When it comes to resident retention, that first year and first lease is important. Initial impressions mean a great deal, and you can really make or break retaining a resident depending on yours. At Occupancy Solutions, we want to help property management teams make the best impact possible during this first lease period, and retain their residents for many more years to come. The 5 steps to retaining residents using their first year experience are:

  1. First month – During the first month, let them get settled in. Of course property management should be there in case of need, but don’t be overbearing while they’re getting acclimated to their new home. Once that first month is up, send over a hand-signed welcome card from you and your staff thanking them for leasing with you and inviting them to any upcoming community meetings or events.
  2. After two months – After two months have gone by, drop by with a survey asking their input on how everything is going. Include how they enjoy the community, their particular residence, the maintenance crew and property management staff, and if there are any improvements they would like to see made. This survey serves two purposes – it helps to give you insight on areas that may need improvement, and it shows residents that their input is valued and sought after.
  3. After three months – After three months make sure they have all the necessary info for your maintenance crew. At this point, their residence is being lived in and enjoyed, and this is when things sometimes start to break down due to wear and tear. While they should have this contact information already, it can’t hurt to make sure.
  4. After four months – After four months, touch base with new residents and invite them to any community or local events that may be going on. If you distribute fliers with local event information, make sure they have received theirs.
  5. After one year, or when renewal time rolls around – After the first year, or around the time of renewal, extend a handwritten thank-you card to residents and show them how much you appreciated their living within your community. This shows them that they’ve been appreciated and considered a valuable part of your community’s atmosphere.

The first year with new residents can have a huge impact on their retention rate, and we at OccupancySolutions.com want to turn more first year leases into long-time community members. To learn more about making a retention-ready impact during that first year, contact us today.