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.  

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.”

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  

Residents Are Real Chatty Cathys

This is the kind of situation that must drive Residents crazy and I understand completely because it kind of drives me crazy, too. My daughter moved back into an apartment community where she had lived with a roommate for a short time. She liked the community a lot, not just because they pay for the gas utility and she is always cold, she lives in a cold weather climate and well, you get the picture but also because she feels safe there. She has a couple of co-workers who also live in the same community. One of those took a six month lease and it is up for renewal.

Those of us in Property Management should not kid ourselves. Residents talk. They do talk about how much their rents are and we are only deluding ourselves to think they don’t compare their rent amounts.

She found out that her co-worker’s new rent amount is going DOWN if he renews for another six months. “WTH(eck)?” she asked me. I kind of shrugged my shoulders.

“It’s the time of year,” I guessed. But honestly, it should not be less; at the least, it should remain the same, wouldn’t you think? And this is a big company in Indiana. They are known to NEVER run specials or lower rents even when they have a huge number of vacant units.

So, I’ll offer a word of caution. Offering a lower rental price at renewal may be your strategy; however, it offends those Residents who did not take that short term lease. It offends those who chose to stick it out a year trusting that you will make their year worry-free and thinking they were locking in a great rent rate for an entire year. How is it fair to lower someone’s rental rate when the person took a shorter term lease and was NOT even charged a premium for that convenience? Explain that to me so I can explain it to my daughter, please.

Can't You Read the NO SOLICITING Sign?

This happens frequently of late and I am beginning to wonder if people just cannot read, fail to notice or just plain choose to ignore our property’s No Soliciting/No Trespassing signage. Since the advent of the elimination of utility company billing monopolies, there has been every kind of so-called utility billing company sprouting up promising to lower your electric and gas bills if you will only allow them a copy of your bill for comparison sake roaming the property. And they show up every month, it seems. Not to mention all the AT&T U-Verse sales reps who converge on the property in packs of three. Never the same three, mind you, because I run them off each and every time I see them pounding the pavement. They are so obnoxious in their insistence that they can be here, that I resort to calling for police assistance to make them leave.

Now, I am dealing with a religious group busing in groups of ten and twelve slapping reading materials on doorknobs. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in witnessing to others and ordinarily I don’t mind reading pamphlets some religious affiliations leave. However, don’t the residents living in an apartment community on private property deserve, well, some privacy? I cannot decipher what religious group this is as their door hangers do not identify their affiliation, only, from what I can tell, the end is near according to Revelations.

There is a reason that there are No Soliciting and No Trespassing signs on private property. Residents who choose to live in a rental community do not need to be subjected to unwelcome interactions, and having complete strangers tramp up to one’s door, knock and try to sell something interferes with one’s expectation of quiet and peaceful enjoyment of one’s home. The main reason I dislike having these strangers on site, uninvited is because it can be scary to some Residents. Many elderly Residents are freaked out by this intrusion and they are also easy prey, in my opinion. I cannot tell you the number of times they have called me to ask, “Mindy, do I need to have AT&T instead of cable?” or, “Mindy, I switched to this company for my electric bill and now I got my bill and it’s $60 more than it was last month with DP&L! What should I do?”

It is frustrating to have so little control over this issue. After all, the very nature of our business is to welcome strangers to come for a visit. But it hasn’t gotten to the point now, that in this economy, we need to enact other measures to dissuade the door-to-door peddlers.  

Home Is Where My Heart Is

What happens when you don’t like the company that buys your community? I mean, do you have an option of just not accepting an employment offer from the new owner/management company? What if you don’t have any other offers on the table? This is what I am facing now. And it’s tearing my gut up to the point that I want to scream, and cry, or God forbid, just give up. Or, do all three. I realize I am probably not supposed to be saying this, at least not out loud. L

I hate that this is all such a secretive thing. It is just not fair to have all these questions and no answers. Yes, ranting out loud, and there is nothing to do except continue the job search and try not to worry about what will happen to “my baby” and all the work that has gone into making this such a vibrant, fun community all while ensuring it keeps its charm and its quaint and thoroughly relaxing, peaceful feel.

