Life as a Prospect

Expectations. Professionalism. Client centered. All of these words are important to someone currently focusing on finding, securing, and starting employment with a new company. All words I want to attribute to a new company with whom I want to forge a new relationship, not unlike being single looking for love. Maybe there is no difference. Certainly there are many similarities.

The past two weeks have found me traveling all over the country for various interviewing opportunities. Each company has varied in its approach to interviewing, its level of professionalism, in the amount of attention given to me, the hopeful, though decidedly wary of the process prospect. It is so important that I do not make a mistake in this process. After all, I want this relationship to LAST. It has occurred to me, on more than one occasion, I am representative of the apartment hunter – surely they, too, are wary of the process of walking into our Leasing Offices, of meeting with a leasing agent, hopeful of locating the perfect home where they can set up a place to LIVE, not just exist.

I know one thing. The next time I stand up to greet someone who walks through the Leasing Office door, I truly will understand their trepidation, their fear of the unknown, their questioning of whether or not I care about them and their needs and wants. I am also looking for a new place to live, so by virtue of being in the same place they are, I do understand. I can commiserate. I can empathize! This will make me a better Manager. I think it will also make me a better person.

No longer will I settle. This is not the time in life to settle for “just enough.” It is the time to seek the challenge and to figure it out. It’s time to put into practice, again, the tried and true and also the unique approach to issues. Now that I have found The Company and will soon decide on a Home, I am ready for 2013: all the pieces will soon fall into place and my picture will be complete. I cannot wait to get started.

Everything Teaches Us Something We Need to Know

When I turn off the lights at 6:00 tonight, it will be the last time I do so under the name of Freestone, so today is a bittersweet day for me. It’s a great day for the Owner! Doesn’t matter how you get your profits, it only matters that you do. And I understand that. What is a little more difficult to understand is an Owner who does not come in person to say, “Good bye.” Maybe that is normal … to have no definitive closure, no formal way to bid someone a fond farewell. I have never experienced it this way, to be sure.

As I look out the window at this gray, windy day that is neither warm nor cold, I think the somber mood is reflected in the little puddles of rain collected in an indentation on the ground. But inside, I feel not sad, but hopeful. I am really more of an optimist than a pessimist. (When I was twelve I could be a Debbie Downer extraordinaire, but nowadays, I choose to look up, rather than down!) It’s much more fun to see the bright side of things (when you can) than to dwell on the negative.

I believe that every experience I have had is leading me somewhere. In just two short years, I have the opportunity to learn so many incredible things. Just think. If this happened (my company selling off all "our" properties) when I was just starting out (and to see "your" company come to an end) I would have given up, thrown in the towel, said I could not do that again. After all, it is not often you find a great mentor who teaches you the business as mine has, or one who allows you to run with your marketing ideas full force, one who says, “Make us a website! Hook us up on Facebook! Create brochures - do it. Do it all! Supervise this construction project! I don't need to handle that; you can do it." You can do it. Magical words! It is rare to find someone who criticizes in a kind and gentle way and lets you make a mistake or two and then allows you to fix it. I have the utmost respect for this person.

After eight plus years, this is the hardest part about moving on; it’s leaving behind people you care about and admire. I know this isn’t the end of my relationship with my boss (hey, I know he will be there if I want to bounce an idea around, even at eleven at night and there’s always email) but it is the end of our day-to-day working relationship (for now.) I wonder if he will feel the effects of his own “Empty Nest,” but perhaps this is good preparation for him for when his oldest leaves for college next year. It just goes to show you, for everyone, everything that happens prepares us for the next step, the next adventure, next job, the next radical, awful, wonderful or special event that will happen. Personally, I am looking forward to seeing what new is being planned for me in life!

Change

While death and taxes may be the only two Sure Things in life, there is another and most people do not look forward to it, not at all. And that Third Thing is called change. I know everyone says change is scary, and it can be, but it can also be a reason to try something new. Really, I think the reason why it takes people time to embrace change is simply due to fear and the fact that they may not have chosen to change in the first place.

Change is emotional. It stirs up longing. With reflection, it can also stir up courage.

Okay World, hear me roar! (I always did like the Lion in The Wizard of Oz....)

A Note Of Thanks From a Resident

When I was going through my divorce and hard financial times, for two summers between the start and finish of the new school years, I took summer jobs working as a teacher in a childcare facilities. One year I worked with the Two-Year Olds (my favorite!!!) and one year with special needs Four-Year Olds (very challenging and rewarding.)

At nap time, I would write notes to each of the children’s parents telling them all about how their child’s day had been. I would write things like, “Micah enjoyed the story we read at Story Time so much! I suggest you take Micah to the library and check out these books.” Then I would list some books to be read together. Or, I might write a note about Elizabeth "seems very interested in learning to tie her shoes. We practiced this morning together – she was so interested in learning that she chose this activity instead of playing in the Housekeeping Corner! Her fine motor skills are well ahead of her age level.” Sometimes I would have to say that Benjamin had had some sadness that morning so I helped him work through his aggression by letting him play at the Water Table for an extended period because the water play seemed to lessen some of his stress. Pretty soon he was happy with his whole underwater sea adventure. Maybe he was a bit tired? He went to sleep right away!”

These notes apparently were much different from what other teachers wrote. Theirs usually consisted of “We played, had snack, lunch, no potty accidents.” My parents loved the notes and told me they kept them in their children’s Baby Books and oftentimes thanked me for writing so many details of their children’s days.

When I fell into property management, I continued to write little notes to Residents. Generally these were little notes of cheer if I knew someone wasn’t feeling well, or notes of condolence if someone’s loved one or pet died, or even thank you notes for planting flowers in the community’s empty container (admittedly it takes me a while to get to all the containers in the community!) Since the news has now broken through the veil of silence about the impending property sale, Residents have started to come in to ask me if I am staying or going. One wrote me a particularly touching note that in part, I will share:

 The note reads: “You’ve created a community of care and consideration, of respect for residents, a place (especially your longer-stay residents like me) are happy to call home. If the new owners or managers let you go, they’re crazy and losing one of the best things about living here.”

