River Region Apartment Association
April 2019
Thank you, Angie Ingram, Attorney at Law, for your generosity and support of the River Region Apartment Association. Without your sponsorship, the 2019 events and education for our membership would not be possible!
Thank you, Apartments.com, for your generosity and support of the River Region Apartment Association. Without your sponsorship, the 2019 events and education for our membership would not be possible! Be sure to reach out to our local Co-Star Rep, Brandy Hitson, for all of your advertising needs
Brandy Hitson with Apartments.com
Thank you Signal 88 for your GOLD Sponsorship
The vision of Signal 88 Security of Montgomery is to provide a full suite of world-class and industry-leading security services for residential, commercial, retail and institutional customers in Montgomery, Alabama because, quite simply, we believe safety is a basic human right and need.
The promise of Signal 88 Security of Montgomery is to provide customized security services so that individuals, businesses, neighborhoods and communities in Montgomery can pursue their passions in life openly, freely and joyfully. Without the freedom of feeling secure, our passions cannot be fully enjoyed.
This peace of mind comes from our proven philosophy and process.
Signal 88 provides a niche service in Montgomery and we know that a single approach can’t be applied to every property in every situation. Our promise begins with first listening to your needs and learning your desired outcomes. This help us to create a customized solution unique to your needs and the needs of your property and personnel. Next, we conduct a full site assessment which brings in the expertise and recommendations of our trained staff. We won’t propose a generic solution, but instead one that is tailored to your needs and desires.
Our reputation and feedback from our customers should speak for itself. Please contact Signal 88 Security of Montgomery today to hear more about what we can do for you!
334-322-8956 or email: Montgomery@signal88.com
Overview of NAA Advocate 2019
Those include:
- Transforming the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program to maximize its impact for residents and increase participation by private owners.
- Removing barriers to new housing creation through infrastructure incentives for local governments.
- Protecting existing rental housing stock through reform and reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program.
All of the representatives of Alabama Apartment Association had positive and successful meetings with all the representatives of Alabama.
Fur Housing is Coming to Dothan on May 16th!
Be on the lookout for more details on the AAA Educational Conference and Expo coming soon!
Your 2019 Membership dues have been sent via e-mail.
Please pay them promptly to avoid interruption to your Blue Moon Lease
as well as continue your participation with RRAA!
We’re heading into the high season now. This is a time when we typically get plenty of leads, so I thought I’d take time this month to talk about how marketing can help during the “lead consideration” phase of a prospective resident’s buying journey, rather than the “lead generation” phase we marketers tend to focus much of our energy upon.
Here are seven capabilities I recommend for all community websites that will help you convert more prospective residents by helping them during their “consideration” phase:
Pictures and video
We all know that both are important to help in lead generation, and they are equally important for the consideration phase. They help prospects visualize what to expect before they tour, and they are particularly helpful post-tour. It’s not unusual for apartment seekers to take several tours in a short period of time. The result is that these tours mesh together, making it hard for prospects to remember exactly what they saw. Pictures and video allow them to reflect on what was presented to them after their visit and make sure they are matching their memories to the correct community.
Information on apartment homes, community and neighborhood.
It may seem obvious that you need information such as this on the website, but is that information complete?
- Do you have accurate square footages, prices, and availability of units? Do you have floorplans? How about interior pictures?
- Do you have a site map of the entire community? How about specific information (maybe even specific landing pages) for each community amenity?
- Lastly, is your site rich in content related to the surrounding neighborhood? Many websites have a lot of information on its apartment homes and the property but neglect the overall neighborhood. I recommend a map feature that allows prospects to see local attractions. It’s also a good idea to highlight other relevant features (walk scores, local cultural events, sports facilities, parks, restaurants, etc.)
Reviews
Prospects are going to find reviews anyway, so why not serve them up? Make it easy for prospects to understand how other residents feel about the community and see how the onsite staff responds to comments -- both the positive and negative ones.
