Apple gadgets and products have improved significantly since their launch. Now, they are more portable and powerful than ever. Let’s explore the latest Apple iPads, Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil upgrades. The iPad’s versatility defines it. The new iPad allows users, from consumers to pros, to take their creations to new heights. It brings lessons and learning to life for teachers and students alike, as well as gaming and entertainment. Light as a feather, the newest iPad Air offers engaging content, gaming, high resolution and Apple silicon, making it versatile for so many. It is available in 11-inch and an all-new 13-inch since many prefer a significant 30% more screen real estate. The 13-inch allows for more participants on Zoom calls. The new camera has a front-facing camera in landscape view, making it perfect for taking notes on the magic keyboard or FaceTime calls. The sound quality of the iPad Air is immaculate, with double the bass. iPad Air includes an Apple silicon M2 powerful chip with a faster GPU, CPU and Neural engine, 50% faster than M1 and better memory with powerful AI and learning features. These improvements in performance and capabilities ensure that the iPad Air is a reliable and powerful tool for any task. iPad Air comes in two new colors, blue and purple, along with space gray and starlight and is designed with 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure. iPad Air also works with the new Apple Pencil Pro to add more capabilities and bring ideas to life like never before. The starting price for the iPad Air is $599. Crush the limits with iPad Pro. The iPad Pro is now so thin and so powerful, with a breakthrough display and amazing pro apps. Available in 11inch, 5.3mm and...
Replacing Siloed Software
With Our Senior Living Suite
Siloed software systems often pose major challenges for senior living operators. Since they require navigating various platforms and manually transferring data, these systems waste valuable time, increase the risk of errors and place a burden on your staff. The Yardi Senior Living Suite, on the other hand, is an all-in-one, interconnected solution that unites financials, care, business intelligence and more on a single platform. With one integrated software solution, you unlock everything you need — all in one place. Why make the switch to a single connected solution? If you’ve used disconnected software tools, you’ve likely experienced the frustration of data-entry errors, time wasted digging for answers and the hassle of transferring information from one system to the next. That’s because disparate tools seldom speak to each other as efficiently as single-stack solutions do (or often, they don’t speak to each other at all). Not to mention, siloed systems aren’t necessarily as cost-effective as one fully integrated platform. They usually require varying licensing fees, plus you face the costs associated with maintaining and upgrading each individual system. With a single connected solution like the Yardi Senior Living Suite, you alleviate these challenges, risks and frustrations by accessing every tool needed in one secure place. You empower your teams with an intuitive, easy-to-access platform — all while improving care and enhancing efficiency. What makes the Yardi Senior Living Suite an unmatched solution? The Yardi Senior Living Suite offers more than your average solution. Uniquely designed to meet the needs of senior living operators, the suite of integrated tools is hosted on a cloud-based, HIPAA and SOX-compliant platform. These tools support the full spectrum of senior living — from assisted living to CCRCs to value-based care. We also place a strong emphasis on taking care of our clients and driving growth year-round, which results in a platform that’s ever-evolving, cutting-edge and built to help you succeed for the long term. We’re proud to be a Forbes Cloud 100 software provider supporting our clients for 40+ years. You can explore our full product suite to learn more, but some of the highlights include: Voyager Senior Housing, our community management powerhouse that combines property management, financials and complete business oversight. Yardi Senior IQ, the only business intelligence solution built for senior living — a system that helps you make smarter, faster decisions with actionable information for your entire portfolio. Yardi EHR, our full-service, interoperable electronic health record solution that helps mitigate errors, limits liability and empowers staff to deliver the best resident care. Senior CRM IQ, our collection of mobile-friendly sales and marketing tools that help you attract new residents, nurture your leads and maximize occupancy. RentCafe Senior Living Portal, our secure online platform that keeps residents, families and staff connected around the clock. Watch a webinar Integrated software offers advantages that siloed systems can’t match. If you’re ready to see the Yardi Senior Living Suite in action, explore our library of on-demand...
Summer & Fall Events
In Senior Living
Attending any senior living events this summer — and throughout the fall season? Team Yardi looks forward to meeting you, discussing the latest industry challenges and sharing what’s new with our single connected solution. See below for a list of events we’ll be attending, plus book time to meet us at each! ASHA 2024 Mid-Year Meeting Meet us at the ASHA 2024 Mid-Year Meeting in Dana Point, California. Our team is excited to share how the Yardi Senior Living Suite works to empower staff, automate workflows and enhance resident care. Contact us to schedule time to meet at the event. Event details: Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach June 17-18, 2024 FSLA Annual Conference Attend the FSLA Annual Conference — Engage 2024 — in Orlando, Florida. Stop by booth 29 to see how our single connected solution helps providers drive success. Book time to connect with our team during the conference. Event details: The Ritz Carlton Orlando July 10-12, 2024 OHCA Annual Convention 2024 Find us at booth 708 at the OHCA Annual Convention 2024 in Portland, Oregon. We’ll show you how our single connected solution helps providers streamline operations and deliver better care. We are pleased to be an Awards Program co-sponsor. Get in touch to schedule time to meet. Event details: Oregon Convention Center September 17-18, 2024 2024 NIC Fall Conference Visit us at the Woodley Park meeting room at the 2024 NIC Fall Conference in Washington, D.C. You’ll learn how our fully integrated technology helps providers unify operations and deliver quality care. We are pleased to be an official NIC Conference partner. Reach out to book a meeting. Event details: Marriott Marquis Washington D.C. September 23-25, 2024 We look forward to meeting you! Looking to explore the Yardi Senior Living Suite prior to these events? Visit our product suite or watch a quick, on-demand...
