An ever-growing volume of documents across a real estate organization demands solutions that not only provide centralized access but also drill deep into the details of leases, rent histories and other property-level information while providing ease of use. And with the advent of AI and its clear business case for CRE, there are new opportunities to make smarter decisions and work more nimbly than ever. You can achieve new levels of efficiency with strategies that combine intelligent real estate software with everyday business tools. Read on for some key tips from a recent Yardi white paper. Using tools you already have Combining a leading real estate-focused system with a familiar partner enables users to enjoy the capabilities each provider brings to the table. For example, combining Yardi Voyager with Microsoft tools. In creating Yardi Document Management for SharePoint, Yardi leveraged Microsoft SharePoint® software, which Yardi clients have access to through Microsoft 365®. Yardi’s system uses SharePoint online for the document repository (or Yardi application storage). As a result, clients can take advantage of all the features in SharePoint along with the implicit and explicit structure of Yardi tools. Integrating the two powerful solutions provides automated document storage along with a portable folder structure that eliminates tedious processes. Moving big data for reporting and analysis Companies with large amounts of data often need to move it from repositories to other end points, which may include data warehouses or data lakes such as Snowflake, AWS and Azure. A common routine task is to combine data from one source with other data from reports and analyses, then leverage third-party tools to analyze and report on the data. Among the tools devised for such tasks is Yardi Replicate, so named because it replicates Voyager data to a separate endpoint. Yardi’s system holds millions and millions of records. Replicate efficiently enables movement of data from Voyager to other cloud environments, while sidestepping performance issues often associated with moving large volumes of data. The tool uses Change Data Capture (CDC), a Microsoft SQL technology that tracks all changes in a data source. Once tables are mirrored, CDC looks solely for changes and will move only records that have been changed. Building a bridge to intelligence Real estate enterprises are accumulating an ever-growing storehouse of data about properties, leases, occupancy, rent growth and more. A key benefit of the aggregated information is its potential to help forecast the likelihood of tenant lease defaults or expansion. To gain that advantage, data must be moved from multiple sources to a format that can be loaded into business intelligence tools, which opens up a huge opportunity to slice and dice data in a way that powers company strategy. Such tools not only provide a pipeline for moving usable data to business intelligence but can also create pipelines for tailored customer reports and dashboards. As with document management, the best approach may be to partner dedicated property management technology with a business intelligence tool that is readily accessible and familiar to real estate professionals. That was the strategy when Yardi developed Yardi Data Connect to enable data transfer between Voyager and Microsoft Power BI®. Power BI has shown an exceptional capacity to visualize data and aggregate it from multiple systems. In addition, Yardi has created a “starter pack” that allows Data Connect clients to hit the ground running with a stream of data, reports and visualizations recommended by Yardi. The solution enables users to create their own data pipelines to any additional information they want to include, then load that data directly into Power BI to build tailored customer reports and dashboards to create visualizations never before possible. One forward-thinking Yardi client using Data Connect, Power BI and Azure ML, has begun deploying AI models to work through a mix of data that includes occupancy trends, financials and data marts. For example, the company can pull in information from for-sale...