I know though that all the time spent writing those little notes do make a difference in our Residents’ lives. We touch lives every day. No one may tell you this, but it doesn’t make it any less true. My entire goal as a Manager and the one aspect of community management I hope to instill in others is training the teams I work with to think of each Resident as a vital part of the community. Sometimes all it takes is a smile or the special little note slipped into the door jamb to make our Residents feel appreciated. After all, we ALL need to feel appreciated every once in a while. And I am grateful of this little note I received!

The Final Days of the Property Sale

A little piece of my marketing soul died this week. Remember when you had your first real boyfriend (or girlfriend) and you broke up, well, because this was your first relationship and as relationships go, the first one usually doesn’t make it to your high school days. Anyway, here we are in the final days of the impending sale and the Owner calls me and says matter-of-factly, “Stop.” What he meant was, don't lease any more. And I was heartbroken - as if we had just broken up.

Do you know how difficult that directive is for me to follow? It goes totally against all the grains of my Pre-Leasing Strategy. The Business Manager side of me understands because I know at this stage of the game, there will be final prorates done, etc. and it all washes out for him at the end of rainbow. But for anyone who calls me needing to find a home, I am left in utter limbo. So, now I have become YOUR best leasing link as I am assisting people in finding homes with YOUR communities … and you don’t even know it. But I cannot in good conscience just ignore those who are trying to move before the holidays, and trust me, there are still quite a few that do.  

Working With the Senior Resident

My daughter told me the other day that I should manage a senior community. She said matter-of-factly that after all, I was the “Old People Whisperer.” I am not sure the elderly population would feel flattered by that attribute, but I laughed anyway. In fact, her assessment could possibly be quite accurate.

When did that happen? I can remember being bored by people over the age of thirty!

Looking back though, I can tell you it happened the day I became a Manager of a property that had been marketed as a Senior Community. It wasn’t legally classified as a Senior Property, but because the Manager and Leasing Consultants said it was, no one much under the age of fifty went there after they called since that was what they were told. Hello? Fair Housing?

When I came on board, and was moved into the role of manager there, I was forced into learning how to deal with the older population. It turns out I have a knack for it. I seem to have infinite patience with seniors and I always make time for them. It is such a pleasure to talk to someone who has experienced so much change in his lifetime! The older men flirt shamelessly and the older women sometimes just need a hug. Sometimes, they all just need to know someone cares – they are so lonely.

How much trouble is it to stop by to check in on someone who is lonely and would never confide that to you? Does it really take that much time to fix a cup of tea for someone and sit for a moment? I love to do this. But my daughter is right; I have noticed that many people in our Leasing Offices look with disdain on a slow-moving person who is coming in to report a work order request. They never stop to think that they come in because they want some human interaction. And if the older resident complains, it may be because they want some attention! Give it to them, please. They appreciate your kindness more than you can ever know. In fact, I guess just about everyone does.  

Here are some things to do for your Senior Residents:

1. Subscribe to the newspaper. Subscriptions are expensive these days and this may bring more of your Residents into your clubhouse.

2. Serve coffee or tea in your clubhouse.

3. Make sure your dumpsters have side openings. Many Seniors cannot open those large lids on dumpsters.

4. Allow pets! Pets help banish loneliness for all our Residents, let alone "shut-ins."

5. Print your brochures, flyers and party invitations in a BIG FONT - easier for seniors to read.

6. Hold Resident Events earlier in the evening. Many do not like walking home in the dark.

7. Hold card parties! Bridge games are still popular.

8. Allow gardening and patio containers so Residents can have flowers in their outdoor areas.

9. Make sure your Groundsperson salts by outdoor mailboxes! Getting the mail is an important activity for many senior residents. Mitigate the danger of them slipping on the ice.

10. Teach them how to access the internet if they don't know how. Have a continuing ed class just for them.

Are there other things our property managers can do? Please share your ideas!

Sales Tip When Your Property Is For Sale

When your property is for sale, every person who walks through your Leasing Office door is not a real Prospect. Though you know you should behave as if they are, it is sometimes a difficult task. I won’t say I always know a True Prospect when he enters, but … Generally what happens during the pre-contract stage, is every potential buyer – even before they come to tour your community – sends a Shopper or has someone call you to test the phone skills of whoever answers the telephone. For Leasing Team members, there is no additional stress in this. However, the telephone call could determine a potential job offer if the Shopper turns out to be the new Buyer and thus, Owner. Managers, on the other hand, generally do not answer these phone calls. I am a Manager, but I also answer the phone.

Have I told you lately that for me, answering the telephone is a learned skill? 

Last Friday I answered the phone and a gentleman began asking questions about accepting a short term lease proposal. At this time of the year, that is really all I want to accept! (But I did not say that.) I set up an appointment for him and his wife to come and tour one of the townhouses to see if that would meet their needs. Now, there wasn’t anything special about the conversation but I always have a nagging doubt these days if the person is “for real” or not.

Let me say this. There is nothing in the world more paranoia-producing than when your property is for sale. People will call all day long asking every market survey question you can imagine. They will ask you every Fair Housing question, including, “Do you take people of color there?” What????? People of color? The last time someone asked me that (three weeks ago), I said, “Sure, I will take blue people, green people, yellow people. What color are you referring to specifically?”

The couple arrived in the morning instead of our agreed upon afternoon appointment time, but that was fine with me. We sat and talked for a long while about their decision to move and downsize and all the other probing questions. Very well mannered, very nicely dressed, this retired couple was engaging and I began thinking I did not think they were game playing at all.

We toured the available townhouse and came back to Office to discuss the terms of a leasing contract. As they walked to the door to leave, the wife turned to her husband and told him to fill out all the paperwork and write a check because she was happy with everything and saw no reason to look anywhere else.

She was shaking her head, “Oh, this is going to be so nice! I am not interested in going anywhere else!” she said. Her husband held her elbow and he escorted her through the open door. He turned to say over his shoulder, “We want to move into our home before the holidays!”

I nodded and told him I would make it happen. It would be my pleasure. Sales tip: not every one is a Shopper and you cannot always know by talking to them over the phone.