2024 PHA Forum Recap
Lessons from National Harbor
The recent Yardi PHA Forum hosted over 600 guests from around the country in National Harbor, Maryland to discuss innovative solutions for subsidized housing. The event offered 64 interactive courses, covering almost every PHA-specific product in the Yardi suite. This event had a great attendee turnout and featured numerous courses, networking opportunities and presentations from industry leaders. And it’s all thanks to you! Here are some key takeaways from this year’s Forum: Popular PHA classes this year The PHA Forum offered dozens of courses, catering to diverse interests and needs. Among the most popular were ones focusing on financial management, compliance and advanced reporting techniques. Here are the top classes from this year: Maximize Funding with VMS Reporting Online Briefing, RFTA & HAP Contracts HOTMA: All About Interims Correcting Ledgers and Subledgers: Best Practices PHA Rent & HAP Posting: Best Practices If you missed out on these classes this year, many will be offered in August at YASC San Diego. Be sure to register today. Innovative product demos at knowledge central We loved delving into the software during our one-on-one training sessions. Sometimes, we underestimate the value of in person sessions, especially when learning about a brand-new product or service. Having an expert show you features in real time is truly a benefit and a reason the forum is so popular. Networking events and socials It’s not just about taking notes and learning! We hosted several networking events following the classes for attendees to debrief and socialize — including a rooftop cocktail event which overlooked the scenic and historic Potomac River. And we can’t forget our very own Yardi Party. After a long day of classes, we hosted staff and attendees for a night of networking and dancing. The evening was filled with lively conversations, a photo booth, delicious food, and a vibrant dance floor — creating the perfect atmosphere for socializing and unwinding after a productive day. Sharing in the Yardi Ambassador Program Guests enjoyed chatting with Yardi’s Sean Geraghty at the ambassador booth to learn more about how they can get involved with The Ambassador Program. This year’s Forum saw over 100 ambassador sign ups. Geraghty explained: “The program is designed for clients who aspire to be industry leaders, celebrate their successes and give credit to their teams.” This program is designed to be mutually beneficial: we gain valuable insights from their stories and clients have a platform for them to establish themselves as thought leaders. Feedback from our clients Our team was lucky enough to sit down with clients and learn about their experience with Yardi. We had some great conversations about why our clients love attending The Forum each year. We’re always striving to learn how we can help you innovate and grow. Here are a few of our favorite comments: “My favorite thing about Yardi is the ability to manage all our daily business in one software. It just makes life that much easier.” – Weneisha Brand, Ann Arbor Housing Commission “I am also excited to go to the class today on the Asset IQ Executive Dashboard. I have a manual dashboard that I have been keeping but if I can have that automated and put it into the system and pull the data from there. I am excited about that capability” – Carol Jones-Gilbert, Palm Beach County Housing Authority “And so, as we became a Yardi, customer a few years ago, we have been really looking at the different platforms that you offer to make sure that we are working smarter, not harder.”” – Denita Bearden, Housing Authority of the Birmingham District Summing it all up What makes The Forum so special is the opportunity to build relationships. Meeting face-to-face with people who have supported you over the phone fosters even deeper connections. As Jeanette Porter, a senior manager at Yardi, explained: “For me, The Forum is all about connecting with our clients...
Meet Senior CRM IQ
Yardi Senior Living
We’re thrilled to announce the release of Senior CRM IQ, our prospect-centric customer relationship management solution for senior living. Evolved from RentCafe Senior CRM and integrated with key elements of the Yardi Senior Living Suite, Senior CRM IQ is designed to provide seamless experiences for both sales counselors and prospective residents. Meet Senior CRM IQ At Yardi, we prioritize listening to client feedback. We’ve taken thoughtful comments on RentCafe Senior CRM — and gathered insights on what CRM functionality is missing in the industry — to create a fresh, enhanced product. That’s Senior CRM IQ, which includes an attractive user interface, new features and evolved communication capabilities. Note that well-loved dashboards and features from RentCafe Senior CRM were kept, but we’ve added a whole new level of functionality and made things more user-friendly. There’s a range of exciting workflows in the product, but as a highlight, Senior CRM IQ clients will access: A Communication Hub: send and manage all communications with prospective residents including calls, texts and emails from one convenient location. Lead stages: unlock lead stages functionality that guides sales teams through the entire prospect journey. Benefit from seamless automation for common tasks at every stage, from lead all the way to move-in. A prospect overview page: see the prospect overview at the click of a button with a centralized, easy-to-access page that presents impactful data. Intuitive dashboards: manage your digital forms in one place with a comprehensive dashboard that shows every document and its various stages. Enjoy additional dashboards for managing waitlists, occupancy and more. Campaigns: benefit from new functionality that makes it easy to send email and text blasts, then track successes such as click and open rates. You have access to premade templates, or you can create campaigns on your own. Electronic leasing: save time on paperwork and streamline your move-in workflow with electronic leases. Enjoy simplified workflows for every step of the leasing process. Competitive analysis: centralize competitor data, streamline reporting and compare your communities quickly and efficiently. You enter competitor information directly in Senior CRM IQ then unlock organized, intuitively presented insights that live in one secure place. Explore our Senior CRM IQ product page to see more functionality. What makes Senior CRM IQ unique? In addition to offering unmatched features, Senior CRM IQ stands out from the crowd by uniting on a single integrated platform. As part of the Yardi Senior Living Suite, it connects with essential aspects of your business — from Yardi EHR to RentCafe Senior Living Portal. That centralization offers countless benefits, including time savings, a reduction in operational costs and prevention of data-entry errors. Most importantly, using one automated system equips you to deliver great service through the entire prospect-to-resident journey. “We’re pleased to introduce Senior CRM IQ, a robust customer relationship management solution designed for the unique needs of senior living,” said Ray Elliott, vice president of senior living at Yardi. “With a fresh user interface, new features and enhanced communication abilities, this solution delivers seamless experiences for both sales counselors and prospective residents.” Get in touch to learn more Using RentCafe Senior CRM and ready to move to Senior CRM IQ? Simply contact your Yardi account manager for more details and to begin the transition. If you’re a new client, book time with our team to get started with Senior CRM...