Connecting accurate information to support budgeting, leasing and construction projects is essential to optimizing CRE asset performance. Working with the right set of software tools not only ensures transparency and data accuracy but also provides real-time and actionable insights. For example, when live data from the leasing pipeline and construction projects are available within your budgeting solution, you can manage forecasts on a rolling basis without the hassle of updating spreadsheets. So what’s the best practice? Using a single stack solution with a single source of truth and real-time data access. From lead-to-lease pipeline management to streamlining the budgeting process and optimizing the construction lifecycle, connected solutions with seamless dataflow and automated workflows can unlock operational efficiency. Side-by-side comparisons and real-time budget tracking Yardi Forecast Manager is a full-featured software solution that enables clients to monitor annual budget performance relative to their approved budget. Clients can promote deals from Yardi Deal Manager to Forecast Manager and use re-forecasting to accurately analyze their budget based on all deals in the pipeline. A built-in hover-over feature in the forecasting tool shows where a particular data set originated and clients can make necessary adjustments along the way. Correspondingly, Deal Manager incorporates settings that ensure the appropriate information is pushed to Forecast Manager. When it comes to assessing risk, clients have access to a comprehensive view of their portfolios in both Deal Manager and Forecast Manager and they can filter and view a wide range of information about each space — even across properties — including tenant risk and lease expiration date. As an additional benefit, Forecast Manager enables clients to easily identify deals (when they also use Deal Manager) at a particular stage and promote them into the forecast. A deal can be included in the budget by simply clicking the “promote” button next to the deal. Promoting the deal means that it will be included in the worksheet the next time the client runs the forecast or revenue projection. No more tedious spreadsheets This combination of features and integration of deal pipeline data helps asset management and operation teams budget more accurately and eliminates the need for manually compiling various spreadsheets. Industry leaders using Forecast Manager are seeing results. Rexford Industrial quickly discovered the benefits of using a connected software solution to optimize the CRE revenue lifecycle. “Our forecasting is correct the first time and easy to see on a dashboard. I can add acquisitions and quickly get a snapshot of what the acquisition will do many quarters out. All this used to take days, and now it takes 15 minutes,” said Alex DeHaven, VP of Corporate Finance, Rexford Industrial. Learn more about Yardi Forecast Manager and hear how it’s working for Rexford...

Yardi Case Manager was introduced in 2023 and is one of the newest solutions integrated within the Yardi Affordable Housing Suite. Let’s learn more about it from Yardi Affordable Housing Industry Principal Mark Livanec. Mark, let’s start at the beginning. Tell us what a case is. Cases are any situation, ticket, or task that requires property managers or resident service staff to track and resolve. The flexibility of defining and managing case resolution workflows is one of the things I like most about Yardi Case Manager. Affordable housing providers have a lot of flexibility and powerful ticketing tools that will help them track the services they provide daily. There is also flexibility in how cases are created given Case Manager’s integration with the Yardi Affordable Housing Suite. A resident can create a case using their RentCafe Affordable Housing app on their mobile device, eliminating the need to make a phone call or visit the front office. There’s even automation built in that creates a set of tasks and team assignments necessary to resolve each case that come in from various sources. What’s the main reason Yardi clients should add Case Manager? Integration with Yardi Voyager, including our upcoming solution Compliance Manager powered by Voyager 8, make Case Manager a prime opportunity to strengthen affordable housing compliance without complicated workflows. Affordable housing programs are highly scrutinized by the federal, state and local funding programs. Yardi Case Manager can help keep providers in compliance by tracking service requests, reasonable accommodation requests, the work done to accommodate requests and how each case is resolved. How does tracking cases mitigate risk? One important example is fair housing, which includes laws that ensure affordable housing providers treat applicants and residents equally. Throughout the resident lifecycle, affordable housing providers need to document their interactions with every household they serve. When it comes to tacking and following through on requests, Yardi Case Manager is a great tool to keep everything consistent for everyone. Similarly, several laws require housing providers to accommodate reasonable requests for modifications to forms and living spaces. For example, applicants or residents may need special equipment installed in a unit because of a physical disability, others may need forms translated to a specific language. Not providing a reasonable request to make housing physically accessible can raise red flags with auditors and can lead to litigation. Yardi Case Manager is designed to make sure affordable housing site staff not only record the request for reasonable accommodation but serves as a tool to document follow-through efforts. Without proper documentation, your organization can be at risk of fair housing litigation. Domestic violence situations are another type of case that requires special attention and extreme confidentiality. Yardi Case Manager enables affordable housing providers to keep certain cases private and, on a need-to-know basis, to keep everyone safe and prevent unlawful disclosures. Why Yardi Case Manager when there are already prospect and resident records in Yardi Voyager? Yardi Case Manager has workflows that are specifically optimized for service delivery staff. That functionality can help keep things simple and effective since it’s easy to train, configure and use throughout the workday. There is, of course, integration with Yardi Voyager for access to cases through the upcoming Compliance Manager, powered by Voyager 8 dashboard. Cases can be tied to specific members of a household record, and notes from maintenance techs and inspectors can be copied to cases. But, if an affordable housing provider prefers to keep Yardi Case Manager as a tool primarily in use by their resident service coordinators and other front-line site staff, that works as well. How can Yardi Case Manager expand to help cover more types of requests? Case types can be configurable to unique request scenarios for applicants, residents, vendors/landlords, and even employees. Service coordinators can track case progress from start to finish via customizable tasks, team assignments and reports. The table below gives examples...