Interviewing Is Not Fun!

“We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing while others judge us by what we have already done.” ~ H. W. Longfellow

A couple of weeks ago I was interviewing over the telephone with an Asset Manager I had never met before. He asked me how I would know I was successful in my role as an Assistant Regional Manager. Honestly, the first thought that popped in my head was, “When you keep adding to my portfolio, then I will know I am successful.” But I didn’t say that.

I answered with what I thought was a politically correct response regarding being diligent about checking all the statistics and reports in Yardi (the company’s accounting software program) and knowing that when all the properties were hitting their numbers, when I could see we were making a profit and vacancies were filling, then I would presume I and my team were becoming successful. What I also wanted to add was, “I guess if no one is quitting on me and running screaming out the door, including me, I would think I was being successful.” Of course, I chickened out and didn’t say that either.

There are so many things I feel capable of doing. There are so many jobs I am doing NOW but I don’t have the title to back it up that I wonder how I can catch a break in this job market. Hahaha! As a Manager and a Consultant, I see a lot of what doesn’t work in the multifamily industry, but the truth is, the most important asset a community and company can have is its people. Who would you rather have on your team: someone you believe in because of attitude, skills, and that “gut feeling” that they would give you their 1000% or someone who looks good on paper but may not necessarily have that same personality, drive and attitude of someone who is “hungry” and willing to do what it takes to succeed?

I probably should have just said what I felt instead of what I thought he wanted to hear because clearly he was not impressed with my answers. Live and learn.   

Time To Start Believing In Yourself

When I was living in Grand Rapids, Michigan I was like a lot of young mothers whose friends were the other mothers of our children’s classmates we met and bonded with at PTA meetings, field trips and room mother assignments. Chances are you may still be in touch with these other kindred spirits. One of these mothers who became one of my most cherished friends was named Louise. She and her husband were raising three children, two of which were the same ages as my two.

Louise, at that time, was studying to be a teacher and had just gotten through her student teaching phase when I moved – again. Over the next few months of my settling in to a new town, getting my oldest situated in a new school, decorating a new house – you know – life, Louise was hired for her first teaching assignment: Fifth Grade at an inner city school. Like most first year teachers everything was stressful. Her class contained students who wanted to be anywhere than there in a classroom; her principal was obnoxious and hard to deal with and expected more than any one person could deliver. After a few months, Louise noticed that on her drive in to school, her stomach was hurting. Soon she would become nauseated and would vomit each morning, even before the drive.

Ever helpful, I offered, “Maybe you’re pregnant?”

No, that wasn’t it. She went to her doctor and he diagnosed stress as the culprit. I shook my head while we were talking on the phone. “I don’t know, Louise. You’ve never been like that before and having three kids can be pretty stressful!”

Long story short, Louise agreed. She kept going back to her doctor and finally, after the umpteenth visit, he ran some basic tests. She had a CT scan and it revealed a huge tumor in her abdomen. It was cancer. She began treatments. Her persistence in her belief that it was not all in her head, as some had told her, led to the diagnosis and eventual treatment that saved her life.

I kind of marveled at her tenacity! If it had been me, I am sure at that time in my life, I would have discounted that little voice telling me something really was wrong. But Louise did not ignore it. She pursued it. It makes me wonder, still, do we feel confident in our beliefs? Do we ride that tide of belief in our decision-making processes? How easily do we throw in the towel and surrender?

I have tried to embrace Louise’s level of self assuredness in my profession. I want to project a confidence that comes with knowing and believing in what I am doing. After all, if I don’t believe in my community and all it has to offer its Residents, how can I convey to them my joy that this is the place to call home? I know this starts with me and my ability to communicate my love for this community as home. It always starts with one and that one is me.

Know a Veteran? Say, Thank You!

My son made his decision to join the military in high school. In fact, he was not legally able to sign the enlistment papers because he was underage. I did not know that he had made his mind up until he casually announced he was joining. I saw the serious expression on his face and swallowed hard.

“What branch are you signing up with?” I asked.

“I think the Army. I’ve been meeting with the recruiters at lunch at school.” I asked him if he was sure if the Army was right for him. He wanted to know what I thought. So, again, I paused and swallowed.

“Well, if you’re going to enlist, why not enlist with the Marines?”

A couple of days later, Thomas Sean told me when I walked in from work that someone was coming to see me in a few minutes. “Oh, who?” But I knew. I could tell from my son’s poised, confident expression that I would be signing the paperwork for him to enlist. He was just seventeen and suddenly I was scared. What if my baby gets shipped off to Iraq and gets killed? I could not bear that thought so I pushed it from my consciousness.

I met the Recruiter, signed the paperwork and then spent the next forty-eight hours arguing with my ex-husband over this decision. I finally told him that it was going to happen and he needed to accept it. He said he would not give permission. And, this is what I love about the United States Marine Corps. They simply do not take no for an answer. They sent in three big Marines to my ex’s office in Houston, Texas and placed the paperwork on his desk, handed him a pen and told him to sign. My son’s dream of joining an organization geared to protect came true.

My son did indeed join the bravest men and women of this country. He did indeed get shipped off to war and he could not have been happier. He was doing what he wanted to do, what he was trained to do, and he was confident in his ability to lead his merry band of brothers into combat.

If you know a Veteran, please thank him or her. They make many sacrifices we will never fully understand or appreciate.

She Did, Too! I Did Not! Handling He Said-She Said Disputes

Here’s a new one for you – it was new for me, anyway, so I thought I would share. I had one of our Residents contact the Office to complain that their next door neighbor and she had gotten into some type of dispute. Apparently, the neighbor was allowing her to use their Wifi internet connection free of charge and had provided the password.

After the initial argument, the neighbor changed the name of their Wifi network to a less than complimentary name, something to the effect of “JaniceSucks%$#@”. This meant that when her twelve year daughter logged on later that evening that was what she saw as the new network name.  

When she discovered this, of course she was embarrassed and angry. Instead of confronting the neighbor though, she called both the local police department and the neighbor’s boss. Then once it all blew up out of control, she called me to “make her change her network name.”

