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Introducing Group Rate Internet from Second Nature

At Second Nature, we strive to deliver the best possible experience to residents and property managers alike. We’re always looking for new opportunities to help property managers provide better service, grow their businesses, and give residents homes they want to stay in. Now, with the introduction of Group Rate Internet, we’re able to deliver yet another benefit that residents want, while improving the experience for property managers. What is Group Rate Internet? Group Rate Internet is gigabit-speed˙ internet delivered directly to single-family rental homes, incorporated right into your lease. Thanks to the power of our network, Second Nature has negotiated group rates with some of the nation’s largest internet service providers, and we’re passing the savings on to you. Residents get high speed internet at a discounted rate below what they could get on their ownº, while property managers have a new way to grow their business. Why are we doing this? These days, internet service is a necessity. But until now the process has been time-consuming, frustrating, and expensive. Subscribers face complicated setup and cancellation processes, and when they need to reach customer support, they’re often left on hold. We wanted to bring a better experience to residents and modernize the way they receive internet service. Understanding the single-family market 98% of residents across the United States pay for internet service in their homes. But until now, they’ve struggled with inflexible contracts that don’t align with their lease terms, convoluted phone trees, and expensive hidden fees. Most single-family property managers haven't had the ability to negotiate better rates with ISPs, leaving residents to pay retail prices for essential services. That's where Second Nature comes in. By leveraging our nationwide network, we're able to secure group rate pricing that's lower than what's available on the market—giving property managers a new way to offer high-quality, affordable internet without the headaches of individual negotiations. Difficulties of scattered-site Internet coverage areas can be confusing. When you have properties in multiple areas, they may be serviced by different providers, making it even more difficult to negotiate a one-size-fits-all deal. That’s why Second Nature works with multiple major ISPs to provide maximum coverage, no matter how wide your management area is. Cutting costs and making life easier On average, customers typically pay $80-120 per month for gig-speed internet. Plus they get hit with fees for equipment, setup, early termination, and more. Now, with Second Nature, property managers can provide gig-speed internet, with no installation or cancellation fees, at a fraction of the price that residents are already paying. How does the program work? Like all of the pieces in our Resident Benefits Package, we’ve designed Group Rate Internet to be as easy as possible. From data exchanges to support, we fully manage the process so your teams don’t have any extra work. Integration with property accounting systems to check eligibility Second Nature starts by gathering property details directly from your property accounting system (PAS) to automatically confirm which ISPs serve each property. We confirm eligibility and pass that data back into your PAS, so it’s always available to you. Once a property is marked as eligible in the PAS, you’ll be able to include an internet service addendum in any future leases for that property. Billing operates directly through the PAS, with no extra tools or logins to keep track of. Integrated with the lease cycle When a resident signs a lease that contains the Group Rate Internet Lease Addendum, they’re enrolled into the program, and Second Nature works directly with them to complete setup. We’ll reach out directly to residents to make sure they know how to get set up. If necessary, they’ll schedule professional installation for equipment at a time that’s convenient for them. Because there’s no separate internet contract for the resident, there are also no setup, equipmentª, or cancellation fees, and no struggling to align their utility contract with their lease term. Internet is billed right alongside rent, so residents don’t have an extra monthly bill to manage. Dedicated support We all know the pain of waiting in a phone queue to try to solve a technical issue. That’s why Second Nature offers dedicated phone support for residents using Group Rate Internet. That way residents aren’t calling you for help or getting stuck in phone trees with their ISP. Residents call Second Nature directly, and if they need technical support from their ISP, we can make a warm handoff, making sure they’re on the line with a representative before our team leaves the call. No endless transfers from person to person. Easy transition at turnover When a lease is up and a resident decides to move out, Second Nature provides move-out information to residents. Depending on the ISP, the resident may not even have to return equipment. In most cases, it just stays with the unit, and service is turned off until the next resident moves in and a new lease starts. When a new resident moves in, one phone call is all they need to get their gig-speed service up and running. It’s a simple transition when someone else moves in, all managed by Second Nature. Get started Want to see how you can provide gig-speed internet to your residents? Schedule a demo with a member of our team to walk through Group Rate Internet. ˙ Compared to average nationwide gig speed price of $80-120/mo (source: USA Today) º Up to 1 Gig Internet speed, subject to availability. Internet Service powered by Second Nature is provided through Second Nature's preferred third-party Internet service providers. ª Residents may be subject to fees if equipment is damaged, lost, or stolen.

Calendar icon March 19, 2025

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Turning Resident Feedback into Retention

When I work with property management companies looking to improve their sales and operations, resident retention is one of the top priorities. Property managers have to ask themselves, “how can we make the resident experience a positive one so that residents will want to renew their lease time and time again?” The key? Listening. Hear what your residents are saying, communicate proactively, and make changes to your processes to deliver a top-tier experience. Reviews are one key type of feedback, but they’re only one piece of the puzzle. You have to be leading with a great experience, teasing out feedback from all of your communications, and actively soliciting input. The result will be fewer vacancies and a boost to your bottom line. Communication is core to your resident relationships If you want to understand resident feedback, deliver a better experience, and increase retention, you need to invest in communication—and that doesn’t just mean automated rent due date reminders and maintenance notifications. Start by shifting your thinking. Most property managers are communicating to their residents, but they’re not really listening to the communications they get back. You need to start by opening a proactive communication loop, especially around any interaction that could potentially be a negative one. Think about mid-lease inspections, preventative maintenance work, or changes to your processes. You need to not only communicate these out, but also be open to the responses that your residents have. The more positive interactions you have with your residents, the less likely they are to jump to the defensive when you reach out. You don’t want them to have a pavlovian stress response any time they see your name in their inbox. Instead, you want to build a genuine rapport with positive communications and updates, so that your residents are actually happy to see an email or text from you. When you have that open communication loop, residents are more likely to contact you when there’s something wrong with the property. Residents aren’t afraid they’re going to get in trouble; they know they’ll be appreciated for bringing things to your attention early. Plus, it means residents aren’t turning to public reviews as a way of communicating with you, which we’ll talk about in a little bit. Communicate through the good and the bad It’s important to be ready to communicate through both the good times and the bad. If you perform a mid-lease inspection, something that can be disruptive and stressful for residents, follow up by letting them know how everything went, and thanking them for the great care they’re taking of your property. This can be automated pretty easily, but it still feels like a very personal touch that helps build trust with your residents. And if something negative happens—say a resident pays late—use it as a reset moment. Once they’re caught up, close the loop with a quick, friendly message. Let them know you appreciate them taking care of it and that you’re moving forward on good terms. That’s how you turn tough moments into trust-building opportunities. Prepare for the worst Part of maintaining positive communication is also being prepared for worst-case scenarios. No matter how rare, emergencies are an inevitable part of property management. It is essential to have the infrastructure to respond quickly and clearly communicate updates to your resident, give them reassurance that you’re resolving the issue, and make them as comfortable as possible through the process. A huge part of this is having a team that’s not constantly burned out. If your team has a reasonably sized workload, they’re more capable of jumping into action when something big happens. That’s true across companies of all sizes. It doesn’t matter how many doors you’re managing, it matters how much work you’re putting on each team member. Don’t be afraid of feedback Building an open line of communication is invaluable, but there are times when you also need direct feedback from your residents. Maybe you’re trying to get more information on something that went wrong, or maybe you’re trying to quantify how well a process is working. Whatever the reason, sometimes soliciting feedback is important. At PM PathBuilders, we definitely recommend requesting feedback after key resident interactions like maintenance or inspections. Did a resident get a pet mid-lease and you had to get their pet registered, take a pet deposit, or set up a pet portal? Ask them how it’s working out 30 or 60 days later! Did a resident have a lease violation that you had to address? Ask for input on how you handled it! I’m also a huge advocate for task management software and automating communications where possible. For that reason, I’d definitely recommend automating requests for feedback after these kinds of events. That said, the second you get negative feedback, you should be prepared to jump in with manual intervention. No one wants to send an email or leave a voicemail saying they’re upset or something went wrong, only to receive an automated response that doesn’t help with anything. Not only does it frustrate your residents, it also tends to leave them thinking, “How many people do you have that are upset with me that you don’t even have the time to talk to me?” And hopefully that isn’t the case. Reviews don’t exist in a vacuum If you’re running an effective communication cycle and actively soliciting feedback, hopefully residents aren’t turning to reviews as a way to get your attention. A lot of management companies will say that if you’re getting bad reviews, you’re doing your job right. I wholeheartedly disagree. I say that if you’re doing your job right, you’re communicating with your residents, setting clear expectations, and handling their problems before they feel the need to leave a bad review. It’s important to remember that reviews are almost always associated with something else that went wrong with the property. A resident doesn’t just wake up one morning and decide to leave an angry review for their property manager. It usually stems from an unaddressed or repeated issue. Almost every negative review you get comes from a process that broke down somewhere along the way. Address the review and connect with the resident to see how you can resolve things, but also take a look inward. See where your team dropped the ball and make changes to your process to prevent the same thing from happening in the future. Reviews are some of the clearest, least filtered feedback you’re going to get. Make sure you’re listening. Listening goes a long way Regardless of how the feedback comes in, listening to it is the most important part. What’s the point in soliciting feedback if you’re just going to ignore it? Sometimes the best way to avoid vacancy is just listening sooner. Sometimes that means hearing out your resident’s question or complaint, but being transparent about why certain policies are in place (especially if those policies are tied to laws or regulations). Listening always includes owning your mistakes and being better in the future. It means owning mistakes from your team and from your vendors. Most of the time it means checking your ego at the door. Don’t get defensive, just hear out your residents and see how you can help. It always makes a difference. One important note: Taking abuse is not listening. Getting yelled at shouldn’t be part of the job. If someone’s being rude, aggressive, or abusive, you’re not going to have a productive conversation, so feel free to hang up the phone and protect your mental health. If the resident wants to communicate like an adult, they can call back later. Final thoughts Hearing and acting on feedback doesn’t happen overnight; but then again, neither does building a great property management business. You’re in this for the long haul. We don’t brush our teeth because we think they’ll fall out tomorrow - we brush them because we still want to have them in 40 years. The same goes for your feedback loops. Building better feedback loops is a long-term play, and it’s a vote of confidence in ourselves and our business. It’s making the conscious decision that you’re still going to be around and doing this for a long time. If you’re going to have a company that you want to be your legacy, why wouldn’t you set yourself up for success now?

Calendar icon October 9, 2025

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Technology in Property Management: Building More Efficient Workflows

Technology in property management is changing how operators run their portfolios and how residents experience their homes. New tools are helping property managers cut manual work and meet rising expectations. A few of these include: Digital rent collection, improved maintenance request systems, smart locks, and AI-driven analytics. This article explores the most impactful technologies shaping property management today, especially the shift towards resident-centric platforms. You’ll see how each innovation reduces workload, improves communication, and makes it easier to scale without adding complexity. We’ll also examine why resident-centric platforms are transforming the competitive landscape and enabling teams that make the switch to achieve stronger results. What is technology in property management? Key tools explained Technology in property management refers to digital tools and platforms that replace manual processes with automated systems. Examples include rent collection portals, maintenance request systems, smart locks, communication platforms, and AI analytics. These tools are also implemented to improve the resident experience, which in turn gives more back to property owners. That can include: Online rent collection and accounting integrations Maintenance portals that track and resolve work orders Smart home devices like locks, thermostats, and sensors Automated communication tools that keep residents informed Analytics and AI platforms that highlight risks and opportunities Together, these technologies reduce the back-and-forth that slows property managers down. They also give residents the transparency and convenience they now expect from every service in their lives. When payments, maintenance, and communication are handled smoothly, it creates a sense of reliability that shapes how residents view your entire operation. How technology in property management improves daily operations Technology in property management has moved beyond simple tools for accounting or rent collection. It now touches nearly every part of the resident and property manager experience. Routine work like collecting payments or scheduling vendors can now run automatically, freeing managers to focus on strategy and resident relationships. At the same time, residents have come to expect that level of efficiency and visibility in their living experience, raising the bar for what “good management” looks like. That impact shows up in several core areas where new tools are already changing the way property managers work. Let’s break down the most important ones. Digital rent collection technology in property management Rent collection has long been a manual, time-consuming task. With digital platforms and technology in property management, residents can pay through online portals or mobile apps, and property managers can track everything in one place. With these tools, you can: Accept ACH, debit, and credit card payments Automate reminders and late fees Sync transactions directly with your accounting system Provide residents with instant receipts The result comes down to a number of improvements: fewer late payments, steadier cash flow, and less time chasing checks. For residents, it’s the convenience of paying anytime, anywhere. This efficiency helps both sides feel more secure and builds a trusting relationship. How does property maintenance technology improve workflows? Maintenance is one of the biggest pain points for property managers and residents alike. New technology in property management makes it easier by centralizing requests, automating updates, and coordinating vendors. Instead of juggling phone calls and spreadsheets, everything lives in a single portal. Maintenance requests make the process easier: Let residents submit requests with photos and details Track work orders from submission to completion Automate scheduling and vendor assignments Keep residents updated with status notifications This approach reduces delays and cuts down on repeat calls. For property managers, it means less time chasing contractors. The level of transparency also creates confidence that issues will be handled quickly and reliably. How technology improves resident communication in property management Residents appreciate strong communication. When residents ask questions about move-in dates or maintenance requests, they usually expect an immediate answer. Although that isn’t always possible, automating the process with new technology in property management helps the process stay intact. A missed message can delay a repair, create duplicate requests, or leave a resident unsure if their issue is being handled. Resident communication platforms bring everything into one hub. Instead of juggling different channels, property managers and residents both know where to send and find information. With these systems in place, you can: Send announcements and reminders to all residents at once Keep an ongoing record of conversations for each unit or building Share and store important documents like leases, renewal notices, or policy updates Give residents quick self-service options for common questions Clear and consistent communication creates confidence that a resident’s needs won’t fall through the cracks. Property managers also feel the benefit. They keep their residents happy and can spend more time doing higher-value work. What smart home technologies are used in property management? Smart devices are becoming a standard expectation in many rentals. According to a survey by Rently, 54% of renters expect modern rental properties to include smart locks, smart thermostats, and security cameras. Common examples include: Smart locks: Enable keyless entry, improve security, and simplify turnover between residents Smart thermostats: Reduce energy bills and give residents more control over comfort Leak and smoke sensors: Catch issues early and protect property assets AI and analytics in property management: Proactive insights Artificial intelligence and data analytics are helping property managers move from reactive to proactive operations. Instead of waiting for issues to appear, technology can surface insights that guide smarter decisions. AI-driven technology in property management lets teams: Predict maintenance needs based on equipment data Spot patterns in payment behavior to reduce delinquency Automate repetitive tasks like scheduling or follow-ups Generate reports that highlight risks and opportunities These insights save time and prevent costly mistakes. More importantly, they let you focus on building relationships with residents and investors while the system handles the routine. Why resident-centric property management technology matters Resident-centric technology in property management helps change how residents experience daily life in your community. Residents feel taken care of when they can use automated tools to pay bills and request maintenance tickets. They notice the difference compared to properties still relying on paper forms or unreplied emails. This shift matters because residents are comparing your services not only to other properties, but also to the consumer apps they use every day. They expect the same level of speed and clarity they get from banking, shopping, or food delivery. A portal that shows when a work order was received and who’s scheduled to handle it does more than cut down on phone calls. It builds confidence that issues will actually be resolved. For property managers, that confidence translates into real outcomes: Higher retention: Residents are more likely to renew when everyday tasks are easy and reliable. Operational leverage: A single message or update reaches everyone instantly, saving hours of back-and-forth. Market advantage: Properties with seamless resident tech stand out in competitive markets where amenities alone no longer tip the scale. The move toward resident-first platforms shows that convenience and transparency are the baseline. For example, Second Nature helped the team at Hive Real Estate see 40% more on-time payments and 50% fewer maintenance requests. How? By giving more automation and more options to their residents. With the right, easy tools, the residents were more proactive in working with the Hive Real Estate team. How to choose the right technology in property management Before diving in directly to Second Nature, it’s important to take a look at what the right tool should bring to your property and your team. There are a lot of platforms and tools available, and you want the right mix for your portfolio. The wrong choice can add complexity instead of reducing it. The right choice makes daily work easier and creates a better resident experience. Use the following list as a quick overview of what to look for: Integration: Does the tool connect seamlessly with your property accounting software, CRM, or property management platform? Disconnected systems create more work, not less. Ease of use: If staff or residents struggle to adopt it, the benefits won’t materialize. Look for platforms with simple, intuitive interfaces. Resident impact: Prioritize tools that directly improve the resident experience, such as reducing wait times for maintenance or simplifying payments. Support and training: Technology in property management is only as good as the rollout. Choose vendors that provide strong onboarding and ongoing help. ROI: Ask how the tool will save time, reduce costs, or increase renewals. If the value isn’t clear, keep looking. Evaluating technology through this lens is more likely to build a stack that works together smoothly. Comparing technology in property management tools Not all technology in property management delivers the same value. Core platforms cover the basics, while resident-centric layers like Second Nature extend the benefits to everyday living. Focus area Standard property management platforms With Second Nature Rent collection Online portals and automated reminders Credit building to encourage on-time rent payments Maintenance Request tracking and vendor scheduling Proactive services like filter delivery reduce requests by 38% Resident communication Centralized messages and notifications Rewards programs and concierge services that build loyalty Compliance and protection Lease tracking and insurance requirements Automated renters insurance program enrollment and identity protection Resident experience Limited to digital access and convenience Tangible monthly value that keeps residents paying and staying Unlike standard property management platforms, Second Nature adds benefits residents actually notice — like credit reporting, filter delivery, and insurance automation. This means stronger retention, fewer service calls, and a direct ROI that other tools can’t match. See how Second Nature elevates technology in property management The resident experience is where growth and scalability start. If your current tools stop at accounting, payments, or basic communication, Second Nature helps you add that missing layer. With our fully managed Resident Benefits Package, you give residents real value every month while your operations run more smoothly in the background. This creates long-term value for your properties and differentiates your property in an already competitive market. Request a demo to see how Second Nature turns technology in property management into higher retention, lower costs, and better resident satisfaction. FAQ What are the most important technology tools in property management? The most impactful tools include digital rent collection platforms, maintenance portals, resident communication apps, smart home devices, and AI-driven analytics. Together, these technologies reduce manual work and create a more transparent resident experience. How does technology in property management help reduce costs? Automation cuts admin time. Digital rent collection improves cash flow. Smart devices prevent costly repairs. Together, these technologies reduce inefficiencies and increase resident satisfaction. What role does artificial intelligence play in property management technology? AI helps property managers predict maintenance issues, identify late payment patterns, and generate insights that guide proactive decision-making. This reduces risk and ensures smoother daily operations. Is property management technology difficult to implement? Adoption challenges often include staff training and system integrations. Choosing user-friendly platforms with strong vendor support makes implementation smoother and accelerates ROI. Can small and mid-size property managers benefit from technology in property management? Yes. Digital tools scale to portfolios of any size. Even small teams can streamline rent collection, automate communication, and improve resident services without adding extra staff. How does resident-centric technology improve retention? When residents can pay online, track maintenance requests, and access self-service communication, they feel more confident in the property’s reliability. This convenience directly improves satisfaction and renewal rates. What should property managers look for when selecting technology solutions? Key factors include ease of use, integration with existing systems, direct impact on resident experience, vendor support, and clear ROI. The right mix ensures both efficiency and long-term value.