2024 is a big year for Yardi, and it’s not just because we’re celebrating 40 years in business. This year marks an exciting shift in our innovation process, exemplified by the new AI solutions presented during YASC 2024’s opening spotlight session for multifamily. Here’s a recap of innovations and features unveiled during the event. Marketing with AI Ready to streamline content creation and optimize marketing spend? As Esther Bonardi, Yardi vice president of corporate marketing and REACH by RentCafe, put it, “AI is everywhere, and it’s impacting all of our development from the time renters start looking for their apartment, and all the way until they’re renewing their lease.” Here’s a peek at new AI-driven solutions to help you drive more quality prospects. Simplifying content creation with Creator by Virtuoso The new Creator by Virtuoso — included in Marketing IQ Genius — uses AI to generate and schedule content for property websites. Whether it’s page narratives, blog posts or Google Business Profile updates, content creation has never been easier. Marketers can now update websites and social feeds with minimal effort, ensuring they stay competitive in the digital landscape. Data-driven budgeting and strategy Marketing IQ Genius also includes more advanced SEO and PPC reporting, as well as PPC budget recommendations powered by machine learning. Get strategic suggestions that help you make informed decisions about your advertising spend.  Allocate budgets more effectively and drive better results based on real-time data and insights. Speed to lease: Accelerating the customer journey with AI “Days equal dollars when it comes to vacancy loss,” Paul Yount, industry principal, said to a crowd of multifamily professionals — but not before he somehow weaved a baby picture of himself onto a slide. (It all connected to his YASC session, “Back to the Future of Leasing and AI.”) Speed is everything when it comes to turning your prospect into a resident — and our AI initiatives are making that process even faster. Here are some updates that will help you reduce vacancy loss. More efficient leasing Chat IQ, powered by Yardi Virtuoso, provides instant, personalized responses to your customers that keep them engaged and informed throughout their leasing journey. Plus, our income and identity verification solutions streamline approvals, ensuring maximum speed when it comes to converting an inquiry into a lease. Self-serve maintenance Our new self-serve maintenance feature guides residents through minor fixes, reducing the hassle associated with maintenance and the workload on property managers. This not only enhances resident satisfaction but also frees up time for teams to focus on more strategic tasks. Yardi Energy Yardi Energy has exciting new updates in store to help you manage energy usage more efficiently, so you can reduce cost while aligning with environmental best practices. Enhancing the resident experience We’re also rolling out new innovations that will make your resident experience even better. Get ready for increased resident satisfaction and renewals. Rewards by RentCafe Resident retention is key to long-term success, and our new rewards program for residents is designed to do just that. Rewards by RentCafe incentivizes your residents to pay rent on time by rewarding them for on-time rent payments and subscriptions to Resident Services by ResidentShield. Points can be redeemed for fun things like travel and shopping, helping you enhance satisfaction. Resident Services by ResidentShield As just mentioned, we’ve rolled out a comprehensive suite of resident services that cater to every stage of the resident lifecycle. But the highlight is our move-in tracker, which simplifies the move-in process for residents by giving them one place to sign up and activate all the essentials, like Wi-Fi and electricity. This helps them feel at home from day one, and gives you bonus points for a seamless experience — without extra effort on your part. The roadmap A preview of enhancements you can take advantage of now, or soon! Chat IQ It just keeps getting better with Chat IQ. This...

