Archive by Author
5 Steps You Can Start TODAY to Get More Resident Lease Renewals
Posted on 26. Jul, 2011 by Heather Blume.
Here are 5 ways for you to capitalize on the opportunities in front of you today to help you get more renewals tomorrow!
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iPad – Beyond the Cool Factor
Posted on 19. Jul, 2011 by Heather Blume.
If you’re trying to justify the purchase of tablets to your company, you’re going to have to have more than a strong, “I want it because it’s neat,” factor. With all the programs that have been coming out with great tablet integrations and apps, on site teams are salivating over these little toys. In fact, over the last 18 months I can’t even count how many people have told me how great leasing with a tablet can be. It’s cool.
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Big Goals Are Possible…In Manageable Chunks
Posted on 16. Dec, 2010 by Heather Blume.
National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo as it’s called, happens every November. It’s one of those self challenges that we often take on, “Just to see if we can do it.” The goal for NaNoWriMo is to write a 50,000 word novel in just 30 days.
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A Little Distance Can Help You Solve Big Property Management Problems
Posted on 12. Oct, 2010 by Heather Blume.
Sometimes, all it takes is a little distance. For the last month, I’ve been in a pretty deep problem. I followed my usual method of just sitting down and the keyboard and trying to let things simply “flow” but it seemed like someone or something had plopped the Hoover Dam right down across my creativity river.
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Property Managers: Know Your Audience When Marketing Online
Posted on 19. Aug, 2010 by Heather Blume.
I tell people repeatedly that I’d rather that they had no Facebook page than seeing a poorly thought out and executed one. Yet, I keep logging on, “liking” pages, and seeing sales pitches. If you go for the direct sale, you’re going to lose. Consider these stats from the video “Socialnomics”.
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Top 10 Highlights of the 2010 NAA Trade Show
Posted on 07. Jul, 2010 by Heather Blume.
New Orleans is a fun city. New Orleans with over 4,000 of your closest multifamily friends – it’s a wonder there wasn’t some sort of ecstatic implosion! This year’s National Apartment Association conference was all around an excellent experience.
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Attention to Resident Retention for June
Posted on 14. Jun, 2010 by Heather Blume.
A lot of communities have open play fields or courtyards integrated into their design, the purpose of which, usually, is to sit there, look pretty, and encourage us to pay landscapers. If you have the resource and you’re paying to maintain it, the least you can do to be responsible to your budget is to find some use for it.
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June Property Management Marketing Ideas
Posted on 10. Jun, 2010 by Heather Blume.
June is a month with amazing marketing possibilities! With the kids getting out of school, the sun beating down and the days getting as long and bright as possible, how can we expect our traffic and touring numbers to do anything but shoot through the roof this month?
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Upgrade Your Properties with Local Art
Posted on 07. Jun, 2010 by Heather Blume.
I was an art student once, and I will tell you straight up that if you want something that will generate traffic, give you something to start conversations with, and will just plain out do those pictures your walls are currently sporting, college aged art students are about to become your best friends. Why? Because they need a venue to show their work.
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Attention to Retention
Posted on 11. May, 2010 by Heather Blume.
The last thing we want to do is to add anything more to our already overflowing schedules, but I want to encourage you to work in some resident retention time. Remember, it’s STILL cheaper to retain them than to turn even one apartment
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May Property Management Marketing Ideas
Posted on 07. May, 2010 by Heather Blume.
I know that by the time I start seeing snippets of sunshine peeking through the Seattle clouds, the rest of the country must be 3 or 4 weeks into the beautiful weather that late April and Early May bring. As long as the outside is enticing, people will do the most that they can to spend time in it, which hopefully means a spike in on site traffic for you!
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April Property Management Marketing Ideas
Posted on 22. Apr, 2010 by Heather Blume.
April is one of my favorite months in property management because it’s full of ANTICIPATION! We’re all waiting for that first big weekend, when the leasing season really kicks in to high gear for all those late May and early June moves. Instead of waiting this year, why not take a proactive approach with some fresh ideas to drive traffic to your door?!
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The Emotional Drum Major: How A Positive Attitude Increases Sales
Posted on 15. Apr, 2010 by Heather Blume.
Mood is infectious to the people around us because as humans, we’re wired for it. In the world of apartment rentals, your emotional state can be a grand ally in helping you control a given situation.