Recognizing Older Americans Month
Powered by Connection
May marks Older Americans Month, a nationwide observance led by the Administration for Community Living that we’re proud to join. As an annual occurrence, Older Americans Month (OAM) is a time to recognize seniors’ contributions, shed light on aging trends and reaffirm commitments to helping older adults thrive. We’re inspired by this year’s theme — Powered by Connection — and the thoughtful efforts by industry associations, as well as senior living communities across the nation. Read on for a highlight of the meaning behind the 2024 theme, tips for how to get involved and more! Celebrate Older Americans Month this year The 2024 OAM theme is all about keeping older adults connected. More specifically, it recognizes the impact connections have on seniors’ health and wellness — and brings awareness to the role we can all play in building those connections. As part of the observance this year, the Administration for Community Living shared a list of ideas for participating, including suggestions for how to create connections and boost seniors’ physical, mental and emotional health. Their list is full of fun ideas like coordinating a class on topics seniors are interested in, hosting a musical event or even planning a game night. Read the full list of suggestions for participating in Older Americans Month. See how LeadingAge is getting involved LeadingAge, an industry association committed to serving older adults, is taking part in OAM with their annual “Video Share Day.” Occurring on May 15, Video Share Day invites LeadingAge members to post PSAs with ideas for keeping older adults connected. They’ve thoughtfully created resources for members to utilize including sample videos, social media captions and more. Read more about LeadingAge’s efforts for OAM — and keep an eye out for videos shared across social media! We’re loving this video LeadingAge posted on LinkedIn to commence Video Share Day. Learn how Yardi powers connections in senior living We hope you’re encouraged to take part in this year’s OAM theme, Powered by Connection. Read more about the importance of OAM. If you’d like to learn how Yardi’s senior living technology solutions — including RentCafe Senior Living Portal and RentCafe Wellness — power connections for older adults, reach out to our...
Happiness In Senior Living
Events, Stories & Celebrations
It’s always a pleasure to spotlight stories from our wonderful senior living clients — we love sharing how they’re engaging residents, celebrating staff members and ultimately making a difference in their communities. In that spirit, we’ve compiled a roundup of recent finds from our clients’ blogs and social media pages. We hope you enjoy! Inspiring community art Watercrest Senior Living recently shared an array of photos from their community art shows, which they describe as “a celebration of creativity and community.” We wholeheartedly agree after seeing the amazing creations! Watercrest makes it an event to remember by inviting residents, families, associates and even local schools to participate. Explore the photos on their social media which showcase caricature drawings, hand-stitched blankets and more. Honoring Earth Day In honor of Earth Day, an annual event held on April 22, Pacifica Senior Living brought residents together to create delightful art projects — all out of recycled materials! In addition to sharing photos from the arts and crafts session, Pacifica also posted pictures of residents giving their community gardens extra love and care. Check out the photos Pacifica shared on LinkedIn. Volunteering with care As part of National Volunteer Awareness month, Maplewood Senior Living created a blog post highlighting volunteerism throughout their communities. The uplifting stories include residents volunteering — such as residents knitting baby clothes for mothers in need — to mentions of students and family members joining Maplewood for volunteer efforts. Thanks to those volunteering, residents are learning how to play musical instruments, write poetry and so much more. Read Maplewood’s blog post to see the stories of volunteer initiatives across their communities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Ohio! Celebrating 2024 Nurse’s Week Did you know National Nurse’s Week occurs each year from May 6-12? Our clients love the opportunity to thank and recognize their care staff, so it’s no surprise to see them celebrate Nurse’s Week with pride. Brightview Senior Living shared a social media post extending their appreciation for nurses, complete with a collage of charming photos of their staff. Sagora Senior Living did the same, posting a heartfelt thank you on LinkedIn directed at the nurses across their 64 communities. Thanks for reading! We appreciate our amazing clients for sharing all the above — there’s nothing better than seeing the inspiration and joy you spread in your communities. If those reading have any questions on how we support our clients with dynamic senior living solutions, reach out to book time with...
