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LED Bulbs Replace Mercury-laden CFLs

Author: cl@ss
Categories: Sustainable Living
LED Bulbs Replace Mercury-laden CFLs

Those curly-looking light bulbs that were the “wave of the future” just a few years ago will soon go the way of the dinosaur. New technology has made light-emitting diode (LED) lighting the trendiest energy-saving bulb. Brighter than CFLs and containing no toxic heavy metals, LED bulbs are becoming the more affordable green alternative to incandescent and CFL light bulbs.

Advances in lighting slow to take off

Just a year or two ago, you could expect to pay $10 for a single LED bulb. That expense was a non-starter for most property owners, who opted for the less-reliable CFL. With a shorter life span and pesky mercury, CFL bulbs proved to be less of a sustainable lighting choice than developers had hoped, but they were cheap. 

When they burnt out or were broken (yikes), the responsibility to replace them fell on tenants. They mostly opted for the now-obsolete and heat-generating incandescent bulbs. Incandescent bulbs cost less and don’t have mercury, but they also raise the electric bill.

LED Bulbs are more affordable than ever

Far from $10-20 a pop these days, energy-sipping LED bulbs are brighter and cheaper than ever. Bulk contractor pack prices for 60-watt-equivalent LED bulbs are approaching traditional incandescent costs. Plus, they’re well worth a little extra investment. 

An LED bulb uses 40 percent less energy than even a CFL. It will also last 20 times longer, sometimes many years, and it doesn’t harbor toxins that could harm your tenants. The best light bulbs of 2023 also allow tenants to customize their space and provide the convenience and safety benefits of smart technology. 

Find sustainable solutions with Class A Management

The experts at Class A Management have an eye for details. We know that some solutions to big problems, like energy bills, could be as small as a light bulb. Investigate the benefits of LED solutions, then hire Class A Management to maximize the return on easy to implement updates. 

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Invest in Your Property’s First Impression

Author: cl@ss
Categories: Real Estate Investment
Invest in Your Property’s First Impression

Some properties make a great first impression. It’s called curb appeal and paying attention to it can make your property easier or more difficult to find, while also helping you keep good tenants. 

Time to fix an existing eyesore

Take a good look at your investment property through the eyes of a prospective tenant. What is your first impression?  If you don’t want to live there, it’s time to make some changes. Address any peeling paint and lackluster landscaping right away. If you ignore curb appeal, all the high-end interior finishes in the world won’t make much difference. Your property will stay vacant, and your portfolio will suffer.

Prevent the ugly with regular maintenance

Sticking to a regular maintenance schedule is the most effective way to keep your property in tip-top shape, looking its best to attract your ideal tenant. Don’t neglect seasonal landscape changes, especially tree and hedge pruning. Touch up exterior painting when and where it’s needed. Add finishing touches when you can, and don’t be afraid to spend a little money. The return on investment you receive by achieving 100 percent occupancy justifies the relatively low cost of exterior maintenance. 

Enlist tenants’ help

Current renters can help keep your property looking great, or they can ruin its drive-by charm. Ensure your tenants do their part to keep trash and non-running vehicles off your property. Also, encourage them to add their own tasteful touches to their home’s exterior, such as potted plants.

Create a lasting first impression with Class A Management

If your investment property needs help with curb appeal and creating a first impression that attracts your ideal tenant, Class A Management is ready to take on the challenge! The development services offered by our experienced team can help you decide on the best exterior (and interior) remodels or upgrades to heighten the appeal of your property.

Contact Class A Management today to keep your property from becoming a slum (or at least looking like one). We know what renters want and can use an objective eye to create a property that is in high demand. 

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Engaging Tenants in Sustainability Efforts

Author: cl@ss
Categories: Sustainable Living
Engaging Tenants in Sustainability Efforts

The property management world is going “green,” but it’s no longer just a marketable catchphrase. It’s an industry mandate. Responding to consumer demands drives the rental market to provide specific amenities and adjust rents accordingly. Answering the clarion call to sustainability is no different. Energy efficiency and sustainable building are cost-effective for investors and renters alike; so, it’s time to jump on the bandwagon and let tenants know we’re in this together. 

By engaging tenants in sustainability efforts, you will encourage tenant loyalty and make your property more attractive to prospective tenants searching for environmentally friendly living spaces. 

Energy efficiency boasts immediate cost-savings

Eco-friendly choices like LED lighting and Energy Star appliances don’t require much electricity. That means lower utility bills for renters. Renters who know how much money they’ll save on energy costs with upgraded insulation or windows are more likely to support sustainability efforts when their homes become temporary construction zones. Use one of the government’s handy energy calculators to let residents know how much money they can expect to save. 

Informing your tenants about potential savings will help with engaging tenants in conversations that could lead to attracting other tenants so you can get and maintain maximum occupancy rates. 