I see the word bantered back and forth about the definition of community. Wow. Just come here! Oh! My eyes to the heavens soar – this place where everyone does seem to know one another, where if you’re feeling sick your neighbor will bring you soup. A place where I have wandered over to the neighbor next door to grab an egg out of her refrigerator because I stupidly forgot to buy some at the Kroger down the street (and who wants to have to actually put shoes on – much less make-up – to run to the store again?) A place where a couple of the neighbors sit outside with a flat screen to watch The Ohio State football game on the patio and down a couple of beers, laughing and relaxing. A place where there is clique of little girls sitting in the Gazebo giggling and playing. A place where when I am here on a UK Basketball Game Day, no one cares that the TV in the Leasing Office is televising the game and I am sporting my Blue! Go Cats!

If I cannot be at home in my house in Indiana, here is home. It’s where my heart is for now and I suspect a little piece will remain no matter what happens.

Pay Rent Or Live In Your Car

There is a couple who moved into the community this summer. They are professionals who belong to an athletic club (the kind that you pay dues for in excess of $200 monthly) and talk about their many adventures whenever I see them out walking. You know – just basically nice people. They’ve never been a problem.

The wife started “selling” a weight loss shake product and her husband is frequently inviting me to get involved with the program. Okay. They look amazing! When they moved in, I did not really notice either of them being overweight. However, after a couple of months drinking these shakes, I did notice they certainly were looking slimmer and trimmer. I saw them walking and biking daily. Now, me, well, I could stand to lose some weight. I mean, maybe my middle age has spread more than I care to think about.

Anyway, the husband came into the Office one day at the end of August to tell me his wife was doing so well that she earned a new BMW car, loaded to the gills with all the fancy features and decided to quit her job to boot. I congratulated him, declined his offer to join the Pyramid, and as he walked out of the office, I thought to myself, “Hummm. Something is not right with this picture!”

Yeah. Wait for it. The first of the month comes and no rent check is given. The second comes and still no check. I send a little reminder note. Eventually, the husband calls to tell me they will have to pay a little late this month, he’s as sorry as he can be, etc. I talk to him on the phone and let him know what the amount will be including the Late Fees. He is okay with that and everything is taken care of.

I couldn’t resist saying to him, “So, Ed, what is the issue? I mean, I hope this is not going to be a continuing problem.” Not that I meant to be rude, you understand, but I wanted him to know I am concerned.

After all, I know that BMW is nice and all, but who wants to live in their super tricked out brand new Beamer? Trust me, I hope he got the point.

What Time Is Your Office Open???

Apples and Oranges.

Apples TO Oranges.

Two completely different “same” things erroneously compared to one another. For once, I understand this concept. Recently on a Discussion thread posted on the Multifamily Insiders website (www.multifamilyinsiders.com) someone wrote that he is better off keeping current RESIDENTS happy than taking care of the MAYBE ones. It really struck a nerve with me.

Obviously, to me, Residents are different from Prospective Residents and each has different needs and reasons for coming to the Leasing Office. I think it is important to take care of both. One is not more important than the other; however, those who are already living in my community already understand what we are about and how we can help them. For example, they may place work orders on line; they may pay rent on line; they may call and leave a message or send an email for all their questions and they can reasonably expect a response within fifteen minutes. Prospects visiting the property for the first time are our guests and deserve our time and attention when they arrive.

At issue was handling those Residents who arrive at your Office as the Office is being closed. Do you stop everything and take care of their needs? The discussion evolved into closing the Office at the end of the day so you can handle Resident issues, return phone calls, and “catch-up.” This is simply the worst way of providing customer care that I can think of in our industry.

Quite frankly, every apartment community caters to a certain demographic. There are properties whose residents are on limited incomes so this Office may deal with Project Based Section 8 renters, or the income restrictions of Section 42, or they may accept vouchers issued by the Housing Choice Voucher Program. There are properties with age designations where residents must be aged 55+ or disabled. One property may be oriented to those who are students attending a nearby university or college. There are others whose residents are made up of all people who happen to meet all the selection criteria and are qualified to live there (which could be anyone!)

My point is, people are different, with varying needs and schedules, and they deserve to have business hours that meet those needs. For properties who have vacant units to rent, does it make any sense at all to turn someone away who happens to arrive at 5:45 PM on a sunny June evening just because you want to close at 6:00 PM? For properties who handle several Recerts each month and an Open Waiting List to keep filled, does it make any sense to close your office during the hours that the bus system runs? People who have transportation limitations should not be told that you cannot extend your hours because your office is always closed on Saturdays or Wednesday or every day from 8:00AM - 11:00 AM to new Applicants.