Event Life Balance
Achieving the Elusive
As we enter the bustling event season, many will attend multiple events and conferences this spring. It’s crucial not to let the whirlwind of activity disrupt the work-life balance. Let’s explore some key reminders on maintaining a balanced life, allowing positivity to flow naturally rather than being forced. Work-life integration, a concept that emphasizes blending professional responsibilities with personal interests and well-being, can be a powerful tool during the event season. It’s not about juggling but about finding a harmonious balance. Explore strategies that promote this harmony, such as flexible scheduling to accommodate personal commitments. Remote and compressed workweeks are particularly beneficial during the event season, especially for event planners. There are several apps to streamline activities and stay on track for event managers and planners, such as Eventbrite and Asana. Practice some time management techniques, such as the Pomodoro technique. This technique was developed in the late 1980s by university student Francesco Cirillo, who struggled to focus on his studies. Feeling overwhelmed, he asked himself to commit to ten minutes of focused study time. Encouraged by the challenge, he found a tomato (pomodoro in Italian) shaped kitchen timer and founded the Pomodoro technique. Cirillo wrote a book about the method, but its most significant strength is simplicity. There might be minimal places to recharge at conferences, but many now incorporate designated workstations. Using your smartphone or watch, set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on the most important task until the timer goes off. When the session ends, mark off one Pomodoro and record what was completed. Enjoy a five-minute break, do some deep breathing or stretches, then continue the rest of the event activities. Schedule regular breaks. Recharge during events and create designated “unplugged” times to disconnect from work and enjoy...
Energy Forecast
EIA Looks Ahead
Here’s the latest on our periodic reports on research by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), a statistical and analytical arm of the U.S. Department of Energy that collects, analyzes and disseminates energy information. Sun is up in forecast EIA’s short-term energy outlook in January projected that solar electric generation will account for 7% of total U.S. electricity generation in 2025, up from 4% in 2023. Almost 80 gigawatts of solar power will come online over the next two years, increasing U.S. solar generating capacity by 84% and making solar the leading source of growth in U.S. electricity generation through 2025. “We are experiencing a significant shift in U.S. electric generation, as solar generation grows rapidly, taking market share from coal and tempering the growth in natural gas usage,” EIA Administrator Joe DeCarolis said. Rising oil production, falling gas prices, declining coal output The January outlook also forecasts that: U.S. crude oil production will establish new records of 13.2 million barrels per day in 2024 and more than 13.4 million barrels per day in 2025. U.S. natural gas production will also establish new records both years. Gasoline prices will fall from an average $3.52 per gallon in 2023 to about $3.40 per gallon in 2024 and about $3.20 per gallon in 2025. Coal production will drop by 26% over the next two years, reaching 430 million short tons in 2025, its lowest level since the early 1960s. Renewables seen growing Electricity generation from renewable sources will likely grow in every region of the U.S. in 2024, with an estimated 36-gigawatt increase in solar generating capacity. U.S. solar generation is expected to rise by 43% and wind generation by 6% this year. “The mix of energy sources used for generating electricity in the United States...
Wildlife Conservation Efforts...
Making a Difference
Let’s explore worldwide conservation efforts to safeguard endangered species, preserve critical habitats and restore ecosystems. Wildlife conservation has many challenges. Habitat loss is experienced by many species running out of habitats due to agriculture, urbanization, deforestation and resource extraction. Habitat loss can also occur due to environmental changes such as volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, climate or sea level changes, primarily due to human activities. Successful habitat restoration requires understanding species life cycles and interactions and food, water, nutrients, space, and shelter, which are necessary to sustain species populations. When habitats cannot be restored, wildlife corridors, such as marshes or bridges are made to allow animals to cross busy highways. Poaching, sometimes called Big Game hunting, is illegal trafficking and killing of wildlife. Sometimes, these animals are sold as trophies or pets. Many magnificent animals across the world have been pushed to the brink of extinction due to poaching. The African elephants and Rhinos are critically endangered due to high demand for their horns and tusks, and the loss of these species is detrimental to the ecosystem’s health. Raising awareness and strengthening legislation and law enforcement are solutions to poaching. Having compassion and supporting nonprofit organizations or NGOs with conservation efforts brings money from afar to invest in local communities. Climate change and pollution have its fair share of wildlife conservation challenges. According to Yale University, conserving wildlife can help mitigate climate change. Animals remove vast amounts of carbon dioxide yearly, and restoring species will help limit global warming. “Wildlife species, throughout their interaction with the environment, are the missing link between biodiversity and climate,” says Oswald Schmitz, Oastler Professor of popular and community ecology at Yale University. Pollution has detrimental effects on wildlife health. As big as our planet is, it’s not big enough to...