Calendar icon October 2, 2025

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Why Tenant Satisfaction Surveys are the Missing Piece in Your Retention Strategy

A tenant satisfaction survey is a tool that property managers can use to measure how well they’re meeting resident expectations, wants, and needs. Measuring resident satisfaction is particularly important because it allows all property management professionals—from managers to leasing agents to maintenance teams—to understand how well they’re performing and start making changes to improve. More importantly, it allows them to actually measure whether those changes are having an impact. Satisfaction surveys also help identify resident issues early, before they escalate or surface as negative public reviews. When implemented properly, they also improve retention rates and net operating income, allowing your business to grow. Surveys work best when they’re used consistently and follow best practices. It’s not enough to run a survey without a clear plan in place, or to check a box. It needs to be deliberate and your team needs to be fully bought in. In this article, we’ll give you a practical guide to creating and running satisfaction surveys that drive real improvement for your residents and your team. A note on language: The term “tenant satisfaction” has been used in the property management industry for a long time. Here at Second Nature, we prefer to think of renters as residents, because it humanizes them and emphasizes that they’re people, not just monthly rent checks. The industry is slowly evolving on language, and many people still use the term tenant, so we’ll use both in this article, but lean towards “resident.” What is a tenant satisfaction survey? A tenant satisfaction survey is a method of collecting feedback from your residents on how well you’re meeting their expectations, with the intention of making changes to your processes to improve the rental experience. The goal of the survey is to collect structured feedback from residents about their experience living at one of your properties. A satisfaction survey is not just about identifying what complaints your residents have, but also where things are going well and where there might be easy wins to boost satisfaction. You want to use surveys as a tool for understanding overall satisfaction, not just dissatisfaction. You can run surveys at different points in the leasing lifecycle, including move-in, lease renewal, the completion of maintenance work, or the midpoint of a lease. When used consistently, they don’t just provide valuable information to your internal team, they also help build trust and show residents that their voice is valued. Why tenant satisfaction surveys matter Satisfaction surveys can be beneficial in a number of areas. They give you deep insight into how you’re performing, which can help you: Drive higher retention, renewal rates, and positive Google reviews Uncover growing issues before they balloon into costly problems Make smarter decisions around policies and processes for maintenance, staffing, and upgrades Generate higher net operating income through improved resident experiences Shift from a reactive management style to a proactive approach Types of tenant satisfaction surveys There are a few different types of satisfaction surveys that you can implement, depending on your goals as a business. These generally correlate to specific points in the resident lifecycle. Here are some different survey types that you should consider: Move-in surveys: As you can probably guess, this type of survey is typically conducted shortly after a resident moves in. It can be helpful for understanding residents’ first impressions of you and what your resident onboarding process is like. It also starts the relationship off on the right foot, with residents feeling like their voice matters. Ongoing or annual surveys: It’s helpful to conduct a standardized survey at the same time each year. This helps track long-term satisfaction and patterns over time, which is especially helpful if your company is consistently growing, either in headcount or door count. Maintenance follow-ups: This survey type is helpful for measuring vendor performance, but also communication effectiveness and whether your overall maintenance process is fast and thorough enough. Pre-renewal or exit surveys: It’s important to understand why your residents are staying or leaving. For example, you may find that residents love your property and management company, but they’re pursuing homeownership or moving because of life circumstances. That’s extremely helpful in contextualizing your retention rate. Using multiple survey types, rather than relying on just one, will give you a fuller picture of the resident experience, so long as you’re not overwhelming your residents with constant survey requests. Keep in mind, short, focused surveys tend to get better response rates, so breaking up one long survey into multiple touch points can be much more efficient. How to measure tenant satisfaction When you’re getting up and running with satisfaction surveys, it’s important to know what kinds of KPIs you’re going to use to evaluate the data. The particular KPIs you’re measuring will inform what kinds of questions you ask. For example, you might consider: Satisfaction scores on a 1-5 or 1-10 scale Net promoter score (NPS) Open feedback Whichever KPIs you’re measuring, it’s important to track them over time in order to spot trends, especially as you change tools or policies, which might cause a significant shift in satisfaction. You should also consider segmenting data by portfolio or property type. For example, your multifamily residents might have a more positive opinion of your maintenance processes than single-family residents. As much as quantitative data is important—and often easier to analyze—qualitative data is also highly valuable. Open response questions can provide more context to objective numbers, and might also reveal motivations and emotions that don’t come through otherwise. Questions to include in a tenant satisfaction survey There are plenty of different directions you can take your survey, and exactly what questions you include may depend on the areas of your business that you’re looking to optimize. We’ve categorized some sample questions by area of focus so that you can easily develop a survey that fits your needs. We’ve provided examples of questions better suited to single-family homes, and others better suited to multifamily communities. Property condition How would you rate the condition of your home on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being worst and 10 being best? How would you rate the cleanliness of your home on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being cleanest and 1 being least clean? How would you rate the landscaping and upkeep of outdoor areas at your property, on a scale from 1 to 10? Are there areas or features of your home that need repairs or replacement, or items you’d like to see modernized? (Leave this as an open response question.) Responsiveness How would you rate the process of submitting a maintenance request, on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best? How would you rate the communications you receive from your property management team after you submit a maintenance request? This can be a sliding scale from “too much communication” to “not enough communication,” with the midpoint being the correct balance. How would you rate the quality of work done by the maintenance team on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best? How would you rate the amount of time it takes to complete maintenance requests on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best? Staff interactions How true do you find the following statements? I know how to get in touch with my property management team when needed I know how to reach a property management team member in an emergency situation, even if it’s after business hours How professional would you say your property management team is on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being unprofessional and 10 being professional? How helpful would you say your property management team is on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being least helpful and 10 being most helpful? Describe the last interaction you had with a member of our team and how it went. Community experience How safe do you feel in your community on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being least safe and 10 being safest? Rank the following community amenities by how much you use them, from most used to least used. Pool Dog park Business center Fitness center Tennis courts Community clubhouse Have you had any issues with noise in the building, eg. from neighbors? Please tell us about them. If you could choose one new community amenity that you don’t already have available to you, what would it be? Likelihood to renew or recommend How likely are you to renew your lease on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being least likely and 10 being most likely? How likely are you to recommend your property management company to a friend or family member on a scale from 1 to 7, with 1 being least likely and 7 being most likely? Note that you should use a mix of rankings, rating scales, and open-ended prompts in order to capture the most data possible. You should also always make it completely clear how the rating systems work and which end of the scale means what, in order to minimize confusion and inaccurate data. Finally, make sure that you keep your surveys brief to encourage completion. Feel free to take some of these questions for your own survey, but we don’t recommend using them all in one survey. How to create and send a great tenant survey Now that we’ve covered what you should include in your surveys, let’s take a look at the steps you should follow as you build and send your survey. 1. Choose the right timing Best practice is to send surveys at key touchpoints, like move-in, lease renewal, after a maintenance request, or half way through the lease. The timing you choose will depend on the types of information you’re looking to gather, so it’s ultimately a business decision. 2. Design a short and mobile-friendly survey Residents don’t want to fill out long, complicated surveys, so keep things short and to the point in order to increase completion rates. We recommend aiming for about 5 questions, and no more than 10. Make sure that your survey is also optimized for mobile devices, which will also help increase participation. 3. Use the right tools Make sure that you’re choosing the best survey tool for your needs. Popular tools include Google Forms, Survey Monkey, and Typeform, but you may have a survey feature built into your property accounting software. Each tool has its strengths and weaknesses, so do some research to make sure you’re getting all the features you need, and not paying for features you don’t. 4. Guarantee anonymity Make sure that you’re emphasizing resident anonymity when asking about sensitive topics, like neighbor interactions. If you’re asking about less sensitive topics but still want to offer the option of anonymity, most survey tools will allow you to make email addresses optional. That way you can follow up with residents who choose to provide their information, but residents who wish to remain anonymous can still do so. 5. Add a clear introduction It helps to contextualize why you’re surveying your residents. This is also a great opportunity to emphasize how much you value resident feedback, and the role it plays in your decision making as a business. This will help residents feel valued, increase honesty, and increase overall participation. 6. Send the survey and encourage participation Make sure that you’re being respectful of your residents’ time, while also following up with them to increase response rates. For example, you can schedule a reminder email or add an in-app notification in their resident portal to remind them about the survey. You can also consider small incentives, like gift cards, or enter all participants into a raffle to receive a larger prize. Turning feedback from a tenant survey into action Of course, collecting all of this information is only valuable if it leads to meaningful improvements. So how can you take the feedback from your survey and put it into action? Start by carving out time on your calendar to review results after each survey. Compare new results to previous feedback and look for patterns, changes, or recurring issues. From there, you can make a game plan on which items to tackle first. Prioritize quick wins that emerge across your survey data, like communication frequency, but keep a running list of larger projects and resurface them in your quarterly planning meeting. Survey insights can be used for long-term planning like budgets, staffing, and capital planning, too. Make sure that you’re also communicating the outcomes of your survey, both internally and to residents themselves. While you don’t have to be fully transparent with every single data point, make sure that residents know what’s been changed as a result of their feedback. That will encourage more participation in future surveys, but also build a sense of trust. Internally, make sure the team is aware of how the company is measuring up and what changes you plan to make in response. Turn tenant feedback into proactive improvements Satisfaction surveys can help uncover issues like missed maintenance, poor communication, low renewal intent, and faulty processes. Moreover, it gives you a playbook to continuously improve your business. While juggling operations and retention can feel overwhelming, making time for satisfaction surveys can have a multiplier effect across the company. If you want to drive better resident outcomes and increase your tenant satisfaction survey results, look to Second Nature’s Resident Benefits Package, which boosts retention, improves the resident experience, and protects you, your residents, and your properties—all with no extra work from your team.

Calendar icon September 30, 2025

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Why We Developed JWB’s Homestep Home Buying Program

Homebuying assistance programs are starting to gain traction among property management companies, and for good reason. They’re a great way to give something back to your residents while also differentiating yourself from the competition. In this article, I’m going to walk through Homestep, JWB’s homebuyer assistance program, including how it works, how we implemented it, and how it’s helped our business so far. Asking, “what’s the most we can do?” At JWB, instead of asking ourselves “What’s the least we can do to solve this problem?” we ask ourselves, “What’s the most we can do?” We’re always looking for ways to go above and beyond to delight our clients and our residents. With our Homestep program, we wanted to take that approach even further. We knew that housing affordability is a challenge, both in our city of Jacksonville and across the nation. High interest rates make affordability even more difficult, and many residents didn’t feel prepared, equipped, or educated enough on the topic to build up a downpayment. With that in mind, we wanted to try to take a small bite out of that elephant and make an impact for the residents that we serve. We recognize as a team that home ownership and equity can not only change a person’s immediate situation, but start to create generational wealth and put more power in the hands of the everyday people that we’re working with. We have real estate expertise in house, and we wanted to pass that on to our residents. Plus, from a pure business standpoint, we were confident that a robust homebuying program could be a differentiator from leasing, all the way through the full resident experience and lifecycle. How the program works When we designed the Homestep program, we wanted something that would give true value to our residents without overloading our team or overcomplicating our existing processes. We were deliberate about who we allowed to participate and what kind of home purchases qualified. Who’s eligible to participate? To start, we didn’t want this to be an opt-in or closed program. That’s why every resident that rents from us is automatically enrolled from day one. At least signing or renewal, residents are automatically enrolled, and stay enrolled provided that they remain in good standing. Each month that they rent one of our properties, they earn $100 per month toward a future housing purchase, with benefits maxing out at $3600. We offer a lot of long-term leases, which also max out at three years, so it was a logical way to align the program. Of course, residents don’t have to wait the full three years to leverage their Homestep funds. They’re eligible to redeem their funds for a home purchase any time after twelve months of residency with us. We also allow Homestep users out of their lease early with no penalty, as long as they’re in good standing; rent is paid, no physical damage to the property. We ask that residents provide a 60 day notice once they’re under contract for their home, and we don’t charge any fees for terminating the lease early. That added flexibility means that more residents can take advantage of the benefits they’ve earned, while we still have ample time to prepare for a turnover. Redeeming your Homestep benefit When a resident in the Homestep program finds their dream home, the process is pretty simple. As long as they don’t have an open balance on their lease ledger, there’s no major damage to the property, and they’ve rented with us for at least a year, they’re eligible to use the funds they’ve accrued. This isn’t just a simple transfer of dollars—we don’t hand them a check and say, “go buy a house.” Instead, we work with them via our Realtors. Residents have the option to purchase one of our new construction properties that are for sale. If they aren’t interested in purchasing one of our homes, that’s also completely fine; they can work with a JWB real estate agent to buy whatever home they’d like. In fact, we hired a dedicated Homestep buyer’s agent who’s a true specialist in first-time homebuying, so residents know exactly who they’ll be working with. We designed the program this way because we wanted everything to be as flexible as possible. Our homes are affordable compared to the average sales prices in Jacksonville, but we didn’t want to lock our residents into that. We wanted to give them options by opening the program up to any home in the area, provided they work with one of our agents. Going beyond finances We also knew that homebuying challenges extend far beyond just affordability. That’s why our program starts with education. We pair the financial side of the program with education, support, and resources to drive value. We want our residents to understand topics like escrow accounts, property taxes, homeowners insurance, PMI, and HOA fees before they make one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. These are things that first-time homebuyers might not understand, and we want to be there to truly support them. We had already started hosting free homebuying education classes years before we introduced the Homestep program. We had worked to support residents who were looking to buy homes, matching them with our lending partners and insurance partners. We were already offering our realty services to residents who wanted to purchase homes. The Homestep program just reemphasized the importance of our education efforts. Every quarter we market our homebuying class to all of our residents. We host them at our office in the evenings, and we provide pizza and soda so that people can bring their kids and families if they need to. Sessions are about an hour long and open to the first 100 registrants, which is the max capacity for our office space. One particular member of our team is extremely well versed in real estate, and has actually done all of JWB’s property acquisitions, so she was a natural fit for this role. She teaches our homebuying class and leverages all of that expertise to help our residents better understand what the process is like. We invite a preferred lender to co-teach the class and cover the underwriting process and financial side of homebuying. It’s an opportunity for our property managers to get facetime with residents, and our realty team is there to answer any questions anyone has. Afterward, we send attendees follow-up information on the Homestep program so that people are fully informed and know what their options are. Seeing real results We only introduced the Homestep program a little bit under a year ago, but already we’re seeing a real impact on the lives of our residents. We already have over 3,200 residents officially enrolled, which is a big chunk of our 5,600 homes under management. We have about 30 residents currently actively looking to find a home through the program, most of them working with our Homestep buyers agent, and four under contract. Year to date, we’ve closed 11 deals with our residents. As a side benefit, it’s also helping us build up our realty business’s brand, which has been great to see. The long-term goal for the program is to hit five Homestep closings per month. We’re really excited about the growth of the program and our ability to have such a huge impact on our residents’ lives. Honoring our commitment to our clients As we were putting together the Homestep program, we wanted to make sure that we were also honoring our commitment and our fiduciary duty to our clients. There was a lingering question of whether encouraging residents to purchase homes—and vacate our rental properties—was counter to our mission. The reality is, residents who are interested in the Homestep program are likely to be high quality, dependable residents. They’re more likely to pay on time and take better care of the property because they want to be eligible to use those funds when the time comes. There’s an inherent benefit in having financially-savvy residents in your properties. Plus, we made sure that residents have to stay for at least twelve months in order to use their funds, so we’re already encouraging them to stay at least a year. Plus, they start to develop a more personal connection to their home, their management company, and the property owner, because we’re giving them real, life-changing value. Aligning our focus as a company We didn’t get a lot of pushback from clients, who saw the benefit of the program. We did have some conversations about it internally, because we wanted to make sure that this investment was aligned with our mission. We even looked at our internal KPIs, like renewal rates, and reevaluated how we were measuring performance. Now, in addition to their goals around renewing a certain number of leases, property managers are also measured on how many Homestep leads they generate. We wanted to shift our view to look at the bigger picture. What is it that we’re trying to accomplish? By reevaluating our team’s goals and realigning them with this new initiative, we stayed true to our mission as a business. We didn’t want to be so focused on just one metric—in this case, renewal rate—that we missed the larger point. Do what makes sense for your company Introducing a comprehensive homebuyer assistance program has been great for JWB. If you have the financial means and infrastructure to develop a homebuying program of your own, I’d definitely recommend it. But the good news is that you don’t have to shell out a ton of money to empower your residents. We chose to offer the $100 per month, but there are other ways to do this that cost a lot less. Homebuyer education classes can be done cheaply or even for free if you have someone qualified on staff. Offering credit building services is a great way to help residents prepare for homebuying. There are plenty of ways to get creative. Remember, small steps can still make a big impact. Looking for more ways to delight your residents? Join our next RBP workshop to hear from real property managers who have implemented a Resident Benefits Package and improved the resident experience.

Calendar icon September 25, 2025

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How to Find Good Tenants for Your Rental Property