I told her that FCC regulations do not permit me to order her to change her network name, number one. Number two, she should stop using the neighbor’s network and get her own service provider. I wanted to say, Grow Up, Too, but I did not think that would be appropriate either. I did contact the neighbor though and ask that she create a less offensive network name. Hummm, do you think changing the network name to "GetaLifeJaniceUB*%$^" is any better?

There Is Hope - VOTE!

It’s hard to have hope after all the devastating events that have occurred in the last four years. This country has been through it all: feasts (if you received a golden parachute), famine (if your factory closed leaving you with questions and no answers), homelessness, drought conditions all across the land (ask any farmer), storms, floods, fires (victims of Hurricane Sandy and the west coast fires), and war (Afghanistan and pulling out of Iraq.) It is difficult to ask Americans to keep the faith, but we must persevere. We must be resilient.

We need to demonstrate our resolve to remain hopeful in our future to our children. When I was teaching, I became the Student Council sponsor in the elementary school where I taught. Since it was an election year, I wanted to be able to demonstrate to all the students how important one vote can be. The school itself was an official voting place so children knew they had to be quiet on Election Day, that the lunch room was to remain as quiet as possible that day while all these adults (many of whom were their parents) could come in and pull the lever. But they really had no clue as to what it all meant.

Our Student Council was made up of two student representatives and an alternate for each fourth, fifth and sixth grade classroom. We would meet at 7:30 AM each Tuesday morning and discuss what service project we could do for the school community. I suggested we hold a mock election the same day as the national election and allow all children to vote for something. Many ideas were batted around and we finally settled on the platform of changing the school colors from Red and Yellow to something else. Several color combinations were suggested and we settled on three options at first and after a Preliminary campaign, the upper grades voted and selected the final possible change of Purple and Blue.

I have to say it was pretty remarkable. Each Student Council Officer was given the assignment of going to all the lower elementary grade classrooms and making a presentation explaining how the voting process worked, what would happen on Election Day, and how this was the student’s chance to make a choice: change the colors or keep the same colors. Each Student Council member was told to make posters supporting a change or keeping the same colors in place. They all gave speeches to their classroom peers as well.

Election Day went smoothly and the students Rocked the Vote! Our mock school election stirred up so much interest within the school community that it spread into the actual city community as well. To say it was the talk of the town was an understatement. I did not expect it to become controversial, but it did! Past students now all grown up and at college wrote letters protesting the possibility of changing their alma mater’s colors. Parents called the school (and me) to ask all kinds of questions, including were we buying new uniforms if the students voted to change the school colors. Even the mayor and City Commissioners called me to ask what was going on and why it was happening.  It was amazing! It really opened the eyes of these children who were learning firsthand that the concerns of people mattered and that their opinions mattered; their votes would count.

It starts with each one of us. As a Property Manager, one way to make sure our Residents understand the importance of voting is to try to make it easy for them to vote. Holding voter registration days and registering your community’s club house as a polling place are two ways to emphasize the importance of voting to our Residents. Providing treats and stickers saying “I VOTED” is a fun little way to support our Residents’ right to choose. I cannot tell you how important it is to me to have the right to make a change or support the status quo. It is up to each one of us to make sure our voices are heard.

Conducting Due Diligence Onsite

Thursday, November 1, 2012, a group of twelve+ people descended upon an office a full twenty minutes before the Office was scheduled to open and before they were expected to arrive. The Manager was fielding a couple of No Heat calls, trying to collect the rent checks that had been dropped into the after hours drop box and the phone was ringing. To say it was a bit hectic was an understatement.

Just a word of advice for all you going about your acquisitions: conducting property Due Diligence tours on the day rent is due is inconsiderate of the onsite team. The extending of hands and the exchanging of business cards of twelve+ people at the same time, all while asking for things like making umpteen copies of this twenty page document is not the best way to introduce yourself to a Manager, Leasing Consultant or Maintenance Tech. Then stating you need keys to the units NOW is also rude and thoughtless.

Treating the onsite team as your personal servants and gophers is not acceptable either.

While I am at it, you should be respectful of the property itself and of the Residents who reside at the property. You should refrain from making the following statements while touring the community:

“Jeez. What kind of person lives here?”

 “Hey, Karl, look at this!” Apparently, looking through someone’s cabinets and commenting on the shelved items is permissible, not to mention making similar comments when opening the bedroom closets to that particular team.

“The stove in this one is newer. They should have updated all the appliances. How do these people live like this?” (The appliances are between 1-15 years old.)

“Wow, this bathroom is dark. We will have to rip out the soffits and install better lighting.” (This would be okay in theory, except that the Resident standing there listening to this remark is left feeling criticized, I am told.)

The following tips would be advisable for these Due Diligence inspection teams.

1. Arrive after the Office is open for the day. This will not make the onsite team feel rushed, as though a plague of locusts has descended upon them.
2. Arrive with donuts for the onsite team.
3. Have one spokesperson introduce himself to the onsite team and explain who will be conducting the Lease Audit and who will be doing the Unit Walks. It is not necessary to try to pass out everyone’s business card.
4. The Management Company should have a representative there on site to answer the Acquisition Team’s questions. Typically the Prospective Buyer and Reps have been provided all the needed documentation prior to the Due Diligence date. Any documents requested, such as a Rent Roll, must come from the Management Company as all information must be warranted as accurate. This cannot be the responsibility of the onsite team.
5. Refrain from making derogatory comments about the team, property and residents in the presence of the current team and residents.
6. Make notes regarding age of appliances, condition of carpet, and apartment interiors. Refrain from commenting about improvements you are considering making. Remember, the Residents usually do not know who you are or why you are in their homes. It may cause undue stress to a Resident to hear someone is buying the property or that there is new ownership coming.
7. Be considerate of those site members who are unlocking and locking doors. Ask instead of demanding immediate attention. They are there to help you and they will help as best they can.
8. Turn off any lights you turn on in someone’s apartment. Remember, you are not paying that Resident’s electric bill. Do not sit on their furniture or use their bathroom.
9. If you are not inviting the onsite team to join you for lunch, or bringing in lunch for them, then it is impolite to discuss your lunch plans in front of them.
10. Remember to thank them for their time and let them know when everyone is leaving the property.