“Eatertainment” Concepts
Reinventing Malls
With the surge in online shopping, malls have faced a significant downturn. However, the story doesn’t end there. Some malls are embracing a new era of excitement with ‘eatertainment’ concepts and more, sparking intrigue and curiosity. Goodbye, Fast-Food Restaurants. Mall food courts are packed with several places to eat, all typical pizza, Chinese or burger joints. Since the pandemic, many have closed their mall locations because drive-thru stores steal traffic. Chick-fil-A closed its original location at Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta last year after 56 years. Chick-fil-A restaurants were only located in mall food courts for the company’s first 20 years of operation. Property managers now count on emerging restaurant brands like Lazy Dog, Gen Korean BBQ and wine cafés to draw customers back into the malls. Strong restaurants and entertainment options draw steady food traffic. They can increase consumers’ time in the mall, making them valuable to property owners and other mall tenants. Places such as TopGolf or other virtual golf venues serve as “eatertainment” concepts to appeal to families and teens, and they can extend the amount of time people spend in the mall. Eataly debuted at NorthPark Center in Dallas amid the pandemic. However, its eating, shopping, and learning concepts have made it known, and the numbers are soaring. This gigantic Italian market, with fresh pasta, luxe Italian ingredients, and plenty of local goodies, also serves as a cooking school. Another cooking concept, Gen Korean BBQ, is growing mainly due to being in malls and smaller strip malls and plans to expand to at least 250 more restaurants. Customers order meat to their tables and cook it themselves, offering many Instagram opts! Gen Korean BBQ appeals to the younger generations, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, for its modern décor and vibrant Korean pop music. “There are so many burgers, chicken and pizza places. People want to experience something different,” said Gen Korean BBQ co-CEO David Kim. Aside from eating, many are gripping on experience and creating these experiential environments. Malls offer individuals a place to connect over shared interests in fun and engaging experiences to support local businesses and build relationships. In New Jersey, the Garden Social lawn and greenhouse at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus hosts a variety of classes, such as yoga and candle making. Participants can also choose from themed experiences like Mommy and Me, Girls Night Out, Family Fun and Date Night. “We’re excited about the opening of Garden Social because it expands the possibilities for social engagement with a host of immersive DIY class offerings where the community can come to explore new interests and further pursue existing hobbies,” said Wesley Rebisz, senior general manager at Westfield Garden State Plaza. According to the National Retail Federation, U.S. retail sales are projected to grow 4.5% to $3.7 billion by 2027. While E-commerce will continue to expand in that period, shoppers will persist in their shift back to physical stores and eventually, sales will be about evenly split, NRF predicts. AI and retail shopping. Artificial intelligence has made an impact in today’s world. Most individuals say that the shopping experience could be better, and AI can enhance those experiences. The older generation may want AI technology for convenience, whereas the younger generation would use AI to shop and engage with brands. IBM says three in five consumers want to use AI applications as they shop. From using AI to get product information, look for deals and promotions, get service, ask questions, and resolve issues. However, these experiences must be seamless, dynamic, and contextual, from being able to shop for products from multiple brands on a marketplace with a single checkout to proving sustainability in brands. Many consumers who care about sustainability are willing to pay more for sustainable products. So, whether AI will bring malls back or “eatertainment” concepts, developers of future malls will have to understand the community and its particular...
Sustainability and Creativity
Dynamic Duo in Real Estate
Fusing sustainability and creativity is a dynamic duo in modern real estate practices. Let’s explore various aspects. Green Building Designs. Creative architects and developers incorporate sustainable practices into their designs. Many are using energy-efficient structures to reduce operational costs and utility bills using eco-friendly materials. Green building materials primarily use natural materials and renewable resources. The more unconventional the building is, the more risky insurers could find it. So, be prepared to negotiate and defend building methods and materials to show why they are durable and safe. Renewable energy integrations. Renewable energy is the best flex. Get creative with real estate projects that creatively incorporate renewable energy sources like solar panels, wind turbines or geothermal systems to reduce the carbon footprint. Renewable energy has rapidly grown over the past decade and is critical in clean energy transitions. Solar panels worldwide are reimagined in unique patterns. Google’s Bay View campus in Silicon Valley has “dragonscale” solar skins, which generate 40 percent of its office energy needs. Smart Home Tech. Integrating creative, tech-savvy solutions makes homes more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, promoting sustainable living. If the budget allows, switch out all lighting fixtures for LED lighting and switch to energy-efficient appliances. Green Marketing. Once the switch to a greener and more sustainable building is made, use those renovations as strategies to market properties. Emphasize the unique features that will appeal to environmentally conscious renters. Few will know that stone countertops or tiles are eco-friendly and low maintenance or that adobe bricks provide natural noise protection, especially appealing to those on busy highways or interstates. Landscaping Innovations. Creative landscaping enhances the aesthetic appeal and contributes to environmental conservation. Explore various rain gardens and native plant installations. A rain garden is a garden of native plants planted in a slight depression, generally formed on a natural slope. It is designed to hold and soak rainwater runoff from roofs, driveways, patios or lawns. Rain gardens effectively remove up to 90 percent of nutrients and chemicals and up to 80 percent of sediments from rainwater runoff. Rain gardens are not ponds because they only hold water during and after rainfall, preventing mosquitoes from breeding. Native plants provide habitats for native wildlife and pollinators, making the urban landscape more wildlife-friendly and sheltering them from predators. Community Events. Creative thinking extends beyond properties to community-level projects prioritizing sustainability, fostering a sense of eco-conscious living among residents. Hold an Earth Day or Earth Week event at the property. Invite residents to a clean-up event at a local park, partner with local charities, and host a donation drive. Host a “lights out” event in the clubhouse and encourage residents to turn off electronics inside their units. Provide organic paper-made utensils and plates with organic fruits, vegetables, green juices, and teas. Get social and seek further information to raise awareness for sustainable living. Government Regulations and incentives. Creative collaborations between real estate professionals and policymakers can lead to effective regulations and incentives that promote sustainable development. Geothermal energy may be more common in the western half of the country. Still, with advocacy and developments, large portions of the country can potentially replace old heating and cooling systems in many commercial buildings. We hope these facets highlight creativity’s pivotal role in shaping a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future for the real estate...