I don’t feel taking care of my Current Residents is more important that helping new Prospective Residents. Companies should staff their properties according to the needs of the community they are serving. It is not an either or proposition.

Resident or Prospect? I just can’t imagine closing the door in someone’s face because your “time is done for the day.” I also cannot understand someone who has a conventional 200-unit property with eleven vacant units to fill, closing the Office between 4-6 PM to “catch up on paperwork.” Too many times, this is when people get off work to come and look for a new home. If you close every day at 4:00 PM, how mnay leases are you missing? Whose needs are you serving? Yours or thos of your Residents and Propsects?

Whadda Ya Mean, I Gotta Pay a Late Fee?

How is this even possible???? Rent is due on the first of the month. It has been like this every month on every property all over the United States, and certainly here at this property, and now, in the fourth year of this Resident’s Lease, she calls and says, incredulously, “I thought rent was due on the fifth!”

Yeah.

No.

The first of the month.

“There is a 3-day Grace Period, Linda. But the rent is actually due on the first,” I say.

“But the Office was closed yesterday!” she whines.

You know what makes me crazy? It’s the fact that any Resident thinks if the leasing office is closed for business on a national holiday, they are excused from paying their rent on time. I think I would rather have had her just say to me, “Oh, with the holiday, I forgot!” Maybe that would be a more honest answer than trying to pass off her mistake on to me as though it is my fault she is paying late and incurring a $75 Late Fee.

A New Kind of Discrimination?

Earlier this week, a couple came in to the Leasing Office to talk about their need for a two-bedroom apartment. Actually, one half of the couple came in to ask to look at floorplans. I sat down with him; it appeared he was in a hurry. We talked about what would be available now and next month. He asked if I would show him the two-bedroom I had to use as a Show Unit. Since it was already leased with someone moving in later in the week, he understood he could not rent this one.

I get his ID and walk out with him, only to see his van parked, motor running and people in it waiting. He explains that is his wife and children are waiting. I was curious as to why they didn’t come in, too, but I figured maybe the children were napping or something. Anyway, we go to the apartment and I show it to him and he smiles as soon as he walks in and sees the large, open living room. He almost seems to float through and then turns and asks if his wife can come to look. “Of course,” I say.

I stand at the open door and his wife gets out of the van, hands me her ID and runs inside. It is raining, well, sprinkling. (It hasn’t rained all summer!) She comes in and practically runs through and runs back to the van and I hear her telling her husband the minute she leaves, “I like it! I like this!”

Her husband begins to pull out of the parking space [Normally, we walk to apartments to tour on foot, but it happened that it had been sprinkling off and on, so that day we drove over.] and lowers his window to ask about the Townhouse floorplan.

I think to myself, well, that is not in your stated price range …. But I don’t say it to him. I tell him I will stop and get the key, which I do and we go over to the Townhouse. Now, this unit is available and rent-ready, so I am hopeful that they may like it, but fearful that it is out of their price range. When we get there, the entire family gets out of the van and we go over to tour the townhouse. As soon as I open the door, the parents begin to smile and look at each other and they begin to ask all kinds of questions. They are so excited! After completing the tour and answering their questions, I ask the Money Question, “Would you like to reserve this one? You really seem to love it, and…” I started to continue when he interrupts me and says, “My wife wants this one.”

After making all the disclosures as to rent rate, I notice how the kids are antsy and tired and one is crying. He tells me he will bring his application in and pay the fees in the morning on his way to taking the children to school. Sweet!

Between the time he comes back in and his Application is finally Approved, he calls me at least four times to ask if they will be getting the townhouse I showed them. Each time, I try to reassure him that it will be same one I showed them. They are moving in tomorrow. He came in a few minutes ago and once more I reassured him that the townhouse will be theirs. I feel like giving him a hug so he will believe me (I don’t.)

He turns to me as he is walking out the door. “We have been other places and they show us a nice apartment and we say we will rent that one and they tell us we have to take a different one.” I ask him if that is because they show only a Model.

“No, it is not always that. My wife thinks it is because they don’t like us. They do not want to rent to people who have a boy like ours.”

“This townhouse is yours. Don’t worry! I hope your family will be very happy here!”

Their son is autistic. I wonder to myself, “Is this a new kind of discrimination????”

There's Nothing Wrong With This Apartment, I Promise!

