First Time/Returning Renter Handbooks....Lend a Helping Hand!

I'm sure we've all been there. Sitting across from a new college graduate searching for their first apartment, or better yet, a new high school graduate searching for their college apartment. How about that 50 year old gentleman going through a divorce who hasn't rented since 1974! No matter their situation, first time and returning renters have one thing in common...they have no idea what they're getting themselves into! Now this can be a problem, not just for them, but for you too! If you think about it, many of the "miscommunications" and "issues" you have with your residents likely come from first time renters, or people who perhaps haven't rented in a very long time. There's a huge learning curve here for everyone, but the good news is you can nip it in the bud before it becomes a problem. Do that by creating a First Time Renter/Returning Renter Handbook.

A First Time Renter/Returning Renter Handbook is specially designed to help green renters know what to expect throughout the rental process. There are so many benefits to both you and the renter when you provide them with this helpful tool. First and foremost, it sends the message that you care about them. Secondly, it shows them that you're knowledgable about renting and gives them a sense of trust. Finally, it gives them the information that they need to skate through your rental relationship effortlessly with minimal issues.

Creating your handbook will take some time. The idea here is to be as thorough as possible, yet keeping it simple and easy to understand. The best time to distribute your handbook is right after a tour. If you've gathered from the tour that the prospect is a new renter or hasn't rented in quite some time, give them your handbook as a gift following the tour. Tell them that whether they choose your community or not, you want them to have as much information as possible and be an informed renter. They'll love that you're showing them that you genuinely care and aren't trying to just gain a sale, thus building trust. Your community, no matter what, will now remain at the front of their minds throughout their apartment search.

So just what should your handbook contain? The key is to keep it general, not specific to your community. You do, however, want to tailor it to your state and the applicable laws and regulations. Here are some of the basics you'll want to cover...

• The Leasing Process. Explain the process of leasing apartments. Talk about taking community tours, rental prices, specials and fees. Emphasize that things change from day to day. The application process-what they need to provide and what they can expect. Choosing an apartment.
• Signing the Lease. People expect that they'll have to sign a lease, but so many people get flustered when they see the millions of addendums they have to sign. Explain what they may encounter. Also tell them when it needs to be signed and who needs to be present (co-signor situations).
• Rental Payments. Go over the methods used to make payments and when they need to be made. Don't forget to explain proration of the first and last month.
• Moving In. Explain when they can get the keys, the move in checklist/inspection.
• Residency. Talk about the basics of apartment living. Being courteous to their neighbors. Utilizing community amenities. How to request maintenance. Who to talk to when they have concerns.
• The Renewal Process. Tell them when they can expect to learn about their renewal rate. How and when to give notice if they chose to. What happens if they go month to month.
• Moving Out. Explain the move out inspection. Perparing the apartment for move out. Normal wear and tear. Turning in keys. When to expect the return of their deposit.

This list is by no means complete and as you get writing, you'll surely come up with more to add. As I mentioned before, be thorough, but be simple. Perhaps rather than writing lengthy paragraphs and sentences, use bulleted lists and simple phrases. You can also add graphics to make it visually appealing. It may seem like a lot of work now, but once it's complete, you'll have it forever and it will surely be a great tool for your community!

Morgan Oney, CAM: My App Connection (www.myappconnection.com) Get a custom mobile app for your community! Users can pay rent, submit service requests & so much more right from their phone!

It's Spring Cleaning Time! 10 Tips to a Tidier Office

Yes, it's that time of year again. Time to get out with the old and in with the new. Time to get into those nooks and crannies and add some sparkle to every corner of your home. Time to clean out your closets. Time to get down and dirty!

I know, spring cleaning really isn't all that much fun (for most of us), but it's something that most of us do to "de-clutter" not only our homes, but our minds and attitude as well. The fact is, having a clean, tidy and organized environment around us brings us peace. So here's the thing. We spend all this time cleaning our homes, organizing our bills and important papers, cleaning out our closets, etc., That's all well and good, but where do you spend the majority of your day? At the office! So why not take your spring cleaning on the road? It only makes sense that if tidying and organizing brings us peace and allows us to focus on other tasks, then we should make sure that the place we spend most of our time is as peaceful as can be!