I cannot emphasize enough the amount of stress transitions like this can cause an onsite team. The Due Diligence team should conduct themselves with the utmost care and consideration of the onsite team. Just saying ….

What Is It That You Want? Be Honest!

I can be blunt, if nothing else. Honest to a fault as well sometimes. Maybe that is a bad thing and maybe that is a good thing. Perhaps it depends on the eye of the beholder. Yesterday, I had a couple come in to talk about renting an apartment. They stated they don’t need it until possibly February, one said; March, the other one said. Right off the bat I don’t believe either one of them. They could be the dreaded Shopper.

In any event, I invited them to sit while I finished with a Prospective new Resident filling out an Application and giving me the Deposit. Usually, when others come in to the Leasing Office, as I am assisting someone with the application process, there is added interest on behalf of the new arrivals. They almost immediately feel a certain level of excitement and want to be a part of the energy. Not this couple. They each sat down on opposite sides of the room and took out their phones. Hummm.

The Applicant left and I asked the couple to join me at my table to discuss what was going on with them in their housing search. I asked the usual questions, trying to establish some rapport, trying to gain a sense of their “story.” Everyone has a story.

They seemed to be on guard and then began bad mouthing their current apartment and most especially, their Property Manager. Actually, this didn’t surprise me; this happens quite a bit. They continued a long list of items they didn’t like about their place, the manager, the maintenance team, the flooring, the appliances, the look of the apartment, the feel of the apartment. I finally asked them was there anything they did like and why did they rent there if they hated the apartment. Hadn’t they seen it before they signed the lease?

One of the couple stated it didn’t matter, they move often. In fact, she said, they had moved five times in four years. My brow furrowed. I kind of snarled my lip and leaned forward with my elbows on the table.

“I see,” I said. “Well, let me explain something to you. You may not mind moving so much. That’s your prerogative, but my goal in working with Residents is to find them a home they love. The last thing I want is to have you sign a lease here thinking this is only a temporary place. My whole philosophy is that you choose somewhere that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations. I’m going to show you a couple of styles today and you need to be honest about what you like and what you don’t like.”

One of the couple looked at me with an almost defiant look. So, I called her on it. “Are you upset about what I just said?” I asked. “It’s just that I want my Residents to love being here and if you don’t think you will be happy here then I don’t want you to rent here. I don’t want you to come in to this Office every month to pay your rent and complain because your carpet is not new or the tile is not the color you want or you hate the vaulted ceiling and gas fireplace. When you rent an apartment here, you tell me what you want and I will make it happen BEFORE you move in and you will see what you are getting before you sign your Lease.” I went on to explain that I thought they were choosing too hastily and I was so excited that THIS time, they started early enough to get what they want and what they deserve.

I took them to two different apartment styles so they could experience each floor plan with no pressure. I have seen people who display absolutely no expression when touring (these are usually engineers. Don’t get me wrong; I love engineers – I married one once! – but they can be pretty deadpan in the facial expression department.) But this couple was sulky, unsmiling and domineering in their tones of voice.

When we got to the townhouse though, all of a sudden, they took their gloves off – with one another, not me. It was almost embarrassing how loud and argumentative they were being with one another. But then I got tickled by all their emotion and I started laughing. They stopped and then started smiling and suddenly it was as if we were old friends.

“Well, now, at least I know where you each stand and now I think we can go back to the Office and talk about which apartment home will work for you when you move in 2013.”

Be a Lifelong Learner. It's Free.

I believe with all my heart that we, as human beings, should embrace lifelong learning. I don’t think it matters what we learn, we just need to keep at it. I don’t think we grow if we tuck our heads into our arms and lay our heads on the table after dinner every night. I cannot imagine how anyone could advance in his personal development if he does not seek knowledge from others.

I remember when I was small and struggling to comprehend the fact that the world was not a safe, secure place, the one thing I clung to was my wish to learn to read. Instinctively almost, I knew that once I learned how to read, the magic of the written word would, not to be dramatic, but give me a sense of freedom. Once I did learn to read, I can tell you my books did indeed open up a new quality of life I never knew before. The written word provided hope.

This is why when I found out about a training opportunity being offered by a national multifamily training company, I posted about it on a Linked-In discussion group. Wow, an opportunity to simply let this group know you are interested and would like to learn – all you have to do is post your comment – should be hard to pass up. I know if I were a multifamily professional with limited means to learn how to do a better job, I would take full advantage of this offer! As it is, I take every free webinar and class out there and I pay for others, as well. Education is important to me. (Must be why I used to teach.)

Someone posted a comment asking how much I was being paid to “promote” this offer. Am I naïve? Is that the assumption these days that the only reason someone would share the opportunity is because of personal gain?

No, I am getting zero dollars for posting the link. Nothing expected at all! In fact, I am completely offended that someone is questioning the post. Come on folks! Isn’t this what you would call a true testimonial?

Shadow Market Is Hot This Fall

I spent the last three days taking a look at the private rental market. It’s been a while since I’ve done this and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of what your dollar will get you in the private sector, as compared to the large apartment communities managed by property management companies.

For this adventure, I worked with private landlords who owned their own 4-8 unit buildings and real estate firms that are managing houses that have not sold or are now bank-owned assets. The biggest difference I found was the skimming of basic Fair Housing practices.

At least four building owners asked questions such as, “Got any kids?” or “Married?” Twice, I was offered the unit even though the Owner supposedly had already accepted someone else’s Security Deposit. When I questioned this, saying, incredulously, “Oh, I don’t think I can move next weekend. I need to at least give my current landlord a 30-day notice,” I was told, “Are you sure? The guy that wants this hasn’t called me today and he’s at least 89 years old! You would make a better tenant!”

As tempting as this may be, I declined saying, “Well, if he backs out, please call me.”

It was amazing to me that the private landlords of the small buildings were very accommodating as to allowing modifications to their units. I could paint, install me own appliances if I didn’t like the ones provided, and hang window treatments. One very nice man said he would change out the vinyl and install ceramic tile in the kitchen and bathrooms.

