By Steve Boudreault, Buildium, Boston, MA

Well here we are in a brand-new year, and if you’re a property manager, you’ve no doubt drawn up your plan for keeping your residents and keeping them happy in 2013. Many property managers follow a fairly standard playbook when it comes to resident perks — Super Bowl parties, free coffee in the mornings, discounts on multi-year leases, and so forth. But here’s something to consider: SatisFacts, the apartment industry’s authority on resident satisfaction and retention, discovered that the top three factors that influence a renewal decision are quality of maintenance service, safety and security, and quality of customer service provided by office staff. But what about the free peppermint candy in the leasing office? Nope. Not gonna cut it.

So how can you use these three factors to your advantage? Let’s take a look.

The quality of maintenance service is a no-brainer. It can be a challenge for larger properties, but maintenance staff showing up quickly with the most likely tools they’ll need for the issue can go a long way. And though many properties have switched to an online maintenance request system, most service requests still come via phone or in-person leasing office visit, so having staff on hand who are familiar with the most common issues and how to resolve them can be a real feather in your cap. Never having to worry about the malfunctioning garbage disposal? Who wouldn’t want to renew?

It’s no surprise that safety and security are a high priority for residents. Why would anyone want to stay somewhere they didn’t feel safe? Taking proactive steps to ensure a well-lit property filled with well-informed residents is key. Make sure that you have a good rapport with the local law enforcement. Replace burnt-out light fixtures in exterior common areas quickly. Inform residents if there have been any incidents such as break-ins, vandalism, or strangers hanging around the property, and be sure to let them know what’s being done about it. A feeling of security? Who wouldn’t want to renew?

And finally, customer service. It doesn’t matter if you have five units or 500, it all comes down to customer service. Do you have experienced professionals in place? Folks who can endure the most expletive-laced tirades with a smile? Who can make prospective tenants feel at ease, but with just enough sales experience to convince them they should take the plunge? And the $64,000 question — do you have a customer service staff that cares? Really cares about resident concerns? If so, you’ve got the biggest piece of the puzzle already in place. A pleasant voice on the other end that makes a person feel valued and appreciated? Who wouldn’t want to renew?

So? What are you doing to keep your renewal rate high this year?

A guest post by Kevin Raposo, SimpliSafe, Cambridge, MA

Ever wonder what goes through the mind of a burglar? We got the chance to sit down with some burglary professionals and asked them. Here’s what we discovered:

A Tonka Truck left in the yard could invite a burglar to choose your home.

Home burglaries may seem random in occurrence, but they actually involve a selection process. A burglar’s selection process is simple: choose an unoccupied home with the easiest access, the greatest amount of cover, and with the best escape routes possible. Don’t have a burglar alarm? Here’s a list of suggestions that will help you minimize the risk of a home burglary, and also make your home unattractive to potential burglars.

Before picking a home, a burglar will scope out your entire neighborhood to get a better idea of what he’s working with. To do this, he will usually walk around with a rake, or even go as far as dressing up as the cable or electric or phone repairman. “I’ll even post a flyer on your door to get a closer look into your home,” says professional burglar Cliff T.

Here’s how to make your home less desirable to burglars:

• Tear down the privacy fences. These give a burglar excellent cover from neighbors.
• Trim your bushes. Any sort of high vegetation, like trees or shrubbery, covering your windows allows a burglar to break them without being detected. Burglars prefer lots of cover.
• Put away the Tonka Trucks and strollers. Toys or playground equipment in your yard are signs that kids live there … which usually means a mother lives there … “cha-ching,” that means JEWELRY.
• Create the illusion that you are home. By using timers on lights, radios, and TVs your residence will appear occupied, even when no one is home, which will deter the bad guys.

Here’s an eye-opening diary entry from a convicted burglar that gives you a more in-depth view into the mind of a burglar, and how he targets a home.

Inside the Criminal Mind of Joshua Komisarjevsky

Property owners should be looking at their home with the eyes of a burglar. In other words, consider the location of the home from various angles. Is the home isolated or surrounded by other homes? Does it provide secluded nooks and dark corners for a burglar to hide in or escape from? Is the house adequately lit or relatively dark? Is there a security system? Burglars will look at these things when identifying potential targets.

In previous blog posts we’ve discussed the pros and cons of renting to specific sectors, such as students and low-income tenants. Another category that requires specific consideration is tenants with children. First of all, be aware that in most states refusing to rent to families with children (based solely on the fact that they have children) is considered discrimination and is, therefore, illegal. It is also commonly illegal to reserve only certain units for families. So the question is not so much whether or not you decide to rent to families with children, but special considerations you should bear in mind when this situation arises.

When it comes to renting to families with kids, there are two main considerations to keep in mind to ensure the comfort of other tenants and the upkeep of your units: 1) noise and 2) unit maintenance/protection. Following are a few tips for ensuring you have both of these areas covered.

Noise

Kids will be kids. And sometimes being a kid involves a bit of noise. The bottom line, though, is that many tenants (particularly those who live directly under the pitter-pattering of little feet) may be annoyed by the extra noise that often comes with children. Luckily, there are some measures you can take to help minimize noise levels and keep all of your tenants happy and comfortable.