Technology is key for green marketing

Communicating with residents through technology channels is a great way to educate them about sustainability initiatives. Engaging tenants via social media, resident portal webcasts, or even simple text messages is a great way to keep them connected and informed. For the more results-oriented clientele, smartphones equipped with thermostat-control apps allow them to monitor energy savings and will help them buy into eco-friendly community upgrades.

Build community with sustainability initiatives

Encourage residents to learn more about and use the apps and digital environmental tools that support your property’s sustainability goals. A curbside recycling program, community composting, or even an electric vehicle charging station shows management’s dedication to eco-friendly initiatives. Regular communication from management and within the community will keep renters engaged.

Class A Management: Engaging tenants for decades

It always helps to have a property management team in your corner who knows how to build sustainable initiatives and communicates them to your tenants. With over three decades of experience, our professional asset managers are at-the-ready to assess your property and give you the information you need to make decisions about creating a more sustainable community. 

Contact our team today to learn how you can better manage your investment property to create lasting tenant loyalty. 

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Use Tenant Search Efforts to Scout Great New Hires

Author: cl@ss
Categories: Property Management Tips
Use Tenant Search Efforts to Scout Great New Hires

It’s been said that the most expensive aspect of multifamily investing is replacing tenants, but that’s only half true. Any employer can tell you that replacing professional staff members can be just as costly— to your bottom line and business reputation.

Finding long-term tenants and building their loyalty to your community’s brand is important, and it’s just as important to do the same when hiring leasing and maintenance team members. Especially among Millennials, finding a job that offers purpose and identity is essential. Productivity suffers as much as 60 percent among employees that aren’t engaged, so scout your new hires like you would great tenants—recruit for the long-term.

Start with your brand

Every community has unique selling points. Find yours and build your branding effort around what makes your rentals feel like home. Build your tenants’ sense of community with a cohesive marketing effort that includes external and internal messaging. Hiring should be a natural extension of those external messages and should emphasize that working for you means becoming an essential member of your community’s family.

Follow industry best-practice leaders

The best in the business focus on building a pervasive and inescapable corporate culture of excellence. Just like great long-term tenants get extra perks at the best apartment communities, employees that embody the highest levels of customer service and professionalism are rewarded. Upper management and owners need to get boots on the ground and be seen setting the example for how employees, especially new hires, are expected to act. Personal attention to top-notch employees will have a huge influence on culture and overall job satisfaction, so put in some face time with your best hires.

Ask for feedback

Annual tenant surveys can help apartment managers spot gaps in customer service and maintenance, and annual employee surveys can highlight threats to morale and culture. How employees feel about their work environment directly affects their loyalty and job satisfaction. Take feedback and suggestions seriously, and implement changes that let your staff know you’re listening and that you value their hard work and dedication.

Need a recruiter to find new hires? 

It’s our specialty! Class A Management will help you build and maintain a culture that builds loyalty and recruit staff to meet and surpass your expectations. Our team has decades of experience providing comprehensive management services for many properties across Texas. Contact us to discuss your investment property staffing needs. 

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One Simple Device That Could Save Renters’ Lives

Author: cl@ss
Categories: Preventive Maintenance Tips
One Simple Device That Could Save Renters’ Lives

More than 400 people die every year, and thousands more require emergency care from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a clear, odorless gas produced by burning fuel, such as natural gas, charcoal, wood, kerosene, or oil. These deaths could be prevented with the installation of a device that hangs right next to the smoke detector. Carbon monoxide detectors should be placed in each unit of your multifamily investment property to potentially save renter’s lives. 

Small investment, big ROI

Inexpensive carbon monoxide detectors are unobtrusive, and required by law in many US states. While modern heating and cooking sources don’t usually produce the gas, a car left in an attached garage could fill a home with the deadly poison in a matter of minutes. During a power outage, residents might use kerosene or oil lanterns for heat sources, unwittingly exposing themselves and their families to carbon monoxide. More than 50,000 people visit emergency rooms each year for carbon monoxide poisoning. The presence of a carbon monoxide detector can help prevent the loss of life from the unseen killer.

Install carbon monoxide detectors near bedrooms to alert residents to the presence of carbon monoxide, even at night. For just a few dollars and a new battery twice a year, those detectors may never sound an alarm. Then again, they might, and just one family saved is worth a building full of prevention.

Create systems to save renters’ lives

Some emergent situations are plain to see, and others, like the presence of carbon monoxide, are invisible. Work with Class A Management to create systems within your property to protect residents and potentially save renter’s lives. Minimal investments today can save lives and avoid costly property damage repairs in the future. 

Contact Class A Management to learn more about how our managers can help safeguard your property and residents. We know safety, and we know property management. Create a management plan to save renters’ lives today! 

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