The real estate professionals were not so lenient. They were all about getting a lease signed TODAY. And by the way, you are responsible for all the lawn care and the snow removal. If you have problems, you can call the office but it might take a while before we can get the maintenance crew over there.

“So what happens if the water heater goes out?” I asked.

“Oh, we don’t handle replacement of the water heater. That’s on the tenant. You would have to contact the owner and make arrangements.”

“What? Why would I have to be responsible? It’s a health standard to have hot water,” I said.

“Yeah? Well, of course, you can always replace it and ask the Owner to reimburse you.” he said. (Okay, so maybe this guy is not the real estate professional I would ever choose to work with "in real life" if I was looking to hire someone.)

I will say that almost all provided great curb appeal! There were a couple of small houses in questionable neighborhoods that looked pretty run down. In fact, I didn’t even go inside those. After I completed my showing appointments, fourteen in all, I can tell you that no one can offer the amenities of the apartment communities unless it was a condo community. Nor, could they compete with maintenance issue resolution and the convenience of offering on line work order request submission. And of all these landlords and real estate agents, guess how many followed up with me? One out of three. That was it. The most significant difference I noticed was this: the private sector market is looking to close the deal quickly. Several times, as I was arriving or leaving a Showing appointment, someone else was also there to see the same available unit. This created such a sense of urgency! I admired that and have decided I think booking back-to-back appointments is defintiely a marketing strategy that I will employ going forward with our communities all year instead of only in the spring and summer months.

The best and the worst of the private sector market … One thing was clear, the shadow market is, as I suspected, definitely alive and well and thriving in this area. Obviously this was not a scientific analysis, though I think it is in line with my expectation.

Leaders Have to at Least Show Up!

When was the first time you realized you were more than someone who manages a group, that you could call yourself a leader? For me, that moment occurred in college. I was the Student Government President with no true experience at leading an organization with a true purpose. Oh, sure, I was Club President of any number of supplemental activities in high school but none of those counted where it really mattered, except that they taught me how to lead a meeting, set a goal, gather ideas and come to a consensus, the basics. In high school, though, you have your Teacher Sponsor; you weren’t on your own testing the waters of democracy. The biggest event I ever spearheaded was a Spaghetti Dinner for the Latin Club (yes, I was one of those smart girls who took Latin.)

In college, when I realized that my freshman tuition scholarship was only good for my freshman year, I went panicked to the Dean and asked how I was supposed to get through the rest of my years? He suggested I run for Student Government President as this provided a full ride and it was now too late to apply for any other scholarships. I remember telling my “who couldn’t care less” family I was going to run for election. My much older brothers rolled their eyes and said, “Sure you are. Good luck with that.” THEY knew this would be a stretch for shy, quiet, melt into the walls me. But I did it somehow and this paid for college.

Cut to the chase. Because I was super shy, I never went to high school dances and had no idea how to plan them, book a band, secure a venue, etc. I figured I did not have to know about this kind of stuff since all the rest of the Officers and members all had wonderful social skills and had attended enough dances to last all our lifetimes. They came up with the theme, we discussed the budget, got decorations and booked a band, printed and sold out the tickets and the arrangements fell into place perfectly. Since my boyfriend was working that evening, I didn’t think it would be a big deal to not go.

“You aren’t going?” the members of the Planning Committee asked incredulously. I explained that I was not but I had every confidence that they could pull it off without a hitch. As it turned out, there were a number of problems that night: with the venue, the menu and the band. Without the “person in charge” there representing the face of the College, it was a disaster. No one wanted to take charge. Everyone was upset. Finally somebody gave a couple of directions and approved a change to the menu, but it was stressful and it angered all the Officers.

That Monday we were meeting with the Advisor early in the morning. I was about the last to arrive, and not suspecting there had been any problems came into the room happy and bubbling. In a single instance, the room turned on me and my joy was quickly deflated. I asked what was wrong and several people all started yelling at once that I had let them down and this happened and that happened and no one could have a good time because the Manager at the Country Club where the dance took place was rude, changed the menu and overcharged them. I listened and remained dumbfounded. I could not get it through my head why they were so angry.

Our Advisor looked at me and seeing my confusion said, “Mindy, don’t you understand? You are the President and you were the only one who really had the power to talk to the Manager and you weren’t there. You did not handle things. They were depending on you.”

“And I let you guys down.” It never dawned on me that I was being counted on to fix things, to take charge should a problem occur, to be reliable. I assumed that with their experience any one of the others could handle any problem. Somehow I failed to see that I could not lead them if I was not there. My being present in the moment was important to the success of the organization. Right or wrong, a leader has to at least show up. This was one of the best lessons I ever learned, and it was the first time I took to heart that to be a leader, you need to calmly direct your team through incoming turmoil and get over the pitfalls. To do this, you must be present and engaged.

I was able to go back to the Manager and negotiate the price back to the contracted price, get a refund and I let him know that just because I was eighteen, I was not without the ability to think through the terms of the contract. I also quickly pointed out that he acted in a less than professional way and he needed to apologize to my other Officers. It was a nice touch at our next meeting when I could read a letter of apology to them from that Manager. Yes, leaders must show up and they must follow up as needed. Leaders must put the needs of the team ahead of their pride (and their ignorance) and produce results. Yes, I learned a lot from that position and I am grateful to my team for being patient and giving me the feedback I needed to learn.

Conferences Are a Great Way to Grow Your Career

Can I just say this? Right now, at this very minute, there are several state and national educational conferences occurring in the multifamily industry. In a week or two, there will be another one. This past summer in Boston, there was the National Apartment Association meeting. I wonder if the people who are fortunate enough to attend are happy to do so.

A couple of years or so ago, I attended the Indiana Apartment Association state conference. I enjoyed the entire conference. There was room for improvement, as there is at any conference, but you provide your feedback and I notice that this year so many of the educational topics sound on point and I am so unhappy that I am not there! I also remember there were a number of people who complained the whole time about being mandated to attend. Generally the chief complaint was time spent away from their families, the extra expense of traveling, and the amount of work they would need to tend to once they returned to their properties. I wish they knew how much someone who does not have this opportunity to go wants to go! Without the opportunity to learn, one does not grow. If one cannot grow in his knowledge base, one cannot implement innovative practices and will never see his career blossom. What a waste!