We had a Resident leave the community after five years here to move to a retirement village in Florida. Her unit was actually reserved FOUR months PRIOR to her move out at the end of July. Then … something happened. The person who reserved the lovely two bedroom one-and-a-half bath downstairs apartment decided SHE was moving to Florida, too, and cancelled her planned move in here. Ugggh.

The Maintenance team quickly went ahead and completed the scheduled turn; new carpet was installed and I set about trying to re-rent it again. This apartment is located in such a nice part of the community, on “The Circle” with a Garage. There is a large patio, too, where one can sit and relax and watch the world go by, or, since it is right there adjacent to the Green Space, one could plop a net right there and have a rousing volleyball tournament. I mean, this is a super location and floor plan lay-out!

The apartment was next reserved for a move in date scheduled a couple of weeks later. Application and fees were paid. I no sooner had sent the gentleman his “Welcome to our Community” letter and move in paperwork when he called to cancel. What???? Since his cancelation was within my three-day cancelation period, I refunded his Security Deposit. (He didn't get his expected promotion.)

I placed an ad on Craigslist in addition to my other paid ILS listings. I received a few calls and set up showing appointments. They came; they saw; I somehow did not conquer. What is wrong with this unit???? Maybe it's not "it"; maybe it's me?

I next have a “Walk-In” who looked at the apartment, loved it, put in his Application and reserved it for an end-of-the-week move in (due to a marital separation.) This time I insisted on separate Application Fee and Security Deposit – just in case – and Good Grief! Is this apartment cursed or what? He canceled, too. Reconciled over the weekend and moved back in with his estranged wife. Okay – well, good for them. I’m not going to hold that against him. On to the next viable candidate.

This unit has seen so much action, a hooker would be jealous.

A nice lady came in yesterday, went to several other communities, called and reserved it with a credit card and faxed her Application to me late last night. Credit worthy – check! I am almost afraid to commit her to my computer accounting system until she actually signs her lease!

Not a Fan of Craigslist, Are You?

I am not a fan of Craigslist in this market. I am not a fan of Craigslist in my Indiana market either. In fact, I am just plain old not a fan at all for using it to rent apartments for a long term lease. Maybe it works in larger metropolitan areas, but in small towns, I am not happy with it – not for generating good traffic. I am sure there are going to people who will tell me I am just not creating “quality ads,” “good ads,” or catchy enough titles for our ads. While I don’t necessarily disagree, I don’t think the ads are unprofessional, bad, or even lame.

We always get calls on the ads, and we have gotten a few rentals from them, but somehow, it never fails to disappoint in some way. My biggest complaint is that:

People just do NOT SHOW UP for their appointments!

Leasing Consultants base their entire schedule around appointments: talking on the phone trying to book an appointment, setting up the tour each day, sprucing up vacant apartments and/or Models to show, and getting the deal done – you know, closing the lease. What a time waster it is for them to have to deal with NO SHOWS. When I hear them lament about this, it makes me want to pick up the phone and call and ask those Callers why they have no common manners. Isn’t it just polite to call and let someone know you have gone elsewhere, had something else come up – you know, the “It’s not you, it’s me” speech?

Prospects Say the Darnedest Things

The other day I received a phone call from a Prospect wanting to know about availability at our community. Since I had just gotten a cancelation (Boo Hiss!) on a two-bedroom unit, obviously I was happy for the opportunity to re-lease it quickly. Right off the bat, though, this person’s phone demeanor was … honestly, not pleasant. She made an appointment to come in, which she did yesterday.

She was early for the appointment, which is one hundred times better than being late! She brought an accordion file folder with her and placed everything on the table in the Leasing Office. With what I now know to be her typical “directness” she began interrogating me about policy and procedure. Immediately, it put me off – not necessarily making me defensive, but I thought, WT*? You aren’t even a Resident and you are questioning every possible scenario that could come up in a lease situation. I wondered if she’d had some terrible issues somewhere else, so I asked her, but she said she had not.

I asked for her ID and went to tour the community and the available apartment. (I admit, it was kind of hard not to think ugly thoughts about the person who was a perfectly wonderful elderly woman who had had to cancel her lease! Were it not for her, I would not have to be with this mean person.)

On the way to the unit, Ms. Prospect asks me, “Are there any children here?”

I asked, “Why do you ask that?”

“I don’t like kids. I don’t want to live anywhere near kids. They’re loud and where we live now, they have a kid and when they play, they make all kinds of noise. I think they let the kid ride his tricycle all over the place.”