See Success In Action
Senior Living Clients
We love speaking with our clients to learn about their journey with the Yardi Senior Living Suite. Not only does it allow for evolving our solutions based on feedback, but it also offers the chance to share our clients’ experiences — and successes — with industry professionals. That brings us to our expansive library of client testimonials which includes quick, engaging video interviews. We’ve compiled three videos to share below, featuring positive experiences from leading operators Shannex Incorporated, Watercrest Senior Living and Vitality Living. Ready to watch? See how Shannex boosts efficiency With insights coming from Director Heidi Leavitt-Hornmoen, the Shannex Incorporated video shares how with help from Yardi, the organization is saving time, increasing efficiency and optimizing resident services like never before. That’s because the Yardi Senior Living Suite allowed Shannex to eliminate manual workflows and centralize their data, streamlining operations and enabling staff to best serve their 5,000 residents. “The time efficiencies we found were significant,” notes Heidi in the video. “We were able to reduce our [accounts payable] processes by 76%. We also found a 54% reduction in accounts receivable.” Heidi also describes how since making the switch to Yardi, satisfaction among residents and families has increased. She notes how with RentCafe Senior Living Portal in particular, “the ability to send communication to every single contact that’s in our system was a big win.” Watch Heidi speak more to the power of Yardi senior living software. Explore how Watercrest enhances care services Hearing from Principal & CFO Joanie Williams, the Watercrest Senior Living video covers the importance of integration — with Joanie noting how with Yardi software, “there’s huge value because everything talks to one another, everything’s integrated.” Since swapping disparate systems with our single connected solution — designed for the unique needs of senior living — Watercrest has generated significant time savings which in turn, helps them devote more energy to resident care. “The benefit is very significant to our residents,” shares Joanie in the video. She elaborates by explaining how when you remove the need to manually input data and build reports, you equip your teams to focus on helping residents. Watch Joanie share more on the value of the Yardi Senior Living Suite. Learn how Vitality makes data-driven decisions Featuring VP of Wellness Syndell Lawhon, the Vitality Living video focuses on the value of making data-driven decisions. For Vitality, using data to inform decisions is achievable with Yardi Senior IQ, our comprehensive business intelligence (BI) solution. Since implementing a fully integrated BI solution, Vitality now captures impactful, community-specific insights at the click of a button. That includes insights regarding occupancy, falls and more. With that real-time data at their fingertips — presented in a visual format — Vitality teams can make decisions that improve resident care, staffing levels and revenue. “With Yardi Senior IQ, you can get any kind of data slice any way you want,” says Syndell in the video. By having actionable insights ready to go in one secure place, Vitality also saves time across their communities. Teams no longer need to hand-key data or sort through spreadsheets to find the necessary answers. Watch Syndell offer more detail on success with Senior IQ. Learn more and get in touch Did you enjoy hearing from operators finding success with Yardi senior living software? Check out our library of success stories and case studies! Contact team Yardi if you’d like to inquire further or get a personalized demo....
Support Residents’ Wellbeing
In Senior Living
Did you know we offer a comprehensive community wellness solution for senior living? Meet RentCafe Wellness — which enables you to support your residents’ wellbeing with online activity calendars, attendance tracking, real-time information sharing and more. What makes RentCafe Wellness a differentiator? Integrated with key elements in the Yardi Senior Living Suite, RentCafe Wellness is a single connected solution that helps you manage your community wellness initiatives. From activity scheduling to creating custom event calendars, the dynamic online platform makes it easy to support residents’ health and wellbeing. Functionality in RentCafe Wellness equips you to: Schedule activities. Maximize efficiency by scheduling and marketing wellness activities with the ability to flag registration as required or optional, create recurring activities and set registration fees. Need to make changes such as adding new activities or updating the location? Staff can make modifications directly in the platform, with updates automatically flowing into the RentCafe Senior Living Portal (when licensed) for residents and family members to see. Keep families connected. Help family members see which activities residents are attending directly in RentCafe Senior Living Portal. Information populates in the portal in real time, allowing families to monitor the wellbeing of their loved ones continuously. Want to set parameters on who can view resident data? Staff can securely control which family members may view and register for wellness activities on a resident’s behalf. Create digital calendars. Create and display customized, resident-facing calendars to announce upcoming wellness opportunities. Offer a single calendar per community or multiple calendars per community by care. Easily designate which details remain consistent and which vary month to month. For added convenience, you can publish your digital calendars for residents and families to see in RentCafe Senior Living Portal. Prefer to use paper? Quickly export calendars to Word or PDF documents to print and share across your community. Enable online payments. Allow residents and responsible parties to pay for wellness activities directly in RentCafe Wellness. When you license Yardi Payment Processing, activity charges are paid just like other community charges with a one-time monthly ACH, debit or credit card payment, or by setting up autopay. Reduce errors and save time by automating activity charge batches. Empower staff. Boost productivity among community staff by enabling the management of calendar content, design and publication, as well as activity registration and attendance tracking — all from a single platform. RentCafe Wellness simplifies staff workflows, saves time and presents an efficient method for sharing upcoming wellness opportunities. Intuitive dashboards and KPIs help staff track RSVPs and attendance, identify changes in resident behavior and forecast staffing needs. Ready to see more? If you’re looking for more information on RentCafe Wellness, check out our quick infographic. Have questions or ready to book a demo? Reach out to team...