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8 Seconds to Make a Good Impression on a Prospective Resident
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by Heather Blume.
8 Seconds. That’s a very long time if you’re riding a bull. Not so long if you’re meeting a prospective resident. Humans are judgmental. Going beyond cultural lines, beyond family, beyond age, and beyond any other conceivable grouping, across the board, humans as a species are judgmental.
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“Hi! I’m a Red Flag!” and Other Interview Enders
Posted on 16. Mar, 2010 by Heather Blume.
The process of interviewing for a new property team member can be nerve wracking for many managers. With so many jobs cut back this last year, the pool of applicants has never been bigger and the resumes have never been more flowery and descriptive, not to mention misleading.
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Property Management Marketing Ideas for March
Posted on 09. Mar, 2010 by Heather Blume.
We in the property management world know that sunshine brings in the tours, something that has proven to be a major challenge this year. To encourage a little more traffic, here are 3 ideas for your marketing teams.
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Hammer vs. Feather: Using Subtlety with Facebook
Posted on 18. Feb, 2010 by Heather Blume.
I see a lot of properties and companies doing a cannonball in the deep end of the Facebook swimming pool. I’d estimate that I’m “friended” or “followed” by at least six new properties or management companies a week.
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4 February Marketing Ideas for Property Managers
Posted on 10. Feb, 2010 by Heather Blume.
Whether you refer to the best known February holiday as Valentine’s Day or Single’s Awareness Day, this month packs a lot more marketing power than just events circling the 14th. Let’s look at 4 ideas that can bring you some buzz and some great new rentals!
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Tap In to Tax Time: Providing Resources for Residents
Posted on 09. Feb, 2010 by Heather Blume.
It’s the start of the new year, so inevitably the thing in the forefront of everyone’s minds right now is the same: tax time! Okay, maybe not. When it comes to taxes, you’ve got basically two camps of people.
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January Marketing Ideas for Property Managers
Posted on 14. Jan, 2010 by Heather Blume.
In the multifamily business world, January is a notoriously difficult month for us. Whether it’s the propensity for snow, the cold wind, or the fact that USA and TNT keep running excellent marathons of TV shows, we just have a hard time getting foot traffic in the door. Don’t let the blustery weather cool your renting power!
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Bigger Isn’t Always Better: The Trend Towards Renting Smaller Apartments
Posted on 08. Jan, 2010 by Heather Blume.
When she was in 8th grade, as is tradition in my family, my sister got her first set of matched luggage. It was dark blue with tan piping and I remember it was from JC Penny’s. For 8th grade promotion, I think she received all the pieces to that luggage set that she hadn’t gotten [...]
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4 Quick December Gathering Ideas for Residents
Posted on 10. Dec, 2009 by Heather Blume.
Whether it’s the food, time of year, or the weather, there’s something about the holiday season that makes people more social. That makes this a great time for property managers to bait some resident retention by using smaller gatherings or groupings. Here are four ideas to get you started.
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“Try Anti-Depressants,” and Other Ways Not to Respond to Resident Feedback
Posted on 30. Nov, 2009 by Heather Blume.
We used to ignore sites like Apartment Ratings and tell our people to try to just forget they were there and not take things personally. In the last two years though, the shift of the social media model has required a reexamination of our silence, and it’s been decided, by pretty much everyone out there, that it’s time to respond to online public resident feedback.
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5 “Spooky” Suggestions for Property Managers This Halloween
Posted on 15. Oct, 2009 by Heather Blume.
I adore Halloween. I love it almost as much as I love Christmas, and I am one of those weird people who has multiple Christmas trees in their house. I started decorating the other day for Halloween, putting up my glow in the dark skeletons and using that black light sensitive spider webbing to coat [...]
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Technology Trends: What Residents Want (eBook)
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Always Get It In Writing And In The Lease
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Avoiding Craigslist Scams
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How To Cultivate New Clients In “The Garden Of Property Management”
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NARPM Florida State Chapter Property Manager Conference 2012
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Marc Courtenay: Thanks for your comment. Please consider sharing t...
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Ryan @ Green Bay Commercial Real Estate: At least in our market (Green Bay) it seems to be ...
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Tammy Davis: Great Advice!...
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Sandy: I have strong doubts that this was a professional ...