Now I've seen some scary leasing offices in my day! It amazes me how things just get ignored. I know we all have a lot going on and our days can be pretty hectic, but I'm sure we can all find some downtime to spruce things up. Not only will you appreciate your new surroundings, but it will make you more confident about your community, and in turn, you'll pass that confidence along to your residents and prospects.

I'm sure you all know the basics of cleanliness and know what needs to be taken care of in your space. But, I'm also sure that there are some areas that you may overlook! So here are 10 tips on how to make your office space the most clean, organized and inviting place it can possibly be!

1. Clean, clean, clean. You may have a housekeeper that takes care of cleaning your clubhouse/leasing office for you. If you do, that's fantastic, but don't get complacent. There are sure to be areas that he/she misses. You're the ones that are there every day and notice every little thing. So take some time to go through your space with a fine tooth comb, dusting, scrubbing and disinfecting every surface you can possibly find!

2. Don't ignore your amenities! I know it can be a challenge to keep your Fitness Center fresh. You probably use air fresheners and wipe down the equipment every so often, but when was the last time you did a good disinfecting sweep of the entire place? Get rid of those germs by thoroughly cleaning your equipment, floors, mirrors, etc. Have a Business Center? Wipe down those phones and keyboards...they're breeding grounds for germs! Do the kiddos have a playground in your community? If so, freshen up the mulch and sanitize the equipment and you'll have all the parents signing your praises!

3. Tackle that mystery meat! When was the last time you cleaned out your fridge? Is that take out container from TGI Fridays over a month ago still in there? Do you dare to open it up and see what's inside? Take some time trash everything inside your fridge and freezer that's not used regularly or immediately.

4. Check out your package room. If you accept packages for your residents, chances are you've probably got some sitting there that have been there for quite a while. It's easy to forget about them once they've been dropped off. Send notices out to all of the residents with packages still there. Offer to deliver them to their apartments for them if they're unable to make it to your office during business hours.

5. Keys please! Oh, the key room. Likely a big mess. Chances are you have keys all over the place. Blank keys, unmarked keys, keys in the wrong place, etc. Getting them organized will make it easier on both your maintenance and office teams.

6. Come out of the closet! Typically, closets become the catch all for things that we have no idea where else to store. Start going through them and finding homes for everything. More likely than not, many items can be placed elsewhere and I bet a lot can go in the trash!

7. Lost...found...donated. If you have a lost and found box that has some items that have been hanging around for a while, consider donating them. Once you've hung onto them for a substantial amount of time, odds are they're not going to be claimed and they're doing no one any good just hanging out in a box.

8. Holy paperwork! Yes, I know. Paperwork stinks. File piles mound up quickly and before you know it, you're swimming in a sea of the stuff. As annoying as it may be, getting your paperwork filed, shredded and trashed is not only necessary in cleaning up your space, but it's critical in making sure you don't misplace anything (which can be a while nightmare in and of itself!)

9. Oh sweet tooth. Do you have candy in your office? Perhaps you have candy jars on your desk or mints by your front door. If so, chances are the candy at the bottom of those jars is REALLY old! We have a tendency when we refill our goodies to just dump more in on the top. Sounds good, right? Your jars look full and all is good. Well, all is good until an unsuspecting child cracks a tooth on that year old butterscotch disk that they so innocently grabbed!

10. Out of sight, out of mind. What's the number one place you put things in your office in when you don't know where else they should go? Your desk! I've seen it all scattered in leasing consultants' desk drawers....Chapstick, food, business cards, office supplies, jewelry, perfume, sanitizer, as well as some things I'd rather not mention! Clean them out, then organize your drawers with a handy drawer organizer. They're only a few bucks and do wonders for tidying up that small space.


I hope you've found these tips helpful! Feel free to add more in the comments section if you have something to add!

Morgan Oney, CAM: My App Connection...designing affordable mobile apps for apartment communities to connect with their residents and prospects. Users can pay rent, submit service requests and more with one click on their phone! http://www.myappconnection.com