The housing crisis isn’t going away overnight, but with the power of innovation and technology, people can get housed faster and smarter. That’s why public housing authorities (PHAs) are stepping up to the challenge. We had the privilege of sitting down with some visionary authorities to discuss their plans, and to say we were inspired is an understatement. These agencies understand they need to adapt to meet the changing needs of their community. Leaders in the industry are taking the leap towards implementing technology and transforming their operations — even if it means dipping their feet into an area they aren’t familiar with. By choosing innovation, they’re setting the bar high for public housing authorities — proving that with the right tools and mindset, we can overcome the most daunting challenges. Their commitment to change is paving the way for a brighter future where all families can find safe and affordable housing. “We’re striving to be innovative in our use of technology and development of affordable housing units. We must think outside the box. It’s critical for housing authorities to reinvent themselves and become community leaders. And Yardi has been critical in helping us take that leap,” says Carol Jones-Gilbert, CEO of Palm Beach Housing Authority. In this article, you’ll learn how agencies are using innovation to: Prioritize residents in their operations Navigate the challenges of the PHA world Plan and prepare for the future Putting residents first It’s no secret that there are many moving parts in getting applicants approved for public housing. From managing waitlists to ensuring compliance, the process can be daunting and time-consuming. But agencies are moving forward as technology evolves. Paper processes are a thing of the past, and innovation is the new gold standard. With trusted software, agencies are prioritizing the needs and happiness of their residents. After all, assuring residents receive the support they need is paramount to the goals of public housing agencies. We caught up with Weneshia Brand, deputy director of the Ann Arbor Housing Commission, and discussed her success with Yardi. She explained how they continually strive for excellence in all aspects of their operations and want to set the bar high for other agencies to follow. She championed the simplicity of handling all their business in one platform, including their maintenance, reporting and financial activity. “With Yardi, we can manage our maintenance requests, financial records and compliance reports all in one place,” she offered. These integrations have saved her team hours while also reducing the risk of errors and increasing overall efficiency. But what’s most important is that, with innovation on the rise, agencies can focus on what really matters: the residents. Staff members can now dedicate time to more hands-on tasks, such as maintenance requests, property inspections and personalized support programs. The innovation doesn’t stop here for the Ann Arbor Housing Commission. Brand disclosed her plans to implement Yardi Case Manager. Their interest stems from the desire to be part of the continuum of care. “The case management system will allow us to process our homeless individuals more quickly, ensuring they receive the support they need,” Brand explained. This progressive approach confirms their commitment to leveraging technology to better serve their community and get more people housed. Keeping up with the ever-changing PHA world Public housing agencies are doing incredible work to keep up with the evolving PHA space. They’re navigating a complex web of regulations, adapting to shifting policies and managing staff turnover — all while ensuring their residents are receiving the care they deserve. Let’s be honest, compliance with HUD regulations can cause headaches for many agencies. Navigating the complexities of changing policies at the federal level, staff turnover and compliance work requires dedication and hours of planning. Among these dedicated agencies is the Palm Beach Housing Authority, which has leaned on Yardi to stay compliant and expand the areas they serve. In fact, their...

