500 square feet or less. These houses are often built on top of trailer platforms and can be (carefully) moved about as the owner sees fit.

There are several reasons people live in—or want to live in—tiny houses: you can own a house while avoiding property taxes, you may want to live simply or nomadically, or you may want a tiny house to be environmentally responsible. According to The Tiny Life website, there are several financial benefits to tiny houses as well; 55% of tiny house people more savings than the average American and 78% of tiny house people own their homes. They are also twice as likely to have a master’s degree. For now, the data seems to be skewed to showcase the tiny house owner as an eccentric intellectual who has discovered the secret to minimalist living. This trend seems to continue when watching shows like Tiny House, Big Living on HGTV; frequently featured on the show are professors, recent grads, and artists.

Despite the backing tiny houses have received, they still come with series of setbacks. Because of their size, banks will not finance tiny houses because it can be tricky to mortgage as well as to legally occupy. To compensate for lack of floor space, tiny houses are usually too tall to be admitted to R.V. parks, and because of their hard edges and building materials, they are difficult to tow. So while there might be a desire among new home buyers for smaller, more affordable houses, tiny house may not be the solution.

Capsule Hotels

Also known as pod hotels, these tiny lodgings were first developed in Japan to fit as many rooms in as small a space as possible. While their original intention was to create cheap overnight accommodation, they have become a tourist experience to some travelers. Because of the micro movement, places like capsule hotels have become destinations for some. There are even guides like this one and this one that showcase the best pods to stop at along your journey.

Capsule hotels are meant to be used for overnight accommodation, but there are guests who will rent out pods by the month for a cheap place to live. In the early 2010’s nearly 30% of guests in some capsule hotels were long-term dwellers. In some cases, long-term guests are even able to register their capsule as their official address. For many, staying in a capsule hotel is the last option available because they have lost their job or cannot afford an apartment. And while building micro apartments could help alleviate the stress of living in hotels, it may not solve the problems with the cost.

Micro Apartments

As though they are the culmination of the two, micro apartments are small living spaces that are gaining popularity in high-density areas. And unlike with tiny houses, micro apartments are not having as much trouble finding funding. In large cities that are faced with housing crisis, building micro apartments seems like best options, but with ever shrinking floor plans (looking at IKEA’s 590, 380, and 240 sq ft floor plans) soon micro apartments will run the risk of barely being larger than capsules.

There is a point where micro can be too small to be inhabitable. The Keret House in Warsaw, Poland is a house that is known as the “narrowest building in the world” and is 122 centimeters at its widest point. The building is so small it serves as a live-in art installation for visiting artists and writers to stay in while visiting the city. While it is described as an “impossible building,” it appears impossible to live in for more than a few months.

While some micro apartments boast the ability to make tiny spaces multi-functional, the spaces have been contested with health risks. While they may be good for young professionals getting a start in their career, the crowding and additional chores added to the day while shuffling multi-use furniture about can have a psychological impact on residents. The essential lack of privacy can prove to be detrimental in children and adults ages 35 and above. Domestic stressors are linked to the major health issues to Americans today. Whether smaller living spaces is a reliable solution for housing crisis is an argument that has gone back and forth since the inception of high-density areas.

Many micro apartments are meant for individual renters, but that is not likely to be the case. In cities where demand outpaces supply as drastically as like New York and Tokyo, it is likely that these small occupancies will house couples or parents and children. Regardless of whether micro apartments are the solution to the demand for affordable multifamily housing, they are coming.

It’s a question that drives property teams crazy. On paper, your community may be the place to live, but reality might tell a different story—which is frustrating. Losing renters is costly, and the process of filling a vacant apartment can be time-consuming.

But before you despair too much over your non-renewed leases, we have some helpful data to share.

Recently, RealPage analyzed more than 2.6 million apartment lease transactions. Specifically, the company studied renewal conversion rates, and discovered some interesting patterns.

Using the results of the study, here are five strategies that can improve your renewal rates.

1. Boost commuter perks

The RealPage analysis found that renter retention was affected by the local job market. In particular, tenants renewed their leases at higher rates in areas with less employment growth. It makes sense—people stay at jobs longer if they don’t have a lot of other options. Therefore, they’re less likely to need to move.

