October 2016

This is a busy time for resident transition.

Effective observation, resident interaction and good note-taking make all the difference.

1. Bring the Property Manager along. It’s a perfect time to complete annual interior unit inspections without having to blitz it in a few days, without an extra entry into residents’ homes and without finishing late in the budgeting process.

2. Bring the Maintenance Supervisor along. Having the Manager and Maintenance Supervisor see potential issues together leads to better agreement in the actual budget process. This also is a great time for them to observe so they can plan projects.

3. Take a good form and ol’-fashioned pen and paper along. Even if you are using an inspection app, this can help. No matter how good the app is, sometimes pen and paper prevents staff from forgetting something, especially if it’s an item that, perhaps, the app doesn’t have a line for, or something at the community that needs attention at that moment.

4. Ask residents to leave a list of correction requests. And when they do, be sure to take those lists back to the office. Take a photo of the list, too, in case it gets lost. Typically, move-in, move-out and renewal traffic during busy season is heavier than during other parts of the year, so it’s a great time to get residents’ feedback. Listen, and then fix things a new resident moving in notices that is important to them and that might have been overlooked during the turn. This is a good way to show the new or renewing resident that the onsite staff is there to meet their needs.

5. Take good notes. Again, based on the high volume in this season, taking detailed and valuable notes from the start will save time and energy later.

6.Take a picture of the front door. Taking a photo of the front-door number before entering any apartment will eliminate any confusion by the staff who are determining to which apartment home the image corresponds.

7. Review and collate images and notes after each day. Don’t wait to record the information—because the meaning of the notes can quickly be forgotten, even with pictures.

8. BONUS This might be the most important on the list: Take time to thank residents for making property management easier, and thank staff for helping to complete it. Leave a simple thank-you note and a treat behind for residents. For staff, hosting a thank-you luncheon still tops the list.

Mary Gwyn, CPM, is Chief Innovator at Apartment Dynamics

OXFORD, MS - Homestead Development Partners and Columbus Pacific has formed a joint venture with Kayne Anderson Real Estate Advisors (KAREA) to develop HELiX Oxford, a ‪252-unit luxury student housing community featuring 790-beds near Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi.

"We couldn’t be more pleased to partner with Kayne Anderson Real Estate Advisors to build a best-in-class student housing community for the students of Ole Miss. We are confident that our community’s location, amenities, and customer service experience will prove to be a market leader once delivered in 2018.” said Michael Augustine, President of Homestead Development Partners.

HELiX Oxford will feature a market-leading student-focused lifestyle driven by unique amenities, carefully crafted apartment designs and a rarified level of exceptional service all designed to set the stage to maximize the college experience. Amenities will include elevators, a circular beach-entry pool, a fully self-contained health and fitness center with cross fit, a multipurpose Yoga studio in addition to cardio and weight training equipment; significant space dedicated to individual, small and large group study labs, an interactive gaming center, media center, event space, summer kitchen and numerous other amenities.

“We craft each of our communities to empower students through inspiring design, exceptional service and a focus on the whole self/well-being. College should be a journey of vast experiences. We are happy to provide the stage” said Jared Miller, Managing Director of Asset Management for Homestead Development Partners.

Apartments at HELiX Oxford will include 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom flats and townhomes and 4 bedroom flats and townhomes. Each apartment will be equipped with custom, modern furniture; quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, plank flooring, upgraded cabinetry and blazing fast internet.

The leasing center and amenities will be delivered in the fall of 2017 when pre-leasing begins. First move-ins are scheduled for fall 2018.

“HELiX is poised to be an incredibly desirable community for students at Ole Miss, and we’re excited to partner with Homestead Development Partners to build this best in class property,” said Craig Zogby, Managing Director, Student/Multifamily Housing, Kayne Anderson Real Estate Advisors. “We have been watching the Oxford market for some time and believe that HELiX is the perfect entry to this market for us.”

MAA is excited to announce the 2017 Calendar of Events. To download a copy click here.