Every property manager and leasing agent struggles with it. It can make or break a small property management business, and dramatically impact the bottom line of even the biggest companies. It’s a core challenge that every PMC has to unlock: how to find good tenants. Finding good, qualified residents can be challenging. You’re constantly looking for someone who: Takes great care of the property Pays rent on time Is cooperative with inspections and maintenance At the same time, you want to avoid residents who do things like: Treats the property poorly, causes damage, or neglects responsibilities Communicates poorly, is hostile to your team, or is uncooperative Pays rent late Bad residents can be expensive, and in extreme cases lead to evictions, which are lengthy, costly, and stressful. Plus, a bad resident can create friction with your clients, increasing churn and damaging your reputation. While it’s not always possible to identify potential bad residents ahead of time, here are some indicators to look out for: A history of delinquent payments A poor credit score Prior evictions Fraudulent information on their application In this article, we’ll look at why finding good tenants is so important, the impact it can have on your business, and how to attract high-quality residents with proper marketing and screening practices. A note on language: "Tenants” is an industry term that’s been in use for a long time. But here at Second Nature, we’re trying to evolve the word "tenant." We’ve seen the incredible work property managers do day in and day out to make renters feel like they’re so much more than just tenants – they’re residents. In some instances, like this article, we use the term tenant because it makes it easier for property managers to find, read, and benefit from our content. What makes a good tenant? Finding good residents is essential, but what actually makes for a good resident in the first place? We already outlined some behaviors that good residents exhibit, like paying on time and taking care of the property, but what are the underlying characteristics that indicate someone will make a good resident? A clear background and credit check: A lack of criminal history and a good credit score indicate that an applicant is more likely to be trustworthy and pay on time. Steady, long-term income: Reliable employment is important to ensure that a resident won’t lose their income during their lease and have to vacate unexpectedly, or worse, stop making payments entirely. The ability to pay total move-in costs, including the security deposit: Regardless of what you charge up from—first month’s rent, last month’s rent, a security deposit, or miscellaneous fees—you want a resident who won’t have trouble paying. Otherwise, you’ll wind up back at square one, trying to fill a vacancy while your client grows frustrated. References, especially from past property managers or real estate investors: If an applicant is willing to share contact information for past property managers or unit owners, that’s a sign they had a good working relationship and were good residents in the past. A history of on-time rent payments: If an applicant previously paid on time consistently, that’s another indicator that they’ll be a reliable, qualified resident. There are other positive indicators, too, like fast response times and a willingness to cooperate throughout the application process, but these things can be much more difficult to measure objectively. Factors you must not consider when evaluating tenants There are several factors that you cannot consider when evaluating applicants, due to the Fair Housing Act. This is federal law, but many states have statutes that expand the protections of fair housing. While you should always consult an attorney if you have questions about fair housing in your area, and this is not legal advice, the Fair Housing Act generally prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of: Race Religion Sex National origin Familial status Disability Regulatory compliance is an important aspect of running a property management business, so it’s essential to understand fair housing in your state. Why is finding good tenants so important? Identifying and leasing to good residents is vital to the success of any property management company for multiple reasons. First off, qualified residents that pay on time provide financial stability. You can count on rest being paid on the first of the month without having to chase them down or threaten them with late fees. Second, good residents protect the property itself. They’re more likely to proactively communicate about potential maintenance issues that, if ignored, could balloon into expensive problems down the road. Financially-minded residents are also likely to take better care of the property because they want to make sure they get their security deposit back. They’re also more likely to carry up to date renters insurance to protect themselves from potential financial setbacks, which also protects your company and the property. Finally, quality residents are more likely to renew their leases, and far less likely to face eviction. That means a more consistent stream of income, less vacancy time, and lower turnover expenses. All of these factors combine to create happier clients, too. When residents pay on time, stay longer, and protect investors’ largest assets, you’re more likely to retain those clients for years to come. How to attract good tenants for your rental property Attracting good tenants is something of an art and a science. From screening practices to marketing strategies, you can take steps across your entire process to increase the likelihood of generating applications from qualified residents. Establish your tenant screening criteria Standardizing your application form and screening criteria is vital, not just because it’s a fair housing requirement, but because it lets you objectively consider which applicant is best qualified. Consider including these factors in your screening process: Credit score Monthly income Rental history or address history Eviction history References Pet details, if applicable For example, you may set screening criteria like this: Monthly income at least 3x the rent amount Minimum credit score of 650 No recorded felonies No recorded bankruptcies No recorded evictions Your specific criteria will vary based on the market you serve and the class of housing you have available, so make sure you consider those factors when developing your screening criteria. Get your property ready to rent Making your property fully rent-ready before listing it can also help attract more qualified applicants. Renters in good financial standing with reliable income typically have higher expectations for the quality and condition of the property they’re looking to rent, so making sure all turnover maintenance is completed and the property is in top condition will draw them in. Qualified residents will be put off by dirty or unfinished properties. Provide coveted amenities Make sure that you’re including extra amenities to whatever extent possible. Things like off-street parking and in-unit laundry tend to draw in more applicants. If you’re managing multifamily buildings, pet-friendly areas, modern common spaces, and co-working spaces can also be big factors that tip the scales in your favor. Offer tenants a Resident Benefits Package A Resident Benefits Package can also help capture the attention of qualified residents, especially those who are particularly financially-minded. Benefits like identity theft protection and credit building will appeal to renters looking to improve their financial standing. Create a high-quality property listing Your rental listing description can also have a huge impact on the volume and quality of applications you receive. Make sure you’re painting the property in the best possible light, including the neighborhood and nearby amenities. Remember, you’re selling the lifestyle, not just the walls. Your rental listing should also answer as many questions as possible so that the resident doesn’t need to reach out for clarification, or, worse yet, move on entirely. Your listing should be as clear as possible about policies, costs, timeline, and the application process so that the resident has all the details they need to schedule a showing and submit their application. Price your property competitively Pricing units is a core function of property management, and it can be highly influential in the kinds of applicants you get. Price it too high and you’ll exclude a lot of potential applicants. Price it too low and you may attract applicants who aren’t fully qualified, but who are in search of a great deal. Making sure you’re pricing your properties competitively takes practice, but be sure to factor in the competition in your market, the age and condition of the property, and how much it has cost to maintain in the past. Create a detailed rental application Your rental application, like your screening process, should be standardized in order to fairly compare different prospective residents. You should be collecting all of the basic contact information and data needed to run your screening, such as: Name Current address Phone number Date of birth Income verification Credit report Rental history Pet information Copy of their ID, typically a driver’s license or passport However, your application should go beyond just the basics. A truly great application form also includes details that will help make the approval and move-in process as easy as possible, like: Desired move-in date Co-applicants Desired lease term Number of vehicles they have References While the core function of the application form is to qualify residents, you can also set everyone up for success by collecting more information earlier. How to market your rental property to find good tenants Now that you have a property and process that will attract great residents, it’s time to focus on marketing. There are some key steps you can take to get more eyeballs on your listings, more showings on your calendar, and more applications in your inbox, all of which will help increase your chances of finding a truly great resident. List your rental property online The vast majority of applicants today are finding their next home online. Listing sites have made it incredibly easy for residents to filter, sort, and apply right from their phone. Thankfully, they’ve also made it easy for property managers to create listings quickly that will attract qualified residents. If you use a property accounting software, it likely already has listing capabilities built in. Most property management tools now offer easy processes for syndicating new listings out across multiple listing sites, saving you valuable time. They’ll distribute your descriptions, pricing, photos, and details, but it’s important to test your syndication functionality and make sure that everything is showing up correctly on the various listing sites. Here are some of the most valuable sites to be listing on: Zillow: Zillow is no longer just for homebuyers, and has captured a huge portion of the rental market, too. Applicants can easily filter by price, pet friendliness, lease term, and more, allowing them to narrow in on the exact properties that fit their needs and lifestyle. Zillow also includes a direct scheduling tool to get showings on the calendar, and an integrated application tool. Redfin: Perhaps known best for their home sales tools, Redfin took a giant leap into the rental market in 2021 when it purchased RentPath, and with it several rental listing sites. Redfin offers a number of filters and advanced search features, including a filter to only show results that are currently offering special deals, like first month free. Trulia: Trulia has been around for a long time, founded all the way back in 2005. Like Zillow, Trulia offers tools for buying homes as well as renting them. The platform offers an easy contact form to connect renters with property managers, and includes many of the same filters that Zillow does. Apartments.com: Owned by Homes.com, Apartments.com is another large player in the space. Despite the name, they offer listings for single-family homes, townhomes, and condos in addition to apartments. Depending on your particular property accounting software, you may have access to a much longer list of sites. Try them out, see where your listings get the most traction, and optimize for those platforms. Promote your property listings on social media Social media is another great place to get eyes on your vacant properties. Whether you’re posting on your company’s page, leveraging local real estate groups on Facebook or LinkedIn, or creating ads, reaching your audience on social media is key. Eye-catching ads on platforms like Instagram and Facebook can let you get hypertargeted to renters in your area, keeping advertising costs low while still reaching your ideal applicants. Host an open house While scheduled showings are common in an on-demand world, don’t overlook the value of a good old fashioned open house. Signs around the neighborhood can bring in applicants who may otherwise not have seen your listing, and they provide a much more personal touch that allows a leasing agent to work their magic. They also allow the applicants to see themselves in the home in a way that just isn’t possible online, even with the best virtual walkthrough tools. To have the best possible open house experience, make sure that the showing agent knows all of the relevant company policies and processes. Just as an online listing should answer all an applicant’s questions, so should the agent. Use print media Despite what many think, print media isn’t dead. There’s still a place for listings in your local paper, which will specifically target the local area. Print listings give you a lot less space than online listings do, so make sure to focus on the most important elements, like the location, price, number of bedrooms, and key features. Make sure to also include information on whether the unit is pet friendly, which is a big boost for modern residents. How to screen applicants to find good tenants for your rental property Screening applicants is the last major step in ensuring that your property is occupied by qualified residents. You’ve collected all the relevant information with your application form, so now it’s time to run the screening. Many properties leverage third-party screening tools, which can expedite the process substantially. If you’re conducting the screening yourself, make sure you’re taking the following steps: Check the credit report and background: Make sure that the resident’s credit report lines up with the other information they’ve reported, and that there are no major red flags like bankruptcies or missed payments on loans. Verify employment and income: Follow up with the employment references the resident has listed and do your due diligence to ensure that their employer is a valid company. Review rental history: If a resident has provided rental references, call to verify their dates of residency and their good standing as a resident. Speak to them on the phone and get their perspective, rather than relying on a simple verification letter. Check criminal records: There are several online services that can conduct criminal background checks. Make sure the one you select offers multi-state screening so that you can be alerted to any criminal history from other states or jurisdictions. Make sure that you’re remaining compliant with fair housing laws at every step, and if you have any questions about fair housing, be sure to consult an attorney. Attract good tenants with Second Nature When you put resident experience first, you attract better residents. With Second Nature’s Resident Benefits Package, you can deliver a top-tier resident experience that helps boost financial wellness, improve the day-to-day rental experience, and reward residents for good behavior. If you’re interested in learning how Second Nature can help you attract more qualified residents, join our next RBP Workshop, where you’ll hear from real property managers who have implemented resident benefits to boost their business.

Calendar icon September 23, 2025

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Experience First: Why We Hired a Dedicated Resident Experience Coordinator

In more than a decade in property management, I’ve learned that delighting residents is one of the best ways to increase renewal rates and win more clients. We recently made the choice to formalize that into a dedicated full-time role, the Resident Experience Coordinator. Through careful planning, plenty of internal conversations, and a little bit of experimentation, we’ve seen a clear impact on our business and our resident satisfaction. It’s been a great business decision and a great way to show that we’re invested in our residents. After all, we can all say we care about resident experience, but if we aren’t intentionally taking steps to make residents thrive, do we really care that much? What is a resident experience coordinator? A resident experience coordinator is a dedicated individual on our team whose primary focus is increasing resident satisfaction by going above and beyond, gathering and listening to resident feedback, and recommending policy and process improvements across the business. She operates across the property management team and works on improving every aspect of our business that touches the lives of residents. While this isn’t a common role at most property management companies, we at JWB decided to take the leap and invest in resident experience like never before, with the goal of improving our residents’ lives and giving them the best renting experience possible. Why we decided to create a dedicated role Conversations about making resident experience a dedicated role started after we hosted a resident experience workshop. The workshop looked at what we were doing today and how we could improve our resident outcomes. We left that meeting feeling like we were doing a lot of great things and working hard to deliver a strong resident experience, but that we could always be doing more. We decided that, since our property management and support teams were closest to our residents, we should ask them for ideas, suggestions, and pain points to solve for. We came away from that conversation with about 80 different ideas on how we could continue improving. We were excited to get started, but we immediately realized that all of these ideas would add more work to our property managers’ plates without removing any of their existing tasks. We didn’t want to overload our team or shift their priorities away from other business-critical work, and we worried about things getting lost in the shuffle if we gave them too many tasks. That’s when we started to consider creating a new role. Making it full-time As we started to think about hiring a dedicated person for this role, our only real question was whether it was truly a full-time responsibility. We knew there was tremendous potential value, and we were bought in on the idea, but we didn’t want to hire someone only to realize it should have been a part-time job. We started by putting together a job description. We weren’t just listing out responsibilities (although that was part of it); we were identifying core goals, KPIs, and metrics. We had to determine how to objectively measure resident experience, if it could be measured at all. What are the roles and responsibilities? Around the same time that we were starting to discuss hiring for this position, we were also experimenting with building out a resident committee. We wanted to select 10-12 residents who could be our “VIPs,” who could weigh in and give feedback, ask us questions, and help improve our processes. We knew we would need someone to spearhead this initiative, and the resident experience coordinator was a perfect fit. We had our first job responsibilities nailed down. We had also tested out running a community town hall event for all of our residents. The idea was that we would get them together locally and have an open discussion about where we were meeting expectations, where we weren’t, and what we could do better. It was a deeply vulnerable experience, but it was hugely successful, and we knew we wanted to do more. Again, this was the perfect project for a resident experience coordinator to take on. We had other events on the docket, too, like social and community gatherings at our multifamily properties, which were another great opportunity for this role. But we also wanted to go beyond just event coordination. Here are some of the other day-to-day functions that we found were a great fit for this particular role: Overseeing our review process: The resident experience coordinator is responsible for soliciting new reviews, but also for monitoring every site where we get reviews, responding to them when needed, and communicating them to the internal team. Managing NPS data: This person owns our net promoter score, reviewing scores weekly, monitoring trends, and identifying opportunities to make improvements. This is a core KPI for a resident experience coordinator. Reviewing our escalation process: Particularly when it comes to maintenance and work orders, we want to make sure we’ve got strong processes in place for escalation paths. This role reviews escalations on a routine basis, looking and when, why, and how items were escalated, what trends there are, and how we can adapt our processes. What aren’t the responsibilities? We were very careful to make sure we weren’t creating confusion between this new role and our expert property managers. The biggest difference is that our PMs each have a portfolio of homes that they’re responsible for, and they still handle all of the basic management functions like collecting rent, renewing leases, and coordinating move-outs. The resident experience coordinator does not have a set portfolio, and instead works across all of the properties that we manage, helping to deepen relationships. She sits on the property management team, but as an extension of the team. Make no mistake, our property managers are still building strong relationships with their residents. The experience coordinator does not replace that. They’re still friendly faces and helpful points of contact for residents. The experience coordinator just adds another level of proactive support to help delight residents wherever possible. Having a measurable impact Ultimately, we ended up hiring for this role from within. We took someone who had years of experience on our team, working with our residents and vendors, and shifted them into this position, and it couldn’t have gone better. She’s already won teammate of the month twice this year because of the impact she’s had on the business and her peers. Our NPS score is higher than it’s ever been, thanks in part to her hard work and dedication. And we’ve gotten great anecdotal feedback from our residents about her performance and customer interactions. Across the board, shifting to a dedicated experience coordinator has been a boon. Remember, there’s a lot of financial value in improving the resident experience. Happy residents stay longer, take better care of your properties, leave better reviews, and refer other residents to your properties. But there’s also just inherent value in taking good care of your residents. At the end of the day, we want to provide safe, comfortable, enjoyable housing for as many people as we can, and dedicating time and resources to the resident experience is a huge part of that. Final thoughts Making hiring decisions is always tricky. You have to consider your finances, the size of your existing team, and how quickly you plan to expand the business. But hiring a dedicated resident experience coordinator was a great decision for our business. I’m a firm believer that having a dedicated person leads to the best outcomes over time. Our hope was to see NPS scores increase because of the increased touchpoints, better communication methods, and a heartfelt person who can step in when things go wrong, and that’s exactly what’s happened. If your business is in a position where hiring is on the table, make sure to consider an experience coordinator. If you're looking for additional ways to improve your resident experience, consider adding a Resident Benefits Package.

Calendar icon September 18, 2025

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The First 48: How the First Two Days of Vacancy Impact Everything Else

Picture this: it’s a Friday move-out at one of your properties. Your team doesn’t get in for the inspection until Tuesday because of the holiday weekend. By the time you’ve even laid eyes on the place, it’s been sitting vacant for three full days and nothing has been mobilized. That lag is painful and expensive. When we talk about reducing time to income or loss to vacancy, the first 48 hours after a move-out set the tone for everything else. Those two days determine whether you’re gaining momentum or playing catch-up. By focusing obsessively on mastering the first 48, you can increase net operating income for your clients and yourself, build owner trust, and create a smoother, less frustrating working experience for your team. Do a pre-inspection before you jump the gun When you get that notice of intent to move out, it’s tempting to immediately start pulling together a listing and ramping up the marketing machine. The problem is, until you set foot in that unit, you don’t know what kind of condition it’s in or what kind of work you’re going to need to do to move the next resident in. You don’t even know whether the resident will vacate on time. And you won’t know anything for sure until that resident has moved out all of their belongings and you can lay eyes on everything. The good news is, you can do a pre-inspection in the last month of tenancy to evaluate the situation and start making a turnover maintenance plan. Having information in advance allows you to prepare, which will cut down on your turnover time. Make sure you’re walking through the property carefully before move-out to get a sense of what needs to be fixed, cleaned, or updated. Make this a part of your lease and then actually follow through. With a well-run pre-inspection, nothing should be a surprise when you walk into a unit the day after move-out. It shouldn’t be a surprise to you, and it shouldn’t be a surprise to your owner. Gather as much information as possible In those first 48 hours after move-out, your job is to assess the situation and get to work. That means getting in the morning after you get possession of the home with a checklist in hand and a plan to start marking things off. Detail is key As you’re walking through the home, make note of everything that needs to be changed, fixed, or updated. How thorough your list is and how strong your process is will make all the difference. It’s not helpful to write down that you need ten sets of blinds if you don’t have measurements, colors, and materials. Time is lost when work has to be redone, or when information isn’t available or clear. Be thorough. This is your opportunity to collect the details that will make the rest of the process go smoothly. At my management company, we use video for move-out inspections. When clients or team members have questions, they can easily reference the video. Sometimes it means working the weekend It might seem easy to prioritize getting into a unit the day it’s vacant, but it gets complicated when all your move-outs are happening on the same day—especially if it happens to be a weekend. If turn day is a Saturday, you still need team members working that day, inspecting, logging inspections, and making priority lists. The way we used to run things, if a move-out was on a Friday, we weren’t in there until Monday. If it was a holiday weekend, we weren’t in until Tuesday. That didn’t seem like a big deal when we had a relatively small business, but at scale, those three days on every property have a massive cumulative impact. Make sure you’re setting expectations with the right team members that, sometimes, Saturdays might be working days. Get the right people in place ahead of time It’s all well and good to make a list of all the work you need done during a turnover, but it only matters if you actually get the pieces in place to start checking items off. Every single day of a vacancy, the heat is on. You need to make sure your vendors know exactly where they need to be and when, and you can’t just shrug it off when they don’t show up. In those first 48 hours, you should have a complete schedule of who’s doing what and when. It takes a lot of time and energy to keep things moving and on schedule. In my experience, communication between departments is the biggest source of delays during vacancy. You need to make sure you have both technology and processes in place to keep communication fast and clear. And don’t forget, as you’re lining up all of these vendors, you still need someone on your team to walk through and quality-check before it gets turned over to the marketing team. How embarrassing is it when your leasing agent goes to show a “rent-ready” property and the old light fixtures are still there, even though a vendor was supposed to replace them? Now you’ve got to reschedule the vendor and more showings. These frustrations not only lose time in the path back to income, they also stress out your team. Get owner buy-in The other essential step here is getting your owners bought in so they don’t have sticker shock. Throughout the last month of tenancy, you should be prepping the owner so they can prepare for the emotional weight of spending money on maintenance. You never want big expenses to be a last-minute surprise, which is what makes the pre-inspection so valuable. Even if you don’t know exactly what needs to be done, you should have a sense of things like carpet replacements or paint. Make sure you have a set of standards you don’t deviate from, and estimates of costs. For example, you should know what a kitchen of a certain size costs in your market. You should know what flooring or paint costs based on the square footage of the home. This is a great opportunity to lead with your expertise. This isn’t about saying, “The carpets are getting pretty gross!” Instead, it’s about saying, “Here are the options I’ve priced out for new carpet and LVP. This is what I recommend.” Be clear about what’s needed and why. When you have this conversation early—hopefully before the previous resident has moved out—you give the owner time to question, resist, and eventually accept the expenses they’re facing. It’s frustrating and costly when their indecision happens during vacancy and you can’t move forward. Vacancy work isn’t just maintenance, it’s marketing The final piece here is remembering all the marketing requirements for the property. In particular, getting a photographer or videographer on the schedule as early as possible can save you valuable time during vacancies. Whether you’re using a third-party photographer or someone on your team who’s really good with an iPhone, you should treat them like the rest of your vendors during a vacancy. They should know exactly what day they’ll be in the property, what areas you want them to highlight, and when you need photos delivered. Decide ahead of time whether you need new photos in the first place. If you’ve made significant changes to a property, it’s time to update those images. Photos and videos also have shelf lives simply because of how technology and trends change. They start to look and feel old just because of the camera you took them with. You should be able to quickly see when your most recent photos were taken so you can know whether they’re outdated. The debate over hardhat tours Ultimately, it’s up to you whether you want to list a vacant property before all of the turnover work is done. Hardhat tours can be effective in multifamily or in portfolios where you have similar, finished units to show a potential applicant. If there’s the right level of scarcity and demand, and you have the right leasing agent, hardhat tours can work. Final thoughts How you handle the first 48 hours of vacancy can make or break your bottom line, and your relationship with a client. By putting energy into kicking off the turnover, you increase NOI, build owner trust, and improve your team’s experience at work. Want more expert advice from property managers like Jen? Join the Triple Win Property Managers group on Facebook to connect with like-minded peers.