“Well, there are some children here. I don’t control that,” I said. “I do understand your concern though.”

“Oh, I know you can’t answer this question because of Fair Housing, but I just want you to know I don’t want to live around kids,” she said.

“If you understand that my renting to families is a Fair Housing question, then you know there is nothing I can do – or want to do – about families living here. I do know there are people who don’t really enjoy children. I get that. I really do. ”

After that little exchange, I was ready to say something else entirely, but we continued to the apartment. She loved it and made another appointment to bring her husband back over the weekend. I hope her husband, as a police officer, will be more respectful or at least open minded.

Your Pets Are Residents, Too!

Our community is “pet friendly” meaning that we gladly welcome most canines and felines. Don’t get me wrong, we charge for this privilege, but being pet welcoming is rewarding regardless. For about two years I was absent as a full time manager here and when I returned I was greeted by Gus one morning. He was accompanied by his Humans, Joe and Carol. I noticed right away, he was very happy and grateful to stand by your feet and let you rub behind his ears. His tail would just wag and wag. Joe said Gus would stand there all day letting you pet him if you wanted.

As time moved on, I would be greeted by Gus every morning on his AM constitutional. He never seemed to be in a hurry and there was always time to sniff a leaf, a tree, or something interesting on the sidewalk. Joe and I laughed about how much Gus loved to slow down and smell the roses. Of course, like most Basset Hounds who did not move too fast, Gus was a tad overweight.

One day, I noticed Gus limping and he had a “pouch” like swelling on his hind leg. When it did not resolve itself quickly, Joe and Carol took him to the Vet for an examination. The Vet put him on antibiotics; however, the infection never really went away. There were days when Gus would limp and days when he really wasn’t up to long walks. But then there were still days he would run, happily chasing a rabbit and it didn’t seem to affect him.

Inevitably though, there were more bad, pain filled days than healthier, good ones. Joe and Carol made the difficult decision to release Gus from his misery and arrangements were made. One Saturday morning, I received an email from Carol that Gus was gone and to please understand their request to not be charged Pet Rent. Tears immediately filled my eyes and I was momentarily overcome. Quickly I sent my condolences via email and began a journey down Memory Lane, not just of Gus, but also of my beloved Chow mix, Viann, whom I lost on a winter morning during a blizzard just the December prior.

Time moves on though. It was nice to be greeted by other Residents’ dogs: Jack, a black lab; Lucy, a mix breed Dalmatian/Lab; Mya, a small, energetic Service Dog; Maggie, the Collie and my next door neighbor, Sam, a Maltese. And then, a few weeks ago there was a new little Beagle in the mix named Otis, Joe and Carol’s newly adopted Rescue. I guess a new journey begins and I am glad that we are Pet Friendly!

Does Your Apartment Community Feel Like Home?

Saturday was a Hot Leasing Day. I mean, as in, lots of leases got – not just that it was blazing hot outside (as this apparently has become the norm this summer.) One of those leasing with us is a former Resident. She first moved here – alone – and lived in a one bedroom apartment. She then found Mr. Right and he moved in, too. They got married and lived there in their first apartment together for about four years.

Then I started noticing she seemed, well, a bit different. Yep, there was soon to be a little one to add to their family. They began looking for a larger place. They toured other apartment complexes but found it hard to commit. I was curious since at that time, almost everybody and his brother had specials running and deals were being wheeled all over the Dayton market. This community, however, was doing fine without the specials.

One day I received a phone call and they wanted to come and look at one of our two-bedrooms. “Great,” I said. Really I was thinking, “What took you so long? Why didn’t you come here first anyway?” They come in and I explain that although I have a few of this style available and would love them to reserve one, if they like the floor plan they have to let me know today. It’s generally acceptable to transfer a couple when they are over-occupied at the end of their lease without charging a hefty Transfer Fee.

Several days go by and I don’t hear from them. I call. I leave messages. Did something happen? What happened???? Of course they call on a busy Saturday and I tell them NOW THERE IS ONLY ONE AVAILABLE! Tell me right this minute if you want it! The morning goes by and I had three Prospects who all seem happy with the possibility of living here. One reserves an upcoming one bedroom; one applies and is approved for the available one-bedroom leaving the two bedroom still available. BUT … I have a good feeling that one of the other couples will want to apply as well. Good problem to have, right?