Public housing authorities (PHAs) across the U.S. are facing a major challenge: many of their employees are getting close to retirement. It’s estimated that over 50 percent of PHA and other public sector employees could retire within the next five years. This means PHAs need to have a plan in place to fill these upcoming vacancies with qualified people. However, it’s not easy — 79 percent of agencies cannot find qualified candidates for open positions, according to a survey by NeoGov, an HR solution provider for the public sector. Succession planning is crucial for PHAs. It’s not just about finding someone to fill a job — it’s about keeping a skilled workforce that can serve their communities effectively. A good succession plan can also lead to better employee retention and engagement. In fact, organizations with strong plans have retention rates 50 percent higher than those without them. To tackle these challenges, PHAs must ensure their staff possess the right skills and knowledge to step into leadership roles when needed. The Yardi Aspire Learning Management System (LMS) is a powerful tool that can help. Aspire delivers effective industry education, skill development and promotion preparation — helping PHAs build a strong pipeline of talent and ensuring smooth leadership transitions. Why succession planning matters Succession planning involves looking ahead and being prepared. According to the HUD Instructional Guide, succession planning helps PHAs in several key ways: Ensures long-term success: Confirms that PHAs maintain smooth service delivery, even during leadership changes. Reduces risks: Identifies important roles and prepares internal candidates when key positions become vacant. Promotes staff growth: Promotes staff development and prepares them for leadership roles, ensuring the right skills are in place. How Aspire supports succession planning Aspire offers several tools that are vital for effective succession planning, such as: Extensive catalog: Offers hundreds of short, interactive courses designed to fit within a busy workday from the LMS or on a mobile device with the Aspire App. The Aspire catalog covers a variety of training topics, including industry knowledge, fair housing and sexual harassment, safety, Yardi software, leadership, professional skills and more. PHAs can also create custom courses to ensure organization-specific learning needs are covered. Assess and develop internal talent: Evaluate your current workforce to identify high-potential employees who could fill key roles in the future with Aspire assessments. Then, map out the key skills needed for each role included in the strategic plan. Configure Aspire to automatically deliver or recommend development opportunities to equip these individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge. These include offering training, mentorship and leadership development assignments — all of which can be set up and tracked in Aspire. IMAGE: Skills assigned report shows a Seattle Housing Authority employee’s progress toward assigned skill proficiency. Custom Learning Plans: Aspire’s embedded authoring tools allow succession plan teams to create custom learning plans that align with their succession goals. These plans clarify the promotion path, which often includes a variety of tasks, learning assignments, forms and surveys and assessments to make sure employees are fully prepared for future roles. External Certifications: Aspire helps PHAs stay compliant with HUD requirements, which is especially important during leadership transitions. In addition to assigning hundreds of short, program-specific courses for Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), Section 8, and Enterprise Income Verification (EIV), Aspire clients can upload 3rd party training (i.e., industry certifications) and schedule annual recertification. Comprehensive Reporting: Use the interactive dashboards and scheduled reports to ensure that the required skills and competencies are in place and necessary certifications are up to date. Implementing a succession plan with Aspire Identify Key Roles: Start by identifying the roles that are crucial for your PHA’s operations. Aspire can help document the responsibilities and skills needed for each role. Develop Potential Successors: Use Aspire to create and track personalized development plans for potential successors. These plans can include opportunities to earn badges and rewards, keeping...