The BRRRR Method
Build Generational Wealth
As real estate investors, putting in the work is required for the most significant ROI. Real estate investing can be a one-and-done deal or a strategy with more work but higher profits. However, using the BRRRR method, recover as much capital as possible from a project. Let’s delve into the BRRRR method and how to use it to negotiate deals, scale up your real estate portfolio and build a team for success. The BRRRR Method. Buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat—the acronym for the smart investor’s investment cycle and should be repeated in that order. This method works best for those who have a good understanding of the rental market in their area as well as rehab costs. Getting good at this method takes some time and has a learning curve. Still, once done correctly, the BRRRR method is a sustainable way to buy properties quickly, generate passive income and begin that generational wealth. Here’s what to know: Buy. Purchase an undervalued property. Use short-term financing that can help get the funds quickly to make renovations. Aim for a 70-75% rule as a rule of thumb. Never pay more than that percentage of the estimated after-repair value. The 30% cushion helps offset repair costs while giving sufficient equity to qualify for a refinance. Rehab. Rehabilitate the property with repairs and improvements as seen fit. Rent. Rent out the property to a qualified resident and earn rental income. Use a good insurance policy like ResidentShield to protect you and your residents from damages. Refinance. Refinance will be used to cash out on the equity appreciation. Keep in mind that it is not uncommon for lenders to have a six-month waiting period from when the property was acquired before refinancing is allowed. Repeat. Repeat and buy another...
Explore Renewable Energy...
Cleaner Greener Future
Renewable energy sources are crucial to the fight against climate change. On a long road trip across the country, many will find wind turbines, solar panels, and dams, all renewable energy technologies working to better future generations. As Earth Day approaches, let’s explore the world of renewable energy, discover the various sources available, and learn how to support the transition to renewable energy to contribute to a cleaner, greener future for our planet. Since the Industrial Revolution, most country’s worldwide energy mix has been dominated by fossil fuels, which has significant implications for the global climate and human health. However, renewable technologies, including solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and biomass, have rapidly grown. Approximately one-seventh of the world’s primary energy is now sourced from renewable technologies. Renewables play a critical role in clean energy transitions. Let’s learn how these sources work, their benefits, and their potential for widespread adoption. Solar: Solar energy is the most familiar renewable technology and has the most potential for cost savings. Solar energy is electrical or thermal energy harvested from the sunlight. It can reduce energy bills, increase home resale value, be low-maintenance and offer long-term savings. Net metering is a process that’s beneficial to the community because it allows consumers to sell excess electricity their solar panels produce back to the utility company, further reducing bills and reducing the community’s reliance on fossil fuels. The sun is a powerful force and one of Earth’s most reliable energy sources. As a result, solar energy is experiencing a remarkable surge in growth and will remain an influential player in energy for the foreseeable future. Wind. Humankind has always been aware of how valuable wind power can be in daily life, from sailboats to windmills. Wind energy is often considered a more...
Short-Term Rentals
Learn the Basics
Short-term rentals have become a popular secondary income source for many, whether you are renting out a room above your garage or a family cabin in the nearby National Forest. Here’s a quick guide to how to get started as a rental provider. Understanding platforms. Understand the different platforms for short-term rentals. Airbnb is the most well-known. The advantage of Airbnb is that it will get the listing in front of more views than any other platform. Airbnb does not charge for listings but will take a percentage of the commission. Vrbo, caters to more families or those traveling with pets since it allows them to list the entire home, not just spare rooms. Vrbo lets you choose to pay per booking or as an annual subscription. Booking.com will get the most exposure and is the largest travel booking website in the world, but it comes with a 15 percent fee for all reservations. Expedia is like booking.com, but costs can be lower than those of competitors. Vacasa is a full-service property management firm, meaning it handles cleaning and routine maintenance, but charges 25-35 percent of bookings. Homestay.com allows owners to rent out a room or two and charge a little less and accepts barter instead of money. Remember not to limit yourself to just one short-term rental site. Utilize a few so you can make the most money. Research trends. Keeping up with trends is vital when starting in the STR market. Read the latest news and real estate predictions at Yardi Matrix. Adjust Pricing. Consider manually reviewing and adjusting pricing to ensure it reflects the property’s unique features and current demand in the area. Finding the right balance between automation and manual intervention can lead to more competitive rates and increased revenue...