Next year, when the NAA is held in San Diego, I am going, even if I have to pay for it myself.

Hello, Maintenance? I Need Pest Control

When my husband and I first got married, we lived in the 1400 square foot top floor apartment of his ex-girlfriend’s parent’s house. He was living there when we met and after eloping I moved in, too. Never mind that our bedroom was directly over his Ex’s and my husband would end up hushing my sounds of passion but that is a story best left unwritten. Anyway, one night while he was at work (he was a second-shifter) I kept hearing the sound of an animal in the attic. It would run back and forth its scurrying like that scared me. Why was it so frantic? Did it need to get out? Could it get out? How would it get out? I stayed up until Jeff came home and told him about it, but he kind of dismissed my concern.

Well, this went on for a couple more nights, but I told myself there was nothing to worry about and eventually … it might go away? Then after about a week and half, I no longer noticed the sounds so much. Until. Until the evening I was walking from the bedroom to the kitchen, you know, just living the Dream, and I heard gnawing coming from above in the hallway. I was definitely not liking the sound of that. I looked up after about an hour and saw a little hole appearing. Uh, oh. I watched that tiny little hole become bigger by the hour until finally true panic set in and I rushed to the phone and screamed at the Operator to go get my husband, this was an emergency! Usually in factories, employees are only allowed to take emergency phone calls if the person’s house was on fire and there I was screaming that something was eating a hole in the ceiling and I needed him to come home RIGHT NOW! The Operator said she would give him my message.

I promptly ran into the bedroom and closed the door tight.

My husband came home at the usual time and I am locked in the bedroom, sitting on the bed with the covers pulled up to my chin. “Did you see that??? There’s a squirrel up there and he stuck his head out of that hole and looked right at me!!!!!”

Thus began my long torment from all squirrels. I have since discovered them in my fireplace at my house in Indiana – sitting there inside, completely trapped because the screen was tightly closed and they could not escape vertically. I have had them run across the roof many, many times. Apparently the only way to enter the house was through the fireplace.

Their attraction to me is highly established. So, I was not even surprised this past weekend when I discovered a squirrel running around in my townhouse at the community I manage. Turns out, you shouldn’t leave your front door open when you are bringing in your groceries if you also happen to have four large trees right outside your front door. I was amazed that I was so calm. Other than a slight quickening of my pulse, I was really pulled together. I watched poor Henry, as I came to call him, bump repeatedly into the sliding glass door and I could imagine he was just cussing me as he tried to figure out why he could not get to the great Outdoors (because it was obviously there! He could see it.) When I realized he was panicked and I was not, I managed to open the door to the slider but Henry ran underneath the couch. I could see his fuzzy squirrel tail all peaking out. So I tried to open the front door, but then he ran there before I could get there and I inadvertently scared him again. Eventually though he figured out how to go and escaped the torture of the confinement in the Townhouse. Good grief. I hope the next animal that decides to adopt me is a cute dog because a dog is what I have been searching for since mine passed away.

Clearly, Training IS Important!

Has anyone gone furniture shopping lately? My daughter recently moved into an apartment and was excited to shop for a new couch and possibly a dining set, specifically the pub style with four raised chairs. She wanted to accomplish this before the move took place so that her furniture could be ordered and the delivery could coincide with the move in date, or at least close to it.

Now, she had gone with me when I went shopping for my new furniture the year or so prior but I had done most of the footwork by the time I was ready to actually make the purchase. With her, we were starting off together. Now, like most Gen Yers, she had researched on line catalogues and store sites, so she was familiar with what lines each store carried. She just wanted to see the items “in store” before she actually ordered. After all, furniture is not really inexpensive these days.

The first store we went to, we were nonchalantly greeted by a salesperson that did not approach us, which was fine because we really wanted to kind of wander around first anyway. At one point, a saleswoman walked over to us as we were discussing a dining set. I admit, I barely noticed her at first. But then I looked up as she announced to my daughter who explained she really preferred a set located across the store.

“Oh, yeah. Yeah. This set here is kind of cheap. That other one is much nicer. Yeah, I agree.”

This woman was dressed in the shortest, tightest skirt with a low cut blouse and five inch “hooker heels.” She looked as though she had stayed out all night clubbing and had just rolled in on the Walk of Shame carpet that morning. Her voice was raspy (probably a smoker) and her nails were all glittered. Never mind that she looked older than me.

Lauren and I looked at one another. Her language and attitude had piqued my interest. Being in our business – the business of providing homes for our Residents/Customers – giving excellent service is very important.

“Hey,” she added, “Have you ever been to a Big Lots? You can usually find those smaller tables and sets there for pretty cheap.”

I watched my daughter’s face take on an expression I have seen over the years. Uh, oh. She was offended by this salesperson’s implication that since she was young, she couldn’t afford nicer things. Now you have to know and understand that my daughter may have champagne taste on a less expensive wine budget, but quality is important to her and she is patient about comparison shopping and waiting for sales and deals.

“I think we will continue shopping,” I said and looked at Lauren.

Lauren turned to me and asked, “What about me says I even want to buy furniture at a Big Lots?”

Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with a discount store. However, when you are standing in a so-called nice furniture store, WHY on Earth would a salesperson, one, mention a clearly inappropriate store (not even a true comp) and two, risk insulting a customer?

We left that store and went to several others where she ended up selecting a beautiful sofa. She was so happy with her purchase and found a dining set, too, that she is willing to wait to purchase as it is much more than she can afford right now.

Sadly, I noticed that most of the stores hired salespeople who had no training in providing selection service to those walking into their stores. I wonder how many sales they are missing because of that. Plenty, I would say. All these people need is a training program geared to listening to what the customer says and helpfully guiding them to the product. Then they need a basic knowledge of the product! No one could even tell us in half these places what kind of wood a table was made from, plus they had to go to a computer to look up the price! That entire sales force could stand to get some direction from our industry!  