AI is top of mind across the real estate industry, and the business case for AI in CRE has become clear. CRE stakeholders embracing AI’s impact on the industry are already employing data-driven approaches to decision making while leveraging AI to improve day to day operations including optimized AP processing and customer service. Following are three ways AI is revolutionizing CRE with tech you can implement now. Chatbots A chatbot is any software solution that simulates conversation using natural language through text or voice interaction. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Meta’s Llama and Anthropic’s Claude are examples of large language models (LLMs), which draw on vast amounts of data to predict the next word and answer a question or suggest a solution to a problem. Common uses for ChatGPT include writing emails, proofreading and other everyday tasks. Businesses are employing chatbots most often for customer service. In the multifamily sector, owners are using this type of AI to respond to resident questions and maintenance requests, as well as to provide prospects with information about properties. Research shows that a smart chatbot can significantly reduce the number of days it takes to convert a lead to a lease. With regard to saving staff time and optimizing efficiency for maintenance processes, during a call to report a clogged sink, for example, a chatbot can take the resident through steps to resolve the problem before issuing a maintenance request or connecting them with a property team member. Managers at office, retail and industrial properties can use ChatGPT in similar ways. Yardi employs ChatGPT in its natural language processing solution to improve the accuracy of its responses to client questions. Yardi’s chatbot now resolves 80 percent of inquiries that previously required the attention of a customer service representative. As a result, team members are freed up to tackle requests and issues where solutions aren’t readily available and more expertise is required. Web content solutions A widespread lack of website compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) touched off a wave of federal legal challenges beginning in 2018. By creating environments where website users can participate equally, operators can avoid this legal risk and foster seamless interaction with digital content. In recent years, emerging AI platforms in web development have begun to provide solutions to address ADA compliance issues, according to Equally AI, a developer of website accessibility software. Screen readers and natural language processing can analyze and interpret web content, providing auditory cues to assist users with visual impairments, for example, while conversational AI speech recognition capabilities allow users with mobility impairments to interact with websites through voice commands. AI-powered captions and transcriptions provide similar benefits to those with hearing problems. Other solutions include AI-driven interface enhancements such as adaptive design and intelligent navigation, which can adapt websites based on user preferences and behaviors. Machine learning In recent years, Yardi employed a full-service invoice processing center for 60 million annual client invoices, where teams would manually scan, key and code invoices into client environments. This would then initiate the workflow for invoice approval. But over the last three years, the company has migrated that activity to machine learning. Vendor names, invoice numbers and line item details are now encoded into the accounting systems for fully automated processing. Employing machine learning to this tedious, time-consuming task has not only improved accuracy but has also produced cost savings, which Yardi is passing onto clients. “These are very simple tasks, but the machines need a lot of data and experience to achieve a high level of accuracy,” said Brian Sutherland, a Yardi vice president. “We certainly have that data at scale.” Similar endeavors Yardi is working on include a lease extraction solution. That will pair machine learning with a chatbot to identify, collect and organize lease expiration dates, rent step-ups, options and other pertinent information that is typically buried in dense contract verbiage, making it difficult...

Chat IQ is helping one million units with seamless communication! To celebrate this milestone, we spoke with Chat IQ’s biggest fans: Top property managers in the industry. Discover why the industry loves this powerful bot and how it all creates a domino effect when it comes to driving efficiency in their organization. Backing it up with the numbers “We’re thrilled about the unit milestone,” said Paul Yount, industry principal at Yardi. “It means that our valued clients trust us with their AI bot needs.” This year to date, Chat IQ has handled over four million inbound messages for our clients and their agents. This resulted in over 225,000 hours saved, according to Yardi data. One of the standout benefits is the improvement in what Yount refers to as “speed to lease,” or the time it takes for a prospect to become a resident. Chat IQ accelerated the time it took for a prospect to sign a lease by up to seven days. “Days equal dollars when it comes to vacancy, so this is really improving not just the efficiency of the onsite teams, but the community and client’s bottom line,” Yount concluded. About Chat IQ Chat IQ answers prospect and resident questions around the clock through chat, email, text and calls. It frees up your staff to focus on higher-level activities they enjoy more than answering repetitive questions. Chat IQ instantly answers almost all customer base intents, connects customers to real agents if needed and now includes support from Yardi when your agents are unavailable. Our clients say it best Chat IQ has garnered praise from top property managers for its outstanding performance and benefits it brings to their operations. Here are some of the key advantages that make this AI-powered bot an industry favorite. Enhanced efficiency Chat IQ can answer 97 percent of questions without needing to learn anything new, eliminating the need