Around three in the afternoon a Be Back from that morning comes in and fills out the Application for the two bedroom and pays the Security Deposit. It’s a steady stream that afternoon, when at the last minute before closing, in walks this couple wanting to take the two bedroom and I DON’T HAVE ANY LEFT.

Were they upset? You bet – he lost his temper in the Leasing Office and eventually after yelling at me and every Prospect in the Leasing Office they walk out. I pretty much don’t skip a beat and get everyone else taken care of. I close the Office for the day and call Mr. Right (and his wife) and explain that this is how the world of real estate works. Take it when it’s available or leave it for someone else. I invite them back to the Office and they come, but he’s still angry, but we work through it and I put them on my “Wait List”. They fill out a new Application, pay the new Security Deposit and we move on. Eventually they do move into a nice two bedroom apartment and all is well for a while.

It turns out that Mr. Right was indeed Mr. Wrong and the couple divorce with both parties eventually moving when their lease was up. He to a new place; she to her mother’s. Now she is financially sound, happy and came to me to re-apply because she says, “This is our home.” I had taken them to see a townhouse (Occupied) and I look over to see her daughter sitting in the Resident’s rocking chair happily rocking back and forth singing as only four year olds can. “Yes, this is your home!” That message was written all over their faces and it made me smile. I expect that they will be at home in this community for a long, long time.

Let This Be My Mantra

I feel like a blade of grass. It doesn’t matter if you limit my intake of nutrients, cut me down to the size you want me to be or stomp all over me, I will still grow. I will still find a way to thrive in harsh, challenging conditions. I may have to lie dormant for a while, if I have to, to survive long term. I’m in it for the long haul. So, go ahead, walk all over me; I will eventually rise to meet a new day, bright, glowing, and green!

Let this be my Mantra.

This property management business can be tough. There are rough situations over which we may have no control. There are rude people; there are pleasant people. There are chronic complainers we’ve learned to see the charm in. There are Residents who don’t clean up after their pets, Residents who litter the property with their Taco Bell wrappers, Residents who drive past you and never wave or smile. There are bosses who expect too much and some who never give you the time of day or a moment of their time or a word of encouragement. But I decided long ago to be that blade of grass that chooses to dig deep and plant roots and learn to thrive through harsh conditions and wait for the rain. My day will come.

Yep, She Renewed ...

A year ago I wrote about the first BAD move in experience I have had to deal with "on my watch" so to speak. I was not happy about the situation but instinct led me to a reasonable solution to this rare situation. I also wrote about how that same Resident still would not speak to me, or smile, or wave when we passed on the property. I was pretty much convinced she would move when it came to renwal time. However, I also saw this as a challenge for me and the team to really rise above and prove this is a great community to call home. First of all, I truly feel this way, and second, the whole concept of what home is means a lot to me. It is my passion to create a warm, comfortable, safe haven for me and our Residents. So, we continued to wave to her, speak to her little boy when he got off the bus, and deliver excellent service to her. I sent out her renewal letter and held my breath. She came in the other day and renewed her lease for 2012-13. Never said anything positive or negative, but she seemed relaxed and comfortable and it went smoothly. Never underestimate the power of smiling and being friendly to your Residents and being there to correct a less than perfect move in experience.

It Might Be a Long, Long Summer

How do you handle property damage caused by a couple of unsupervised six-year-olds at your community? I was actually accepting an Application from a gentleman when one of my Residents came into the Office and told me some kids were taking out a mature bush. So, I excused myself and went to the door, looked out and sure enough, they sure were. In all honesty, I can handle mischievous children, having taught for years and raising two children of my own. What I find difficult to understand are the parents who non-chalantly behave as though this is MY problem and they share no responsibility for supervising their children. To be fair, one parent brought her son immediately into the office afterward because he was so upset himself and told his mother that he had "done something bad" and "Mindy's mad at me." (Not that I want a child to think I am angry, although I did want him to know how disappointed I was in his behavior.)

I saw this as a great opportunity for a teaching moment and I spent some time talking with Carson and explaining how hurt I am that now my landscaping does not look so great. He came into the Office crying and left smiling but sober in the realization that he needs to learn some self-control.

The other parent's reaction to the news of the incident? "Allistair!!!! You can NEVER PLAY OUTSIDE AGAIN!" Really??? You are never ever going to let your little boy play outside again? I looked at her and said, "Now, you know that isn't what is going to happen. In the future, you are going to have to spend more time watching him and less time talking on the phone inside. He's six years old. He's your responsibility and I would not want to see him get hurt."