A “sharing” function
Research on the prospect buying journey has shown that a significant percentage of prospects look for affirmation from friends or relatives. So, make it easier for them to share information, pictures, floorplans and availability with their friends and relatives.
Help with tips for moving
Prospects aren’t just considering their new home; they’re considering the entire moving process. Helping them with the latter is not only courteous, it establishes a tone conveying your standards of service. A few examples: Moving checklists, lists of local moving companies and information on resources you can provide for moving (e.g. if you have dollies they borrow, rules for reserving elevators to move in, etc.)
Comparison features
Searching for a new home and making the decision can be overwhelming. There’s so much information about so many different options. Help your prospective residents make sound decisions by allowing them to compare options on your website. Let them stack up floorplans and unit stats side-by-side, so they can easily understand differences and make the choice that is best for them.
Quick answers to questions.
Prospects are sure to have many questions. So, make it easy for them to gets answers with FAQ sheets, chat features and click-to-call.
Lead generation is certainly a critical marketing function, but don’t spend so much time on it that you neglect the lead consideration phase. Implement the seven recommendations above, and you’ll go a long way toward making your website a true resource for your prospective residents!
2019 RRAA Events Calendar (Dates Subject to Change)
May 16th-Fur Housing with Angie Ingram-Dothan
May 21st- Leasing Unplugged-Faulkner University
June 12th Committee Meeting
June 13th - Unwind Mixer
July - Mold Remediation and Bedbug Education Breakfast
August 22nd - Legal Review/Legislative Update
September 11th - Committee Meetings
September 17-19- AAA Ed Conference and Expo- Birmingham
September - Cornhole Tournament
October 17th or 22nd - Maintenance Mania/Karaoke Night
November 13 - Committee Meeting
November- Safety Breakfast with MFD and MPD
December 12 - RRAA Awards
The River Region Apartment Association is proud to be a corporate sponsor for Hatching Hope of Alabama!
Hatching Hope of Alabama was Co-Founded by Keli Lynch-Wright and her son Ashton Wright to support Residents that have been displaced from their Apartment Homes due to fire or other disasters. We have worked hard to assist victims of disaster in the apartment industry, by spreading the word and picking up and delivering donations to those affected. So many lives have been touched by the community rallying together to make a difference to those in need. It is amazing how giving these folks one less thing to worry about, can give them hope and strength to forge on and get through this tough time! After several years of supporting disaster recovery efforts, we experienced a house fire of our own and lost everything that we had. Ashton was 5 years old at the time, such a small little soul. He had seen the devastation of loss through fire at apartment communities as I have always taken him with me and he has literally grown up in the industry. Those first few nights were rough and I would hold him and sing to him "Three Little Birds, by Bob Marley..."Don't Worry About a Thing..Cause Every Little Thing is Gonna be Alright". He is 12 now and the song brings us both happiness and hope in days that can be challenging. Most recently, an Apartment Community has massive fire causing many people to be displaced over Thanksgiving. We quickly gathered some small Christmas Trees, supplies, toiletries, baked goods, and other items that we knew would cheer those and the children involved. We went to visit everyone on Thanksgviving Day. When we arrived the clubhouse was filled with people camping out on the floor with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The staff at the property hosted a huge Thanksgiving Meal and everyone was leaning on each other for hope and courage to move on. I knew that day was going to be the last day that I let pass without getting to work on Hatching Hope and doing something about it! Although we found that we were doing great things, there was a much greater immediate need in the way of somewhere to sleep and general toiletries. Ashton and I returned home and immediately went online an purchased 56 air mattresses! Often times displaced Residents are placed into a vacant apartment home or even in the clubhouse until a plan is devised for the next steps. Hatching Hope will be providing air mattresses, comfy bedding, and much needed supplies for that first night or two following a disaster. We will also have special focus on children by providing hand made blankets from local churches and schools and a book or coloring books to keep them focused on the good things! Each and every dollar will be used to build awesome care kits for these victims. And you can actually sponsor someone for $30! This will provide a victim with a air mattress, comfy bedding, and much needed toiletries. There is no greater feeling than that of helping others. Join us in this effort to make a difference across the state of Alabama! As always, we graciously accept your gift of time, so feel free to email Keli @ hatchinghope@gmail.com to see how you can help today!
