July/August 2020 Window on Rental Housing

ON RENTAL HOUSING

JUL AUG 2020

THIS ISSUE:

COVID-19:

The New Normal?

18

PG.

22 Virtual Tours: The Best Way To Do This

26 2020 Supplier Parade

32 Managing A

Way Forward

T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E

Austin Apartment Association

YOUR SAFETY. YOUR UTILITIES. OUR PRIORITY.

We want to keep the lights on and the water running.

The City of Austin cares about the health and safety of you and your residents. While social distancing, stay connected to your City Utilities and City information channels.

Resources for both residents and owners and managers of multifamily properties are available.

For more information, please visit: austintexas.gov/COVID19 or call 3-1-1. Š 2020 City of Austin

Tow With Confidence A&A W WRECKER IS AUSTIN’S A PRIVATE PR PROPERTY TOWING SP SPECIALIST S SIN SINCE 2002.

From our smart towing technology and free mobile app to innovations such as special event permits and self-service guest parking, see why A&A Wrecker and Recovery lets you tow with confidence...every time.

Family Owned and Operated Fully Licensed and Insured Vendor Credential Approved

Phone: (512) 670-7578 | info@aawreckeraustin.com

www.aawreckeraustin.com

Tow With Confidence - Avoid Bad Tows Full visibility and accountability of all towing and warning activity. Leading the industry in expertise and experience with ever-changing tow laws and regulations.

Smart Towing Technology Our client portal provides unparalleled documentation of real-time photos of all towed vehicles or warning tags issued. Inalterable time, date, and location stamps. Send tow requests directly to our dispatch team.

Notices for Residents Professional customized notices for your residents.

Communicate the community’s parking rules and towing enforcement prior to actual enforcement.

Parking Permits Made Easy Cloud-based software helps you manage, create and instantly print parking permits from any computer or mobile device.

Permits print with a plate number, expiration date and reserved space number as applicable.

Guest Parking New! Easy and fast 24/7 self-service guest vehicle registration system. Send text alerts prior to parking expiration or towing enforcement. Intelligent detection eliminates guest parking abuse.

Special Event Permits Rent your Clubhouse? Your resident receives a link to share a Special Event Permit with their invited guests. Guest “Click and Print” and register the permit. Alert sent to vehicle owner when permit nears expiration.

IS MORE THAN JUST A FRESH COAT OF PAINT AT CAMP, IF IT’S UNDER YOUR ROOF WE’VE GOT IT COVERED

512.394.1111 // CAMPCONSTRUCTION.COM

CONTENTS JULY / A UGUST 2020 ISSUE

FEATURES 18 COVID-19:

The New Normal?

22 Virtual Tours:

The Best Way To Do This

32 Managing A Way Forward 10 15

26

2020 Supplier Parade June 17-18, 2020 Your AAA Suppliers got creative and checked in on the onsite Owners & Managers during COVID-19 with social distancing in mind.

Redbook Legal Seminar Register for new August dates

Wild Wild West Trade Show Reserve your booth or be a sponsor

24

Larry Neimann Fall Golf Classic

28

COVID-19 Trusted Members

30

Plant the Seeds for Good PR

37

APEX Awards

Benefitting Apartment PAC Austin

Members offering specialized COVID-19 services

Understanding it as the long game it is

Property of the Year and Professional of the Year

JULY / AUGUST /

3

Austin Apartment Association 2019-20 2 0

The Official Publication of the

A USTIN APARTMENT A SSOCIATION 8620 Burnet Road #475 Austin, TX 78757 P: 512.323.0990 F: 512.323.2979 www.austinaptassoc.com

IN EV E RY I S S U E 5

12

Industry Update

6 Leadership

14

Diamond Sponsors

7 Calendar

16

New Members

9

Presidents Perspective

38

Law In Order

11

Market Report

Letter from EVP

AD VE RT I S E R I N D EX IFC Austin Energy

21 Charter Furniture

Communications Advisory Committee Chairs

1

A&A Wrecker

23 Ameristar

2

Camp Construction

23 Austin Estate Gate

Danielle Archuleta (844) 433-3824 Stephanie Naylor (512) 335-8138

17 BG Multifamily

25 Century A/C Supply

21 Austin Resource Recovery

29 CORT

Executive Editor

33 InterSolutions Staffing 33 Maintenance Supply Headquarters 40 Ameristar IBC Guardian Construction OBC Integrity Paving

Emily Blair, CAE

Managing Editor Amber Collins

The advertising and article submission deadline for the September/October 2020 issue of Window on Rental Housing is July 15, 2020. All material submitted is subject to review and approval of the Austin Apartment Association. The publisher assumes no responsibility for care and return of unsolicited material. The Austin Apartment Association is

Association Staff

affiliated with the Texas Apartment Association and the National Apartment Association.

Emily Blair, CAE, Executive Vice President, emily@austinaptassoc.com

For questions concerning advertising, articles or subscriptions, call (512) 323-0990.

Dana Bolz, CMP, Director of Events/Meetings, dana@austinaptassoc.com

Window on Rental Housing is published bi-monthly by the Austin Apartment Association, 8620 Burnet Road #475, Austin, Texas 78757, (512) 323-0990, (512) 323-2979 fax.

Paul Cauduro, CAE, Director of Government Relations,

paul@austinaptassoc.com Amber Collins, Director of Marketing & Communications,

Austin Apartment Association

amber@austinaptassoc.com Jeanette Gonzalez, Administrative Assistant, jeanette@austinaptassoc.com Amy Lydic, CAE, Director of Education amyl@austinaptassoc.com Lynne Williams, Accounting Manager, lynne@austinaptassoc.com Lisa Berman, Director of Membership Development

lisa@austinaptassoc.com Event Photos by David Cox

www.davidcox.org

Design by Graphic Engine Design Studio

www.GraphicEngine.net

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2020

GET YOUR REPORT ON AUGUST 31ST! What information is included in the report?

A sampling of salaries, benefits, turnover, policies and commissions for on-site office and maintenance personnel at properties with 50+ units within our association’s eleven-county region.

How much does the survey report cost? $125+tax – FREE to those that participated in the survey Where can I purchase the survey report?

The report can be purchased through the AAA office by those who did not participate in the survey. *Only those in a Supervisor/Regional Manager role and above are eligible to purchase the report.

THE EDITOR Letter from

ADAPT, REACT, RE-ADAPT, APT. If anyone is a mega-fan of “The Office” (like I am) you know the quote. It is one part of a hilarious list of “business tips” Michael Scott imparts on Ryan, the temp.

Although this tip is not a very good one (and let’s face it, doesn’t make much sense altogether) an element of it is very apt as we were putting this issue together.

E

ach and every one of us has been in the mode of adapting and reacting these last few months.

The Association is no different! Just like your business or community, sometimes when we thought we had a plan – well something changed, and we had to re-adapt.

During this time, we saw our members display resiliency and innovation. As an example, virtual tours quickly became the norm and a tool our members were widely using to keep up the leasing activity at their properties. Now, virtual tours are improving leasing activity at just the same pace and will continue as a regular offering for prospective residents well past this pandemic. Check out the feature article in this issue about making virtual tours even better, enabling your leasing team to get more results.

Plus, as a bonus this year – the Austin Apartment

Emily Blair, CAE

2019-2020 Executive Vice President / Executive Editor

Association will be rewarding a Property with the “Best Virtual Tour” award at the brand-new APEX Awards in December. Stay tuned for more details and the release of that new award category!

Not only have we all adapted operationally, but those managing teams in our industry also have adapted in their leadership style and approach. Our community is experiencing challenging times as we face heightened issues related to race and equity. It is critical that the leaders in our industry hone their skills to lead better: leading calmly, compassionately, with great consideration and consistency. This month’s message from President Eckhardt will hopefully inspire action and a renewed way of thinking, and the article about managing as we move forward is very… well - apt!

