Property managers concentrate on aspects such as responding quickly to tenants’ concerns, providing routine maintenance, and staying on top of repairs. Due to the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, property managers have expanded their range of responsibilities, which have permanently changed the way that properties are managed. Today, property managers’ priorities have grown to include a greater focus on improving renters’ experience and ensuring high cleanliness standards.
Property managers have had a lot to deal with, between making sure that residential communities adhere to COVID guidelines and working with residents experiencing financial difficulties. Drawing on this experience, property managers have implemented strategies that are expected to become a permanent part of
property management.
Prior to the pandemic, property managers had ranked growth, profitability, and efficiency as their top concerns. However, in 2020, “residents” moved from ninth place to rank second, above efficiency and profitability, according to the online publication Buildium. One of the central concerns related to setting up payment plans, which has included helping renters to fill them out and accessing resources for financial aid.
Residential property managers have come to the job with empathy and an understanding of the myriad circumstances that residents face. In keeping residents as a top priority, property managers’ activities have involved reaching out to residents in the community with a focus on maintaining open lines of communication in order to stay abreast of each person's situation.
Beyond working with residents in dealing with financial issues, property managers have also found themselves as a source of community engagement. Activities have included holding building-wide coat drives during the holidays to promote social good.
Other residential communities added amenities to improve renters’ experience. For example, a few high-end residential communities installed workout equipment in their communities for residents who could not get to the gym. Other perks included the ability to reserve time to use the building’s amenities, such as grilling space, to ensure it was available when they needed it. Experts expect all of this to remain a fixed part of the property management landscape.
According to Buildium, another major priority for property managers was making sure that residential communities were safe from contagion, which is another permanent aspect of property management. Cleanliness was a major priority for all industries, but in property management it was a requirement. Some of the protocols put in place were surface sanitization and buffering days.
In the future, industry analysts expect developers to retrofit surfaces with anti-microbial materials, such as wool, bamboo, and other materials. Anti-microbial paint is being used in bathrooms and other moist areas to reduce the incidence of bacteria, viruses, and other mold.
As opposed to marble and granite, property management companies might incorporate materials that are less porous, such as quartz for countertops to reduce contagion in these areas. Other measures include covering door handles and other fixtures with copper to reduce bacteria, yeast, and viruses. Finally, air filtration is another feature included to ensure that residents will be able to breathe in clean air and remain healthy.