Calendar icon September 16, 2025

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12 Wins You Need to Get Lease a Property

As property managers, we don’t talk enough about just how complicated the leasing process is. There’s this idea that leasing is just, “This property’s for rent! You want it? Great, you can move in next week.” In reality, leasing is a lot more than just posting a property on Facebook. It’s a detailed, complicated process that can be sometimes frustrating for everyone involved. If you’re a quality, professional property manager, you’re looking for qualified, credit-worthy residents. You’re not just accepting whoever walks in the door, because you know that’s going to cause more headaches down the line. If you ask me, there are twelve crucial points in the leasing process—points where property managers like us have to win over and over again. If we lose at even one of those twelve steps, we’ve lost that qualified applicant entirely. But if you know what the applicant wants at each step, you can get your vacant properties filled a lot faster, with great residents. Property managers play all the roles—and that makes it a tough gig One of the things that makes property management so unique (and, for many of us, so exciting) is that we’re wearing so many hats, even just in the leasing process. When you’re buying a home, there are multiple different people who each have a specific role to play. The Realtor is there to show you the home of your dreams and convince you that you should buy it, even if it’s at the top of your price range. The lender will counsel you through the process and push to get you approved for a mortgage. And then the underwriter is the bad guy. They’re this mysterious person behind the scenes. They’re the one who typically takes the blame if the mortgage doesn’t come through and you can’t buy the property. As property managers, it’s just us. We have to be the good guy and the bad guy. We have to market properties, woo applicants, enforce restrictions that determine whether they qualify, and then deliver the news, good or bad. Then, once someone’s moved in, our job is to keep them in line while also keeping them happy. It’s a lot of different jobs at a lot of different points in the process, so let’s take a look at the twelve wins you need to get to lease the property at market rent to a qualified resident. The self-driven discovery phase When an applicant starts their journey of finding a home to rent, you aren’t there to help them. They’re out in the ether somewhere, and all you can do is market that property as best you possibly can and try to get them to apply. 1. Be where the resident is looking The first step is to be where the qualified applicants in your area are spending their time. In 2025, that’s typically online. You need to be on listing sites, search results, and social media so that people searching for rentals will find you. Yes, some people still drive around and look at for-lease signs, or ask their hairdresser, or scan the newspaper. But the vast majority of qualified applicants are looking at Zillow, Trulia, Apartments.com, and other major listing sites. If you’re not on those sites, they’re never going to find you. That’s not genius marketing, it’s just table stakes. 2. Win the click Once people have found you, you have to actually get them to click on your particular listing. This is one of the top three wins to be optimizing. Picture it: they’re probably scrolling through page after page, dozens if not hundreds of different properties. How do you stand out to be the one they click on? No click = no lease. It starts with filters. When people look for rentals, they’re filtering by price, by number of bedrooms, by pet friendliness. You need to have your listings structured correctly so that you’re not getting filtered out accidentally. Take a look at your pricing strategy. If you’re listing a home at $2200 a month, and someone adds a filter for “under $2200,” you may not show up at all. If you list at $2199, suddenly you’re right in the mix. I’ve tested this theory. I’ve gotten twice as many leads on the same property just by changing the price by $5 per month. Next, you have to have a great headline and thumbnail. Show the best aspect of that unit right in the first image, and emphasize it in the headline. If you operate a portfolio where you have consistent inventory, like build to rent neighborhoods, townhomes, or condos, you can do some experimenting with how you word these headlines. Try different things and see what resonates. Don’t be afraid to go on these listing sites and actually browse like you’re a resident. See where your properties are and aren’t showing up! You can even shop your competition or look at what people in other markets are doing. Most property managers no longer know what the modern leasing experience is like for applicants, and that’s why they’re falling short. At the end of the day, your thumbnail, headline, and price have to beat out all the other tiny rectangles on that screen to win that click. 3. Answer your applicants’ unspoken questions The thing about online listings is that you can’t be there to ask, “Do you have any questions for me?” If someone has questions you haven’t answered, they’re probably going to move on. Remember, a lot of people are browsing rentals at 3AM on a weeknight. They’re tired, they’re stressed, and they’re trying to plan a weekend of tours. (Trust me, I see when the emails and voicemails come in booking showings.) If your listing isn’t answering all of the questions that applicant has, it’s not going to make that list of places to go see on Saturday. Your ad has to be thorough enough to cover things like “Does it have a dishwasher?” and “Can I have a cat?” If it doesn’t do that, they are not likely to waste their time finding answers. Make it easy! 4. Spark desire to see it If you’ve made the short list for a showing, you’ve still got some work to do. The thing is, it takes a lot of energy and motivation to get up, get in the car (or on the bus, or on a bike, or whatever!), and go see a property. This is where your listing needs to really excite that applicant. You need to provide a realistic vision of what it’s like to live in that home. Is this somewhere they want to bring their family? Is it somewhere they can have friends visit and be proud of? You need photos, videos, and descriptions that sell the lifestyle, not just the walls. 5. Get it scheduled Scheduling is just an administrative task, but it’s where a huge number of applicants drop off. Your job here is to make the scheduling process as easy as possible. It has to be foolproof, or you’re going to lose qualified residents. Remember, it’s 3AM! This is not a fun process for them! You need the logistics to be dead simple so that they can immediately self-schedule online, without a phone call, and get their confirmation immediately. The showing phase Once you’ve gotten someone interested, convinced this is the place for them, and on the showing calendar, it’s time to move them through the showing process. The good news is, this is where you finally have their information and you can start communicating with them personally! 6. Get them to show up This is another of the top three areas most PMs can improve. It’s easy to forget how much can change between the time someone schedules a tour and the time they’re supposed to show up. They may have booked that showing with the full intention of being there on Saturday morning, but then the weekend rolls around and they’re tired, or someone’s not feeling well, or they forgot that their kid had a little league game. Your job is to keep building anticipation ahead of their scheduled showing, reminding them that it’s coming up. As a property manager, you can’t afford to lose five days thinking you have showings lined up for Saturday, and then no one shows up. You’ll be back to square one and a week behind. If you get ghosted, remember, that person went somewhere and rented something. They have to be living somewhere, and it should have been in one of your properties. You should be doing everything you can to maximize your show-up rate. Experiment with reminder cadences, incentives, get creative! 7. Deliver on the promise When a resident shows up to that property, you need to actually deliver the experience that you promised in the listing. The home needs to be clean, well cared for, and smelling good. The garage band next door can’t be practicing in the middle of a showing. Sometimes little things you might not think about can have a huge impact. I once showed a property that was around the corner from a school. It was a cute house in a great neighborhood, and ridiculously convenient if you had kids. But it’s also a nightmare at 3:00 on a weekday. For just that half hour on school days, it’s a remarkably inconvenient place to be, because the streets are filled with children. In reality, the residents may work outside the house and they’d never be coming or going at that time anyway, but that was the situation when I had a showing, and it was a disaster. Lesson learned, don’t show houses near schools at pickup time. Turning from marketing to compliance After the showing, your role starts to shift from just a marketing person to more of a compliance role. This is where you’re collecting applicant information, determining qualifications, and often delivering some tough news. 8. Win the application Applying to rent a home is a lot. You’re asking for this person’s pay stubs, their social security number, and a whole bunch of money to process their application, not to mention the emotional aspect of committing to this particular home. Basically, you’re now telling them that you don’t trust them unconditionally just because they came and looked at your property. Plus, best case scenario for that applicant, they get the pleasure of giving you their largest expense every month and moving all of their belongings across town (or farther). It’s not an easy process. We should be talking with leasing agents about how to overcome these objections and win these applications. One tip: you’re a lot more likely to get cooperation if you’ve properly set expectations in the listing. When you tell applicants exactly what they’ll have to provide as part of the application process, they won’t be caught off guard later. 9. Process it fast When someone applies for one of your units, it’s because they need to find housing, and they usually need to do it quickly. They aren’t just sitting around waiting for you to get back to them; they’re out seeing other properties. They’re still getting emails from Zillow and Apartments.com about new properties that are available, and they’re still getting calls from the other leasing agents they’ve met with. That means that every day you spend processing the application is an opportunity to lose that resident. You need to keep them on the hook. This is the last of those top three most important steps. You should be doing everything that you can to cut down the time it takes to get to a decision, while also still properly qualifying applicants. Speed is a competitive advantage here. In the meantime, keep communication open. Don’t let that applicant feel like you’re ghosting them. Let them know where things stand. It can make a huge difference to just shoot them a text or an email and say, “Hey, this is taking a little longer than I had hoped, but I have all I need from you and I will update you daily.” That keeps them engaged while you work toward an approval. The move-in phase Once you’ve received and processed the application from a qualified resident, your role shifts again. Now you’re trying to close the deal, get that resident to sign on the dotted line, and move them in so you can transition to their day-to-day manager. 10. Communicate approval This is another step where a lot of property managers get ghosted. The resident is approved, but they never reply to your email. The key is to present the “yes” as quickly, cleanly, and confidently as possible. You want to communicate enthusiasm and make that applicant feel over the moon about their new home. Don’t be overly dry and boring—really make them understand how excited you are to have them and that they should be excited, too. A personal phone call is a great way to build excitement and get them ready to commit. 11. Lock in the lease and deposit As property managers, we sometimes forget how big of a commitment a lease can be for residents. Let’s look at it objectively: you’re asking them to sign an agreement that, while fair, is typically very one-sided. At most property management companies, it’s not negotiable, and you’re asking them to commit to the biggest monthly expense they have, for at least a year. Oh, and you’re telling them that if they screw up along the way, you’ll take away their home. It’s also a lot of money up front. Between pet fees, security deposit, and first and last month’s rent, they’re coughing up a lot of money. We need to be understanding of that and help coach them through the process. No, we’re not here to be therapists, but a little bit of empathy and understanding can go a long way in one of the most important decisions a person will make. 12. Move-in & compliance You might think that the leasing process ends as soon as the PDF is signed, but there’s actually one more step where you need to earn a win. It’s resident onboarding. It’s not enough just to get the resident in the door—you have to get them bought in on your policies. They need to be willing to pay the rent, your RBP fee, and any late fees if they miss a rent payment. They have to be willing to cooperate with maintenance teams and routine inspections. You need to be as transparent as possible about how you manage properties and what your expectations for your residents are. Whether you use an onboarding video, a resident handbook, or an email campaign, you absolutely need to be communicating your expectations through the first 30, 60, and 90 days of the lease. It goes a long way toward reducing problems down the line and increasing the chances of a renewal. Final thoughts There are a lot of steps here, and it can be tough to earn a win at every single one. If you are like my company, you’re declining 45% of applications, so think about how wide the top of the funnel needs to be to get through all twelve wins and get a qualified resident moved in. But by breaking it out step by step, you can start to make tangible improvements and earn more wins. And remember, you can’t let the difficulty of getting all these wins push you to accept less qualified residents. You should always be doing everything you can to meet the standards of your market and the housing you manage.

Calendar icon September 11, 2025

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Resident Satisfaction Surveys: The Complete Guide for PMs

In order to build resident retention, you need to start with resident satisfaction. And to do that, you need to develop a method to actually measure how happy or unhappy your residents are. Without objective measurement, you’ll have no way of knowing whether you’re improving. That’s where resident satisfaction surveys come in. In this post, we’ll walk through what resident satisfaction surveys are and why they’re so important, along with what questions you should be including, some of the best survey tools out there, and how to actually leverage data once you’ve collected it. What is resident satisfaction? Resident satisfaction is a measure of how happy residents are with their rental property and the team managing it, along with how well property managers are meeting resident expectations and needs. In other words, resident satisfaction is a quantitative measure of how well you as a property manager are delivering a high-quality resident experience. Measuring resident satisfaction puts you in the driver’s seat to start testing improvements in your processes and seeing how effective they are. What is a resident satisfaction survey? A resident satisfaction survey is a tool used by property managers to measure resident satisfaction, usually by gathering feedback via a questionnaire about things like happiness, complaints, and likelihood of renewing. A resident satisfaction survey is typically sent at regular intervals to large groups of residents in order to gather their feedback. It’s a key part of managing the resident experience because it provides a property manager with benchmarks and trends. What is the purpose of a resident satisfaction survey? A resident satisfaction survey helps you to measure the overall experience a resident has at your property, including the property itself, staff performance, maintenance, responsiveness, and more. Conducting regular satisfaction surveys helps demonstrate your company’s commitment to improving the resident experience, as well as your willingness to listen and adjust course based on feedback. A well run resident satisfaction survey provides opportunities to recognize what’s working and celebrate those things—including highlighting team members who are doing an exceptional job. At the same time, it offers a chance to reflect on what’s not working as well and flag them as areas for improvement. Over time, satisfaction surveys can be used to measure progress and validate decision-making, ultimately leading to better resident retention, positive reviews, and happy clients. Key benefits of resident satisfaction surveys Resident satisfaction surveys can help your residents feel more connected to you as a property manager and feel like they’re being heard. Satisfaction surveys also give you opportunities to improve your business. Here are some of the key things that resident satisfaction surveys can help you do: Make more informed decisions and enhance your services: When you gather feedback on what residents truly want, you’re able to be better informed in your decisions and consistently improve your business. Manage your reputation: When you have happier residents, they’re much more likely to leave positive reviews (or at least they’re less likely to leave negative reviews). When you’re known as a property management company that listens to resident feedback, that goes a long way toward securing new residents and new clients. Address issues quickly: Resident satisfaction surveys can often help you identify potential conflicts before they arise, including maintenance issues, communication struggles, or misalignment with resident expectations. Increase transparency: Satisfaction surveys also drive better communication with residents and give you a look at what residents expect of you. They also pull back the curtain for residents, who get a better view of the reasoning behind some of your decision making. Satisfaction surveys simply improve the resident experience overall, which is vital to the success of your business. What information should you gather in a resident satisfaction survey? Selecting what to include in your resident satisfaction survey can seem intimidating, but it helps to approach it based on a few key categories. Keep in mind that making the survey too long will decrease your response rate, so you don’t want to include too many questions. Try to focus on key areas like the property itself, maintenance experiences, customer service, and overall perceived value. Be sure to also include an opportunity for residents to comment on anything you didn’t ask about, to make sure they cover their most pressing topics. Resident information Consider starting your survey with basic resident information like their address or unit number, which will help you identify and respond to any local issues. You can also ask about how long the resident has lived in their home and how long their lease is, which helps give context to their other answers. Property condition The condition of a property plays a massive role in how satisfied the resident will be, so asking them for their thoughts on the home itself is important. This is a great way to identify potential issues that otherwise might not get spotted until the next inspection walkthrough. It can also catch potential problems early, before they turn into more expensive maintenance issues. If you’re surveying residents in a multifamily building, be sure to ask about both their specific unit and any common areas. Maintenance experience If something does go wrong with a property, you want to make sure your maintenance team is delivering on your promise of customer service. Ask about recent maintenance tickets that the resident has put in, as well as the responsiveness of your team to that issue. This is also a great place to ask about the frequency of maintenance calls, recurring problems, and what kind of condition the maintenance team left the property in. Customer service and staff Customer service is one of the clearest areas that you can improve with fast process changes. That makes it a perfect area to collect resident feedback, iterate, and measure progress. Ask residents how satisfied they’ve been with recent staff interactions. If they only recently moved in, ask for their feedback on the leasing and move-in process. If they recently renewed, as about their experience with renewal. Amenities and community features If you manage multifamily housing, amenities and community events are often a key part of the resident experience. Ask about things like pools, gyms, dog parks, and other common areas, including both how often residents use them and how satisfied they are. If you manage single-family homes, you can still ask about any amenities or extra services that you offer. If you provide a Resident Benefits Package or include internet or utilities with rent, ask how your residents like these features and how much value they provide. Digital resident experience If you use a property accounting software tool, it likely includes at least some digital experiences, like a maintenance portal or an online rent payment tool. You may also offer a digital leasing experience, pet screening or other online services. Poll residents on how useful they find these tools to be and where they run into problems in order to better optimize your tech stack. Safety and security Ask residents about how safe they feel in their homes and in their communities. Include questions about locks and other security measures, especially if you include smart locks, video doorbells, or security cameras with your properties. If you manage multifamily, you can also ask about overall community security, like swipe access to buildings or lighting around the property. A resident who doesn’t feel safe isn’t likely to stay long, so make sure you’re acting quickly if any security concerns arise. Value for money Make sure that you’re asking residents how much value they feel you provide to them. If your pricing is wrong, residents are likely to be vocal about it, and unlikely to renew their leases. Validate your pricing strategy with current residents in order to attract and retain high quality renters. Open feedback Finally, always be sure to leave a place for residents to provide open feedback. This can often surface valuable insights that you didn’t otherwise ask about. Even if residents don’t take advantage of the opportunity, it gives them a sense that you’re open to hearing their thoughts and that they have a reliable place to offer ideas. Best practices for effective resident satisfaction surveys With those topics in mind, it’s important to build and share your survey in a way that will generate authentic responses from as many residents as possible. Let’s take a look at some best practices for maximizing the effectiveness of your survey. Incentivize participation You can build the most detailed, thoughtful, comprehensive survey in the world, but it’s not going to be useful if none of your residents participate. Consider offering an incentive for residents to complete the survey; even a small reward can get residents invested. You can offer incentives like gift cards, or you can enter participants into a drawing for a larger prize, like an Apple Watch or a new TV. You can even offer a rent discount or prime parking space as the grand prize. If you use a Resident Rewards program, you can set up survey responses as an activity you want to reward, giving your residents points to use on the prize of their choice. Remember, the larger your sample size, the more accurate your data will be, so increasing participation should be a top priority. Ask clear and concise questions Next, make sure that the questions you’re asking in the survey are clear and concise. Don’t get bogged down in technical jargon or internal terminology; put yourself in the shoes of a resident reading the survey and make sure that it’s easily understandable. Simple question formats like multiple choice or “rate on a scale from 1 to 10” can also minimize confusion—just make sure you define what a 1 means and what a 10 means! Ask unbiased questions When you’re writing your questions, make sure you’re not constructing them in a way that will influence responses one way or the other. For example, don’t preface a question about maintenance response times by saying “We take pride in responding to maintenance requests as quickly as possible,” because that can influence your residents’ responses. You should also make sure you aren’t requiring residents to answer a question about something that isn’t relevant to them. For example, make sure you’re not asking, “How would you rate your recent renewal experience?” to residents who haven’t recently renewed their lease. If they’re required to answer, they’ll give inaccurate information, skewing your results. Survey Monkey has a comprehensive guide to best practices, so take a look and make sure that you understand how to write unbiased questions before you jump in. Protect resident anonymity and confidentiality Finally, make sure that residents feel comfortable being open and honest with you by ensuring anonymity and confidentiality. If a resident is afraid they’ll be retaliated against for giving negative responses, they’re not likely to be fully transparent. You can help ensure anonymity by detaching responses to each question from others, and communicating this to respondents. This means that questions about one topic can’t be cross-referenced with questions about another topic to identify an individual. 5 Best tools for resident satisfaction surveys Selecting the best tool for your survey depends on a few factors, including budget, how many surveys you’re sending per year, how many responses you aim to gather, and how detailed you want your questions to be. When choosing a tool, make sure you’re opting for one that will automate delivery and follow-up, provide a mobile-friendly interface, and help with data analysis. JotForm: JotForm offers a user-friendly tool for building surveys, along with basic data analysis and visualization for your results. It also includes several survey templates to help get you started. The free version of JotForm only allows you to collect 100 responses per month, so if you have a larger number of units you’ll likely have to upgrade to a paid subscription. Google Forms: Google forms are simple and free with any Google account. Google forms are somewhat limited in your ability to customize the look and feel or add your company logo, and there isn’t as much flexibility in the types of questions you can build out. However, the easy integration with Google Sheets makes sharing and analyzing data very easy. Survey Monkey: Survey Monkey is one of the most established survey tools available, and that history has given the company plenty of time to perfect their product. Survey Monkey has one of the most complete tools you’ll find, with plans starting at $30 per month for up to 50,000 responses. Typeform: Typeform is a newer survey tool, but also has excellent user friendliness and some of the best visual customization options around. Pricing starts at $25 per month, but a jump to the Plus plan allows you to remove Typeform branding and collect up to 1,000 responses per month for $50 per month. Sogolytics: Sogolytics is a highly detailed, powerful data collection and analysis tool. With stronger analytics and visualization tools than most other survey tools, Sogolytics is great for companies with larger portfolios and a high volume of data. How to use your resident satisfaction survey data Once you’ve gathered all your responses, it’s time to dig into the results. The key here is to remember that survey responses don’t exist in a vacuum, and they shouldn’t be analyzed that way. You shouldn’t be looking at each response on its own and then moving on. Instead, look for patterns in the results. Are you getting consistently low marks on your maintenance response times? Are residents frustrated with the lease signing process? Most survey tools offer basic analytics functions that will let you see average response scores and where you’re over- or underperforming. Make sure you’re also comparing responses over time. That will help you better understand whether the changes you’ve made are having the desired impact, or whether there’s more work to be done. Finally, make a clear game plan based on the results of your satisfaction survey. What can you do to address some of the most common areas of criticism? What steps will you need to take to make changes? How long will that take? Write out a project plan that you can share with the larger team and prioritize it so that you don’t let key issues fall to the wayside. Improve resident retention today You’re probably not going to get your resident satisfaction survey exactly right on the first try, but by following the guidelines in this post, you can get off to a great start. From there, you can iterate and improve each time you send out a survey. The key is to start measuring resident satisfaction sooner rather than later so that you can start making tangible improvements. Happy residents stay longer and are more cooperative, helpful, and understanding. Creating a cycle of transparency can go a long way to helping your business and your relationships. If you’re looking to improve resident satisfaction without adding more work to your plate, consider adding a Resident Benefits Package to your offering.