for constant data reentry. Carrie Bakke, senior systems analyst at the Lund Company, shares her experience, stating, “In the first six months after we rolled out Chat IQ, we had an average of three leases per month that were generated entirely from the bot. It freed up approximately six hours a day spent answering questions. And all of that information has been provided without our site teams having to lift a finger.” Freed up time for leasing agents Chat IQ allows community team members to do more valuable and meaningful work, while providing the immediacy today’s consumers expect. “Chat IQ is there day or night, business day or holiday,” said Yount. The ability to operate around the clock has made a significant impact on leasing teams. Leslie Henry, SVP at Towne Properties, notes, “After we implemented Chat IQ, our site teams quickly realized how useful it was in gaining back time. They love how it filtered out less promising leads in the beginning. We let them customize some aspects of the responses so there was more of a personal human touch.” Proven ROI For others, Chat IQ is simply about the return on investment. Jason Gherardini, SVP of IT at Sares Regis Group, highlights the value Chat IQ brings, saying, “We get true ROI with Chat IQ from the first conversation, discussion, all the way to lease. It’s a good product.” And it’s getting even better with a new AI update We’re excited to announce that Chat IQ is now more efficient, more impactful and more streamlined with several AI enhancements: Customizable brand tone: Chat IQ matches your company’s unique voice and style, creating consistency in each conversation. OpenAI ChatGPT integration: Prospects and residents will enjoy more natural, human-like interactions. Better interactions: Chat IQ now responds dynamically to questions, moving beyond templated responses to provide a more interactive experience. Multi-question handling: Seamlessly address multiple questions in a single chat, such as “What’s the pet policy, the nearest dog park and the pet deposit?” New voice...

Affordable housing may very well be the most complex component of the multifamily rental housing industry. Its regulations under federal, state and local programs are challenges that require expensive training and years of professional experience to master. Web developers using a computer together in a creative office. Two business people working on a new software developing project in an office. Given the complexity of doing business in affordable housing, it’s no wonder many organizations choose to contract with third-party compliance vendors such as Yardi RightSource. Chris Voss, Yardi vice president of affordable housing, founded RightSource in 2006. His company found its way to the Yardi family in 2020, creating a unique opportunity for Yardi clients to easily add compliance expertise to their team without having to recruit, hire or train new employees. “I’m proud of the team we’ve built and the services we provide. The numbers show RightSource is not only a successful product for Yardi, but is creating tremendous value for our clients. It’s truly a win-win as our client list grows and we deliver on our promise of reducing the cost and complexity of compliance for affordable housing providers,” says Voss. Let’s take a look at some key metrics to learn more about how RightSource creates value for its clients. Note: You’ll see the term “file” come up a lot in these stats. A file, in this case, means all of the documentation that a household must provide to an affordable housing provider to qualify for a unit. Files are the backbone of compliance as they are audited and reported on throughout the residential lifecycle in affordable housing. 24 hours In general, RightSource advises clients that a file submitted for review will be returned within 24 hours. That’s a stark difference from relying on in-office team members who may or may not be up to date with current regulations, or who may lack industry knowledge to make a truly informed decision of completeness within such a short period of time. AAMCI, a Yardi RightSource client since 2020, attests to the timeliness of file reviews. “RightSource delivers fast file reviews within 24-hours or less. That commitment and reliability helps us fill units faster with the confidence of knowing the data used to approve the file matches our records in Yardi Voyager,” said Deedra Burroughs, AAMCI chief financial officer. 220,000 files, annually Affordable housing providers submit approximately 220,000 files for review every year. That’s as of July 2024, and the number continues to grow. 10 minutes On average, RightSource auditors can actually complete a file review in just 10 minutes! Leveraging proprietary technology that sorts files, automates financial calculations and digitizes file data, the RightSource team and its decades of combined experience completes reviews with impressive speed. 1,900 files, monthly RightSource’s most active client submitted nearly 2,000 files in a single month last year. Imagine how many staff resources that would have required if completed by an in-house team of housing specialists instead of contracting with RightSource. Complete files in less than 1 week On average, it takes three RightSource reviews, each returned to the client usually within 24 hours, before an affordable housing file is determined to be complete and compliant with all applicable federal and state program mandates. If an applicant household can resolve file deficiencies quickly, they’re likely to be certified to live in a unit in less than a week. That’s a fraction of the time many affordable housing providers spend qualifying households without RightSource. Nearly 500,000 units RightSource clients own and operate nearly half a million affordable housing units. More than half of those fall under the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program which is overseen and run by housing finance agencies in all 50 states. RightSource keeps forms current for its clients for LIHTC programs and continuously updates them as each state makes programmatic changes. HUD 50059 units total more than 130,000, and...