Oh, and by the way, the new bush will cost $65 and labor to install. I'll send you the bill.

How To Turn Around The Bad Move-In Experience

I work alone in the Office - you know - no leasing team, no receptionist, just me, a team of one. So, it ALL falls on me. I have been with this property since 2005 in one way or another. Usually, I am in a different state at another property and I am the "Go To" person for the Manager here and act as a "Go Between" for her and the Owner/Corporate Office.

At other properties, Managers are usually busy doing "manager things", whatever that means. Don't get me started! As a team of one, I take the calls, show the apartments, set the turn schedule, etc. I also work with vendors and contractors and oversee the capital projects. I create the Budget. Basically, I like working alone, but it does have its drawbacks! One of those is that it all falls on me!

Recently, I needed to be out of the Office and I knew when I returned to the site, there would be two new families moving in. I left with instructions to the Maintenance Team (a team of 2) to inspect the units and make sure everything was on track for the move in dates.

When I returned, unfortunately, I assumed that the units were properly cleaned and ready to go. I was wrong! Each new Resident arrived (check!), lease signed (check!), money exchanged (check!), keys given (check!) .... ummmm. Apartment Examined? Well, I thought that was covered.

I actually rent a lot of apartments and townhouses here at Ashton Glen sight unseen! With the age of technology and internet search engines doing all the work, many times I can pre-lease and lease apartments with people right through our website and over the telephone. This was not the case with these two move-ins, however. Both families had visited prior to their moving into our community, but neither had seen the actual townhome into which they would be moving. The first person came in and we went immediately to the townhouse and walked through. I like to take paper and pen with me to make any notes on anything perhaps not up to par. Pretty soon, I was filling in a lot of notes regarding the cleanliness of the unit. Definitely not normal for us! We discussed the issues, made a plan to remedy the situation and went back to handle the paperwork and details. The second person came at her appointment time and I expected to do a walk through with her as well. For whatever reason she was especially stressed and just wanted me "to hurry it up!" So ... I did.

She wasn't rude, exactly, just not the most pleasant person. Okay - really she was a you-know-what, rhymes with witch - and grabbed her keys. I bet it wasn't more than five minutes later when she came back in and demanded to know which Garage was hers. I must have looked confused and I told her she didn't have a Garage; she had not reserved one beforehand. It was downhill after that, I can tell you. She pretty much was irate and I was the dumbest, rudest B*&%# in the world and WHY DID I RENT HERE? To make matters even worse, she sent her friend who was helping her move in to the Office to demand a Garage key and the telephone number of the Corporate Office.

So, how do you turn this situation from bad and worse to at least civil? Okay - yes, I admit that the cleaning was not perfect. I immediately called my back-up cleaners (this was last minute after all) and they came in and did a fabulous job! I sent our senior Maintenance Technician in and he stayed with her until every maintenance issue was addressed to her satisfaction. AND, when she complained the following day about a maintenance issue (a Saturday), the Maintenance Tech went to her apartment and addressed her complaint because he was already on sire attending to another emergency work order. AND, when she called two weeks later on a Sunday, I happened to answer the phone because I was on site for an emergency maintenance issue - but she did not need to know that! - and took her work order request and told her someone would be there in the morning.

I also sent her a note (handwritten) to thank her, welcome her, and to follow up about the Garage issue. We were able to resolve that as well (even though she did call the Corporate Office and complain about me.) In any event, although she does not smile and wave at me when I see her drive past me, I will continue to smile and wave at her. The thing I wish I could get her to understand is that I treated her the same way I have treated everyone here at Move-In. The Maintenance Team handles her requests the same way they handle everyone's - and they do routine things on weekends if they know about them and are already here. Just because they are NICE people and great Maintenance Technicians. This is normal for us! I feel terrible - still - that she experienced a less than perfect move in, but sometimes this happens even on the best property.

The one thing I will admit to though is this: I got upset about this! I was livid that she called the Corporate Office and I was angry that the Corporate Office immediately wanted me to give her a Garage, plus have me put in a remote control, too! I finally said out of exasperation that I would do this IF he was ordering me to do it BUT I would not be happy about it.

I wrote her a note of apology for the "bad move in experience" and I begged forgiveness ... but she did not get a free garage with a remote control. She ended getting a Garage ... with no remote ... but with a bit of a price reduction. I felt that was fair - because that is what I would do for ANY RESIDENT who did not have a great move in experience.