The first #AptChat of the new year was all about the biggest trends that will affect the apartment industry in 2013. We discussed consumer trends, mobile technology, internal operations, and trends that are fading away this year. Check out the highlights below:
@aptchat instragram is going to take off #aptchat
— Jolene Sopalski (@JoleneSopalski) January 4, 2013
Big Data, Enterprise Solutions, Student Housing, Looking for Mr. Gray (get your mind out of the gutter,”Gray” the over 55 crowd)~#aptchat
— Tamela Coval(@TamelaCoval) January 4, 2013
Question 1: What do you think are the biggest consumer trends that are on your radar right now? How are you planning for them?
@30lines Taking our ORM/social efforts to the next level. And we’re overhauling our corporate/property websites, too. #aptchat
— Sara S. Graham (@sarasgraham) January 4, 2013
@30lines Green, mobile with higher impact..continued focus on the greater community #aptchat
— Jonathan Saar (@JonathanSaar) January 4, 2013
Responsive, Mobile, Local and Social are what we are focusing on for 2013. #aptchat
— Resite Online (@resiteonline) January 4, 2013
@aptchat they are going to use mobile apps for locating apartments more. Targeting where they work,eat and socialize.#aptchat
— Jolene Sopalski (@FLYLeasingIdeas) January 4, 2013
I agree w/ @maggieforrent We’re trying to incorporate mobile as much as we can. And Responsive Design is a necessity! #aptchat
— Nicole(@Nicole_Stultz) January 4, 2013
@30lines Our entire portfolio has mobile friendly #websites & resident portals. This is a very recent update. #aptchat
— Nicole(@Nicole_Stultz) January 4, 2013
@30lines @detroitjd We see lease applications completed through tablets like the iPad but not really from mobile phones. #aptchat
— Resite Online (@resiteonline) January 4, 2013
Question 2: What are the opportunities to leverage current mobile technology? Are you creating apps? Responsive sites? Passbook features?
Q2: Pre-scheduled text message app for properties. Like to remind residents to pay rent. #aptchat
— Maggie Gormley (@MaggieForRent) January 4, 2013
Q2 Visuals are key to great content..lots of cool mobile apps to make them fun and enhance interactions #aptchat
— Jonathan Saar (@JonathanSaar) January 4, 2013
Q2: Responsive websites that respond both down to mobile devices and up to large screen monitors. #aptchat
— Resite Online (@resiteonline) January 4, 2013
In my mind, going mobile also means focusing on local search strategies. #aptchat
— Resite Online (@resiteonline) January 4, 2013
@detroitjd We can learn a TON from the auto industry. Automated diagnostic emails? Push-button support? Lots of ideas to steal. #AptChat
— Mike Whaling (@30lines) January 4, 2013
Question 3: What are you going to be doing LESS of this year? What are some trends that are fading away?
@aptchat less rental concessions. I know it has been said for awhile but it will happen this year. #aptchat
— Jolene Sopalski (@FLYLeasingIdeas) January 4, 2013
QR codes officially out. Although the were never really officially in. #aptchat
— Paul Petersen (@ptothesquared) January 4, 2013
@ptothesquared Really? I’m seeing more big brands using them. Still don’t see many people snapping them, though. #AptChat
— Mike Whaling (@30lines) January 4, 2013
@aptchat Re Q3: We’ve recently cut some ILSs, in favor of focusing more on our own websites and SEO/SEM efforts. #aptchat
— Sara S. Graham (@sarasgraham) January 4, 2013
One last thing for #AptChat. We completely turned off Rent.com w/out missing a beat in traffic & rentals. Think about that!
— justin dunckel (@DetroitJD) January 4, 2013
@aptchat Q3 less reinventing the wheel..just following suit of how tech develops and discern how it will create value for residents #aptchat
— Jonathan Saar (@JonathanSaar) January 4, 2013
Q3: Less corporate websites more apartment community websites. They perform much better with Google and local search strategies. #aptchat
— Resite Online (@resiteonline) January 4, 2013
Question 4: What will be the biggest trend that will impact how you run your internal operations? Mobile? Cloud software? Something else?
@aptchat cloud mobile cloud and more cloud for the on the go pro #aptchat
— Jonathan Saar (@JonathanSaar) January 4, 2013
Q4: We’ve moved to Google business accounts for email, docs, calendars, etc. We are in the cloud! #aptchat
— Resite Online (@resiteonline) January 4, 2013
if you have not already done so I highly recommend trying Google hangouts..great for team meetings and quite trendy #aptchat
— Jonathan Saar (@JonathanSaar) January 4, 2013
Now it’s your turn…what trends are on your radar this year? Are there any trends that seem to be fading away? Leave a comment and let us know.
Don’t miss our next #AptChat on Friday, January 11 at 4 pm EST.