What Holds You Back In Your Life?

The other day one of our service providers stopped in for a Courtesy Call – you know, just checking to see if we needed any collateral marketing materials for the Leasing and Move-In packets. As we usually do, we ended up sitting and chatting about life. Pretty soon, I noticed the conversation take a turn on a much more personal level so I asked him if something was bothering him.

He went on to tell me how sad it is for him these days – still – after a tough break-up with his girlfriend. This kind of life change can devastate even the most stalwart of people. I listened intently. I searched his face (wanted to make sure I had some Kleenex nearby if needed.) All I saw and heard was a sad tale of woe and a man filled with regret. So I asked him if he still talks to his former girlfriend.

“Oh, yeah, we still talk. I still see her; we still get together.”

“Do you try to tell her you’re sorry” (basically for being a jerk and not treating her more like a girlfriend instead of a mother – his words, not mine.)

We discussed a lot of details about the relationship. I looked at him and told him two things. One, he needs to decide what he wants and he needs to forgive his past actions. Then, he needs to let her go. Stop calling her. Stop hearing her say she doesn’t want to get back together right now. Those words, “right now,” are killing your spirit because it encourages you to be hopeful of the wrong thing.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“You are 36-years old. You already said you recognize how you could have been a better partner and not taken her for granted. You just said you want to be married and you want kids and to be a dad, the kind of father you never had.”

He nodded.

“Then go after what you want!” I said. “If you went to her and laid your heart right out there in the palm of her hand and she said this is not what she wants, then let her go. Stop living in the past and stop idealizing this girl. There is someone out there who will want the same things you do, who is ready for that, too, and who will love you as you deserve. But if you sit at home, taking care of a dog you think of as your baby, then you will be exactly where you are now in five years. Then you’ve passed the 40-year mark.”

Let go of the past. We must all do this. Otherwise, how can you remain hopeful and move toward the future? The first step is recognizing where you went wrong, making self corrections, setting a new goal and doing what it takes to get there. This works in our business life, too.

What are you holding onto that is holding you back????

And You Call Yourself "Educated"?

A colleague (President of a property management company!) and I were talking the other day about budgets and reports. He stated he was looking over each Manager’s Business Plan. Since I am not required to submit a formal Business Plan, I was curious.

“That sounds so impressive,” I said.

“Not really,” he replied. “Most of these people couldn’t put together a well written paragraph if their life depended on it. I end up doing it.”

“Kind of defeats the purpose then, doesn’t it?” I asked. “How in-depth is this Business Plan supposed to be?”

“Just a paragraph or two about the property’s goals and objectives for the next fiscal year and how they plan to achieve them,” he said.

“Okay, so what’s so hard about that?”

“For you, not so hard. But you’d be surprised how hard it is for most people to put together a cohesive sentence!”

If you have a manager who cannot write a cohesive sentence, nor articulate a thought in writing, and these people are all college educated, I wonder what college is teaching people these days?

Angry Residents Need Anger Management

While I was on vacation a couple of weeks ago, the on-call Maintenance Tech received a page from one of the Residents. He called the Resident to determine what the problem was (so he could come prepared) and he was told there was a problem with the door sticking preventing him from access to his townhouse.

By the time the Tech got there (within twenty minutes) the Resident had broken the door in and was inside. Apparently, waiting twenty minutes was too much of an inconvenience for the gentleman. I was informed of the incident after seeing the Over Time hours on his timesheet and asked what happened.

I decided not to call the Resident, just sent he and his wife a bill due with his October rent. His wife called me yesterday to explain their “situation.” I listened without saying anything.

“So, you see, we can pay it on Friday. Is that okay?” she finished.

“Let me see if I understand what happened,” I began. “You guys arrived home and couldn’t get the door to open. You called the pager for Greg to come out but you couldn’t wait for the few minutes it took him to get there so you broke down the door because your baby started crying?”

“Yeah. Ryan just couldn’t control himself and got mad because Amelia was crying.”

Would it be appropriate for me to mandate Ryan enroll in Anger Management classes? Seriously? PUH-LEEEEEASE. If something like this coupled with a baby crying annoys him to the point that he takes his frustration out on a door, what will happen the next time something makes him mad and he has no door to hit?

Silver Linings

Can I tell y’all a secret???? Our company implemented a RUBS program a little over a year ago and now all Residents have been absorbed into the program. It actually went well even though there was quite a bit of “push back.” However, because there really is a trusting relationship between the Residents and me, I was able to finesse my way through all the explanations and other pitfalls without offending anyone. That said, the billing company we use to issue the monthly billing has been less than satisfactory, in my humble opinion! They use a system not compatible with my beloved Yardi software and it is just a headache every month. (Gives new meaning to the phrase “time of the month” for me.)

Anyway, I have been praying – yes, it’s true – that something would happen and the billing company would finally only be able to show the actual water charges on the bill instead of the all inclusive bills listing rent and other charges. The reason being that they always get some residents’ amounts WRONG and it drives me crazy. If someone has a credit on their account, they will credit them and then continue to credit them, which means that I have to send the poor Resident a BALANCE DUE notice at some point. Every month, I am always submitting a credit here, a balance due there when I submit the billing file to the billing company. It is frustrating, to say the least. It seems no matter how careful and precise I am in checking the amounts at Approval time, the company simply reverts back to whatever was charged the month prior despite my efforts!

So, guess what happened this month? Yes, it happened! There was a problem and the billing company couldn’t send the all inclusive amount to the Residents. Never mind that the Residents just received their bills in today’s mail … that is a complaint of another sort. Even though it is a pain in my behind, I will tell you it has been super nice to talk to almost every resident this month. Almost all of them have become so accustomed to seeing an amount that they have problems figuring out what they should be paying, so they are stopping by the Office, emailing me or calling me – and I LOVE it! I can easily ask if everything is okay in their apartment homes and they are telling me all their life updates. I do enjoy it. I like knowing what they think and how they are feeling.

Not to mention, now all the accounts will be caught up and straightened out, if only for this month. I don’t know if my asking for a hiccup resulted in this problem or not, but I am grateful nevertheless. J