We know our industry is #multifamilystrong and one thing is for certain — we will keep moving forward.

Emily Blair, CAE

2020 / JULY - AUGUST /

5

20 19 -2 0 2 0 E XECUT I V E CO MMI T T EE

2019-2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Adrian Garcia, CAM, CAPS, Bluebonnet Commercial Management, LLC Amanda Seamans, CAS, Texas Materials a CRH Company Bill Warren, Warren Law Firm Cecil Domel, Belco Equities Chelsea Kneeland, CAS, J Turner Research Christi Pyle, CAM, CAPS, LDG Development

Sandy Eckhardt CREA Management

Stephani Park Roscoe Properties

President

President-elect

Ryan Harmon

Christy Sanchez

CAS

CPM, CAM

Camp Construction

Desiree Golden, CAM, CAPS, Foundation Communities Shannon Green, Weinstein Properties

Alliance Residential, LLC, Secretary/Treasurer

Vice President

Haydee Scott, CAS, BG Multifamily Kris Burleson, CAS, Gage Multifamily Services Kimberly Faulkner, Greystar Lyndsay Hanes, CPM, Topaz Asset Management Meagan Johnston, CAPS, Roscoe Properties Missy Sterns, CAPS, LDG Development Sam Levassar, CAS, Camp Construction Shay Mickler, The Liberty Group Stephanie Naylor, CAS, Flooring Warehouse

Stephanie Petersen, CAM Bluebonnet Commercial Management LLC

Katya Watson

Renee Zahn

CAM

NALP, CAM, ARM, CPM

VP at Large

VP at Large

Immediate Past President

Greystar

Terri Needham, CAS, PS Landscapes, Inc. Toni Rackley, Flooring Warehouse

Greystar

Tracy Slappey-Scott, Pinnacle An American Mgmt. Co.

A A A PA ST PRE SI DENT S John Harrison* (64)

Jim Solt* (76)

Carl E. Beck (88)

Frank Montgomery* (65)

Steve Colella (77)

Kim M. McGregor (89)

Jim Eichelberger* (66)

Ted Hendricks* (78)

Beth Holt (90)

Andy Wagner* (67)

Hank Guerrero* (79)

David Stapleton, CPM (91)

Ray Littlefield* (68)

Don Tait (80)

Sheri Gallo (92)

George Nalle* (69)

Ray Head (81)

Gina Roberts (93)

Don Jackson (70)

Ed Norton (82)

Carol Martine, CPM (94)

Gene McGregor* (71)

Bob Benson (83)

Keith Warner (95)

Ed Hamel (72)

Jimmy C. Elliott (84)

Michael R. Hill, CPM (96)

Barry Gillingwater* (73)

Joe Sharp (85)

Vicki L. Sharp, NALP, CAPS (97)

James Raper (74)

Dick Obenhaus (86)

Kim M. McGregor (98)

Rich Ellmer (75)

Susan Melton (87)

Anna Kelley* (99)

Bill Roland, CPM, CCIM (00-01) Tami Martin, NALP, CAMT, CAM, CAPS (01-02) Carol Martine, CPM (02-03) Joy Lamb, CPM (03- 04) John Raper (04-05) Debi Wehmeier, CPM (05-06) Renee Clark, CAM, CAPS (06-07) Sherry Perrin (07-08) Jana Ellis (08-09) Kara Garst, CAPS (09-10) Sarah Thompson, CAM, CAPS

Brooke Mahoney-Livesay CAPS (11-12) Sandy Eckhardt (12-13) Colleen Grahn (13-14) Robbie Robinson, CAM, CAPS, ARM (14-15) Gus Villegas (15-16) Theresa Ebner (16-17) Dwayne Stewart (17-18) Renee Zahn, CAM, NALP, ARM, CPM (18-19) *deceased

(10-11)

20 19 -2 0 2 0 COMMI T T EE C HAI RPERSONS Austin Supervisors Council

Kimberly Faulkner Meagan Johnston, CAPS Shanna Pope Communications Advisory Committee

Education Foundation Board President

Brooke Mahoney-Livesay, CAPS Food Drive

Danielle Archuleta Stephanie Naylor, CAS

Stephanie Naylor, CAS Terri Needham, CAS Paige Russell

Community Outreach

Investment Committee

Taryn Merrill Toni Rackley

Stephanie Petersen, CAM Ben Wells, CAS

Education Advisory Council

Legislative Committee

Dedra Bouffard, CAM Krista Washbourne

Meagan Johnston, CAPS Lyndsay Hanes, CPM Stephanie Petersen, CAM

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Membership A-Team

Products & Services Council

Of Counsel

Robyn Riley Carrie Thomes, CAM

Bill Warren, Warren Law Firm

Ryan Harmon, CAS Joshua Nichols

Ryan Harmon, CAS, Chair Rene Flores, CAS, Chair-elect Toni Rackley, Vice Chair Terri Needham, CAS, Immediate Past Chair

Next Gen Committee

PSC Members at Large

Tiffany Blankman John Claybrook Brooke Ludwig

Kris Burleson, CAS Brian Hackworth Chelsea Kneeland, CAS Shay Mickler, CAM, CAS Ashley Pruden, CAS Robyn Riley Anna Samaratunga, CAS Haydee Scott Carol Taylor

Membership M-Team

Political Action

Theresa Ebner, CAM, CAPS, CPM Gus Villegas

Texas Apartment Association

512-479‑6252 National Apartment Association

703‑518‑6141

Calendar of

EVENTS

JULY 2020 DATE EVENT

PLACE

TIME

8

Webinar Wednesday - 8 Free and Inexpensive Strategies to Enhance the Resident Experience VIRTUAL

14

AAA Virtual Seminar: Customer Service During Tough Times VIRTUAL 10:00am-11:00am

21-24 NALP Credential Course

AAA

1:00pm-2:00pm

8:30pm-4:30pm

Webinar Wednesday You’re Here, You’re There, You Can’t Be Everywhere! Motivating and Engaging Your Remote Teams VIRTUAL

1:00pm-2:00pm

27-31 CAPS Credential Course VIRTUAL

10:00am-2:00pm

22

28

Fair Housing with Attorney Bill Warren

VIRTUAL

8:30am-12:00pm

30

July Food for Thought: Creating an Unforgettable Fitness “Experience” and Building a Positive Online Presence VIRTUAL

12:00pm-1:00pm

AUGUST 2020

shutterstock

DATE EVENT

PLACE

TIME

11

2020 BUSINESS EXCHANGE AAA

1:00pm-4:30pm

12

Doc & Gayle Young Food Drive Kick-off

1:00pm-5:00pm

12

Webinar Wednesday Fair Housing Ain’t Fair It’s EQUAL: 2020 Edition VIRTUAL

1:00pm-2:00pm

19

Webinar Wednesday Mastering Maintenance: Your Service Techs are Your Front Line of Customer

VIRTUAL

1:00pm-2:00pm

20

Assistants Wear All the Hats: Managing Up and Down

AAA

25

REDBOOK Multi-Family Rental Housing Legal Seminar – South

TCEA Conference Center

8:30pm-4:30pm

26

Webinar Wednesday Building a Better Culture Why Emotionally Intelligent Leaders Win

WEBINAR

1:00pm-2:00pm

27

REDBOOK Multi-Family Rental Housing Legal Seminar – North

The Commons at J.J. Pickle Research Campus 8:30pm-4:30pm

AAA

8:30am – 11:30am

2020 / JULY - AUGUST /

7

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President’s

PERSPECTIVE Sandy Eckhardt

CREA Management 2019-2020 President

#MULTIFAMILYSTRONG

How will we lead?

shutterstock

W

e find ourselves at a difficult time in history.

The COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment on the rise in Greater Austin, health and safety fears, being separated from family, friends and co-workers, a trying and tiring parenting season while many families suddenly became homeschool teachers in addition to everything else. All of this, on top of now heartbreaking tragedies occurring in our nation earlier this Summer.

However, the Austin Apartment Association is #MULTIFAMILYSTRONG. More than ever, I want to encourage you to draw upon your strength, compassion, and grace to lead our teams, communities, and families through this difficult time.

Our industry is unique in that it is diverse in both experience and background.

Our industry is also unique in that we are positioned to have a role in positively impacting the racial and equity

SOPS

issues when it comes to things dear to each and every person – home.

As Bob Pinnegar from NAA stated, “Our industry is interlocked with the principles of the Fair Housing Act, which is based on the concept that all people should be treated equally.”

That is part of what makes us #multifamilystrong.

Let us use our beautiful differences to be a voice for change and a voice for good in our community. Even if we differ in opinions, we can lead together and stand in solidarity. We can lead our teams and our industry to treat our employees, residents, future residents equally.

Afterall, inclusiveness has been at the core of AAA’s values – our sense of community is one of our greatest assets.

Let’s continue to be an industry inclusive of all persons and all professions working towards our mission here in the Greater Austin area.

Let’s make sure people thrive where they live.

More than ever, I want to encourage you to draw upon your strength, compassion, and grace to lead our teams, communities, and families through this difficult time.

2020 / JULY - AUGUST /

9

Register Review Realize REDBOOK Legal Seminar 2020 Join Attorney Bill Warren, Warren Law Firm, For The Must-Attend Seminar of 2020!

NEW SEMINAR DATES: South on August 25 OR North on August 27 (You will automatically be moved to the corresponding SOUTH or NORTH August date if you had already registered for the March or April seminars) Sharpen your knowledge of your legal rights and responsibilities as a rental housing owner or manager by participating in one of the REDBOOK “Multi-Family Rental Housing Legal Seminars” being offered by AAA. These full-day intensive seminars cover legal, leasing and liability issues from the perspective of onsite apartment managers, assistant managers and leasing agents. They emphasize changes in management practices required by new laws passed during the last legislative session and updates on key regulatory issues.

2 DATES & 2 LOCATIONS TO CHOOSE FROM All-Day Session•$234 ($374 with Redbook purchase)•Lunch Included SOUTH Tuesday, August 25, 2020 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM TCEA Conference Center 3100 Alvin DeVane Blvd., Building B Austin, TX 78741

NORTH Thursday, August 27, 2020 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM The Commons at J.J. Pickle Research Campus 10100 Burnet Rd. Austin, TX 78758

REGISTER: www.austinaptassoc.com/redbook All AAA Education: www.austinaptassoc.com/education

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS Must be present for your entire session. Five (5) TREC/ MCE & NAA/CEC credits given for the All-Day Session.

Must bring real estate license number for MCE credits.

Course Name and Number: Apartment & Rental Housing Legal Seminar -- 38665 Provider: Texas Apartment Association (TAA) -- 0087

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LIMITED ENROLLMENT Your place is guaranteed only after you receive an email confirmation (within 48 hours of submission).

CANCELLATIONS You must submit your cancellation in writing. For the August 25 seminar, cancel by 5:00 p.m., August 18. For the August 27 seminar, cancel by 5:00 p.m., August 20.

June 2020

Market Market Market Market

Line Line Line Line

June 2020 - AUSTIN June 2020 of Effective Price & Occupancy - History AUSTIN June 2020 - History AUSTIN of Effective Price & Occupancy - History AUSTIN of Effective Price & Occupancy

The box on the left displays a snapshot 93 1350 of the current market The box on the left conditions. displays a snapshot 93 1350 The boxcurrent on the left of market 92 The the graph on the right displays a snapshot conditions. displays the overall 93 1350 of the market The boxcurrent on left History of Effective Price & Occupancy occupancy and the effective 1300 92 conditions.

The graph on the right displaysprices a snapshot rental over the 91 93 1350 displays the overall of the current market past 24 months. These Price: 1,278 Size: 874 sf$/mo 92 -0.2% Rental Rate growth The graph on the right occupancy and effective 1300 conditions. statistics are derived from Rental 1.46 $/sf/mo Occupancy: 89.6% 6,397Rate: units absorbed displays the overall rental prices over the 91 a continuous survey of all Size: 874 sf$/mo Past 12Price: Months: 1,278 90 occupancy and the effective past 24 months.

These 92 1300 The graph on right apartment communities.

-0.2%Rate: Rental Rate growth Rental 1.46 $/sf/mo 1250 Operating Supply: rental prices over the statistics are derived from 91 displays the overall Effective rental prices Past 12 Size: Months: 6,397 units absorbed 874 sf 1,035 communities past 24 months.

These a continuous survey of all occupancy and effective 1300 90 are calculated net of -0.2% Rental Rate growth 242,736 units 89 statistics arecommunities. derived from apartment rental prices overutility the 91 concessions and 1250 6,397 units absorbed Operating Supply: Past 12 Months: a continuous surveyprices of all Effective rental past 24 months.

These 90 adjustments.

1,035 communities -0.2% Rental Rate Recently Opened (12 growth mo): apartment are calculated netfrom of statistics arecommunities. derived 1250 Operating Supply: 242,736 units 89 6,397 units absorbed 52 communities Effective rental prices concessions andlists utility a continuous survey ofthe all 88 1200 The table below 90 1,035 J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M 13,263communities units are calculated net of adjustments. apartment communities.

5 hottest submarkets 242,736Opened units (12 mo): Recently 89 1250 Operating Supply: 2018 2019 2020 concessions and Austin utility Effective rental prices in the Greater 52 communities 1,035 communities 88 1200 Under Construction: adjustments.

The below the Price ($/mo) are calculated net of area.table There are lists a total J J AOccupancy S O N D %J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M 89 Recently Opened 13,263 units 242,736 units (12 mo): 48 communities 5 hottest submarkets concessions and utility of 11 submarkets, and 2018 2019 2020 52 communities 88 1200 13,476 units The tableGreater below lists the in the Austin adjustments. the ranking is based on J J below AOccupancy S Odistributes N D %J F M A M J J A concessions S O N D J F(specials) M A M by 13,263 units Under Construction: The table and analyzes Recently Opened (12 mo): Price ($/mo) 5 hottest submarkets area.

There are a total the best combination of 2018 2019represented by three 2020 types of 48 classification.

Concessions generally are 52 communities Proposed Construction: 88 1200 in the Greater Austin of submarkets, and The11 table below lists the rental rate growth and Under Construction: 13,476 specials: move-in, months free, or floorplan.

ApartmentData.com J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M Acaptures M 13,263 units Occupancy % Price ($/mo) 75 communities area.

There are a total the ranking is based on 5 hottest submarkets The tableof below distributes and analyzes concessions absorption over the past 48 communities the effect these them over a lease term(specials) to arrive atby a 2018 specials and prorates 2019 2020 22,807 units of 11 and the bestsubmarkets, combination of in months. the Greater Austin classification.

Concessions generally are represented by three types of 3 13,476 units Proposed Construction: percentage reduction in market or street rents.

Under Construction: Occupancy % Price ($/mo) the ranking based on rental rate is growth and area.

There are a total The tablemove-in, below months distributes analyzes ApartmentData.com concessions (specials) by specials: free,and or floorplan. captures 75 48 communities the bestsubmarkets, combination of absorption over the past of 11 and classification.