• Make sure that floors are carpeted (more on keeping carpets clean below). According to HGTV.com, “The best covering for the floor is wood with an area rug over it. In this manner the wood floor gently absorbs the sound, while the rug swallows excess noise.”
• Install soundproofing wall insulation. CertainTeed.com offers products that work well for this purpose.
• Although it is somewhat intensive, if you rent to families frequently, you may want to consider using Green Glue, which creates a gap between your existing drywall ceiling and a new layer of drywall. According to a Today feature, this can reduce noise by up to 20 percent by blocking sound vibrations. For more information, visit SoundIsolationCompany.com.
• Finally, remember that soundproofing walls and ceilings without securing windows is a moot effort. Obviously, your tenants’ windows will be open at certain times of the year, but make sure that they are sealed to prevent noise from leaking out when they are closed. According to Repair-Home.com, double-paned windows and an acrylic frame can go a long way toward preventing sound-leakage. Double-paned windows reduce noise by up to 20 percent, while acrylic frames reduce noise by up to 50 percent.

Protecting Units

Flooring
While carpeting will help prevent some of the noise associated with children and families, it can also be easily damaged by spills. When installing carpeting, make the extra effort to secure it with fabric-protectant spray, such as Scotchgard™ Protector for Carpet. Such products can be applied on either a DIY basis or be professionally applied by a carpet cleaner.

If you opt not to take the carpet route, you can add a bit more protection to hardwood floors by applying a stain. Hardwood stains protect from scratches, dust, and grime, are long-lasting, and can be applied to the hardwood surface with a paintbrush.

Walls
In addition to flooring, walls are another area often subjected to stains and spills at the hands of little ones. Protect paint jobs with a product like AGS Wall Guard. This clear coating can be applied as a “top coat” to paint and will resist scuff marks and stains, and is easily cleaned, thus ensuring your paint will stand up to the test of little hands.

While all of this may sound like a lot of work to ensure that your units are kid-friendly, bear in mind that tenants of all shapes and sizes can make noise and messes. Consider these measures not only way to prepare for families with children, but also a means of ensuring that all of your tenants live in a comfortable, peaceful environment that is as damage-proof as possible.

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One accident at your property will not only ruin your summer, but potentially your entire year (if not more). The following resources will help keep you and your tenants safe this summer.

• The American Academy of Pediatrics offers this helpful and important list of tips for child pool safety.
• Interested in U.S. legislation on pool safety? The Pool Safety Council provides links to important codes and standards as well as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Guidelines.
• The CPSC also provides gas and charcoal grill safety tips.
• Make sure no one chokes on a chicken bone during a summer BBQ.
• If your property has fire pits, be sure to review fire pit safety.

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Summertime means it’s time to head outside and enjoy all the activities the season has to offer. And if your property provides amenities like a pool or grills, chances are your tenants are particularly happy at this time of the year. However, with these amenities come additional risks and hazards, many of which can be easily prevented with clear policies and a little bit of enforcement. Read on to find out about some simple measures that will help keep your tenants happy and safe during the summer months.

Pool Policies
Chances are at one point or another in our childhood, all of us were sternly told to “slow down” or “don’t run” by the pool. And, sure, it may have cramped our style a little bit but it also kept us safe. As a landlord, it’s your job to remind tenants about smart poolside practices—and to protect yourself from litigation that may result from pool-related injuries.

Make sure that rules and regulations for pool use are highly visible and that all your tenants know what is expected of them. Along with posting pool rules around the swimming area, you can also include the policy as a lease addendum to ensure that all tenants sign off on your property’s rules and regulations from day one. This addendum can include everything from basic rules to (if applicable) expectations on how tenants are expected to maintain the pool and surrounding area. A sample of this addendum can be downloaded here. In terms of pool signage, you can either make your own or visit a local hardwood store, most of which carry standard pool rule signage, particularly in the summer months. Common rules include:

•    Shower before entering pool
•    No food, drink, or glass in pool or on pool deck
•    No animals in pool or on pool deck
•    Pool capacity: _____ persons
•    Pool hours : ________ – ________
•    No running near pool
•    No diving or jumping
•    No children under ______ years of age without parent
•    No diapers allowed in pool

It’s not your job to play full-time lifeguard, but if you do see tenants violating rules and regulations by running or behaving recklessly in any sort of way, take it upon yourself to bring an end to the behavior. Pools can be a lot of fun, but they also present many potential hazards that no landlord wants to be held liable for.

Grill Guidelines
Aside from swimming, nothing else says summer quite like grilling.  Unfortunately for landlords, grilling brings with it a significant fire hazard. As with pools, it’s imperative that tenants know—and abide by—a strict set of grilling policies.

You will want to ensure that the grill is not within a certain distance of your property’s building in order to prevent potential catastrophe at the hands of flying sparks or an out of control flame. It should also be made clear that only adults are allowed to operate a grill. If you see any questionable behavior, don’t hesitate to take grilling privileges away from tenants. Clearly, a fire hazard is nothing to mess around with.

Noise Notice
With the days lasting longer and lots of outdoor fun to be had, more than any other time of year, it’s easy for tenants to get carried away during the summer, inadvertently disturbing other building occupants. Again, setting forth expectations or a noise policy in the lease is a good way to ensure that all tenants understand your rules and regulations. The early summer months are the perfect time to send tenants a reminder about building noise policies and expectations in terms of quiet times and noise levels.

Offering summertime amenities like swimming pools and grills is a great way to keep tenants happy and feeling good about their residency in your rental unit. Just be sure to guard against potential liability by making sure relevant rules and expectations are clearly communicated to and followed by your tenants.

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