So what can property managers do with this data? While you can’t change the job market, you can make commuting easier. Consider offering a discount on parking, or maybe three months free to renters when they renew their leases. You can also explore deals on public transportation, or even offer bike rentals for commuters.

These tactics can work no matter what the employment rate is in your area. Renters who are content in their jobs will appreciate the added convenience. Meanwhile, tenants in metro areas with robust employment opportunities may be more likely to renew their leases if you make commuting easier.

2. Increase digital benefits for younger renters

Reportedly, areas with younger renters experience the highest turnover. When you’re younger, you may bounce between jobs searching for a good fit, which can cause you to move more. Or, with fewer roots, 20-somethings may want to explore different neighborhoods or cities.

No matter the explanation, the best thing you can do as a property manager hoping to increase renewals is to offer perks that will resonate with this demographic. The Millennial who will stop at nothing to find fast WiFi has become a stereotype, but on the other hand, boosting your digital access can help you appeal to a younger crowd. Whether it’s super-fast Internet, online rental payments or maintenance requests via text message, you’re more likely to keep your Millennial renters around if you offer greater online convenience.

3. Host more community events

Digital perks aren’t the only benefits that will motivate younger renters to renew. See, single Millennials are more likely to socialize and meet people. That’s why you should host more community events.

Have a pool on property? Outdoor parties and poolside barbecues are excellent ways to bring people together. Just make sure you make them ongoing events. Creating a social lifestyle in your community will make it so much more than simply a place to live. Your renters won’t want to leave.

A friendly, social atmosphere can help you with older tenants as well. If you have renters with families, keep your community kid-friendly with games in the lobby, or if it’s feasible, a playground on the property.

4. Top your competition

When’s the last time you analyzed your competition? According to the RealPage study, areas with the highest supply of apartment communities have more renter turnover. So if you run a property in a developing region, it’s a good time to figure out what you can learn from—and how you can beat—the companies around you.

What are their strengths? Where do they falter? Most importantly, what renter needs aren’t being met, and how can you answer them? Focus on what you can add or highlight what’s unique and superior about your property.

Note: this review process is especially important in areas like San Antonio that experience a high rate of turnover. Revisit and refine your competitive analysis often.

5. Make renewals as simple as possible

It’s pretty simple logic. If your goal is to increase renewals, don’t make the process difficult.

Renters shouldn’t have to struggle with finding the right paperwork, filling out confusing forms, or even coming to the management office. Make it convenient by hosting the process online, and providing tenants with forms specific to your property and their unit. An easy renewal may not be the number-one reason renters continue to live in your community, but it certainly will tilt the odds in your favor.

Interested in streamlining the renewal process? Check out our online renewals page, and get a demo to see how they can help you retain renters longer.

What about your coffee pot or your lightbulbs? Not an “Et tu, Brute?” or Benedict Arnold kind of betrayal, but more like a double agent kind of betrayal. It’s not something most people would even worry about. Technophiles strive toward a future of smart homes where everything from lightbulbs to lawnmowers can be controlled by the touchscreen of their phone. And with the announcement of Amazon Key there’s a whole new level of risk. Unquestionably, there are security risks within the Internet of Things (IoT) that can create big problems.

Last year, a bug was reported in the app used to control Belkin’s smart home WeMo products. According to the research by Scott Tengalia and Joe Tanen of Invincea Labs, the bug allowed anyone on the same network to hack the app and gain access to the user’s cellphone.

This would mean that hackers could steal data from another user’s phone ranging from pictures to their exact location. This hole in the system would have given hackers a lot of power once they discovered the holes in the security. Not only did it give them control over the devices, but it also allowed them to disable the owner’s ability to remove malware and update firmware.

There are countless other ways that hackers could cause problems for the owners of IoT devices. An unauthorized user could switch a device on and off at such a fast rate that is creates damage to the device or worse—cause an electrical fire.

The future may be filled with smart homes filled with IoT devices that can communicate not only to your smart home, but to one another. However, there are problems to the system that have yet to be fixed. There are still big questions to be asked, like whether your smart thermometer will still work when the WiFi goes down.