Concessions generally represented three typesatof the effect of these specials and proratesare them over a leasebyterm to arrive a Proposed Construction: 22,807 units 13,476 HOTTEST SUBMARKETS rental rate is growth 3 months. ranking basedand on specials: free, orstreet floorplan. captures percentage reduction in market or rents. ApartmentData.com The tablemove-in, below months distributes and analyzes concessions (specials) by CONCESSIONS 75 communities Over The Pastthe 3 Months absorption over the past the best combination of the effect of these specials and proratesare them over a leasebyterm to arrive a classification.

Concessions generally represented three typesatof 22,807 units Proposed Construction: 3 months. rental rate growth and percentage reduction in market ororstreet rents. specials: move-in, months free, floorplan.

ApartmentData.com captures Rank75Submarket Annualized % of Mkt Class Total Units % of Citywide Average HOTTEST SUBMARKETS communities over the the effect of these specials andCONCESSIONS prorates them over a lease arrive at a Growth %past Absorbed w/ Concessions Total Units Effectterm toSpecial Over The Pastabsorption 3 Months 22,807 units 3 months. percentageALL reduction in102,106 market or street rents.

1 OutlyingHOTTEST Metro -2.7% 10.6% 42% -2.4% -5.5% SUBMARKETS CONCESSIONS Rank Submarket Annualized Mkt Class Total Units % of Citywide Average 2 Research Blvd/Over NorthThe Lamar -3.9% % of 0.9% A 37,429 58% -3.8% -6.6% Past 3 Months Growth % Absorbed w/ Concessions Total Units Effect Special 3 I-35 South -3.7% 0.7% B 30,789 42% -2.1% -4.9% HOTTEST SUBMARKETS Rank Submarket Annualized of Mkt Class Total Units % of Citywide Average 1 Outlying MetroGeorgetown -2.7% %10.6% ALL 102,106 42% -2.4% -5.5% CONCESSIONS 4 Round Rock/ 0.2% C 25,413 35% -1.6% -4.5% Over The Past 3 Months -3.0% Growth % Absorbed w/ Concessions Total Units Effect Special 2 Research Blvd/ North Lamar -3.9% 0.9% A 37,429 58% -3.8% -6.6% 5 San Marcos/ Kyle/ Buda -5.8% 0.5% D 8,475 27% -1.0% -3.3% 1 Outlying Metro -2.7% %10.6% ALL 102,106 -2.4% -5.5% 3 I-35 South -3.7% 0.7% B 30,789 42% -2.1% -4.9% Rank Submarket Annualized of Mkt Class Total Units % of Citywide Average 2 Research Blvd/ North Lamar -3.9% 0.9% A 37,429 58% -3.8% -6.6% 4 Round Rock/ Georgetown -3.0% 0.2% C 25,413 35% -1.6% -4.5% Growth % Absorbed w/ Concessions Total Units Effect Special ApartmentData.com has been 3 I-35 South -3.7% 0.7% B 30,789 42% -2.1% -4.9% 5 San Marcos/ Kyle/ Buda -5.8% 0.5% D 8,475 27% -1.0% -3.3% 1 Outlying Metro -2.7% 10.6% ALL 102,106 -2.4% -5.5% providing -1.6% apartment -4.5% data and 4 Round Rock/ Georgetown -3.0% 0.2% C 25,413 35% 2 Research Blvd/ North Lamar -3.9% 0.9% A 37,429 58% -3.8% -6.6% 5 San -5.8% 0.5% D 8,475 27% -1.0% -3.3% marketing products 1986.

We 3 I-35 Marcos/ South Kyle/ Buda -3.7% 0.7% B 30,789 42% -2.1% since -4.9% ApartmentData.com has been HOUSTON SAN ANTONIO DALLAS/FT.WORTH 4 Round Rock/ Georgetown -3.0% 0.2% C 25,413 35% -4.5% provide real-1.6% time access for property providing apartment data and 5 Occupancy: San Marcos/ Kyle/ Buda -5.8% D 8,475 27% -1.0% -3.3% ApartmentData.com been specific products information, market 88.9% Occupancy: 89.4% 0.5% Occupancy: 91.1% marketing sincehas 1986.

We HOUSTON SAN ANTONIO DALLAS/FT.WORTH providing apartment data and Price: 1,046 $/mo Price: 971 $/mo Price: 1,159 $/mo surveys real and submarket provide timehistoric access for property ApartmentData.com been Rental Rate: 1.18 $/sf/mo Rental Rate: 1.14 $/sf/mo Rental Rate: 1.32 $/sf/mo marketing products sincehas 1986.

We data for over 3.5 million apartment specific information, market Occupancy: Occupancy: Occupancy: 89.4% HOUSTON SAN ANTONIO DALLAS/FT.WORTH Size: 88.9% 884 sf Size: 854 sf Size: 91.1% 876 sf providing apartment data and provide real time access for property units in AZ, FL, GA, NC, TN, and TX. Price: 1,159 $/mo Price: 971 $/mo Price: 1,046 $/mo surveys and historic submarket marketing products since 1986.

We specific market Occupancy: 88.9% Occupancy: 89.4% Occupancy: 91.1% Rental 1.14 $/sf/mo Rental 1.32 $/sf/mo Rental Rate: 1.18 $/sf/mo HOUSTON SAN ANTONIO DALLAS/FT.WORTH Past 12 Months: Past 12Rate: Months: Past 12Rate: Months: data for overinformation, 3.5 million apartment provide real timeCindi access for property Reed Price: 1,046 $/mo Price: 971 $/mo Price: 1,159 $/mo Size: 884 sf Size: 854 sf Size: 876 sf surveys and historic submarket 0.5% Rental Rate growth -0.6% Rental Rate growth 1.6% Rental Rate growth units in AZ, FL, GA, NC, TN, and TX. Account Rental 1.18 $/sf/mo Rental 1.14 $/sf/mo Rental Rate: $/sf/mo specific market Occupancy: 88.9% Occupancy: 89.4% Occupancy: 91.1% 8,559Rate: units absorbed 2,595Rate: units absorbed 18,238 units1.32 absorbed data for overinformation, 3.5 million Manager apartment 512.969.1499 Size: 884 sf$/mo Size: 854 $/mo sf Size: 876 sf$/mo Past 12Price: Months: Past 12Price: Months: Past 12Price: Months: 1,046 971 1,159 surveys and historic submarket units in AZ, FL, GA, NC, TN, and TX. Cindi Reed -0.6%Rate: Rental Rate growth 1.6%Rate: Rental Rate growth 0.5%Rate: Rental Rate growth Rental 1.18 $/sf/mo Rental 1.14 $/sf/mo Rental 1.32 $/sf/mo Operating Supply: Operating Supply: Operating Supply: data for over 3.5 million Manager apartment Account Past 12 Size: Months: Past Months: Past 12 Size: Months: 18,238 units876 absorbed 8,559 units absorbed 2,595 units absorbed 884 sf Size: 854 sf sf 2,867 communities 93212communities 3,184 communities Cindi Reed 512.969.1499 units in AZ, FL, GA, NC, TN, and TX. 0.5% Rental -0.6% Rental 1.6% Rental 674,581 unitsRate growth 199,206 units Rate growth 753,588 unitsRate growth Account Manager 8,559 units absorbed 2,595 units absorbed 18,238 units absorbed Operating Supply: Operating Supply: Operating Supply: Past 12 Months: Past 12 Months: Past 12 Months: 512.969.1499 Cindi Reed 2,867 communities 932 communities 3,184 communities 0.5% Rental Rate growth -0.6% Rental Rate growth 1.6% Rental Rate growth Account Manager Operating Supply: Operating Supply: Operating Supply: 753,588 unitsabsorbed 674,581 units 199,206 units 8,559 units absorbed 2,595 units absorbed 18,238 units 512.969.1499 2,867 communities 932 communities 3,184 communities 674,581 Supply: units 199,206 Supply: units 753,588 Supply: units Operating Operating Operating 2,867 communities 932 communities 3,184 communities 674,581 units 199,206 units 753,588 units

AUSTIN OVERVIEW AUSTIN Occupancy: 89.6% OVERVIEW Price: 1,278 $/mo AUSTIN Rental Rate: 1.46 $/sf/mo Occupancy: OVERVIEW Size: 89.6% 874 sf Price: 1,278 $/mo AUSTIN Occupancy: 89.6% Rental Rate: 1.46 $/sf/mo Past 12 Months: OVERVIEW

Other Texas Markets Other Texas Markets Other Texas Markets Other Texas Markets

2020 / JULY - AUGUST /

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Industry UPDATE NEW PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY CHALLENGES EMERGING FROM COVID

By Paul Cauduro, AAA Director of Government Relations

I

For the first time since our nation was founded a member of Congress will not need to vote in Washington DC under the Capitol dome alongside fellow members of Congress.

t has been said that politics and advocacy are contact sports because the activities involve contacting elected officials by writing letters, calling on the phone or having face-to-face meetings. In recent years the contact methods have expanded to include rapidly delivered emails, likes and follows on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter and even text messages sent to policy leaders during public meetings.