Calendar icon September 9, 2025

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Resident Experience Management Guide to Utilize Platform to Meet Expectations

Resident experience management is improving every resident touchpoint – from application to move-out – to drive an experience so good your residents never want to leave. Today, the role of the property manager is to proactively identify and meet residents’ needs, often before the resident knows they need it. It’s a new world, but it’s exciting, allowing enterprising PMs to stand out in a crowded industry. Solutions that drive value, like a resident benefits package or an investor benefits package, are taking the lead. At Second Nature, we build tools with those enterprising property managers leading the way, and we’ve put together a report on the latest trends and innovations in the space. In this article, we’re diving deep into how to improve the resident experience, why it matters, and the best practices in resident experience right now. For more details and insights from leading PMs, check out the 2024 State of Resident Experience Report. Why is Resident Experience Important? Related: State of Resident Experience Study The “experience economy” has changed both customer and resident expectations. Particularly after the pandemic, the modern consumer is accustomed to the ease of apps like Uber, Airbnb, and Amazon, and they respond to ease and convenience. The question that single-family and multifamily PMCs are asking now isn’t “What’s the most I can get out of residents for the least I can do?” Rather, it's: “How do I create an experience so good that residents never want to leave?” Property management companies are redefining resident experiences to improve occupancy rates and help residents, investors, and their companies get a win. Investing in resident experience management strategies is one of the most direct ways to yield a positive ROI and reduce resident turnover costs. According to DD Lee, owner of Skyline Properties Group in Atlanta: “The number one thing (our residents) look for is ease and convenience. They don't want complicated instructions. They just want simple; they want right now. They want contact-free; they don't want to talk to people. So everything we do, from showings to moving into the experience after they move in is all revolved around design for that expectation.” Related: How to Write a Noise Complaint Letter to Tenant How to improve resident experience management Resident experience management is about identifying every unique touchpoint along the resident’s journey – from application to move-out. Property managers are now expected to make each touchpoint painless and convenient. Our 2024 State of Resident Experience Report discusses changing consumer expectations and the key steps to resident satisfaction. Here, let’s expand on each key resident touchpoint where PMs can focus on improvement. Move-in Move-in is the perfect opportunity to design experiences that make new residents say, “Wow” – to make them feel delighted, welcome, and truly at home. Our guide explores some of the best innovations for cultivating a unique move-in experience. One of the best is to offer a Resident Benefits Package (RBP) that folds in services like a move-in concierge, insurance, incentives, and more. Rent payments Offering online rent payments is table stakes these days. Great property managers have to go beyond that. Second Nature’s RBP has a credit-building service that reports on-time payments to every credit bureau, giving value to residents and helping them become more financially stable. Another service is the resident rewards program, which incentivizes on-time payments and supports great residents. Maintenance requests Using an online resident portal for real-time maintenance requests has become a baseline expectation. PMs are going beyond that to ensure they use preventative maintenance and deploying strategies to improve functionality. One such resident experience strategy is an air filter delivery service. Changing filters on time can reduce HVAC requests by 38%, saving the property manager and investor hundreds of dollars a year. Pet registration Property managers can proactively offer pet registrations or guarantees and even use that as a form of ancillary income. You get the extra pet fees to drive income, the investor gets an assurance that they won’t suffer because of pet damage, and the resident gets to keep their pet! Resident concierge services Concierge services are a top way to provide a VIP experience. Second Nature’s RBP includes a move-in concierge who can confidently guide multiple people daily to set up their utilities properly. Residents don’t have to deal with the headache of setting up new utilities – instead, in one phone call, they find out their best options and can even get help simplifying setup. Renewal process PMs can proactively set up the renewal process, so it’s as easy for the resident as a click of a button. Assuming each touchpoint along the way has anticipated and delivered on residents’ needs – and surpassed their expectations – lease renewal should be straightforward and quick. Resident communication Property managers aiming to improve the resident experience have found creative ways to improve and streamline resident communication. Effective communication is necessary, whether through digital apps and automation, social media, on-site messaging, proactive team members, etc. Move out When a resident is moving out – whether they chose to move or are delinquent – property managers can help make the process as smooth as possible. Anticipating the resident’s needs, keeping communication open, and deploying motivated team members all help deliver the final touch for most residents. The move-out experience is their last impression and can impact your referrals, reputation, etc. What property managers can do using Resident Experience Platform Resident retention is a key success metric in the current economic climate. Keeping residents engaged and happy can go a long way to delivering a triple win: hitting your goals, their goals, and your investor’s goals. Our State of Resident Experience Report explores how resident experience management can deliver ROI, company growth, and happier investors. We also talk to several experts in the property management field to hear their best and most successful ideas. Here are a few key activities the resident experience platform enables you to improve the experience that residents will pay for and stay for. Post-maintenance surveys and follow-ups Quick complaint responses and preventive maintenance Pet-friendly property management and insurance Resident engagement programs like a recycling drive, helping minimize waste productions, sourcing local, etc. Prioritizing safety and security and engaging residents in a proactive way to achieve that Each of these strategies can be executed with the help of a resident experience management platform and helps deliver what “totally taken care of” feels like, which is exactly what residents are looking for. Resident experience management tips: how to handle difficult residents Every property manager we’ve talked to has dealt with difficult residents at some point in their career. The best property management strategies prevent many of these issues through better resident experiences. The right strategy can help incentivize residents to cooperate, keep a property well-maintained, and make on-time payments. When you are facing a difficult resident situation, here’s how leading property managers advise proceeding. Make sure service promises are fulfilled One of the most important things that sets professional PMs apart from hobbyists or amateur landlords is the delivery of promises. Because you have a team and a plan, you can ensure that what you promise is what residents get. Being courteous, kind, and professional A lot of this is about hiring the right people. Get your core values in place and ensure that anyone you hire is bought in on those values. Finding people that the rest of your team enjoys working with is also important. Cultivating an environment of courtesy and respect goes a long way to ensuring residents are treated fairly. By not taking it personally Improving the resident living experience is all about seeing the human at the other end. When unhappy or troublesome residents aren’t taken personally, it puts us in a better position to take reasonable, effective steps to deal with them. Professional PMs can approach challenging situations without judgment but with clear boundaries and proactive solutions. Delegating This comes back to having the right team in place. If you trust your team, you can delegate specific complex tasks to them without spending all your time on every issue. Peter Lohmann, CEO of RL Property Management, shared that he keeps a delegation cheat sheet printed out at his desk. The steps to successfully delegating are: Outline the vision - “Commander’s Intent.” Share resources. Describe your definition of done. Give a deadline or interval. Explain how and when they should keep you updated. Having paperwork to back your arguments Ensuring you have documentation of each issue with the resident is critical. Documenting interactions along the way helps protect you and your team. Setting and maintaining expectations Again, professional PMs know that setting and managing expectations is one of the top priorities for a happy and successful resident relationship. Knowing that today’s residents expect a certain level of convenience can put professional PMs ahead of the game. Utilizing resident experience platforms like Second Nature to meet expectations We’ve only scratched the surface of resident experience management and the innovative and exciting ways we’ve seen property managers change the game in that space. The next step might be to explore our Resident Benefits Package and why property managers love it. Or, if you’d like to learn more about property management trends for 2024 – and the changing state of resident experience – you can download our free State of Resident Experience Report. The in-depth report includes advice and insights from some of the most innovative property managers in the biz, data on resident expectations, and key trends for 2024. Resident experience management FAQs What is resident experience management? Resident experience management is the process of improving every touchpoint in a renter’s journey—from application to move-out. It helps property managers boost satisfaction, reduce resident turnover, and increase retention by making living simpler, more convenient, and more engaging. Why is resident experience important for property managers? Resident experience directly impacts occupancy rates, renewal decisions, and overall ROI. When property managers prioritize ease, communication, and comfort, residents stay longer, pay on time, and recommend the community to others. How does resident experience management reduce resident turnover? By addressing resident expectations—like online rent payments, responsive maintenance, and clear communication—property managers create an environment where residents feel valued. This reduces frustration, increases loyalty, and lowers costly turnover. What role does property technology play in resident experience management? Technology makes it possible to streamline operations and meet modern expectations. Resident portals, mobile apps, and automated systems for rent payments, maintenance requests, and communication improve efficiency while giving residents more convenience. How can property managers improve resident satisfaction? Key strategies include: Offering easy online rent payment options Providing proactive and responsive maintenance Hosting events to build a feeling of belonging and sense of community Communicating clearly and effectively Delivering concierge-style services that anticipate resident needs What are examples of resident experience platforms? Resident experience platforms provide tools to manage communication, payments, maintenance, and engagement in one place. These platforms help property managers deliver seamless service, keep residents informed, and track satisfaction metrics. How does resident experience management benefit property owners? For property owners, strong resident experience management translates to higher occupancy, lower turnover costs, and more predictable cash flow. Happy residents mean fewer vacancies, stronger reviews, and better long-term asset performance.

Calendar icon September 5, 2025

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Move-In to Move-Out: Rental Walkthrough Checklist for Property Managers

Resident turnover continues to climb across the property management industry, driving a more pressing need for comprehensive move-out and move-in plans. In fact, a 2022 Zillow report revealed that 74% of recent renters plan to move in the next three years. 43% of property managers listed maintaining high occupancy rates as a top concern, when surveyed for AppFolio’s Property Management Benchmark Report, reflecting higher turnover rates across the industry. In order to manage move-ins and move-outs, property managers need a detailed rental walkthrough checklist to help standardize their process. A rental walkthrough at the beginning or end of a resident’s tenancy helps get the property manager and the resident aligned on the condition of the unit, what work needs to be done, and whether part or all of the security deposit will be withheld. It also gives the property manager the opportunity to plan for any turnover maintenance that needs to be done before the property can be rented again. Keeping this organized can help property managers get units back on the market more quickly, avoid difficult security deposit disputes, and protect the condition of their properties. Our rental walkthrough checklist gives property managers a clear standard to follow when conducting walkthroughs at move-in and move-out. What is a rental walkthrough checklist? A rental walkthrough checklist is a tool used to standardize the documentation of a unit’s condition, typically at move-in or move-out. A walkthrough checklist is typically either completed alongside the resident or shared with the resident in order to create a shared record and get alignment on the condition of the home. A walkthrough checklist is slightly different from an inspection checklist, which is used during residency to assess the current condition of the unit and determine whether any maintenance work is needed. The walkthrough checklist can often be an important document when it comes to disagreements over security deposits and damage liability upon move-out. Why property managers should use a rental walkthrough checklist with every resident Rental walkthrough checklists are important for a number of reasons, most notably minimizing disputes and getting residents on the same page as property managers. Here are some key reasons why property managers should use a rental walkthrough checklist with every resident: Avoid disputes over damages: When you have a standardized checklist from both move-in and move-out, you can easily identify areas of damage beyond usual wear and tear. Because these documents are shared with your resident, you can minimize disagreements or legal disputes over who caused the damage. Support property documentation for deposits: Depending on your state and local guidelines, you may need certain documentation to support withholding part or all of a security deposit. By standardizing walkthroughs, you have more robust documentation if you need to withhold security deposit funds. Make turnover faster and more predictable: A move-out walkthrough can also be a valuable tool when performing turnover work after a resident has moved out. You can use the walkthrough to identify what work needs to be done and begin lining up vendors to shorten turn times. You can also provide move-in walkthrough documentation to those vendors so they know exactly what condition you expect the unit to be in for the next resident to move in. Show professionalism and consistency: Standardized processes make residents understand your thoroughness and professionalism. By following consistent procedures, you’re presenting both competence and sophistication. When should property managers perform a rental walkthrough? In general, property managers should aim to perform rental walkthroughs as close as possible to move-in day and move-out day. That minimizes any opportunity for disagreements to arise between the walkthrough and the handing over of keys. Some property managers do choose to perform move-out walkthroughs early, often up to a month before the resident’s final day of occupancy. This gives the management company more time to plan ahead of turnover maintenance and get vendors scheduled to do work immediately at the start of the vacancy. This can shorten the time a unit sits empty and get rent checks coming in sooner. What to include in a rental walkthrough checklist Your walkthrough should be detailed and comprehensive in order to make sure you aren’t missing crucial maintenance items or damages. Your checklist should include: Walls Floors Appliances Faucets, drains, toilets, and other plumbing fixtures Towel racks or hooks Lightbulbs Lighting fixtures Outlets Switches Doors, handles, and doorframes Cabinets Drawers Countertops Shelves Windows, screens, window frames, and blinds Closets (including shelving and rods) Baseboards and moldings Shower doors or curtain rods Water heater Boiler or furnace HVAC system, including vents and filters Whole-home water softeners or filters, if present A comprehensive checklist should be broken out by area of the house so that you can quickly document whether damage is in a primary bedroom, secondary bedroom, or living room, for example. The checklist should have a clear categorization of which items are clean, dirty, and damaged, along with space for notes on condition. It should also include notes on whether you have photo or video documentation, and where that documentation can be found. Finally, the document should have signatures from both parties. There are many dedicated apps for walkthrough documentation, which can often link photos directly to checklist items and store everything together in the cloud. Some digital walkthrough tools are included directly in property accounting software programs, while others have optional integrations. Tips for a successful rental move-in walkthrough Moving day can be chaotic, so simplifying the move-in walkthrough as much as possible will help give your resident and your team a better experience. Start by scheduling the walkthrough ahead of time. Aim to perform the walkthrough before the residents bring in furniture, which can cause damage as it’s being moved or obstruct already existing damage. To minimize future disputes, perform the walkthrough alongside the resident so that you can note any issues together in real time. This will minimize disagreements in the future. And of course, make sure to have the resident sign and date the checklist. Finally, make sure to provide the resident a copy and keep one for your own records. If you have a resident portal, make the document available there so that residents don’t have to contact you if they lose their copy. If you have photos or videos in cloud storage as part of your walkthrough, make sure that the resident can access those files. That way, when move-out time comes, they know exactly what the expected condition of the unit is. It’s helpful to include general move-in tips, resident expectations, and any information about the particular property alongside the move-in walkthrough checklist, typically in a resident welcome letter. This will help start off the property manager/resident relationship on a good foot. Tips for a successful rental move-out walkthrough A move-out walkthrough is not entirely different from a move-in walkthrough, but it does come with some unique considerations. At move-out, the walkthrough is typically focused on finding damages or issues caused by the resident, often with an eye towards security deposit charges. Schedule your move-out inspection for as close to moving day as possible, either just prior to the resident leaving or just after. Be sure to bring the original move-in checklist so that you can compare the unit’s current condition to how things looked on move-in day. Note any damage that goes beyond normal wear and tear, and be sure to take updated photos or videos for your records. When you deliver the move-out walkthrough checklist to the newly vacated resident, be clear about next steps regarding the security deposit and repair costs. You should also consider writing a simple thank you note to the resident, particularly if they’ve taken great care of the unit and are leaving on positive terms. You never know when they may be looking for another home to rent, and you want to be high on their list! Make property management easier with Second Nature Rental walkthrough checklists are a simple step that can protect your property, your residents, and your investors. A high-quality checklist sets clear expectations with residents and minimizes disputes down the line, creating a true triple win. Second Nature’s Resident Benefits Package is another triple win you can add to your toolbelt. Designed to make property management easier while also delivering the best resident experience on the market, the RBP is a must-have for strategic property managers. Interested in getting started? Book a demo with a local RBP expert to see it in action.

Calendar icon September 4, 2025

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Property Management Turnover Checklist & Tips

Vacancies and turns are the bane of property managers’ existences. They’re costly, time consuming, and difficult, particularly in the scattered-site and single-family markets. That’s why we’ve built our property management turnover checklist to help PMs streamline their workflows and save money. This article will help you better understand the costs of vacancy and turnovers in single-family rental homes, and provide a workflow that can help shrink vacancies and minimize the associated costs. We’ll walk through the full turnover process, identifying opportunities and tips at each stage. Why speedy turnovers matter for SFR managers Single-family property managers feel the pain of slow turnovers even more than multifamily. While MFR managers might have a model unit to show prospective applicants while turnover maintenance is happening, SFR managers don’t have that luxury. There’s more travel involved in showings, maintenance, and inspections. There’s no closet or warehouse of replacement parts that are standardized across all your units. All of that adds up to make the turnover process more lengthy and more expensive for scattered site managers. Quantify vacancy losses A large part of measuring your vacancy losses is getting a better understanding of your resident turnover rate. Resident Turnover Rate = (Number of Move-outs) / (Number of Units) X 100 For example, if you have 450 units, and an average of 34 move-outs a year, your turnover rate would be: (34/450) x 100 = 7.56%. Your turnover rate not only helps you calculate how much you spend on turns and vacancies, it also gives you insight into how well your management strategy is performing and whether you should consider making changes. Break down actual turnover costs Next, you’ll need to get a more thorough understanding of the financial costs of turs—both opportunity costs and actual costs. Lost rental income: Every property manager knows that a vacant unit isn’t collecting rent. Every day that a home sits empty is lost income for you and for your client. Marketing & advertising: Marketing isn’t cheap. Listing fees, paid ads, and agent commissions all add up quickly, and can be particularly high in competitive markets. Maintenance & repairs: Cleaning, painting, flooring, and appliance services are common tasks during turnovers. Larger CapEx expenses can also pop up if upgrades are timed with vacancies or a property has a lot of deferred maintenance. Resident acquisition: Beyond just marketing, screening reports, application processing, lease drafting, and legal review can be expensive. Your application fees may cover some of these expenses, but often not all. Staff time & opportunity cost: Showings, move‑out coordination, and vendor follow‑up all take up your team’s time, pulling focus away from growth tasks. Impact on resident experience and retention Don’t overlook the fact that turnovers can also have significant impacts on resident experience and retention. For example, if you manage HOAs, multifamily buildings, scattered units in condo buildings, or several homes in the same neighborhood—like build to rent developments—frequent turnovers can disrupt other residents. Noise and parking issues from movers can be frustrating, and turnover maintenance can be loud and disruptive. It becomes a self-sustaining cycle. Turnovers cause unhappy residents, who then are more likely to turn over. Stable, long-term residents mean predictable cash flow and less work for your team. By maximizing the resident experience, you can prevent turnovers and increase NOI. Single‑family rental turnover workflow Let’s take a step-by-step look at the turnover process for single-family rental homes. Send and confirm the notice‑to‑vacate package If a resident has indicated their intention to move out at the end of their lease, make sure to require written notice. Send a notice to vacate in order to protect yourself legally. Schedule an automated message to send a move-out guide to vacating residents. Provide clear instructions on the move-out process, expectations for the condition of the home, and reminders about any potential fees or penalties as outlined in the lease. Schedule a pre-move-out walkthrough to take place within five days of the end of the lease. Collect keys & document possession transfer In many jurisdictions, possession of a property is not officially surrendered until keys or access fobs are returned. Make sure to schedule the key handoff ahead of time, in writing. Provide instructions for what a resident should do if a key—including an access fob or mailbox key—has been lost. Take a timestamped photo of the key handoff and share a copy with the resident. Perform resident‑present move‑out inspection You want to be on the same page as the resident when it comes to the condition of the property at move-out. Use a standard checklist to document the condition of the whole home. Take at least four photos per room and additional photos of any damaged areas. Consider recording a video walkthrough to minimize potential disputes. In your report, clearly mark normal wear vs. billable damage. Settle the security deposit per state law Security deposits are highly regulated in most states, so know your jurisdiction’s specific requirements. Always consult with legal counsel if you’re unclear on the particulars. Make sure to follow your state’s deadlines for returning the security deposit or provide an itemized list of charges. Itemize charges and attach photos where relevant. Provide payment for any balance due back to the resident, in accordance with your lease agreement and state or local laws. Schedule make‑ready tasks in optimal order A large portion of turnover maintenance happens in the first 48 hours. Use your walkthrough inspection to determine what repairs and upgrades are needed. Flag major repairs, especially those that will need investor approvals, like plumbing, electrical, or HVAC. Schedule vendors to paint and patch walls or repair flooring. Schedule professional cleaning and landscaping teams to make the home rent-ready. Relist & open self‑showings Once the property is ready, it’s time to start marketing. Refresh any outdated photos, especially if you’ve painted or installed new appliances. Syndicate your to MLS, Zillow, Facebook Marketplace. Enable self-guided lockbox showings. Lease turnover repair and maintenance checklist Turnovers are often a great opportunity to tackle deferred maintenance, or to perform upgrades on a property. Even if larger ticket repairs aren’t needed, you’ll still have maintenance tasks to get the home rent-ready. Let’s dive into some of the most common turnover repairs with this checklist. Change locks and reset smart devices Provide peace of mind for residents by rekeying locks. Reset any smart home devices, security codes, or other items so that they’re ready for new residents. If you offer internet as an amenity, update wifi credentials to ensure network safety. Consider upgrading to a smart thermostat to make the home more efficient and minimize utility bills. Service or replace appliances Create an appliance maintenance checklist, including filters, drains, and hardware. Replace any appliances that are not in working order, or that have been repeated sources of work orders. Update your marketing photos if new stainless steel appliances have been installed. Keep an inventory of appliances with photos and serial numbers, which will make it easier to communicate with vendors in the future. Patch, paint, and caulk walls & trim Consider hiring a professional painting company if you’re repainting multiple rooms. Patch any nail holes or damage from the previous resident. Spot-prime any repairs before painting over them in order to ensure a smooth coat. Use neutral colors that will appeal to a large audience, like eggshell or light grey. Repaint every three to five years or if necessary. Deep‑clean or replace flooring Professionally clean carpet to remove spots or discoloration. Replace flooring if the old flooring poses a health risk or shows cracks, bulging, or damage. Consider replacing outdated flooring even if it’s still in acceptable condition. New flooring can significantly increase the value of a property. Safety & maintenance roundup Replace smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries. Replace any dead lightbulbs throughout the property. Test GFCI outlets in kitchens and bathrooms. Tighten hardware on doors, windows, cabinets, and drawers. Check electrical systems, as well as plumbing, drains, and any other fixtures. Replace air filters and water filters, including in appliances like microwaves, range hoods, and refrigerators. Clean out dryer vents to avoid potential fire hazards. Promptly and completely address any pest control issues. Time‑saving tips to minimize vacancy Vacancy is one of the most costly phases of property management, but by minimizing the time a turnover takes, you can get back to bringing in rent quickly. Perform mid‑lease inspections every six months Perform an inspection with a comprehensive inspection checklist. Look for leaks, filter neglect, or other emerging issues that could balloon into expensive repairs. Always give the resident advance notice and try to find a time that works for them to minimize disruption and provide a better resident experience. Pre‑schedule preferred vendors when notice arrives As soon as you receive notice of intent to vacate from your residents, schedule key vendors that you know you’ll need, like painters and cleaners. Perform a pre-vacancy inspection to identify any other key maintenance issues and contact the appropriate vendors. Stock turnover kits in bulk Have locks, lightbulbs, air and water filters, and paint on hand for upcoming turnovers. If your portfolio is large enough, consider purchasing in bulk to minimize per-item costs. If you’re managing multifamily, bulk turnover kits are more relevant, but they can still be applicable to SFR. Consider pre-leasing: market 30‑45 days before vacancy Know the benefits and risks of pre-leasing a property. Consider putting off pre-leasing if a property needs significant maintenance or will be getting upgrades. Consider “coming soon” listings with a tentative availability date. Keep residents longer with an RBP Consider instituting a Resident Benefits Package to increase resident satisfaction and keep residents longer. Encourage faster lease renewal decisions with Resident Rewards. Turn vacancy stress into a Triple Win with Second Nature Remember, time is money with turnovers, but cutting corners can cost you in the long run when maintenance items resurface and residents are unhappy. Use this checklist to save both time and money on turnovers without putting your future peace at risk. Second Nature’s fully-managed Resident Benefits Package can drive increased resident retention, providing valuable benefits that residents are willing to pay and stay for. Calculate how much an RBP could save you on your next turnover by speaking to one of our dedicated RBP experts in your area.

