Residents are an important element to the success of your property. Not only do they provide the income that keep the property running, but how they feel about your property can affect future leases and the longevity of those leases. Whether they are leaving reviews, referring a friend, or letting anyone on social media who will listen know what they think of your property, what they say MATTERS. An appreciated resident usually equals a happy resident, and happy residents lead to more referrals and great publicity for your property. 

So how can you show your residents you appreciate them? Even if you have no budget, you can always show appreciation! Here are the top 6 ways you can show your residents how important they are to you:

1.Send out birthday cards. Usually relatively inexpensive, birthday cards are a great way to remind your residents that you know them on a personal level and you truly care. Make sure to personalize it with their name, and a short but sweet message personal to them. 

2.Send out renewal gifts. Want to increase your renewals and also show appreciation? Send out a little gift with your renewal letters! Even something as simple as a card, piece of candy, or a baked treat will go a long way in reminding your residents how important they are to you.

3.Preventative Maintenance. It’s not often that our maintenance staff have some down time, but when they do, they can always keep busy by offering preventative maintenance to your residents. You can start by changing out air filters without needing to be asked, changing smoke detector batteries as a courtesy, or just stopping by to make sure everything is working as it should!

4.Resident of the Month. Everyone loves a reward! Take all the residents who pay early/on time, throw the names in a hat and draw out randomly each month, and give the winner a special prize! Be careful to follow fair housing laws, but if done correctly, this could make your residents feel special AND boost your delinquency rate. 

5.Local Discounts. Partner with a local business to offer some sort of discount in exchange for free advertising. Lots of companies love free advertising, and you can send out a flyer that says “We <3 Our Residents!” with a discount code or offer to take the flyer in to a local business to get a discount on their purchase.

6.Rent Thank You Treats. Have some treats available in the office for when your residents come in to pay rent! Whether it’s candy bars, or a small care package depending on what your budget is, they’ll definitely appreciate the thought!