I feel like most of the communities I have ever managed
equate to the new “Curvy Barbie” that was unveiled this week – the doll I can picture
being opened on my niece’s next birthday with an expression of horror and
disappointment. That doesn’t mean they are not well kept, that the floor plans
aren’t spacious (because we all know the older the suburban property, the more
likely it is to be spacious) and the grounds aren’t lovely. The question is,
how do you mitigate your property’s perceived shortcomings?
Every Leasing Consultant has toured at least one
Prospect who walks into the vacant or model unit and stops short in his tracks,
turns around without saying a word, and does everything other than sprint back
to his car. The first time this happened to me was on my first conventional property
but the couple was super polite and said as they shook my hand, “This looks
just like our first apartment we rented when we were first married and had
nothing but love to get us through the day.”
Well, alrighty then!
So the challenge is on as all the new product comes
on the rental scene to turn our “Curvey Barbie” properties into perhaps the
next best thing to the brand new one …. What is your plan?
