Posts by Kristi McMillin
Saying Sorry Is Easier Said Than Done
Last week as I was heading to the airport to catch a flight from Mobile to Atlanta, my phone buzzed with a text alert from Delta. I knew what it was before even opening the message– a flight delay. Thirty minutes later, along came another text informing me of a second delay. In the airline…
Read MoreCreating a Novel Incentive By Justin Coleman
I recently had the opportunity to read Think Like a Freak by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, which was a great read and I recommend it to anyone in any industry. At its core, the book is meant to teach you how to think about and approach problems with a different attitude and…
Read MoreDon’t Lose Your Prospects: Applying Behavioral Economics to Leasing
Are leasing agents salespeople or customer service representatives? If you ask someone who knows the ins and outs of the industry they would say that truly great leasing agents are both. An excellent leasing professional needs exceptional sales skills to close the deal, but then be able to transition to a customer service representative who…
Read MoreWhy is the NBA Advertising on HGTV?
The last place you would expect to see a commercial for the National Basketball Association would be during Nick at Nite on Nickelodeon or during an episode of House Hunters on HGTV. However, according to Ad Age, the NBA will begin advertising on these television channels as part of a new strategy to attract more…
Read MoreNEW CONSTRUCTION LEASE-UP
RESULTS: CLASS A NEW CONSTRUCTION LEASE-UP PROPERTY OVERVIEW: The subject property is a class A, new construction lease-up located in northern Virginia. Ownership decided to bring CLASS onto the property before obtaining CO’s to focus on leasing and maximize the unit absorption rate. In the year prior to arrival, CLASS was also in regular contact…
Read MoreGetting Comfortable with ‘No’
“Are you comfortable hearing the word ‘no’?” This is a question often asked during the leasing agent interview process and while most interviewees say they’re exceedingly comfortable with rejection, the reality is that few are. With the industry’s average closing ratio hovering around 30% one can only assume that leasing agents are in fact scared…
Read MoreUtilizing SWOT Analysis
In the fast-paced environment that is the multifamily industry, it can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day activities of the office and forget the big picture. However, it’s important to take a step back once in a while to make sure your property is on the right track and making progress with…
Read MoreChange in Ownership and Management Negatively Affects Leasing
RESULTS: CLASS B LEASE-UP Re: Ownership and Management Change PROPERTY OVERVIEW: The focus of this case study is a class B property with a total of 600 units. The property recently underwent an ownership and management change and was consequently struggling to maintain leasing velocity. Management was understandably overwhelmed with the logistical changes and leasing…
Read MoreNo Upgrades? No Problem!
When your community isn’t upgrading and it seems like all your competitors are it can be easy to lose excitement about leasing. However, selling apartments that aren’t upgraded isn’t the kiss of death for your community. Here are some ways to combat the objection: You’ve already identified your competitor’s advantage so now you must find…
Read MoreSmall Leasing Tip to Overcome Big Objections By Justin Coleman
As a leasing agent, sometimes the most difficult task to accomplish is overcoming prospects’ objections. Leasing agents typically know exactly what features in their apartments will draw a negative comment, but not all agents will have a solution prepared when those objections are vocalized. Many leasing agents simply hope and pray a prospect does not bring…
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