Are you practicing the most efficient and effective management strategies? Implementing technology at every point in the leads-to-leases process can help you optimize your approach. During the 2019 SVN Rock Advisors Apartment Conference (AptCon) in downtown Toronto, Peter Altobelli, vice president and general manager, sales at Yardi Canada, presented on the impact of new technology on property management strategies. In the session, “Operations and Management: Maximizing Value Through Professional Management,” Altobelli collaborated with fellow industry experts Lucy Gouveia, marketing and leasing director at Greenwin, Zola Mehlmakulu, operations manager at Skycord, and Trish MacPherson, executive vice president, operations at CAPREIT. The panel discussed the inextricable tie between successful modern management and technology. Marketing and Lease-Up Strategies Intelligent software can make the marketing and lease-up processes more efficient and effective. The panel recommended the following strategies: Create, launch and maintain a corporate website, regardless if you are in the construction phase. Include floor plans, photos and videos. Websites promote your brand and attract prospects who are interested in becoming a part of your community. For new builds, begin the lease-up at least two months into construction. This schedule provides time to craft your renter experience within your marketing and customer relationship management (CRM) software. Paying special attention to your renter experience provides you with a way to build trust, reliability, and customer satisfaction with prospects. “Yardi in Canada is known for our ERP and accounting software solutions,” began Altobelli. “In conjunction with that, we’re offering a fully integrated marketing and CRM solution in a single database that connects to all Yardi products. With lease-up underway, the advantages of a fully integrated system become apparent. Once the applicant becomes a resident, their information is fed seamlessly into the property management and accounting system. Having integrated software saves...

Forbes recently released this year’s list of America’s Best Cities for Raising a Family. We’ve applied the Yardi Matrix national average rent of $1,220 in each one of the Forbes top 10 cities to give you an idea of your dollar’s worth. About the List Forbes created the list by analyzing the following data points: median household income the percentage of owner-occupied households percent of population under 18 average commuting delays violent crime rates per 100,000 inhabitants local school quality cost of childcare by state cost of living housing affordability The Unites States Census Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Texas Transportation Institute, greatschools.org, Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness, and the National Association of Home Builders provide the data for Forbes. Slowing Rent Growth Yardi Matrix monthly report analyses data from 119 markets to determine the national average rent. It’s the eighth month that rents have continued to climb to all-time highs, though it seems as though they may be losing momentum. Overall rent growth is slowing down. A decline in job growth and occupancy may keep the average rent from skyrocketing higher. Ultimately, that may mean that your dollar stretches farther in coming months. But this is where we are at now: Provo, UT Provo (pictured) is considered Forbes best place to live while you’re raising a family. This city records low crime rates, stellar school quality, and light traffic. Residents here, who tend to be younger adults, enjoy also relish homeownership en masse. For renters, $1,160 will open the doors to a pet-friendly townhouse with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom spread across 900 square feet. While it’s cozy, it also comes with plenty of character. Hardwood floors, classic arches in the walkways, and a large eat-in kitchen make it easy to envision raising a family there....