Pivotal Shifts Dec29

Pivotal Shifts

There’s no way to introduce an article about the changes wrought by 2020 that doesn’t underplay the significance of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s affected the way we do everything — limiting travel, increasing screen time and turning even the most basic activity into an exercise in risk management. For people in the multifamily industry, apartment rentals went from a typically high-touch experience to virtually contactless, seemingly overnight. And while some of the changes are only temporary, others are likely to last long after the virus abates. “This year is a pivotal moment that will reshape how we do business,” asserts Esther Bonardi, vice president of marketing here at Yardi. “The pandemic is changing our future. How can we use this for good?” Bonardi recently had the chance to talk with three multifamily leaders about their experiences marketing and leasing apartments during the pandemic. Hear from Garin Hamburger, senior director of national marketing at Pinnacle; Ian Mattingly, president of LumaCorp Inc.; and Pei Pei Mirabella, senior vice president of operations at Bozzuto on the emerging trends that will have the biggest impact on multifamily rentals going forward. Bonardi: What do you think was the biggest change in 2020 that has the most potential to become a permanent shift in the way we do business? Hamburger: The biggest change that will last through the pandemic and continue to evolve after it are the creation of alternative tour types, specifically virtual and self-guided tours. I really believe we’re coming into an age where technology will dramatically shift the customer journey and the leasing agent experience. Mirabella: The companies faring better during abrupt shutdowns have the tools and technology in place to pivot operations and enhance productivity while working remotely. In addition to using live and pre-recorded virtual...