AOMA Summer 2021 Newsletter

July 19, 2021

In this issue

President's Report
Calendar of Events
Livable
National Apartment Association
AOMA/BOMA Golf Outing Recap
Social Media

President's Report

Greetings Fellow AOMA Members, Vendors and Board Members:

I hope you have been enjoying the summer weather and enjoying the success of our amazing Milwaukee Bucks and Milwaukee Brewers! With plenty of sun and warm weather, American Family Field and The Deer District have certainly been exciting and popular places to be.

In June, several members of the AOMA Board of Directors and our Executive Director Chris Ruditys participated in a conference call with Bob Pinnegar, the President and CEO of NAA, and other key members of NAA Staff. The purpose of the call was to provide feedback directly to the NAA Leadership Team on several topics, including Federal Advocacy for the Rental Housing Industry and how AOMA felt NAA could have improved services and communication during the pandemic. We are hopeful NAA will take our comments into consideration as we move into a post pandemic phase of the economy.

The AOMA/BOMA Annual Golf Outing at North Hills Country Club on July 12, 2021, was a huge success! The weather was gorgeous, everyone enjoyed the golf course, and from all reports, a good time was had by all!

Judging of entries for the 2021 TOBY Awards is currently in process. A special “thank you” goes out to everyone who participated in this special event, including the numerous volunteers who have spent countless hours reviewing and judging each submission. Your dedication to the apartment industry and the AOMA Organization is sincerely and greatly appreciated. Thank you!

In the near future, we have several professional and networking opportunities for you to participate in, including some of the following events:

Join us for a Summer Social at The Corners of Brookfield, 20111 W. Bluemound Road on Thursday, July 29, 2021, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Catch up with your friends and colleagues and enjoy an evening of delicious food, cold beverages and live music! Free for AOMA Members. Register today at AOMAWI.ORG
AOMA/BOMA are hosting a 2nd Golf Outing on Monday, August 9, 2021, at the beautiful Pine Hills Country Club in Sheboygan, WI. The event begins with a shotgun start at 11:00am, lunch at the turn, and cocktails and heavy appetizers and awards at the conclusion of the event. This event is limited to the first 100 golfers to sign up, if interested please register today at AOMAWI.ORG. Pine Hills is rated the 3rd Best Private Golf Club in the State of Wisconsin by Golf Digest, golf enthusiasts are certain to enjoy playing this beautiful golf course!
Apartmentalize 2021 – The National Apartment Association event will be making a comeback for the 1st time since 2019 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL on August 31 – September 2, 2021. Learn new approaches to rental housing challenges from experts, peers and suppliers. Take the opportunity to grow your knowledge, reconnect with peers and have some fun! Register today
AOMA will be sponsoring the CAM (Certified Apartment Manager) class on September 15, 16, 21 and 22nd at the AOMA Offices. The class will be taught by Cynthiann King, an industry legend with over 25 years of training and property management experience. Take this opportunity to enhance your career and earn your CAM designation. Register online at AOMAWI.ORG
Lastly, our annual AOMA Officer Installation and TOBY Awards Banquet will be held on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, from 5:30pm – 10:00pm at the Wisconsin Club, 900 W. Wisconsin Avenue. Join your friends, peers and industry colleagues for this fun filled and exciting event!

As we move into the Fall, and assuming things remain stable with COVID-19, the AOMA Board of Directors look forward to hosting more in person and traditional events. These include events such as Apartment Tours, Fair Housing Training, our Annual Conference and Trade Show and the ever-popular Maintenance Mania. We are excited to expand our programming and educational offerings as things hopefully return to “normal” in the coming weeks and months ahead.

Be well and enjoy the rest of your Summer!

Sincerely,
Casey C. Duffey, CPM®
President

Having a garden was the most desired of these outdoor spaces, adding an average of $144 a month to a listing’s value, according to the report. A roof deck only added an average of $68 and a balcony was only $35 more on average.

This summer, many of us may be settling into a post-vaccine world where we can once again see friends and family without worry for the first time in over a year. Yet even after the major threat has passed, the pandemic has changed the way we live in and look at our homes. It has certainly changed the priorities that residents have for their future apartment communities. Read on to find out more about what today’s renters are looking for. Hint— it’s not the same for every age group.

Live Well,
Daniel Sharabi
Livable CEO

The Amenities Today’s Tenants Want Most

Outdoor space in all of its forms topped the list of most-desired apartment amenities, according to a new report from listing site Zumper. “Outdoor space” searches were up 143 percent between December 2019 and December 2020, with “roof deck”, “balcony”, “garden”, “deck” and “swimming pool” all showing major search increases as well.

Parking and in-unit laundry were popular pre-pandemic and the hunt for these amenities has only increased. “Garage parking” search rates were up 73 percent and added an average of $149 to a listing. “In-unit laundry” searches were up 64 percent and is even more valuable, adding an average of $170 to a listing’s value. “With slashed interest rates at dealerships and public transportation to be avoided if possible, more people were likely to have bought cars in 2020 and would then need parking spaces,” according to the Zumper report. “Additionally, bringing clothes to a public laundromat, if they were even open, could be potentially dangerous in terms of exposure so having in-unit laundry has become more important than ever.”

One of the top search terms was one that wasn’t particularly popular pre-pandemic—storage. But as people created impromptu offices at home, they may have needed to store other furniture, or they may have been looking to clear away clutter as they spent more time at home. In any case, “storage” saw a 92 percent increase in searches and added an average of $53 to a listing’s value.

For those in the Generation Z age group, the storage search was even more specific. These 18-to-24-year-olds really prioritized “walk-in closets” in their searches, as well as air conditioning and dishwashers. They were less interested in parking however, as this age group is the least likely to own their own cars.

Millennials also really wanted walk-in closets—this search term was up 300 percent for this age group, making it the number-one amenity request for 25-to-40-year olds. Millennials were also the only age group to prioritize hardwood floors.

While all ages wanted outdoor space, Gen Xers were all about the pool. The 41-to-56-year-olds also wanted furnished apartments, maybe because they were downsizing from big family homes, according to Zumper. “With the ‘Swimming Pool’ and ‘Furnished’ amenities sitting uniquely at the top of the most desired for Gen X renters, this shows that the parents in this age group are finally ready to relax and have some well-deserved down time,” according to the report.

Finally, Baby Boomers were uniquely interested in central heat and had the largest increase in “in-unit laundry” searches of all the age groups. “As the effects of COVID are potentially more dangerous in older generations, renters in the Baby Boomer age group should be more careful when going to more public spaces so having laundry in-unit helps keep them safe,” according to the report.