All of the contact methods are important and are needed to help convey the important information to consider before casting a vote or enacting new policies and procedures, but of all contact methods the faceto-face meetings are paramount. But now, government bodies are meeting and voting using online group video technology and elected officials have all but eliminated office meetings. What happens if those in-person

meetings become a rare occurrence or are phased out altogether in favor of video conference calls? Can critical information on an issue still be conveyed without fully witnessing or experiencing non-verbal body language queues and expression of emotion?

We are about to find out.

All across Texas and beyond, government leaders are grappling with

Read about AAA’s current advocacy issues at austinaptassoc.com/currentissue.

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the long-lasting impacts the coronavirus pandemic may have on how they conduct business. Here in the Austin area, the City of Leander and others have moved to adopt formal rules for council members so that they to attend meetings through videoconferencing or live streaming as well new rules for how public comments can be taken using video technology. The grappling has even risen to the federal level when the U.S. House of Representatives recently took actions to allow remote voting and virtual hearings. For the first time since our nation was founded a member of Congress will not need to vote in Washington DC under the Capitol dome alongside fellow members of Congress.

In Texas the fast shift to videoconferencing technology was spurred when, in an effort to minimize large gatherings during the pandemic, Governor Greg Abbott temporarily suspended open-meeting statutes to allow for teleconference or videoconference meetings of governmental bodies.

The government response has been impressive, and without any formal rules or procedures in place, most all city councils and commissions made the shift and kept government working.

However, the shift has not been without incidents and it remains unclear if complex issues that require clear and focused dialog can be adequately addressed.

Some pubic videoconference meetings have attracted both humorous and shameful anonymous disrupters that wouldn’t normally attend, much less speak at, a regularly held public meeting. The software settings that keep meetings private and only allow those invited to participate is not something that can be used when conducting public meetings. After an eye-popping interruption of a public

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city council meeting in Michigan held on the videoconferencing platform ZOOM, officials there began exploring the option of taking public participation in advance and showing just a recording of the comments. Clearly, recorded comments eliminate any dialog from occurring and they also raise question about the impact and effectiveness of recorded comments versus comments made in-person.

Of course, videoconferencing does allow many who can’t, or wouldn’t, typically attend city meetings to participate in the public discourse and do so from the comfort of their home.

This will help broaden the perspective and ideas shared surrounding a particular issue or needed community decision, but this could also very well cause the wheels of government to turn even slower as technical glitches, screen freezes and mute/ unmute issues require commenters to repeat statements or wait while connections are re-established.

The technical issues also disrupt the debate and discussion among government officials themselves as they speak from their own homes with varying internet speeds and technical capabilities while trying to attend to barking dogs, children wanting snacks and spouses doing yardwork right outside the home office window. At an Austin City Council meeting held in early June, Austin Councilmember Kathie Tovo sounded like Minnie Mouse when she spoke causing both amusement and delay while trying to fix the problem. She had apparently been pranked by one of her children.

As the new normal of government meetings and public decision-making emerges and evolves, the advocacy activities of the association will follow suit. The Austin Apartment Association is

well positioned to conduct advocacy actions and participate in the political process in any form or fashion needed, and we will continue to use any and all forms of contact available to engage on issues important to the industry. We look forward to when that form of contact can once again include a face-to-face meeting without the use of a computer screen.

Fair Chance Housing Resolution Passed by Austin City Council The Austin City Council passed a Fair Chance Housing resolution at their meeting held on June 11. The resolution directs city staff to craft policies requiring housing providers at developments that received city funding to not ask potential renters about their criminal background until after the landlord has determined that the candidate is qualified to rent under all other phases of the application process.

The resolution, sponsored by Councilmember Natasha Harper-Madison, cited statistics and related city initiatives as justification to direct the City Manager to “bring

forth recommendations related to rental policies that consider an individual’s felony and misdemeanor background and eviction history in a manner that will result in more fair housing choice for residents and residents returning to the community.” These policies would apply going-forward to developers who apply for and receive City funds through programs like the Rental Housing Development Assistance Program.

The resolution’s stated intent is to: • achieve shorter and more consistent look-back periods from date of conviction for specific crimes • limit the consideration of convictions and evictions after the look-back periods expire • require housing developers to not ask potential renters about their criminal background until after the landlord has determined that the candidate is qualified to rent under all other phases of the application process; Whatever polices are created will be presented to the Austin Apartment Association and other organizations for review and comment because the resolution included a provision directing, the City Manager to “facilitate opportunities for collaboration on these policies and recommendations with entities and stakeholders”.

The Austin Apartment Association is specifically named as stakeholder and collaborator.

To learn more about this issue, be included in the stakeholder process or discuss the topic of criminal screenings and the emerging trends contact paul@austinaptassoc.com

The Austin Apartment Association is well positioned to conduct advocacy actions and participate in the political process in any form or fashion needed.

2020 / JULY - AUGUST /

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2020 / JULY - AUGUST /

15

New MEMBERS AAA welcomes these new members who joined the association between April 1, 2020 and May 31, 2020. When deciding where to make your next purchase for your property, please consider an AAA supplier member.

NEW PROPERTY OWNERS/ MANAGEMENT COMPANY MEMBERS Apante Muzun Investments Virgilio Altamirano Austin, TX 22 units

Bainbridge Companies Christy Sanchez Austin, TX

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Bentley Properties Taylor Bentley Austin, TX 2 units

BSP Rental Management LLC Bradley Phillips Austin, TX 1 unit

CBRE

Tina West Austin, TX

Comuna Property Management, LLC Antonio Marquez San Antonio, TX

Dry Ground Capital Keith Ross Georgetown, TX

Fortune Pearl Properties LLC Kfir Gov Manchaca, TX 2 units

Fox and Eagle Properties Kenneth Fox Austin, TX 2 units

Hathaway Properties William Hathaway Luling, TX 14 units

Pithicus Partners LP Mark Jordan Austin, TX 2 units

Project Transitions, Inc. Julie Benziger Austin, TX 11 units

Revisio Group

Carrie Peterson Dripping Springs, TX

Volunteers of America Texas Felicia Connor Liberty Hill, TX 68 units

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2020 / JULY - AUGUST /

17

COVID-19:

“The New Normal”?

As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to impact every aspect of our lives, we have seen a major shift in the way we live, work, learn and play. From remote teamwork, sales and customer service, to working with prospects and tenants, to handling maintenance and repair issues, to navigating the rapidly changing regulatory landscape, we have all been adjusting to a “Temporary Normal”. The phrase (ahem) “New Normal” is likely one of the most overused phrases of this century thus far, but it indicates a sense of permanence and doom that simply does not reflect the resiliency and perseverance of humanity. So, while COVID-19 has certainly made an indelible impression on all of us, it has not beat us. This is all TEMPORARY and life WILL get back to normal at some point.

