All in the multi family
Formed in 2003 by Nancy and Jeff Stack, the Cystinosis Research Foundation, is an astonishing story of what is possible when caring and compassionate friends and family respond to a little girl's wish "for...
Why Americans accept wealth inequality: individual choice
People who approve of this distribution in wealth typically argue that the wealthiest Americans have earned their money through hard work and individual effort and that their business practices, spending patterns, and investments ultimately...
Meeting mania
That's because nearly all meetings succumb to a few pet peeves-those annoying happenings that derail the meeting's purpose, waste time, and cause frustration. While any meeting can become derailed, it's the process-oriented, information sharing meetings...
Landlords rule
"We are riding a monster wave that has a long way to go before getting to shore," said Camden Property Trust CEO Ric Campo in his introduction to the apartment REIT's Q1 2012 conference...
It’s good to be king
I sometimes wonder if landlords aren't single-handedly holding this economy together. And after reading Peggy Shaw's cover story, "Landlords Rule," I would almost bet the farm that we do. Except that the farm isn't worth...
Dog DNA service helps apartments catch poop perps
"It's kind of like the 'CSI' of dog ownership," said Trongard, marketing director of the company that manages Rosedale Estates North, a 180-unit apartment community in Roseville, Minn. Most are familiar with DNA testing from...
Lessons of time
Metro Realty announced changes to the plans during a public hearing on the project in May, but they didn't appear to satisfy many who came to oppose the project. A petition signed by 1,343 people...
Spycatcher: An ex-FBI agent on deception, espionage, interrogation, and reading people
Perhaps she learned it from her mother or perhaps from her classical training in ballet, but she instinctively read my body language and used that to communicate back to me. There hasn't been a...
Smokers face rental hurdles
One category, however, turned up very lean results: apartments that advertised they allowed smoking with an enthusiastic "welcome" or even a tepid "O.K." In all five boroughs, there were only four. "If you're looking for a...
The case for green rentals
Located in the city of Rome, this new, energy-efficient, 10-unit public housing project is expected to earn LEED for Homes certification at the Silver level—a first for a project of this type in Georgia—as...
Are you a closer?
Dominance is gaining the willing obedience of the customer. The customer listens to your opinions and advice, internalizes your recommendations, agrees, and when you close the sales call, follows your course of action. Your...
The American Dream loses its luster
In fact, the percentage of departing renters opting for homeownership also reached some historic lows in Q4 2011 and multifamily REITS like Camden Property Trust are reaping the rewards. "We continue to benefit from incredibly...
Days of change
From rent control to principal forbearance to mounting regulation to healthcare, our world is evolving at a rapid clip. It is the best of times. It is the worst of times. If you are underemployed,...
Squatters training
In March, board member Andres Perez held a teach-in on how to wrest "control" of vacant apartments. He called it "homesteading." "The best time to enter a building is in the late hours," he advised...
Rentals to the rescue
The shift away from ownership housing is being repeated across the country, said Douglas M. Bibby, president of the National Multi Housing Council. "In 2008 everything started falling apart," he said. "In the two previous...