Take your leasing team’s performance to the next level with Yardi Aspire — our user-friendly learning management solution built to revolutionize employee development. In the dynamic realm of property leasing, where each interaction holds significance, it’s essential to ensure your team excels in all aspects of leasing. With Aspire’s course assignment tool automatically delivering tailored content from its 10 course micro-learning series on leasing essentials, you can streamline your leasing training process with ease — propelling your team toward success. Maximize your leasing professionals’ potential Aspire helps companies seamlessly integrate third-party secret shop scores, or internally collected shop data, into their long-term training strategy. Secret shops are popular in the industry because they provide invaluable insights on employee performance, detailed scores in critical areas such as warm greetings, information gathering and timely tour invitations. By automating the assignment of micro-training courses, Aspire helps companies centralize that data and take the next step forward. Imagine a system where areas for improvement are recorded and relevant training is assigned automatically. With Aspire, this isn’t just a concept — it’s a reality. Our short, customizable leasing essentials courses focus on specific improvement areas highlighted in the shop report, ensuring targeted and effective skill enhancement. By leveraging Aspire’s automated approach to skill development, companies can maximize the value of their investment in shop services and other employee evaluation techniques. The dynamic solution helps you proactively address skill gaps with a personalized approach. Explore leasing courses in Aspire In today’s competitive leasing market, staying ahead requires continuous refinement of your team’s abilities. Aspire empowers companies to achieve precisely that — offering an innovative, efficient and automated solution to leasing agent performance development that is unique to the individual. Aspire’s leasing essentials courses include: Leasing Essentials: Phone Skills — Examine the techniques needed for successful phone conversations with prospective residents. We’ll discuss using proper phone greetings with prospects, gathering contact information and asking probing questions. Leasing Essentials: Promoting a Property by Phone — Learn the four aspects of promoting your property to prospects over the phone. We’ll discuss how to showcase property features, overcome objections, schedule a tour and close with the prospect.  Leasing Essentials: Building Rapport With Prospects by Phone — Discover the three parts of building rapport with a prospect on the phone.  Leasing Essentials: Responding to Internet Inquiries — Explore six strategies for responding to internet leasing inquiries from prospects.   Leasing Essentials: Preparing for Tours — Find out how preparation of the leasing office, property and unit impacts the success of a property tour with prospective residents. Leasing Essentials: Greeting a Prospect for Tours — See the three best practices for greeting a prospect. Following these recommendations can help you have greater success when conducting a tour.  Leasing Essentials: Gathering Prospect Information for Tours — Unlock the three parts of gathering prospect information prior to a property tour including setup, asking questions and implementing fair housing laws. We also explain the techniques associated with each part of the discussion. Leasing Essentials: Conducting a Successful Tour — Review how to conduct a successful property tour with a prospect. We recommend strategies for each part of a tour including touring the property, touring the home and addressing prospect concerns. Leasing Essentials: Closing With a Prospect — Determine the five steps for closing with a prospect during and after a property tour.   Leasing Essentials: Following Up With a Prospect — Find out when and how often to follow up with a prospect. We also explain best practices for common follow-up methods including email, phone call or text.  Start your journey with Aspire Ready to say goodbye to outdated training methods and embrace a brighter future for your leasing team? Reach out to team Yardi for a closer look at Aspire. We’re passionate about helping you unleash the full potential of your workforce — and witness your leasing success reach new...