Don’t take our word for it? Our AAA Committee Chairs share their thoughts on the impact COVID-19 has made in their lives and their hopes for the future in a post-COVID world.

CARRIE THOMES, RASA FLOORS Ambassadors (The A-Team) Co-chair PSC Member at Large for 2021 What is your wish for your committee in the future?

We have some pretty awesome committee members; my wish would be that we come back stronger than before. We were really struggling on our survey numbers this year and getting on a roll which was for many reasons. So, I would be happy to see us come back with a strong vengeance.

What are you most looking forward to doing again?

Everything we haven’t been able to do these past months! Visiting clients again, Rasa Floors Sales meetings, Apartment Association events, trainings and meetings, dining in at a restaurant, working out in the gym, gathering in large groups, concerts, traveling, and just normal day to day operations.

What is a fun fact about yourself?

I had a horse named Bay as a young kid and my oldest sister signed me up to be in a Western Play day. My favorite was the barrels. I also had English jumping lessons for a while, but boy that was a little scarier.

ROBYN RILEY, VALOR FIRE PROTECTION Ambassadors (The A-Team) Co-chair PSC Member at Large for 2021 How have things changed for your business?

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COVID-19 has created quite a few hurdles for conducting Annual Fire Inspections and needing to enter units to keep the community and residents safe.

What is your wish for the rental housing industry in the future?

My wish for the rental housing industry is to continue to thrive.

COVID-19 has posed many obstacles to conduct business as usual but have seen so many creative approaches to business.

We are surrounded by some very innovative and intelligent people; it excites me to be a part of this incredible industry.

What event are you most excited to attend?

I’m the most excited to attend the FIRST ONE! I miss everyone!

STEPHANIE NAYLOR, FLOORING WAREHOUSE Communication Advisory Committee (COMAC) Co-chair What have you been doing to stay grounded/mental well-being/etc.?

Whenever things get difficult, I say to myself “at least I’m not Carole Baskin (or Joe Exotic)”. It’s also really odd, but I’ve started “nesting” again – lots of small home projects. It’s probably more of my desire to control SOMETHING and to feel/see progress happening. I AM NOT PREGNANT. What is your wish for your committee in the future?

To continue evolving to meet the needs of our members. To develop more creative ways to communicate (maybe an app, hee, hee).

What is your wish for the rental housing industry in the future?

To continue being an advocate for our industry and our residents.

To be seen as more collaborative partners in the community.

What have you learned from this experience?

That it’s okay to slow down. Also, the people we choose to surround ourselves with are more important to our lives than anything on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or on the television.

TONI RACKLEY, FLOORING WAREHOUSE Community Outreach Committee PSC Member at Large for 2021 How have things changed for your committee?

We have done a virtual meeting which was really fun and have learned to work with the community by being creative. We have done a blood drive to give back and raised $2200 for the Red Cross by designing shirts and selling them!

What have you learned from this experience?

That we are all in this together. We are all one team in this industry and that relationships between vendors and onsite staff mean more now than ever as we all need each other!

What event are you most excited to attend?

ALL OF THEM but the most excited about the first one, whenever that may be.

What is a fun fact about yourself?

I moved to Los Angeles to pursue my singing and acting career and lived there for 8 years!

PAIGE RUSSELL, CREA MANAGEMENT Doc & Gayle Young Food Drive Co-chair What small successes, new skills or things do you celebrate or appreciate?

My new understanding of online marketing and all the behind the scenes work that has to be done!

What is your wish for the rental housing industry in the future?

To continue to lead as strongly as they have during this time.

AAA has stepped up with valuable information and useful tools for our teams and has not stopped gathering and disseminating information the onsite teams/vendors need.

What are you most looking forward to doing again when things are “normal”?

Hugging people (even though I’ve been called “not a hugger”) What is a fun fact about yourself?

My lifelong passion has always been cooking and wanting to own a small restaurant. My stress outlet is cooking and entertaining for others!

TERRI NEEDHAM, PS LANDSCAPES, INC. Doc & Gayle Young Food Drive Co-chair PSC Immediate Past Chair How have things changed for your committee?

Not sure yet, we are just beginning the planning phase for this year’s Doc & Gayle Young Food Drive.

We will undoubtedly have to come up with new creative ways to raise donations due to the new “normal”.

What small successes, new skills or things do you celebrate or appreciate?

I totally appreciate being essential and having the privilege to get up and “go” to work every day.

What event are you most excited to attend?

APEX Awards What is a fun fact about yourself?

I love adventures and the highlights have been biking the Golden Gate bridge and sky diving recently!

DEDRA BOUFFARD, THE LIBERTY GROUP Education Advisory Council Co-Chair PSC Member at Large for 2021 How have things changed for your business?

My job is to build relationship with the onsite members. COVID-19 has interrupted my workflow and I have had to find new ways to love on my clients from a distance. I am used to being face-to-face and now the only face-to-face contact I get is from a computer.

What is your wish for your committee in the future?

We have discovered new learning opportunities. Now that we have discovered what education looks like in these situations, I would love for us to build out more material so when we are in need we can go to the shelf and roll opportunities out to our members.

What are you most looking forward to doing again?

Hugs and loving on my clients. AAA events. And enjoying a margarita at restaurant for happy hour!

What is a fun fact about yourself?

My favorite place to vacation is a beach and am a certified scuba diver.

KRISTA WASHBOURNE, LINCOLN PROPERTY COMPANY Education Advisory Council Co-Chair How have things changed for your committee?

We are beginning to now offer virtual classes – our first was in June – alongside our instructor-led classes that will resume hopefully soon.

How have things changed for your business?

It’s accelerated exponentially. We’ve started self-guided tours,

2020 / JULY - AUGUST /

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virtual tours, and re-opening. We are communicating more than we ever have, and changing/pushing out new learning faster than we ever have before. We are embracing all that is new, in the anticipation that the new is here to stay.

What small successes, new skills or things do you celebrate or appreciate?

Every new class we create. Every new job aide we put out that clarifies. Every new article we create that helps. Every face we get to see on camera that is still smiling and hopeful/ready to help our neighbors.

What have you learned from this experience?

That you really do not control anything—not that I was really under the illusion we did anyway. The only thing we know for sure is that change will come.

STEPHANIE PETERSEN, BLUEBONNET COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT LLC Investment Committee and Legislative Committee Co-chair How have things changed for your committee?

Investment Committee only meets once a quarter, we used to receive statements from the end of the prior month (data approximately 30 days old) to use for Board Meetings now with the Stock Market being so volatile we have use data that is only 24 hours or less. Legislative Committee is ever changing with the new laws so there are many things that happen between meetings. We are all on zoom meetings.

What small successes, new skills or things do you celebrate or appreciate?

My staff is great! They have been really flexible and have adapted and pivoted.

Have there been any unexpected outcomes, good or bad?

Please explain.

The ever-changing laws and not being able to evict non-payers has been hard.

What is a fun fact about yourself?

I worked at some very diverse and odd jobs like flight attendant, bartender at a bowling alley, making jewelry for a wholesaler, selling children’s books at schools for visiting authors, accountant at a cheer gym.

JOSH NICHOLS, CONTRACTORS INC Mentors (The M-Team) Co-chair PSC Member at Large for 2021 How have things changed for your business?

All in all, some of the way we meet has changed on a weekly basis, but we are still working... just have a ton of masks and sanitizer.

What is your wish for your committee in the future?

To continue to add more great mentors.

What event are you most excited to attend?

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Fall Golf at Falconhead What is a fun fact about yourself?

I have knocked my teeth out twice. Once in a pie eating contest and the other riding a bull.