- Arbor Station is looking for a full time EPA certified Maintenance Technician. Please send resumes to rjones@bandm.org
- Matrix Residential is looking to hire one full time Marketing Representative. Please send resumes to cdtapestry@matrixresidential.com.
- Hillwood Apartments is looking for a Maintenance Technician. Must be HVAC certified, 3 years prior experience in apartments, self-starter, attention to details, mechanically inclined, knowledgeable in plumbing, heating, AC, construction, and electrical, must be able to use all types of power tools, flexible to work weekends, holidays, and after hour emergency calls, reliable transportation. Please email resumes to mgarrett@thewoodruffway.com.
- Bristol Downs is looking to hire a full time Leasing Agent. Requirements include experience with Yardi, Sales, Marketing, and the ability to work on Saturdays. Please fax resumes to 334-272-2784.
- Barrington Place Apartments is looking for a Maintenance Technician. Must be EPA and CPO certified. Please email resumes to mailto:barringtonmanager@crhmi.com .
**If you would like to add to our mentions section, please submit all mentions to rraa1972@gmail.com by the 25th of every month.**
2019 NAA IMPORTANT DATES!
June 26 - 29
Colorado Convention Center | Denver, CO
Contact:
Association Director
Email: rraa1972@gmail.com
Website: www.rraaonline.org
Location: P.O. Box 640422, Pike Road, AL 36064
Phone: (334) 450-1455
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rraa1972/?ref=settings
About the River Region Apartment Association
In 1972, a group of Montgomery apartment industry professionals met and formed The Montgomery Apartment Managers’ Association. Since 1972, this association has grown and transformed into what is now known as The River Region Apartment Association and includes twenty-five counties in south-central Alabama. The River Region Apartment Association is a non-profit trade association dedicated to unifying apartment industry professionals through education, legislative advocacy and member services. RRAA members are rental housing owners, property management firms, apartment communities and companies that supply products or services to rental properties.
RRAA provides educational opportunities each year such as legal seminars, leasing seminars, and annual fair housing training. Much thought and planning has been put into annual events such as the Beautification Awards, Maintenance Mania and the River Region Awards in order to recognize our industry professionals and to allow industry professionals an opportunity to network. The Association communicates to the members through a monthly newsletter, The RRAA Insider, and the RRAA website has a fresh and informative look to provide members with local, state and national apartment industry information.
As always, a membership in the River Region Apartment Association makes you a member of the Alabama Apartment Association and the National Apartment Association.
2019 RRAA Leadership
Association Director
Katie Suchocki
334-450-1455
President
Samantha Lord, Barrington Place at Somerset
334-356-6850
President-Elect
Taylor Holley, Halcyon Park
334-244-1946
Treasurer
Angela Tucker, Sturbridge Commons
334-270-0111
Secretary
Past President
Jeff Davis, Hunt Companies
334-262-1630
Parliamentarian
Eddie Gillenwater, Arbour Valley
334-676-1342
Board Members:
Christine Kessler, The Heights
334-261-6333
Joe Johnson, Hunt Companies
334-262-1630
Rochelle Crawford, Bristol Downs
334-277-0883
Mary Alison McGuire, Grandview Pointe
334-285-1220
Kalyn Guthrie, The Heights
334-261-6333
Kevin Kiser, HD Supply
334-462-8600
Brandy Hitson, Apartments.com
334-313-2261
Cori Byrd, RentPath
334-324-4013
Angie Ingram, Angie Ingram, Attorney at Law, LLC
205-440-1786
Brett Wallace, Carol's Carpet
334-272-5400