Calendar icon September 2, 2025

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Tenant Turnover: How to Calculate It, What It Costs, and How to Reduce It

Tenant turnover is the process that occurs when a current tenant vacates a rental property, and a new tenant moves in. It's just the natural process of residents moving in and moving out. Sometimes, it's a sign of a challenging property, but often, it's just a natural part of the renting journey. While tenant turnover is a standard part of the rental business, the downside is that it often comes with associated costs and potential revenue loss due to vacancy periods. Tenant turnover costs can exceed thousands of dollars per month and hurt your cash flow, significantly impacting tenant retention rates. Understanding the ins and outs of tenant turnover is essential for effective property management and profitability. It's key to reduce the time of a turnover and to know the average tenant turnover rate in your area to improve tenant retention. Second Nature's Outlook: "Tenant turnover” is an industry term used from time to time. But we here at Second Nature are trying to evolve the word "tenant." We’ve seen the incredible work property managers do day in and day out to make renters feel like they’re so more than just tenants—they’re residents. Making renters feel like residents isn’t just philosophical, it also encourages them to invest in care for their home and add value to the property. This is why, at Second Nature, we prefer to call renters “residents.” Like you, we think of them as people first—making your property their home. How to calculate tenant turnover rate Getting the tenant turnover rate calculation correct is essential for property managers and landlords to understand their property's performance and the effectiveness of their management strategies. The good news? The math isn't complicated! Go through these three simple steps in our tenant turnover formula to get your rate: Determine the number of move-outs in a year: First, identify the total number of tenants who moved out of your property during a specific period, usually a year. Identify your average number of total units: Calculate the average number of rental units you have available for that same period. For example, if you started the year with 10 units and ended with 12, your average would be 11 units for the year. Calculate the turnover rate: Divide the number of move-outs by the number of total units and multiply by 100 (to get a percentage). Tenant Turnover Rate = (Number of Move-outs) / (Number of Units) X 100 For instance, if you had three move-outs in a year and an average of 11 units, your tenant turnover rate would be: (3/11) X 100 = 27.27%. This means that 27.27% of your units experienced tenant turnover that year. Understanding this rate can help you set targets and measure the success of your retention initiatives. Related: How to Write a Tenant Move-Out Letter Understanding tenant turnover costs Vacancies disrupt your income stream and your investors' cash flow. The longer the vacancy, the more you're spending on marketing and management to find a new tenant. Here are four ways tenant turnover costs property managers due to the presence of vacant units. 1. Maintenance and repair After a tenant leaves a property, you have to restore it to a marketable condition. Ideally, the tenant leaves it in excellent condition. But you'll still likely need to pay for deep cleanings, some light repairs, and some updates like fresh paint, patching holes, etc. Additionally, as a property sits vacant, it will slowly deteriorate to some degree. The longer the vacancy, the greater the need for maintenance, upkeep, or repair. 2. Showings Whether you do in-person showings or virtual/remote showings, there is a cost to prepping and opening the property to prospective tenants. You may need team members on site, or to make time to set up virtual showings. 3. Marketing A vacant property is a property that needs to be filled. You may primarily use services like Craigslist or Zillow, which require time and cost within your own team to build and maintain listings. Or, you may also pay for ads to get more views. And, of course, in some cases, you'll need to include real estate agent commissions in your budget. 4. Overhead The whole process of turning a property involves hands-on effort from yourself and your team (if you have one). The cost in time and team members' salaries can add up. How to reduce tenant turnover We don't have to tell you that high tenant turnover is a property manager's nightmare. It incurs significant costs, from marketing the property and screening new tenants to potential lost income during vacancies. Tenant turnover costs can add up to thousands for each unit each month. However, with the right strategies in place, reducing tenant turnover is more than achievable. Let's explore these tenant retention strategies that not only enhance the resident's living experience but also boost the value of your client-investor's assets, such as how to offer incentives and your business's reputation. 1. Offer competitive rent prices Ensure your rent prices are in line with the local market. Overcharging can lead to tenants seeking more affordable options elsewhere. Fortunately, with the interconnectedness of the real estate market, and a proliferation of software and apps that help track it, property managers can easily stay on top of the latest market trends. 2. Foster a strong property manager-tenant relationship Regular communication and a respectful attitude can go a long way. Make tenants feel valued and heard. Address their concerns promptly and maintain transparency in all interactions. Clear and consistent communication goes a long way to protect this relationship. A Resident Benefits Package is an excellent way to prioritize the PM-resident relationship. It shows them you care about their lived experience and offers solutions to their most common pain points. 3. Address maintenance requests promptly Swiftly responding to and resolving maintenance issues demonstrates that you care about the tenant's comfort and safety. Regular maintenance checks ensure small issues don't become major problems. When tenants see that the property is well cared for, they're more likely to stay – and to take care of it themselves. Another important factor is offering on-demand pest control, not just preventive care. Residents will rest easy knowing that, should any issues arise, they know exactly who to turn to and that it will be dealt with promptly. 4. Update and renovate Modernizing appliances or adding new amenities can make the property more attractive and encourage tenants to stay longer. Modern, functional amenities can be a significant draw. Periodically update or add amenities like a dishwasher, laundry units, or improved outdoor spaces to enhance the property's appeal. 5. Offer lease renewal incentives Consider providing discounts or other benefits for those who renew their lease and avoid extra fees , making the option more enticing. A resident rewards program can accomplish this along with incentivizing on-time rent payments and extra TLC for the property. 6. Ensure security One of the top priorities for any resident is feeling safe in their home. This extends beyond just locking doors; it involves well-lit outdoor areas, potentially installing security cameras, etc. But did you know that identity theft has actually surpassed home burglaries as a risk to renters in the past two years? That's why our Resident Benefits Package includes identity protection and renter's insurance. Insurance protects your property, and identity protection preserves the resident's financial stability – and, therefore, their ability to continue making rent. By proactively ensuring that security measures and insurance are up-to-date and effective, property managers can instill trust and peace of mind in their tenants, encouraging them to stay longer. And by providing identity protection, you can ensure that payments are safe, too. 7. Conduct regular inspections Routine inspections aren't just about ensuring that tenants are treating the property well; they're also an opportunity to identify and address minor issues before they escalate. By regularly checking in and maintaining open communication, property managers demonstrate commitment to the property's upkeep and the tenant's well-being. These inspections also give residents the confidence that they're in a proactive environment. They know you're looking out for them and likely won't feel the need to look for alternatives that might be less proactive. 8. Implement a rewards system Resident rewards are an integral part of an RBP for good reason. Recognizing and rewarding responsible behavior can play a significant role in fostering loyalty among residents. By introducing a rewards system, property managers can incentivize timely rent payments, property care, and long-term leases. Whether it's a discount on a month's rent, a gift card to a local establishment, or points that can be redeemed for various perks, rewards make tenants feel appreciated. Over time, this builds a positive relationship, encouraging them to renew their leases and view their rental as more than just a temporary dwelling. 9. Vet applicants thoroughly One of the best proactive steps in ensuring long-term tenancy is by meticulously vetting potential tenants. The process of screening new tenants, with background checks, evaluates a tenant's rental history, financial stability, and overall fit for the property. By identifying individuals with a history of timely payments, respect for previous rental properties, and stable employment, property managers increase the likelihood of having residents who will care for the property, abide by lease terms, and remain for extended periods. This approach not only minimizes potential conflicts and evictions but also fosters trustworthy and transparent relationships with your residents. 10. Seek feedback and act on it Actively seeking feedback from tenants provides invaluable insights into areas of improvement and showcases a genuine commitment to enhancing their living experience. Whether it's through regular surveys, suggestion boxes, or casual conversations, understanding tenant concerns and promptly addressing them helps build trust and rapport. When residents see that their opinions matter and lead to tangible changes, they feel valued and heard. This proactive communication strengthens your relationship and often encourages longer stays as residents recognize the effort made to optimize their living environment. Tenant turnover checklist for property managers Here’s a checklist template for managing tenant turnover at your properties. 1. Pre-notice period Review lease expiry dates. Initiate renewal conversations with tenants. Survey tenants on reasons for move-out if they choose not to renew. 2. Once notice is given Provide move-out instructions to tenants. Schedule a pre-move-out inspection. Inform maintenance team of upcoming vacancy. 3. Inspection and repairs Conduct thorough move-out inspection. Document and photograph any damages beyond normal wear and tear. Get estimates and schedule repairs and upgrades. Clean or replace carpets if necessary. Paint walls where required. 4. Marketing the property Update online listings with current photos and features. Set competitive rent based on market research. Host open houses or private viewings. 5. Tenant application and screening Collect applications from prospective tenants. Conduct thorough background and credit checks. Check references from previous landlords. 6. New tenant onboarding Prepare and sign a new lease agreement. Offer a welcome packet, gift, and orientation for new tenants. Hand over keys and ensure they understand property rules. 7. Post-move-in Seek feedback on the move-in process. Provide information on reward programs or other incentives. Remind new tenants of maintenance request procedures. 8. Financial matters Finalize any previous tenant's security deposit returns, accounting for any deductions. Set up new rent collection methods with the incoming tenant. 9. Continuous improvement Analyze reasons for turnovers. Update property features based on tenant feedback. Consider conducting a yearly review to address potential concerns before they lead to turnover. Print or save this checklist to ensure a smooth tenant turnover process and mitigate potential challenges. By following these steps, property managers can streamline the transition period and maintain a high standard of service for all residents. Related: Step by-Step Tenant Onboarding Process Looking for additional ways to reduce tenant turnover? Consider adding a Resident Benefits Package to your offering.

Calendar icon September 1, 2025

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The Most Critical Leasing Objective Isn’t Speed, It’s Selection

Hot take: resident selection is the single most important thing you do as a property manager. It doesn’t just make your life easier, it drives performance and maximizes income. There’s a very real temptation to fill vacancies as quickly as possible, minimize the time that a unit sits empty, and get back to earning management fees. But if you want to grow and mature as a property manager, you need to resist that temptation. Instead, you need to be selective about who you accept, using a clear, standardized process. When you pick the right residents, you can generate more revenue in the long term because you have fewer disputes, fewer issues, less delinquency, and higher renewal rates Your greatest liability isn’t the property, it’s the person in it There are three main sources of risk in real estate: Market risk: Think about the economy, job market, interest rates, etc. These will impact pricing, the number of applicants you get, and whether investors are buying or selling homes. The thing is, you can’t really do anything about. (Trust me, if I could magically change the global economy, I wouldn’t be writing blog posts right now.) You just have to accept them and stay aware of them. Asset risk: This is the risk associated with the physical property itself. Is it going to burn down? Is the boiler going to go out? Is a storm going to rip the roof off? We mitigate this risk by scheduling regular inspections, doing preventative maintenance, and carrying sufficient insurance. Resident risk: This is the risk that comes from your choice of resident and their behavior once they’ve signed a lease. Will they pay the rent, will they damage the property, will they sue you? That is just the tip of the iceberg. This is your largest source of risk and the only one that you have 100% control over. The thing about resident risk is that it’s inherently complex, yet you only get the decision on who you rent to when you (a) have a vacancy, or (b) choose whether to renew a lease. My philosophy is that If we can obsessively focus on our acceptance and renewal decisions, we can have a real impact on the business, but most companies aren’t making it a priority. Typically, property managers are accepting the first vaguely qualified applicant they get, and then renewing that lease at every opportunity unless something truly awful happens. Instead, we should be using verifiable, objective data to look at how residents are performing and what they’re costing us in time and energy, then making renewal decisions based on that. As always, every market and portfolio is different. I’m not going to be prescriptive about exactly how you should be making acceptance and renewal decisions, because it depends on the product you’re offering and the community you’re serving, but it should be backed by concrete metrics. The main thing is that you never want to be in a spot where you’re stuck with a resident because you renewed them when you shouldn’t have. You should be as deliberate about renewal decisions as you are about applications. Draw the line early, and watch the wrong applicants walk away Another hot take: If an applicant is “ghosting you” midway through the process, they’re not actually ghosting you; they’re actually just self-selecting out. And that’s a good thing. Self-selecting out of the process just means that the applicant realized it wasn’t a fit, or that you were probably going to decline them anyway. People opting to drop out of the process is actually a sign that you’re communicating your expectations and your process well. Applicants have digested that information and decided you’re not the right fit for them (and that means they probably weren’t going to be the right fit for you, either). When you’re trying to find residents to fill your vacancies, you basically have two main things that applicants are looking at: your product—what the property is—and your process—how you manage it and make decisions around it. You need to align on both in order to find a good fit. Your rental isn’t “just a rental.” It’s your reputation. The product you’re marketing is the property itself; the home someone’s going to rent from you. The quality of that product and how you present it are a direct reflection of your company. If you’re showing a property that’s not in excellent condition, clean, and ready to be shown, residents are going to assume that they’ll have a chaotic, less-than-stellar experience living there. If it’s well maintained, clean, and neat, that communicates that you’re on top of things. It shows that you care about the quality you’re delivering, and that you never treat a property as “just a rental” (which, by the way, is one of my least favorite phrases on earth). The process sets the terms of the relationship The process behind the product is how you run your business. How you approach maintenance, resident relationships, inspections, late payments… that’s all process. The application and leasing process is about filling a vacancy, yes, but it’s about telling the resident what to expect. When we work with a renter through the application process, we’re showing them that we’re going to be communicative and helpful, we’re not going to leave them high and dry, and we’re going to meet every obligation we have. We’re going to do it professionally, expertly, quickly, and friendly. At the same time, we’re communicating that the resident has obligations they’re agreeing to, and we’re going to hold them accountable to those. We’re illustrating what those obligations are, and that we’re not going to accept people who want to duck those responsibilities. In a way, this is where we’re giving them the opportunity to self-select out. If they aren’t ready for those expectations, this isn’t going to work. We’re not trying to scare them away, but we’re also trying to be honest and transparent about who we are and how we work. So how do we set that expectation? We start at the listing. Each of our rental listings includes a thorough description of both the property and our process, which aims to answer as many of their questions as possible. We want to outline our expectations to a T so that only those renters who are going to be a good fit actually apply. Part of that clarity includes describing our onboarding process, too. Moving is almost never fun for residents, so when you’re thinking about your onboarding process, you want to be there to support them, but you also need to set clear expectations. At OneFocus, we’re very upfront that we do a video move-in inspection. That’s often a 20-25 minute video where we walk through the home, open every cabinet and drawer, and document everything. We also ask the resident to do exactly the same thing so that we can clear up any inconsistencies. When we tell residents about this, it lets them know that we’re not a management company that plays fast and loose with security deposits. We don’t make exceptions and we don’t let things slide. How the applicant responds to that is very telling. It shows us who they’re going to be as a resident. Their cooperativeness throughout the application process is the only subjective piece of our application process. If they’re abusive, rude, unresponsive, and difficult to work with, that’s going to work against them. When I say that, I don’t mean just asking questions or getting clarification on how to go about the process. I actually really like residents who have a lot of questions for me about how I run my business. That’s not a nuisance, it’s a sign that they’re aligned with my expectations, they’re going to be a good fit, they’re proactive, and they’re communicative. They’re as invested in finding the right fit as I am. When I talk about difficult applicants, I’m talking about people who are repeatedly dialing, calling over and over and refusing to leave a voicemail. I’m talking about any kind of abusive language, yelling at my staff, or otherwise treating us poorly. I’m talking about repeatedly no-showing appointments that they’ve made and disrespecting our time. Those are all red flags that show us we probably don’t want to commit to working with this person for a year or more. Bend the rules today, pay for it tomorrow Building and sticking to a comprehensive process takes time, but it takes even more discipline. There’s a lot of pressure to fill vacancies quickly, both from your investor clients and internally. The thing is, over the years, I have deviated from my process, and every single time I’ve ended up paying for it later. At this point in my career, if a client asked me to do them a favor that circumvented my process, there’s a decent chance that client is getting fired. I don’t break from my process, and my clients know that. It’s never worth breaking the process just to fill a spot. If you’re struggling to find qualified applicants, yes, you can make some changes; revisit how you’re presenting the process, revisit your pricing, but don’t lower your standards and accept a resident who’s going to cause problems down the line. It’s not only a potential fair housing violation to deviate from your published process, it’s also just bad business. If the process fails, fix it—don’t abandon it If a resident gets through applying, selection, and my onboarding with me, they have no reason to be surprised with how I manage the property and what I expect from them. That’s the goal of a robust process. If you’re finding that your residents aren’t aligned with your expectations, it’s time to strengthen the process. It’s worth stating that you don’t strengthen your process by just updating your lease. Old-school managers tend to just add another addendum to the lease to cover whatever stupid thing the last resident did (and some of those addenda aren’t even legally enforceable). The best property managers will look deeper, make their process more thorough, and actually drive business improvements. Want to see how you can appeal to more financially responsible residents with benefits like credit reporting and identity theft protection? Request an RBP demo with a local expert today.