Many IoT devices have several security issues as they are introduced to the market. But as the technology advances, it is likely that security holes will be patched and hackers will have to get even more creative with their craft.

And while there is no evidence that this system flaw was used against users, it may make you think twice about buying an IoT crockpot or coffee maker.

Shoppers are looking online now more than ever to make buying decisions, and this is especially true for pricier purchases and investments—like apartments. People want to ensure they are getting the biggest bang for their buck, and researching online allows them to compare options across a multitude of competitors.

The more detailed information you have available, the more questions you’re able to answer and the less uncertainty renters will feel—making them more likely to engage.

Step up your online presence and attract prospect renters to your community by selling them with visuals. Aerial mapping allows prospects to scroll through and browse available units and its surrounding area in real time.

Users can zoom in or out to get a feel for that unit’s location and click to view floor plans.

Property managers can use mapping as an advertising tool to draw attention to certain perks or specific units. Located next to the ocean or a school? Have a corner unit available with a view or a first-floor unit where the patio opens up next to the pool? Highlight these details on your map and those units are sure to see a spike in interest.

We are lucky to be in an era where information is easily accessible, and so is the ability to distribute it. Creating a virtual world of your apartment community allows prospects who wouldn’t (or couldn’t) normally visit your complex get a chance to experience it. Think about the worker moving states for their job transfer, or the student going to school away from home. Without an interactive map or visuals, they would have to fly out specifically to apartment hunt or commit to something without ever having seen it.

Don’t let your units get lost in the flood of rentals listed online—showcase them instead on your community’s interactive map.

Universal design is a close relation to inclusive design, which aims to create spaces that are more accessible to the elderly and disabled by incorporating barrier-free living spaces. There are seven principals to universal design to help designers create accessible spaces to people of all types of ability. Great examples for homes are smooth entrances without a threshold strip to allow easy accessibility for people with walkers or wheelchairs and light switches with large, flat panels rather than switches that use small toggles. These design changes make no difference to an able person, but can intuitively help the lives of others who might have accessibility problems.

Having universal design elements in your property can be a huge advantage with the incoming masses of baby boomers who will be looking for somewhere they can age in place. When developers input universal design ideas into buildings, they are looking to create spaces that can be used by a wide variety of people for a longer period of time.

Creating designs that will help a wide variety of disabilities can be difficult because barrier-free living is different for each individual.

While there is no perfect design available at the moment, the benefits can be felt by everyone. Research from the Habinteg organization based in London suggests that buildings created with universal design in mind has benefits that reach further than the individual. Barrier-free housing reduces the social isolation of the elderly and those with disabilities as well as improving their economic participation. The organization also suggests that there is a hidden housing market for people who are willing to pay for design that facilitates dignity and self-determination.

If you are looking to make your units more universal design friendly, here are a few additions that can become advertising points:

• Slip-resistant tubs and floor surfaces
• Grab bars in bathrooms
• Bladed faucets
• Lighted doorbell
• Additional bedside electrical outlets
• Audible and visual alarms

Incorporating universal design does not have to include construction work on your property. But by putting a little thought into small changes that will make living easier, you can create a larger market for your property.

Students are your savviest renters.

The so-called Generation Z has grown up in an age where brands strive to be digital, accommodating and transparent. When choosing a place to live, students expect a contemporary experience— and that doesn’t just mean providing them with modern amenities or a sophisticated website.

No, the secret to succeeding with this demographic lies in your application.

Sound far-fetched? Consider this: the application is your make-or-break moment when converting a lead to a lease. It’s imperative then that it depicts you as a contemporary apartment community. With so much riding on it, there’s no room for error.

Five mistakes to avoid with your student-housing application:

1. Using a paper application

This probably goes without saying, but students prefer digital over paper. Using a traditional paper application is an immediate red flag for any student that wants to live in an apartment that feels familiar and welcoming. It identifies you as being out of touch. While it may seem like a minor detail for those of us who grew up using paper for everything, young adults view a paper application as the antiquated exception to the rule.

Plus, digital provides convenience to the application process. For students, it allows them to submit their information quickly and efficiently on their preferred device. Meanwhile, property managers can easily review and process the application.  

