What’s happening to our residents?
Loneliness among Americans has been growing in recent years, but the policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically exacerbated the problem. A new report by Harvard University researchers finds that 36 percent of...
Why companies should cater to consumers, not causes
Firms leveraging situations and social issues is not new, but showcasing their moral authority despite a disinterested consumer base is. It is not uncommon to hear in any business course that consumers vote with their...
U.S. residents owe $70 billion in back rent
Apartment investments are still an attractive bet, but income pressures are mounting on some properties. Renters have racked up a stunning $70 billion in unpaid rent since the start of the economic crisis cause by...
Deconstructing the gig economy
With control of Congress and the White House, Democrats are making labor policy one of their first priorities. Ironically enough, that’s actually bad news for independent contractors and gig economy workers across the country. The...
Multifamily construction plunges
Dodge Data & Analytics (DD&A) says only three of the top 20 metropolitan areas posted gains for the year as the COVID pandemic weighed down construction starts. It should be of little surprise to learn...
Clean up amenities
The laundry room of an apartment building is a key feature of the property. Maintain the space and equipment well, and residents are more likely to be satisfied not just with the amenity, but...
A great leasing agents’ best tool
Let me first tell you what an AI leasing assistant won’t do for your multifamily property. Contrary to what leasing agents fear most about AI technology or the high hopes of your executive team,...
The call of the great outdoors
The impact of COVID on the multifamily sector may not have been as severe as its effect on the retail or office asset classes, but there are still many ways that those professionals adapted...
Get ready for radical disruption
I define the U.S. multifamily property management industry as the work of caring for the millions of multifamily units valued at $3 trillion and their renters. Over 800,000 people work as employees of the...
In service
When the COVID pandemic hit the U.S., multifamily owners and leadership had to respond rapidly and adjust accordingly in order to protect the health and safety of their residents and employees and maintain operations....
Political rhetoric can influence rent collection
As the owner of a large portfolio of apartments across the country, Ric Campo, chairman of the board and CEO of apartment REIT Camden, has good visibility into where residents are paying rent and...
FHFA extends forbearance
The coronavirus pandemic has hit a lot of homeowners hard. Over the past 10 months, millions of Americans have struggled with income loss and depleted their savings accounts in an effort to stay afloat....
Critical thought: Student housing in a pandemic
College enrollment generally skyrockets in diametric opposition to tumbling GDP, meaning student housing is, in theory, a recession-proof asset class. There have been different factors at play during this pandemic-spawned economic downturn, so is...
Riding the vacancy wave
While vacancy rates have increased this year, they are still well below the long-term average of 5.2 percent to 5.4 percent. National apartment vacancy rates are rising, but a new multifamily report from Moody’s Analytics...
What goes wrong when the government interferes with prices
Prices are a fact of life, and so is complaining about them. You probably prefer lower prices on just about everything, but especially when buying a house or paying for college, and you wish...