Calendar icon August 28, 2025

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Build a Brand Residents Trust, and Vacancies Take Care of Themselves

Every property manager dreams of a flood of qualified, eager applicants to fill their vacancies, followed by happy renewals for years on end. But many of them don’t know how to position their company to create these happy, loyal renters. By branding yourself as a resident-friendly property management company, you can stand out from your competitors, attract residents to fill vacancies more quickly, and increase renewals, all without significantly changing your company’s process. At OneFocus Property Management, I’ve leaned into resident education as a means of brand building, but there are plenty of other ways to establish yourself as resident-friendly. The key is to make sure you’re actually delivering on that brand promise to drive genuine brand affinity among residents. Teach residents well, and they’ll trust you back I’ve previously written about how my go-to-market approach leans heavily on investor education. Now, as a second phase of growth, I’m building similar materials for residents. The sad reality is that there’s a huge void for resident education. In many communities, no one is educating residents on what’s available to them, what their rights are, or what they should expect from a high-quality rental property. That’s a gap that I want to fill. What does that look like? For one thing, I share with them the market research that I’ve developed for clients. I give them context for the market that they’re renting in so they can better understand things like pricing and competition. I also develop guides for the areas I service, giving them an overview of different neighborhoods and what kinds of housing stock are available here. I even give an overview of my competition, because if that’s what they’re looking for, I’d rather have them find it than rent from me and be a bad fit. I frame a lot of information through the lens of Fair Housing, giving residents a better understanding of their rights and how they should be treated. That starts to build a baseline knowledge among residents, which improves the property management industry as a whole, not just my company. In some markets, like mine, most residents don’t understand their rights or how they’re supposed to be treated, so when you start treating them correctly, it stands out. For renters, there’s always some insecurity about housing. My goal is to provide as much security as possible. When you provide valuable information to applicants and residents, you start building trust and brand affinity. Beyond education: More ways residents see your brand Our branding doesn’t just happen through resident education, even though that is a huge focus for me. We’re also looking to build loyalty with each and every touchpoint in the resident journey, even if they never actually end up renting from us. Listing sites To start, we’re branding our listings on sites like Zillow and Trulia. When I say that, I don’t just mean a watermark on each of the listing photos. Instead, we’re writing listings in a way that makes it clear to the reader that it’s a OneFocus property. Each of our listings incudes: As much information as possible, clearly detailed A high-effort, high-energy video introducing the property and driving engagement High quality photos that reflect the effort we put into our management An easy self-scheduling process for showings We’re always trying to make it easier for people to recognize us and see how present we are. The goal is ultimately to shift those users over to our website to look at our available properties there. If we can achieve that, we can make an even bigger impression and really drive a positive association with our company. Community involvement One of the next areas I want to get my company even more involved is community events. I’d love to work with local organizations to provide education to the general public, especially on things like: What is Fair Housing? How does it work? How is the housing market changing in our area? What’s typically expected of residents when they apply for a rental? It’s a great way to continue that resident education while also getting more eyes on our company, and of course it’s a fantastic way to give back to the community. This is a people business, so getting involved is essential. Review management We work hard to make sure that the reviews people are posting about us online tell the true story of interactions with our customers. That means we’re not only encouraging happy residents to leave reviews, but we’re also creating moments of delight that they actually want to write about. It also means that, when we get a negative review, we’re not dismissing it out of hand. Instead, we’re taking that feedback seriously and always trying to improve. A brand promise means nothing if you don’t deliver The biggest part of this, of course, is actually delivering a resident experience that upholds the trust and loyalty residents are putting in us. If we’re not delivering on our brand promise, we’re not going to maintain that brand for very long. Responsiveness defines real success For us, success isn’t just about increasing tenant duration or holding a certain renewal rate. Instead, it’s about delivering high quality service at market rents. That’s what’s best for us, our residents, and our clients. Top of the list is responsiveness. We want to build a reputation as trustworthy, responsible people. We’re on top of our stuff and we’re willing to be held accountable. That means not delaying things. We’re highly responsive to every single person that we interact with, not just our residents and our investor clients. Think about all the other people who come into contact with us: vendors, judges, attorneys, tax officials… the list goes on. I want everyone in the community to know that we’re responsible and can be trusted. This isn’t just about branding, it’s about helping people understand the value that we bring to the table and how we’re different. When residents become raving fans A lot of small businesses struggle to measure whether or not their branding efforts are working. They might feel like they’re creating a trusted perception of their company, but how can they really know? Well, here are a few ways we’ve seen our branding efforts reflect back on us. For one thing, on the off chance that we’ve stopped working with a client, we’ve had residents who were devastated. When they found out that we weren’t going to be managing their home anymore, they were upset, because they were going to miss the level of service we deliver. That’s a huge compliment, and such a testament to the relationships that we develop. Second, we’ve had prospective applicants come to us and say, “I want to rent from you. Can you help me find a property?” Rather than finding the perfect property that just happens to be managed by us, they know first and foremost that they want to rent from us. Those calls are always hugely flattering, and we want to do everything we can to deliver for them. I’m looking to build a true multi-generational reputation. In fifteen years, I want someone to call me up and tell me, “Hey, I grew up in a OneFocus house. I want to live in one again.” That’s true loyalty. Final thoughts: Branding works when you know your market—and yourself Like everything in real estate and property management, all of this is subject to your local market. A lot of these branding strategies are going to be harder in more competitive markets, but they’re also going to matter more. There are more companies for residents to compare you to, and that means you have to meet a higher standard. At the same time, though, larger markets also offer more opportunity for collaboration. Maybe there’s another company that you can partner up with on some of this educational content, or just brainstorm and get creative with. Finally, some markets have longer or shorter renewal notice periods than others. The tighter the notice period, the more your branding is going to matter. With less lead time for a vacancy, you need to have eager, excited prospective residents lining up around the block to apply. That’s all down to your brand. Looking for more insights from expert property managers? Join the Triple Win Property Management Facebook Group.

Calendar icon August 25, 2025

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AI Property Management Software: Achieve Higher ROI with More Satisfied Residents

AI property management software is helping property managers save hours, cut costs, and keep residents longer. By automating time-consuming tasks like scheduling, rent reminders, and maintenance tracking, these tools give you more bandwidth to focus on what matters most: resident satisfaction and portfolio growth. But how do you know which AI property management software is right for your team? In this guide, we’ll look at the strongest AI property management software options available today, from established names like AppFolio and Buildium to innovative AI-first platforms. You’ll see how features like predictive maintenance, automated messaging, and smart rent workflows can transform day-to-day operations. Plus, you’ll see an overhead view of where each tool fits best depending on your portfolio type. What is AI property management software and how does it work? AI property management software uses artificial intelligence to automate and improve daily property management tasks. Instead of manually tracking rent payments, responding to maintenance requests, or juggling dozens of vendor schedules, these systems handle the busywork in the background. This lets you focus on strategy and resident relationships. At its core, the right AI property management software learns from your portfolio data to make smarter, faster decisions. That can mean: Predictive maintenance to flag potential issues before they become expensive repairs. Automated messaging that answers resident questions instantly and keeps communication consistent. Smart scheduling to coordinate vendors and team members without manual back-and-forth. Data-driven insights that help you adjust pricing, renewal strategies, and marketing spend. The result is a system that speeds up repetitive workflows and also supports better decision-making across your entire portfolio. These AI tools adapt to your processes and scale as you grow. They can be applied to the management of single-family homes, multifamily communities, or mixed portfolios. Why are property managers investing in AI property management software? The demands on property managers have never been higher. You’re expected to keep operating costs low, meet rising resident expectations, and manage growing portfolios. You’re also asked to do all of this without adding staff, which is not an easy job! AI property management software is helping bridge that gap. Three big shifts are driving adoption: Higher resident expectations: Residents now expect the same speed and convenience they get from popular apps. They want immediate answers, instant maintenance fixes, and easy self-service tools. Tighter margins: Maintenance costs, turnover expenses, and labor shortages are eating into profitability. AI helps control these costs by automating time-consuming tasks and spotting problems early. A shift from reactive to proactive management: Instead of scrambling to fix problems after they happen, AI tools predict issues and automate preventive measures. Overall, this will keep your properties in better condition and residents more satisfied. For many operators, AI property management software is becoming essential for scaling. Which AI property management software platforms should you test? The AI property management software you choose will come down to three categories: Your portfolio type Budget The workflows you’ll be streamlining Let’s take a brief look at each platform to help you match AI property management software to your portfolio type. AppFolio AppFolio blends property management features with AI capabilities like automated leasing workflows, rent collection, and smart maintenance scheduling. Its AI Leasing Assistant “Lisa” responds to inquiries 24/7, qualifies leads, and books showings automatically. The platform’s advanced analytics also provide real-time portfolio performance insights. Best for: Mid-size to large portfolios needing a comprehensive, all-in-one solution with deep integrations. Buildium Buildium is the AI property management software best known for its approachable interface and quick onboarding. This is ideal for teams without a dedicated tech department. Its AI features include automated rent reminders, dynamic pricing recommendations, and resident churn prediction. Buildium also integrates with popular maintenance platforms, making it easier to track vendor performance and resident satisfaction without switching systems. Best for: Small to mid-size property management companies that want straightforward AI tools alongside core PM features. Hemlane Hemlane focuses on remote-friendly property management. Its AI-driven leasing automation, maintenance coordination, and compliance tracking are designed for operators managing scattered-site properties. The smart task routing ensures requests are sent to the right vendors quickly, reducing delays and resident frustration. It also offers virtual showing capabilities, allowing you to lease units without being on-site. Best for: Single-family operators and geographically dispersed portfolios. AI-first tools These next platforms were built from the ground up with AI at their core. They often integrate with larger property management systems to add specialized capabilities without replacing your current tech stack. Stan.ai: AI-powered leasing assistant that handles inquiries, books showings, and nurtures leads automatically. It’s designed to boost leasing speed and conversion rates. EliseAI: Conversational AI for resident communication, maintenance requests, and leasing, with natural language capabilities that mimic human conversation. MagicDoor: Combines AI with resident engagement features like rewards programs, automated reminders, and event scheduling to increase satisfaction and retention. Trudi.ai: AI assistant for automating routine administrative tasks, from responding to emails to scheduling maintenance, freeing up staff time for higher-priority work. Next, we’ll take a look at which AI property management software fits with your portfolio type. How to choose the best AI property management software for your portfolio type Choosing the right AI property management software starts with considering your portfolio type. The chart below breaks down which tools work best for different portfolio types, so you can see at a glance where each option fits. Portfolio type Key needs and priorities Recommended platforms Standout AI features Single-family operators Remote management, vendor coordination, leasing automation, and maintenance tracking Hemlane, Trudi.ai, MagicDoor AI leasing assistant, smart maintenance routing, mobile-first workflows Small- to mid-size multifamily Centralized operations, predictive maintenance, resident self-service Buildium, AppFolio Predictive maintenance alerts, AI-driven rent reminders, unified dashboard Large-scale portfolios Scalability, deep integrations, high-volume automation, and advanced analytics AppFolio + Stan.ai or EliseAI Conversational AI for residents, bulk task automation, and rent optimization analytics Best AI property management software for single-family operators For single-family and scattered-site management, efficiency hinges on eliminating manual tasks that typically consume a significant portion of your day. You should be on the lookout for: Remote-friendly tools: These allow you to manage leasing, inspections, and maintenance without being on-site. AI leasing assistants: Respond to inquiries 24/7 and prequalify leads, cutting down on missed opportunities. Maintenance automation: Route requests directly to vendors and track completion in real time. Best fits: Hemlane, Trudi.ai, MagicDoor. These offer simple, affordable automation without the overhead of a full enterprise platform. Best AI property management software for small- to mid-size multifamily portfolios For portfolios in this range, the challenge is managing higher resident density while maintaining a personalized touch. Priorities include: Centralized dashboards: Combine accounting, leasing, maintenance, and communication in one system. Predictive maintenance features: Help to avoid costly emergencies and extend the life of building systems. Resident self-service portals: For rent payments, renewals, and service requests, which in turn reduces inbound calls and emails. Best fits: Buildium, AppFolio. Both offer integrated AI capabilities without requiring you to piece together multiple tools. Best AI property management software for large-scale portfolios When you’re managing hundreds or thousands of units, scalability and integration are key. You can keep your focus on: High-volume automation: For leasing, renewals, and maintenance coordination. Deep integrations: Manage the business end-to-end with accounting, CRM, and marketing tools. Advanced analytics: Spot trends, optimize rent pricing, and forecast maintenance budgets. Best fits: AppFolio for an all-in-one approach, or combining it with AI-first tools like Stan.ai or EliseAI for advanced resident engagement and lead management. Finding the right AI property management software is key. But what is the overall benefit to using them once you’ve found the right one? That’s what we’ll take a look at next. What are the key benefits of AI property management software? When you’re looking at the benefits AI property management software brings, you’re really calculating your return on investment (ROI). You want to see the measurable impact that new tools can have on your bottom line and resident retention. When implemented strategically, AI property management software can: 1. Save time on repetitive work AI can handle routine tasks instantly. This frees up your team to focus on owner relations, strategic marketing, or resident engagement. 2. Reduce maintenance costs Predictive maintenance tools analyze historical data and property conditions to flag potential issues early. Fixing a problem before it escalates can save hundreds, or sometimes thousands, per property each year. 3. Improve resident satisfaction and retention Fast response times, proactive communication, and self-service options create a smoother resident experience. The easier it is for residents to pay rent, request service, or get information, the more likely they are to renew. 4. Enhance decision-making with better data AI platforms consolidate your operational data into actionable insights. This can help you: Optimize rent prices based on market trends Identify at-risk residents before they give notice Adjust marketing spend to target the highest-converting channels 5. Scale without adding headcount Because AI handles high-volume, low-complexity work, you can grow your portfolio without increasing staff at the same rate. 6. Streamline communication AI-driven messaging keeps owners, residents, and vendors informed automatically. Your team stays on the same page with a unified system of communication. What are the common challenges when adopting AI property management software? AI property management software can transform operations, but adoption doesn’t come without hurdles. These are some of the challenges to be aware of, especially as you integrate AI property management software with your team: 1. Data accuracy and quality AI is only as good as the data you feed it. If your records are incomplete, outdated, or inconsistent across systems, automation may produce inaccurate insights or send the wrong messages to residents. 2. Integration gaps Not all AI platforms play nicely with your existing tools. Confirm that the software integrates with your accounting, CRM, marketing, and maintenance systems. 3. Balancing automation with human oversight While AI can handle routine communication, resident relationships often require empathy and context. Over-relying on automation can make interactions feel impersonal and lead to missed opportunities for connection. 4. Change management Your team will need training to use the new tools effectively. Prioritize clear onboarding and process updates. 5. Compliance and security concerns AI platforms process sensitive resident and owner information. Make sure your AI property management software meets data protection and privacy regulations in your region. 6. Overestimating capabilities AI property management software can be a powerful tool, but it’s not a magic wand. Setting realistic expectations about what it can and can’t do is important for measuring ROI and avoiding disappointment. How Second Nature complements AI property management software These AI property management software platforms have the potential to generate a higher ROI for your entire portfolio. But, there is a level of human touch that keeps residents satisfied and renewing. Second Nature’s fully managed Resident Benefits Package complements AI property management software to deliver tangible, high-value services residents can see and feel. These services go beyond AI processes to create a living experience that current and future residents are willing to pay for and stay for. Here’s how Second Nature’s Resident Benefits Package works: Proactive maintenance engagement: Built-in programs like air filter delivery encourage residents to take care of small maintenance tasks before they escalate. Changing air filters at the right time can reduce HVAC-related work orders by 37%. Resident rewards program: Incentivizes on-time rent payments and other positive behaviors with gift cards and rewards. Credit building: Automatically reports on-time rent to all three major credit bureaus, boosting residents’ financial health. Renters Insurance Compliance: Tracks coverage for every resident, automatically enrolling them if a policy lapses. Your AI property management software will help keep your operations efficient. Second Nature keeps the resident experience on pace. Together, they create a powerful combination: streamlined workflows, happier residents, and a healthier bottom line. As an example of how the Resident Benefits Package works, Hive Real Estate saw a 40% increase in on-time payments and a 50% reduction in maintenance requests. Elevate your AI property management software with Second Nature AI property management software can streamline your day-to-day. Pair it with Second Nature, and you’ll create a resident experience that drives renewals, reduces maintenance costs, and delivers higher ROI without adding to your workload. See how your current tools and Second Nature’s fully managed Resident Benefits Package can work together to keep residents paying and staying. Try out a demo today and discover how to make every property in your portfolio easier to manage and more profitable to own. FAQ What is AI property management software? AI property management software is a digital platform that uses artificial intelligence to automate and improve core property management tasks. It can handle rent collection, predictive maintenance scheduling, resident communication, vendor coordination, and portfolio analytics without manual intervention. These tools help landlords, property managers, and real estate investors reduce operating costs and improve resident satisfaction. How does AI property management software work? AI-powered property management systems use algorithms and machine learning models to analyze data from your portfolio. This enables features like smart rent reminders, automated maintenance requests, conversational AI for resident support, and dynamic pricing recommendations. The software can integrate with accounting systems, CRM platforms, and leasing tools to create a connected property management workflow. What are the benefits of AI property management software? The main benefits include time savings through automation of repetitive tasks like rent reminders and vendor scheduling, lower maintenance costs with predictive maintenance tools that flag issues early, improved resident retention via proactive communication and self-service portals, better decision-making using data-driven insights for pricing, renewals, and marketing, and scalability without adding headcount. Which AI property management software is best for my portfolio type? The best choice depends on your portfolio. Single-family operators may prefer Hemlane, MagicDoor, or Trudi.ai for remote-friendly management. Small- to mid-size multifamily operators may benefit from Buildium or AppFolio for predictive maintenance and resident self-service. Large-scale portfolios can pair AppFolio with Stan.ai or EliseAI for advanced analytics and resident engagement. Does AI property management software replace human managers? No. While AI can automate many administrative and operational tasks, it cannot replace the human element of property management—especially when it comes to empathy, negotiation, and relationship-building with residents. Instead, it frees up managers to focus on strategic growth and customer experience. How much does AI property management software cost? Pricing varies based on features, portfolio size, and whether you choose an all-in-one platform or an AI-first tool that integrates with existing systems. Entry-level solutions may start at $1–$2 per unit per month, while enterprise systems can cost more depending on customization and support. Can AI property management software integrate with my existing systems? Most modern AI property management platforms integrate with popular accounting software, CRM tools, maintenance tracking systems, and marketing platforms. Always confirm compatibility before purchasing to ensure seamless workflows. How does AI property management software improve resident satisfaction? By automating communication, providing 24/7 responses to inquiries, enabling faster maintenance resolution, and offering self-service portals, AI tools make the rental experience easier and more convenient—key factors in boosting lease renewals.