JOHN CLAYBROOK, VALUE WASTE SERVICES NextGen Committee Co-chair How have things changed for your business?

Operationally, things are very busy, as always. On the sales and client relations side, we depend a great deal on time spent with people and that is what we enjoy the most. We’ve been sad to be away from our friends for a few months!

What small successes, new skills or things do you celebrate or appreciate?

I really appreciate all the time I’ve gotten to spend with our family. We had a little girl the week before the stay at home orders hit, so we’ve gotten to spend a whole lot of time with her and her older brother, Coop.

What is your wish for your committee in the future?

I hope NextGen is a place that develops leaders who are lights in their communities.

What event are you most excited to attend?

Brian and I have been looking forward to defending our title as Cornhole Champions at Fall Fest.

TIFFANY BLANKMAN, HAYS JUNCTION

BY ROSCOE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT NextGen Committee Co-chair How have things changed for your business?

We have found new ways to communicate and engage with residents.

What changes have you made that you plan to keep after COVID-19, both personally and professionally?

I’ve become more aware of the safety precaution/health of my team, things we take advantage of as we try to deliver great customer service. A reminder that caring for my team is just as important as the service we provide to our residents.

What have you learned from this experience?

I’ve learned that we all depend on each other, much more than most people realize. It’s all about the connection. We are not meant to be on an island alone.

What event are you most excited to attend?

The Trade Show.

Thank you to all our AAA Committee Chairs for offering your input during this time! Though we’re still in the thick of the battle against COVID-19, it is “temporary”. So, in the meantime, we remain grateful and hopeful and adaptable and resilient, and we will persevere – and rise together!

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VIRTUAL TOURS: The Best Way to Do This B Y PAU L B E R G E R O N

Apartment operators spend thousands of dollars and thousands of hours training their onsite leasing professionals. Faced with the new (temporary) normal of reliance on virtual leasing tours, there’s no reason to rely on guesswork and your agent’s smartphone to get this right.

V

irtual tours are not the same as self-guided tours and certainly aren’t the same as walking tours.

Those points were made by Apartment Expert Lisa Trosien during a recent 40-minute webinar on the topic as part of her Speedy Solutions program.

It was hosted by the Triad Apartment Association.

And while recent statistical data from RealPage, CoStar and Zillow each show that traffic is picking up again, this doesn’t mean that virtual tours are winding down.

These types of tours will remain a desired alternative in the future for out-of-town prospects, or for those who might still be hesitant to relax social distancing.

Practice, Practice, Practice There are many commonsense points that apartment communities might be overlooking if they haven’t adequately thought this through.

“It’s not just walking around with your phone taking video,” Trosien says. “You need to plan. Storyboard it. Practice it.”

Virtual tours can be recorded or be conducted as live walk-throughs with the leasing professional communicating to the prospect every step of the way. That’s the ideal situation, Trosien says. The tour can include walking the prospect through your website or a pre-recorded video, if it’s feasible.

“With a live virtual tour, go out of your way to show them that during these

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challenging times you are doing it for them,” she says. “They will appreciate it and remember you for it.”

For in-person virtual tours, always ask the prospect: How much time do you have? And be sure to honor that. (Recorded tours should not go beyond two minutes. Really, about 1 minute, 45 seconds is the sweet spot, she says.)

Ask the prospect ahead of time what type of device they will be using to view the tour so you can plan accordingly.

“Remember, the tour is about them; not you,” Trosien says. “They need to feel comfortable about what device they want to use.

For a lot of people, taking part in a virtual tour is a real shift for them. Think about how awkward it might have been for you the first time you joined a Zoom call. You don’t know what buttons to click and when. You don’t how to turn on and off the video or audio.”

Accessibility and accommodation are other components to address when delivering a well-executed virtual tour. By customizing a live virtual tour, persons with disabilities can be shown accommodations such as ramps, parking spaces and interior fixtures such as accessible apartment homes.

For persons with hearing disabilities, audio can be replaced by captioning.

Live tours are more authentic because they are more interactive and conversational, she says. It starts with a warm welcome where the prospect can see the leasing professional’s face. “Let them see who you are,” she says. “Make that personal connection at the start.”

Trosien says introverts and even extroverts really need to ramp up the personality while giving the tours. Yes, extroverts, too.

“You must by ‘on’ the entire time,” she says. “Ask questions throughout the tour after your points are being made: ‘What do you think of this?’ “Are you okay with that?’

‘What do you think so far?’ ‘Do you have any questions?’ Keep it moving.

“Having this interaction is so important because you cannot see them; you are not getting your usual body-language cues and facial expressions to help you gauge their interest or displeasure.

“However, don’t turn your virtual tours into a creativity contest for your staff. This is not the place for this. Be creative about how to market it, such as on social media.

But if you try to be clever during the tour, it can become a distraction for the prospect.”

Before the tour, Trosien says to list things that the prospect has shared that they are interested in seeing and be sure to include them.

“If they want a ‘western view’ then give them one,” she says. “And right now, balconies are hugely popular, especially for prospects who didn’t have one before. During shelter-at-home, this might be there only

(or primary) window to the world.

“And even if they didn’t emphasize the kitchen, you should. Spend extra time in the kitchen. During this pandemic, people are doing more cooking and baking from home. Highlight that.”

Hundreds of Dollars, Thousands of Dollars Remember, Trosien says, “whether they will be leasing for a few hundred dollars a month in rent – or a few thousand – signing a lease is a major investment. You need to treat it like that no matter what Class property you work at.”

Even though your amenities are closed, show them. They will be using them at some point. If it’s difficult to do, make sure you have a recorded video that highlights the amenities to show them or to send to them.

(For recorded tours, make sure to do them shoeless. There is nothing worse than the distracting echo of footsteps. And please: Put the toilet seat down), she says.

Finally, it’s tough, Trosien says, but at the end of the tour, you must ask the prospective resident: Was there anything you didn’t like?”

This is mandatory because, “again, you have no idea what they are thinking because you weren’t able to see their reactions to things,” she says. “And if they say something was not right, be ready to respond to it.”

A Word About Privacy Privacy for leasing professionals is an important aspect of this process. Onsite staff do not want their personal cell phone numbers made available to the public. One benefit to Zoom is that it doesn’t capture or display cell phone numbers or other contact information.

Technical Difficulties Most technology needed to do a strong virtual tour is surprisingly affordable.

Communities should absolutely buy tablets or smart phones for their properties specifically for this use, Trosien says.

“Matterport (cameras) are great, great products, but you don’t absolutely need one to do these tours well.”

Virtual leasing must be accessible across all types of devices, browsers, operating systems, and technologies so as to not alienate anyone from joining those experiences because of the device that they

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do or do not have.

“You want to make sure your virtual tours are dynamic and personalized in order to cover everything that a person would expect from an in-person tour,” says Matt Weirich, Co-Founder & CEO, Realync, one of the leading virtual tour operators nationwide.

Following is more advice from Trosien: • Some older devices don’t have webcams. But you do need one. They are about $25.

• Get a gimbal and attach it to your camera. It will improve the production of your video, such as allowing you to zoom in. (not Zoom, lol). A gimbal is a pivoted point that allows videographers to rotate an object along a single axis and helps it to capture incredible images from various angles. They are priced from approximately $40 to $160 and are mostly used while making videos, but also can help to capture

amazing still photos.

• Make sure the battery on your phone, tablet or laptop is charged.

• Don’t fail the Wi-Fi strength test.

Make sure the connection will be there at all points on the tour. You can determine this during practice runs.

• Add a My-Fi device to help improve your signal, especially in high-rise buildings where the connection could be susceptible to thick walls or while you are in an elevator or a stairwell.

You don’t want the connection to fail.

What does that tell the resident about your Wi-Fi abilities onsite?