2. Not collecting roommate preferences

Moving in with a stranger can be stressful as your roommate may dramatically affect your rental experience. If you’re serious about studying and only socialize occasionally, you don’t want to be paired with another student who parties 24/7. And remember, a good match can benefit you as well. Compatible roommates are more likely to remain in their apartment longer and renew their lease.

As a property manager, you have the power to bring similar personalities together. Ask students to describe their living habits on the application. Are they night owls? Do they invite friends over often? What’s their level of cleanliness on a scale of one to ten? Let your application software compare their answers to those of other applicants, and create a complimentary pair.

3. Failing to offer add-ons

When you’re selling students on your property, you probably want to offer them a baseline for amenities. Whether it’s high-speed WiFi or pool access, you decide what perks come automatically included on move in. But give them the opportunity to upgrade. It’s now common for student housing communities to offer a robust suite of amenities, so students will likely expect options.  

Your digital application should include an add-on section. What extras can you offer to sweeten the deal: Parking? Meal plans? Students can add these to their shopping cart as they go, and purchase them later. Giving them the option to customize their rental experience will reflect well on you. It depicts your community as flexible and accommodating of each renter’s needs.

4. Dragging out the application process

More than half of rental decisions in student housing happen within one to two weeks of classes starting. That’s fast. When it’s “go time” on an apartment, students aren’t going to tolerate a long, drawn-out application process. They simply don’t have time to wait for you to review their paperwork, do a background check, and follow up in a week.

It’s important then that you move quickly. That doesn’t mean using your leasing team to pour over every detail (in peak application periods, that may not even be realistic). Instead, let student housing technology save you valuable time. While you work on marketing your property to new leads, the automated application review will check every detail, and determine whether or not the applicant meets all the necessary criteria. In a rush of applications, you may need the speed of technology to keep up.

5. Offering a limited view of units

Applications for student housing have come a long way. These days, students expect a more thorough display when completing an application. That is, they don’t just want to know what units are available. They want to be able to envision themselves living in them. It’s a good idea to offer virtual tours on your website, but you can introduce students to your apartments on the application as well.

Rather than simply listing what’s available, let students shop by floor plan. Show them the layout of a unit to paint a picture of what their life will look like day in and day out. It not only helps them picture the “flow” of an apartment, it gives them a sense of size as well. “800 square feet” doesn’t mean much in a listing. To see how abstract square footage translates to real life, let them see the rooms, so to speak. A unit’s layout may seem one way in theory, but once it’s depicted in a floor plan, the applicant may choose another unit that better suits her.  

Want to up your digital application game? Check out On-Site’s student housing solutions.

To repair this divide, some retirement communities have offered free rent to college students in exchange for volunteer hours where they interact with the residents. The result of this social experiment has shown that the relationships formed have positive effects on both parties. Maybe it’s time to bring some of the lessons from those studies into multifamily.

Currently, many marketing campaigns in multifamily focus their attention on Millennial renters because they are currently the largest demographic looking to rent. However, more than half of all renters are in the generations preceding Millennials (Gen X and baby boomers), which means that although we often forget to market to older generations, they should really be at the forefront of our marketing efforts.

While Millennials like common spaces to interact with other residents, boomers prefer organized social activities. Meanwhile, Gen X is focused on how family-friendly their community is.

The appeal of having a more diversified community goes beyond a wider range of prospective tenants. Studies have proved that the community is healthier when there is interaction between people of different age groups.

In one Cleveland retirement community called Judson Manor, there are five students who live and interact with the 120 residents. It’s set up as an artist-in-residence program for students who qualify for financial need. While the staff at the residence haven’t found concrete connections between bringing in the students and the well-being of the elderly residents, they have noticed that it has impacted the residents in a positive way.

Similar programs in the Netherlands suggest that these experimental housing arrangements have the potential to become a widespread trend. The isolation of older generations can lead to mental decline and high mortality rates. And it’s not only the elderly that become attached to their younger counterparts. Younger residents who interact with the older generation learn to form more meaningful relationships through the program as well.

While such a program is not possible in every multifamily property, the research shows that inter-generational communities have positive effects for everyone involved. By marketing to a broader scope of prospective residents, you can create a well-rounded community that will appeal to both new and old renters and if done correctly, lessen the generational divide among them at the same time.