Calendar icon August 21, 2025

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Planning for Vacancies Starts at Lease Signing

Most property managers start planning for renewals and vacancies around the 60 or 90 day mark, as the existing lease starts coming to a close and it’s getting toward decision time. But great property managers start planning as soon as the resident signs a lease. As a strategic property manager, you need to start resident relationships off on the right foot, and then keep that momentum throughout the entire lease. From day one, you’re either setting yourself up for a renewal… or you’re setting yourself up for a vacancy. Every touchpoint, every bit of communication, and every process you run builds toward one of those outcomes. Lease signing sets the tone Lease signing is more than paperwork—it’s your first big impression. The way you run the process, the way you communicate, and even the way you choose residents shapes their opinion of you. And whether they’re likely to stick with you for the long haul… From the very first interaction, you should be conducting and presenting yourself in a way that shows you care about renewal. Residents can tell when we’re just trying to fill a vacancy or when we’re actually invested in building a lasting relationship. A huge part of this is just making sure you’re signing the right residents. I’m a big advocate for the first-come, first-served system (assuming your marketing and screening process is solid). The right-fit resident is often also the one who’s easy to work with and more likely to renew. No matter your selection method, the goal is to show professionalism and care from the very beginning. The “Raving Fans” phase I like to call the first 90–120 days after move-in the Raving Fans phase—because your job is to turn new residents into people who love working with you. Practicing unreasonable hospitality You should be setting check-ins, calls, letters, gifts… anything you can do to delight your residents. While that might sound like a huge undertaking, it actually doesn’t require a ton of money, and sometimes you can even bill some of the expenses back to the owner. As a property owner myself, I approve an annual gift budget because I know that it’s a strong investment in the future. And here’s the thing: a lot of this can be automated. I’ve used third-party services that handwrite and mail cards for us, based on messages we send them. Residents get a personal touch, but your team doesn’t get buried in busywork. We call this approach “unreasonable hospitality.” The goal is to help build a positive association with your company. You don’t want residents to see an email, text, or piece of mail from you and assume that something’s wrong. Instead, you want them to be excited to hear from you. Remember, these don’t have to be incredibly personalized gifts. That’s great if you can do it, but it’s often not realistic with how busy your team is. Don’t put off sending gifts because you want to personalize them. Perfect is the enemy of good. Find a gift level that makes sense for your margins and your market, and stick with it. Educating and setting expectations The Raving Fans phase isn’t just about “feel-good” touches. For example, you should provide clear instructions on understanding the maintenance portal, submitting a maintenance request, and what your company considers an emergency. The goal is to educate them, get on the same page, and create consistent expectations. You’re identifying potential points of contention and resolving them before they even happen. All of that drives a better resident experience and increases the likelihood of a renewal when the time comes. I think that too many property managers assume a level of knowledge that residents don’t necessarily have. We’re so involved in our businesses every day that we forget our residents might not have the same knowledge that we do. For example, what is or isn’t an emergency? When should something be reported in order to prevent future damage? What’s the property manager’s responsibility and what should be reported to an HOA? Helping residents understand these things early makes them more confident, more comfortable with our management style, and more likely to have a positive experience. Before wrapping up the Raving Fans phase, let them know exactly when they will hear from you next. Share a simple outline of your upcoming communications, including when you typically start renewal conversations, so they know what to expect and keep that positive association when your name appears in their inbox. The day-to-day management phase Once the Raving Fans phase ends, we enter what I call the day-to-day management phase. This is where things are typically pretty quiet, unless one of the following pops up: Lease violations HOA violations Delinquencies Maintenance requests None of these are “fun” for residents. The key is to handle them with empathy and clarity—and to frame things in a way that feels protective, not punitive. If you have a six-month inspection in your process, it will also fall in this phase. While it is not as negative as a delinquency or major repair, it is still a disruption. For us, inspections are routine, but for residents they can feel intrusive. Keep it positive by being transparent. Explain that the purpose is to check for anything that could affect their health, safety, or comfort, not to look for violations. Give clear notice, outline how long it will take, and explain if photos will be taken and why. When handled well, inspections can build trust instead of damaging it. The rest of the day-to-day management phase is just staying the course and maintaining a high quality of work. That means maintaining clear communications, working with the right vendors, and delivering fast resolutions to any resident concerns. Start renewal conversations early As the day-to-day management phase goes on, you’ll want to communicate as early as possible about a renewal. You’re not making a commitment to renew, but you’re asking what their plans are and whether they’re interested in renewing. I think it’s completely reasonable to do this 150 to 120 days before lease end. While that might seem a little bit extreme, getting buy-in early and being as prepared as possible is hugely beneficial. This isn’t just about the resident, either. You should be having similar conversations with the property owners. It’s so, so valuable to gauge interest in a renewal from both sides. You might get insight on whether an owner wants to renew, or if they’re potentially considering selling the property. On the other side, you might find out that a resident is planning on relocating or buying a property. Of course, if you have a sales arm of your business, that can tee up an easy sale. There have also been times when an owner planned to sell but a resident wanted to renew, and the guarantee of that renewal meant that the owner was willing to hold off for another year. Not only did it secure management fees and reduce my customer churn, it also set the owner up for better returns the next year when the market was in a better spot. The earlier you do this, the more you can establish peace of mind for both your clients and your residents. As property managers, we’re the only people in the equation who really have the power to do that, so we should wield that power responsibly. Final thoughts Renewals aren’t decided in the last 60 days of a lease. They’re decided over the course of an entire tenancy—through every single interaction, big or small. If residents see you as a helpful partner who makes their life easier, they’ll want to stay. If they see you as just a rent collector or rule enforcer, they won’t. Set the tone at lease signing, nurture the relationship, and educate your residents along the way. That’s how you minimize vacancies and keep renewal rates high.

Calendar icon August 19, 2025

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The Costs of Marketing a Property Too Early

Many property managers, especially those feeling pressure from their investor clients, might be tempted to list properties as early as possible. Instead of waiting until 30 or 45 days before a vacancy, they list it four to six months in advance. The idea is that the longer a property is listed, the more opportunity you’ll have of finding a qualified resident. In reality, there’s almost no benefit to listing a property far in advance, and it comes with a lot of hidden cost. Whenever possible, property managers should wait until a property has been turned and is rent-ready before listing, so that the listing is accurate, fresh, and appealing, and showings present the best property possible. In this article, I’ll walk through why you should wait to list properties, the costs—both financial and reputational—of listing too soon, and how to work with owners who want to push properties to market ASAP, potentially to the detriment of their bottom line. Keep it fresh: preventing stale listings One of the biggest risks in posting a listing too early is that, in the eyes of prospective residents, it will turn stale quickly. Even with great photos and accurate details, a long-standing post raises red flags for potential renters. Most renters aren’t looking several months ahead; many don’t even know if they’re renewing their current lease. Meaning, by the time most qualified residents start looking at your listing, it’s already been up for weeks or months. The two thoughts residents have when they see a stale listing are: “Did someone forget to remove this? It’s probably been rented already. Maybe it’s a ghost listing,” or “Why has it been available so long? Something must be wrong with it.” In both cases, we have lost the attention of a potential renter due to no fault of the property. The bottom line? If you don’t have a set move-out date for the current resident, or the available date isn’t in the next 60 days, it’s probably too soon to list. Update your description every time When it does come time to post a listing, make sure you’re revisiting the content. You should never be reposting a listing with the exact same description that you used during the last vacancy. Reread it and update it, even if you haven’t done any major renovations to the property. Even small things may have changed; “fresh paint” might now be “two-year old paint,” and even though it seems like a small difference, applicants will notice. Rewriting listings from time to time also helps algorithms recognize that it’s a fresh listing and not spam, which can help increase the number of views your listings get on sites like Zillow or Apartments.com. It also shows repeat viewers that the listing has been updated, making it feel current rather than outdated or stale. Choose photos wisely Some listing agents swear by taking new photos every time a unit is listed. Others will use the same pictures for a decade or more. My advice is to fall somewhere in between. If you have older photos that are high quality and still accurately reflect the current state of the property, feel free to use them. Just make sure that they present the property fairly, both the good and the bad. If something big has changed since the last time the property was made available—like flooring, paint, countertops, or fixtures—update the photos so prospective residents know exactly what they’re applying for. Protect your reputation A big part of waiting to list a vacant property is protecting your reputation, among both current and future residents. Showing an occupied property is particularly risky, because it can irritate the current resident and make a less-than-stellar impression on the applicant. Among current residents Showing an occupied home is sometimes necessary, but it can create friction. I recognize that it’s unavoidable in some markets, and that’s okay. But if you have the option to wait until the unit is empty, you should. Residents who feel imposed on are going to be much more inclined to leave a negative review. In fact, even if they’ve had a great year, or two, or even three, if you cause disruption and frustration at the end of their stay, it will reflect poorly on you, thanks to the peak-end rule. The peak-end rule states that, in any experience, we tend to remember two parts: the most intense point (good or bad) and the ending. How an experience ends has a disproportionate impact on how we rate that experience, so making life difficult for a resident at the end of their lease is going to leave a bad taste in their mouth. And, of course, we all know that people are more likely to leave negative reviews than positive ones, so creating a negative experience at the end of a lease cycle is just encouraging bad reviews. It can also make a resident more likely to try to fight a move-out charge or a deduction from their security deposit, even if it’s completely justified. The end of a lease is already a high-touch period for our residents, so adding more to the pile only increases the risk of a negative interaction. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. And when you fall into one of those exceptions, the most important thing to do is communicate clearly. For example, if you know well in advance that a resident is not renewing due to a job change, life change, or home purchase, then you can have a conversation with them about when and how you’ll be showing the property. You might decide to list the property a month in advance and begin showing it while it’s still occupied, but only schedule showings for qualified people who have already applied, in order to minimize disruptions. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the resident (who’s probably already stressed about preparing for a move) and do whatever you can to make their life easier. Among future residents Even if you’ve communicated effectively and your current resident is okay with showings, you still have the future resident to consider. Occupied properties are rarely show-ready. Clutter, odors, and personal belongings can turn off applicants instantly. And remember—every photo and detail in your listing reflects on your reputation. If the property doesn’t look its best, why take the chance? Besides, the whole time they’re looking at the property, they’re already going to be wondering, “well, if I live here, am I going to have to deal with people coming to see my house before I move out?” Consider the financial impact A listing that sits for months creates more work: extra showings, additional cleanings, more calls to answer, and more negotiations with applicants. Add to that the time spent fielding calls or inquiries about it, especially from potential applicants just asking “Is this still available?” (Remember, stale listings tend to raise more questions.) Older listings often weaken your rent position, putting you on the defensive in discussions. Meanwhile, your team is tied up managing this property instead of focusing on other priorities. Market conditions change quickly The last major issue with marketing a property too early is just that a whole lot can change between listing and move-in day. Whether it’s economic factors changing rents in your market or your new resident’s life circumstances, you can end up in a very different situation than you expected. Getting rent right Making sure that rent is fair and competitive is always a challenge in this industry. You have an obligation to get the best possible outcome for your client, but you also have to find a number that will attract qualified applicants. In many markets, property managers are required to rerun rent comps every 90 days, but in some markets there can be big shifts in as little as two or three weeks. If you’re listing a property six months in advance, it’s nearly impossible to assess a competitive rent price. Seasonality is huge here: listing a May vacancy in December makes it harder to justify peak-season rates. Tracking rent trends allows you to show owners the data: waiting often means higher returns. Your company should be tracking how rents rise and fall throughout the year. This not only helps you predict future adjustments but also gives you the hard data to tell investors, “We shouldn’t list this six months early—if we wait until 30 days before move-in, you’ll likely get a much better price.” Tracking trends and timing listings strategically often means higher returns and stronger owner trust. Life circumstances can change Beyond just economics, people’s life circumstances change. Someone might get a new job or lose their current one. They might decide that they want to move in with a partner instead of renting on their own place. The more time there is between signing a lease and moving in, the greater the chance that life events will derail the plan. In other cases, new properties hit the market closer to their move date, and your applicant gets cold feet or finds something they like better. That can put you in the awkward position of dealing with a cancellation request and starting the process all over again. Final thoughts Owners may push for early listings to minimize vacancy loss, but in practice, it often backfires—creating tight turns for vendors, missed rent opportunities, and avoidable stress for your team. Use your data and market knowledge to help owners see that patience isn’t just about avoiding problems - it’s about maximizing profit in the long run.

Calendar icon August 14, 2025

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Social Media Marketing for Property Management: A Comprehensive Guide

In the age of influencers, property management has been no exception. More and more property managers are building their personal and company brands across social channels, drawing more eyes and building trust with their customers. So how can you leverage social media marketing for property management, and drive real business results? In this article, we’ll walk through how property managers can position themselves on social media, and provide a comprehensive guide for property managers who want to grow their business through better social content. We’ll look at how to choose which platforms to use, setting up a content strategy, driving engagement, purchasing social ads, and building your brand as an individual and a company. What is social media marketing for property management? Social media has become an essential marketing channel for property managers over the last decade. More and more, residents and owners are searching for and engaging with their PMs on social channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, and X. Social media platforms allow property management companies to create branded pages where they can receive and send private messages, post public announcements to a wider audience, and solicit customer reviews. More and more residents are spending time on social media, regardless of age. In fact, nearly 64% of people globally use social media in 2025, compared to just 47% in 2020. That means that social channels are prime opportunities to increase visibility for your business, show your expertise in the industry, and convince both real estate investors and residents to work with you. A strong social media presence can set you apart from competitors, and also help you be found more frequently in web searches. Combine that with the ability to quickly communicate with existing customers and residents, and the benefits quickly become clear. Why social media matters for property managers Social media is the perfect forum to boost your brand reputation and create a unique voice. In such a people-first business, property managers should be embracing their personal voice and opinions to build a sense of authenticity and trust. In fact, more and more, weaving your personal story into your company brand helps users develop relatability and attachment to your band. Social media provides an invaluable opportunity to share personal anecdotes and thoughts, no matter how short or long, that show you’re an expert in your field. By engaging with others and having meaningful conversations online, you can also build your professional network and learn from those around you. Even providing simple tips or insights on other people’s posts can help build your expertise and get you noticed more often. You can also engage with both residents and investors in comments, direct messages, and community groups. By being easy to find and reach, you present an image of accessibility, responsiveness, and reliability, and show that you prioritize customer service. Choosing the best social media platforms for property management Selecting where to invest your time on social media can seem a bit overwhelming. There are plenty of options, but we’ll break down the strengths of each and where you should prioritize your efforts. Evaluate platform fit based on your audience Start by deciding who you're trying to reach on social media. Different demographics tend to use different platforms, and Pew Research (2024) reveals clear usage patterns by age and demographic: YouTube (83% of U.S. adults): Universally popular, this video sharing giant is ideal for property walkthroughs, FAQs, and educational videos. It’s a great fit for any age group, and is actually one of the largest search engines in the world. Facebook (68% of U.S. adults): Facebook is most used by adults aged 30–64. It’s perfect for reaching Gen X and baby boomers, and community groups and local events make it a great platform for reaching local renters. Instagram (47% of U.S. adults): Highly used by adults under 30 (78%), Instagram is for far more than just posting what you ate for brunch. Use Instagram for showcasing visuals, lifestyle branding, and behind-the-scenes content, and leverage stories for short video promos for vacant units. TikTok (33% of U.S. adults): TikTok is one of the hottest social tools around, and usage has grown 12% since 2021. It is especially popular among adults 18–29 (62%). It’s perfect for lifestyle content, renter tips, and fun property highlights. LinkedIn (30%+ of U.S. adults): LinkedIn skews toward college-educated professionals, particularly those aged 30–49, and is best for B2B networking, attracting investors, and vendor outreach. Residents tend to be less active in engaging with their property managers on LinkedIn. Pinterest (30% of U.S. adults): Female audiences tend to dominate Pinterest. This app is all about sharing visual ideas and inspiration, making it perfect for decor boards, seasonal refresh tips, or neighborhood features. Choose a platform that will help you meet your goals In addition to your audience, you have to know your target goals, because not every platform fits every objective. Here's how to align your strategy: Brand awareness & retention: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube Networking & lead generation: LinkedIn Lifestyle marketing & education: TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts Visual storytelling & design inspiration: Pinterest Consider your resources and bandwidth When you’re choosing your channels, remember that it’s about quality over quantity. Rather than establishing profiles on every single platform and trying to juggle them all, start with just two or three platforms and focus on getting them right. Then, once you’ve gotten the hang of things, you can consider adding more. If you’re posting often and across multiple platforms, consider using a scheduling tool like Buffer or Hootsuite to plan your content in advance. These kinds of tools can also allow you to post to multiple platforms with a single click, rather than having to create the same post over and over on different apps. If you use certain marketing automation tools, they may already have social media scheduling functionality built in. Remember that many channels have similar formats, so you can often repurpose the same content. For example, you can post a short video as a TikTok, a YouTube Short, and an Instagram Reel, reaching more people without substantially more effort. Content ideas for property management social media Remember, property management is a highly social, highly visual business, so there are tons of opportunities for great content if you get creative. You don’t have to limit yourself to just promoting listings, either. You can share tips and tricks, behind the scenes looks at your team, and elements of your company culture that will encourage people to work with you. Here are some ideas to get you started: High-quality photos and videos of listings Neighborhood highlights and community amenities “Meet the team” spotlights Seasonal maintenance tips Reviews and tagged posts from residents Tips on rental processes, maintenance reminders (like air filters), and lease renewals Behind-the-scenes, day-in-the-life reels, and resident events What it’s like to live at one of your properties Viral trends that you can tie to your niche The possibilities are endless, and don’t be afraid to take inspiration from other property managers who are killing it on social media. Social media content strategy for property managers With all these possibilities at your fingertips, it’s important to set an overarching strategy for your social efforts. You don’t want to be posting haphazardly or inconsistently, or sending mixed messages in your posts. Set clear goals for your efforts Make sure you know the purpose of your investment in social media. Start by defining what success looks like. You might be looking to increase brand awareness, generate more leads, retain residents longer, or something else entirely. Whatever your goal is, make sure that you identify KPIs that align to those goals, and measure your progress regularly. Build a content calendar Building a schedule of your content can help make sure you’re sharing consistently, but it can also save a lot of time. Work to batch your content creation and schedule weekly posts, which will minimize the time spent on social tools. Make sure you’re varying content types, too. For example, you might commit to posting one listing, one testimonial, and one local highlight per week. Stay consistent and on-brand You want to make sure that your visual branding is consistent across all your different social platforms, and that what users find there also matches what they’ll see on your website. Beyond that, you should establish a clear tone that you use across all your posts so that your audience is always experiencing a consistent version of you. Paid social media ads for property management Now that you have a strong understanding of organic posting on social media, it’s time to take a look at advertising, also known as sponsored content or paid social. Social media is a great opportunity to reach new audiences with ads, as long as you follow a few key guidelines. Why paid social matters in 2025 Millions of renters are scrolling their social feeds daily. That creates a massive opportunity to get your listings in front of them. Social platforms also offer a uniquely effective way to target users by location, income bracket, and life stage, allowing you to better find potential applicants who are a strong fit for your properties. Especially in competitive markets, social ads can keep your brand and your properties top of mind through each and every decision stage. Create scroll‑stopping ads Creating effective ads might seem challenging, but it’s all about the visuals. Use high‑quality photos, 15‑second videos—framed vertically, to match users’ devices—or 360° tours. If you’re posting videos, make sure they have text overlays for users who are scrolling without sound on. Captions and copy should be brief and benefit-focused. Optimize targeting and budgets Social platforms also allow you to create look-alike audiences using your past resident, applicant, or owner lists. That means you can target your ads specifically to the people who best fit your customer profile. You can also retarget your website visitors, especially those who may have started filling out an inquiry form but then abandoned it. When you’re just getting started, try a balance of about 70% prospecting ads and 30% retargeting ads, and then evaluate every thirty days to rebalance your ad mix. Measure and refine performance Make sure that you’re tracking key metrics like click-through rates of your ads, cost per lead from social media, and numbers of tours and leases that come from your social channels. You can also create A/B tests for different ad creative and update it weekly. Some platforms even let you automatically pause low-performing ads and boost those that win A/B tests. Don’t forget to use UTM tags and tracked links so that you can specifically tie new business to your social media efforts. Tracking social media performance for property managers As you build your social media strategy, make sure you’re consistently measuring performance. Consider key metrics like reach, engagement rate, follower growth, and click-through rates, all of which are good measures of how much your content is resonating with your audience. Most social tools typically have basic metrics built in, but platforms like Sprout Social, Agency Analytics, and Hootsuite offer a wider range of measurement tools, including dashboards and downloadable reports. If you’re doing extensive social posting and need to consistently monitor performance, it may be worthwhile to invest in one of these tools. As you push to improve your performance, make sure you’re testing images against video, different headlines and captions, and posting times throughout the day or week to see what works best for your audience. Then, apply those learnings moving forward for each campaign. Overcoming common social media challenges Many companies struggle to gain traction on social media, or expect instant success and are disappointed when they don’t see it. Here are some of the most common challenges with social media marketing, and how you can avoid them with your property management business: Inconsistent posting schedule: Posting inconsistently can lead to a disengaged audience, but it also hurts you in social media algorithms, which favor creators who post consistently. This is where your content calendar and scheduling tools can come in. Declining organic reach: Some companies see their post impressions decline over time, often because they’re only posting but not interacting. Make sure you’re interacting with your audience’s posts, either with likes and reactions or with comments, which will help algorithms rank your content more highly. Make sure you’re also posting content that encourages your audience to interact, rather than just looking or reading and scrolling on. Content saturation and competition: Some posters also find themselves running out of content ideas quickly. Remember that it’s about quality over quantity, and that you don’t always have to be posting as often as your competition. Focus on the consistency of your content, both in when you post and the quality of what you’re sharing. Negative feedback and reviews: Plenty of companies get dismayed by negative reviews or feedback on their pages. Make sure that you’re handling negative feedback calmly, quickly, and professionally, and that you’re actually making process changes to prevent similar reviews in the future. Lack of clarity: If you’re a property manager who isn’t as data-driven, this can be a challenge. Make sure you’re leveraging analytics to measure success and jumping on hot trends that you see across other pages. Like any other marketing channel, KPIs should be guiding your strategy. Build long-term value with Second Nature Remember, social media is a great way to show your personality, expertise, and what you’re doing to deliver the best possible experience for your residents. From lead generation to community engagement, social media is all about building trust in your brand, both as an individual and as a property management company. Things like reminders to change air filters, instructions on how to leverage benefits, and success stories of residents who have seen boosts to their credit scores are all content gold, made possible by programs like Second Nature’s Resident Benefits Package. If you want to learn more about how Second Nature delivers top-tier resident experiences, schedule a demo with an RBP expert in your area today.

Calendar icon August 12, 2025

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