Perspectives on Closing Tech Gaps
Yardi Senior Living
We’ve reached the conclusion of our senior living blog series, where we share our perspectives on themes from Argentum’s recent technology survey. Argentum conducted the survey to assess where operators’ priorities lie when it comes to technology — and explore what innovations are needed to meet their expectations. Four key themes emerged from the report, including today’s theme, the fourth and final: urgency to close technology gaps. In short, operators are recognizing that given the evolving state of the industry, it’s time to accelerate technology innovation and adoption. We share more of the survey findings below and give a highlight of how our ever-evolving single connected solution is built to meet every need. Urgency to close technology gaps According to Argentum’s research, operators recognize that technology innovation is needed to keep up with industry shifts. From staffing challenges to navigating a new generation of residents, senior living communities are constantly navigating something new. When asked what innovation is needed in the tech space, survey respondents noted they’re seeking the following: solutions designed for the unique needs of senior living. And taking that a step further, they’re supportive of co-innovating with technology companies to create such solutions. 80% of respondents shared this sentiment. See how Yardi welcomes co-innovation At Yardi, we are committed to taking care of our clients, which involves listening to feedback and collaborating to shape the future of our solutions. And with 40 years of experience in the industry, we’ve consistently devoted our efforts to this. We know the senior living industry is constantly shifting, which means operators’ needs (especially as they relate to technology) are continuously shifting, too. Our products across the Yardi Senior Living Suite are a testament to this, as each solution — from EHR to business intelligence — is enhanced each year based on co-innovation with our clients. We stay in touch to ensure we’re understanding each client’s unique needs, challenges and goals, and our team of industry experts makes it a priority to evolve our solutions accordingly. At its core, our suite of products is designed to always meet the unique needs of senior living. Of course, our clients can speak to their experience with this co-innovation best. Explore their success stories, case studies and testimonial videos to see how they’re building success thanks to a collaborative relationship with our team. Learn more & connect with us We loved bringing you this senior living blog series! If you’re interested to learn more about the Yardi Senior Living Suite, our integrated solution designed to meet operators’ unique needs, watch an on-demand webinar. You’re always welcome to reach out to our team, too, with questions or to book a personalized demo. Thanks for...
Stamp of Approval
Postal Services Adopt Collaborative Model
How are government and private carrier services adapting as online communication and purchasing practices continue to supplant traditional paper mail? According to McKinsey, the global volume ratio of letters to parcels declined from 13:1 in 2005 to 4:1 in 2015 and is expected to reach 1:1 parity by 2025. Total U.S. parcel volume declined 2% in 2022 due to a reduced volume of traditional mail, marketing materials and periodicals. At the same time, the share of U.S. retail sales made online doubled in just a decade, creating greater demand for package delivery services. But revenue generated from shipping packages has increased recently, with carriers earning $198 billion in 2022, a 6.5% increase over the previous year. United Parcel Service led with $73 billion, followed by FedEx ($65 billion), United States Postal Service (USPS) ($31 billion) and Amazon Logistics ($24 billion). USPS was the parcel shipment leader in 2022, with 6.7 billion parcels. ‘Tremendous opportunity’ in ecommerce As mail volume continues to decline, “postal and mailing businesses are shifting from state-owned monopolies to commercial companies with diversified portfolios,” says Mordor Intelligence, a global market research firm. That means government and private carriers favor collaboration as much as competition. While USPS has a legal monopoly in the delivery of letters, it contracts air transportation to major express delivery companies as FedEx and UPS, which in turn contract some residential deliveries to USPS. “Ecommerce represents a tremendous opportunity to postal services as consumers become increasingly comfortable with ordering items online from emerging ecommerce platforms, as well as traditional brick-and-mortar making the transition to digital environments. As the volume of online sales increases, ecommerce providers are seeking cost-effective channels for the delivery and collection of purchased items,” says Mordor Intelligence. And government postal services, with their long-established national...
Building Managers Respond...
To NYC Local Law 97
Opening windows in winter to vent excess heat is a widespread practice in New York City, where residents may experience indoor temperatures over 80°F in buildings with outdated heating systems. Often, certain units are consistently overheated and others underheated, perturbing residents on both extremes. This complaint is most common in properties built before 1940, many which still rely on steam heating. New York City historic apartment building panoramic exterior view with windows and fire escapes In a city where some of the world’s oldest skyscrapers are still in use today, New York City’s inefficient buildings can cause issues beyond the discomfort of urban dwellers. Outdated heating and cooling systems, lighting, appliances and windows are energy-wasters, putting pressure on energy systems to operate at a higher cost and capacity, consuming emissions-intensive fossil fuels. Carbon inventory reports show that building energy consumption contributes more to New York City’s total emissions than any other source, including cars, trucks, buses and trains. As a result, heat and energy usage in buildings have come under scrutiny by the city, which has committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80% by 2050. Introducing Local Law 97, New York City’s building decarbonization initiative One of the most ambitious plans for reducing emissions in the U.S., Local Law 97 (LL-97) places limits on carbon emissions associated with properties over 25,000 square feet. Passed in 2019 and coming into effect this year, LL-97 has sent ripples throughout the real estate industry. The law requires buildings in New York City to report on carbon emissions over a series of five-year compliance periods, the first of which is 2024-2029. Every five years, the allowable emissions thresholds are set to decrease. Emissions caps are set by property type, reflecting the usage trends and energy profiles...