• Don’t go out on a windy day, if you can possibly avoid it. Ideally, these tours should take place on sunny days (for recorded tours, there’s no excuse), but that’s not always possible. Buy extra floor lamps to use to help light the apartment home if you must conduct the tour on a cloudy day.

Paul Bergeron is a freelance reporter who covers the apartment industry. Reach him at pbergeron333@gmail.com or 703-434-0280.

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Plant the Seeds FOR

By Deborah Buks, President, Ward

Good PR

As a longtime PR consultant for the multifamily industry, I’m frequently asked, “Why don’t media ever give us credit for the good things we do?”

In my experience advocating for multifamily industry associations and property owners, I see so many reasons this industry deserves to be known for the good it does. Generous contributions in their local communities. Support of residents beyond the requirements of a lease agreement. Its vital role in meeting the most basic of human needs: shelter.

As a kid growing up in the 1960s in what was then a rural area south of Houston, my summers were spoken for by my parents. It was understood that my siblings and I would participate full time in harvesting the two acres of fruits and vegetables that grew from the seeds we’d been tasked to plant long before.

Now as a 40-year PR career veteran, I realize my work as an intermediary between clients and the news media and my formative years as will-work-for-foodand-shelter farm labor have much in common: the long hours of hard, time-sensitive work; the risks one’s toils will not produce a desired outcome; the external events that disrupt our well laid-out plans; and the dependence on elements we do not control, namely the media itself.

Before we reap a bountiful harvest, we must first understand it as the long game it is. We spend months to prepare our soil, plant our seeds, nurture our crops, incessantly pull the weeds, rout out the critters, mitigate the impacts of weather and infestations, and enlist many hardworking hands to do the picking. Only then will we have a crop to take to market. Much the same can be said for media relations.

1. We must first recognize we can’t expect to harvest good media coverage without committing to a long-term investment of our time, energy and resources – long before we’re starving for the positive attention and recognition.

2. Before we jump right into tasks, we must

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history and hold elected officials and others in power accountable to the public.

determine what we intend to yield. We must be clear on what the business needs us to achieve and focus on the individuals who can help deliver those outcomes. For a luxury property owner, for example, the PR goal might be to achieve cache as the “it” address of the day among millennial trust fund babies. For an association, the overarching goal might be to educate policy makers on the impacts regulations and ordinances have on the industry’s ability to supply housing.

6. Know that actions matter most. Ultimately, we are all known by our actions. Proactive steps produce our yield. Likewise, lack of action or poor choices can cost us the crop. If we ignore media until we need them, fail to invest in collecting and delivering timely data or worse, do harm to residents, we destroy our own reputation and potential for harvesting good media coverage, and lay waste to all our good groundwork.

3. Then, we must construct a sound, long-term plan that leads to our intended destination.

Knowing the real business goal will help inform which strategies and tactics make sense.

7. Gather your field hands and prepare them to perform. The PR team must include subject matter experts who can inform the sound-bite messaging PR people must whittle from complex topics. Designated, trained spokespeople must be available on a moment’s notice to help on-deadline reporters understand an issue.

These industry experts become the face of our industry. Their authenticity, empathy and ability to distill complex matters into short, easy-to-understand answers make the difference between us having a paltry pick of puny peppers or sharing overflowing baskets of plump, juicy-sweet fruit.

4. Next we prepare the land, and plant seeds. This is the time we get to the field work: developing clear, consistent messaging relevant to the topic at hand; preparing public-facing content; and delivering it through various channels, including news reports that can’t be purchased, to reach the stakeholders necessary to achieve our stated business objective. We offer our good deed stories when they can be heard, not when the glaring lights of scrutiny are bearing down on us.

5. Tend the garden without ceasing. Fresh, homegrown produce is not available as a drivethrough meal. Likewise, a healthy buffet of consistent, fair and balanced news coverage does not occur on a quick project basis. Companies and organizations that achieve repeat positive coverage over time do so through consistency. They consistently listen to reporters’ needs for facts, data and perspectives, and help them source it. They consistently build a reputation over time as being reliable, timely responders to requests for insights and perspective on the news of the day. They consistently offer issue-relevant data reports, visual assets, and topical business and community events that aid reporters in telling the public the story in just a few minutes or paragraphs. They consistently recognize reporters’ jobs are not to promote our businesses but to inform the public, document

Once we realize that the season for planting is well before we are most hungry for the news coverage, we can grow our effectiveness in producing highly coveted media results that cannot be bought at the local market. Like a country kid at Sunday supper, we must earn our bounty with year-round work.

Named a Top Woman in PR by PR News, Deborah Ward Buks has provided clients public relations counsel for more than 40 years. She has worked on some of the most timely and well-covered issues of our day on behalf of multifamily, commercial real estate, municipalities, government agencies, non-profits, pharmaceutical and energy clients. Her firm, Ward, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

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Forward Managing a Way

by Dr. Debbie Phillips, CPM

If you asked anyone to describe 2020 so far, you would likely hear adjectives like chaos, fear, calamity, stress, turmoil, commotion, mayhem, and sadness, to name a few. According to author and entrepreneur Jonathan Fields, 87% of people have experienced feelings that lead them to react somewhere on the spectrum between sighing and crying at least once during the pandemic. As professionals, we are doing our best to recalibrate post-COVID-19, and we’re searching for strategies to navigate this new reality.

It reminds me of sitting in a restaurant at a high-top table where the table’s legs are unbalanced, and it’s challenging to identify precisely which leg needs to be adjusted to level the surface. You hold your breath, hoping that your meal won’t land in your lap until you can find a stabilizer. While there is no magic formula, and it seems like a remedy is anything but predictable, I can offer the following recommendations for managing a way forward.

1. Shift gears and find your “calm.”

How we think and speak shifts the way we feel about things. Our reaction and response create our reality. Staying calm allows us to think clearly and focus on the task at hand.

When we are calm, it sends a signal to our team that things are under control. Our composure in times of a crisis can eliminate unnecessary stress. We are all familiar with ‘fight or flight’ response. When our mind sounds the alarm, our body kicks into high gear to ward off the current threat. When repeated over time, this can cause devastating injury to our body, not to mention our relationships.

2. Be considerate.

Consideration for others goes a long way in winning the hearts and minds of your team. One of the biggest takeaways during the pandemic is no “one-size, fits-all” solution or way to do things exists. As Dale Carnegie advised, “live in day-tight compartments,” or, take one day at a time. This wisdom can be invaluable when dealing with uncertainty. Neuroscientists have discovered that uncertainty and the unknown are primary drivers of fear.

If a person knows when a stressful situation will end, he or she is more likely to withstand the pressure. It is the “not knowing” that increases stress and anxiety. Maya Angelou once wrote, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

3. Demonstrate compassion.

Create an environment for your team to feel comfortable sharing their cares, concerns, joys, and pains. Establishing a culture where the sentiment is “what affects one, affects all” bonds people in a profoundly personal way. Mother Teresa said, “we can’t do everything, but each of us can do something.” I am always the first to tout that our industry is the most generous industry on

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earth and consistently offers random acts of kindness in extraordinary ways. Compassion must start with ourselves. Cutting ourselves some slack and being mindful of how our actions influence others is the beginning of self-compassion. As leaders, we don’t have to have all the answers, but we should take responsibility for our words and actions. When we care for ourselves and our team members, new possibilities for growth emerge. The better we feel about ourselves, the better we treat others.

4. Consistency builds trust.

If you’ve ever experienced the inconsistent “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” leadership style, you know the resulting chaos and confusion can be off-putting. People crave predictability. Studies have proven when employees see consistency in their leader, they are more apt to bring new ideas to the table, share problems, take on significant challenges, act more courageously and remain loyal to the organization over the long haul.

As the old adage goes, “the only thing certain is change,” however, I doubt anyone could predict the degree of uncertainty we would face in this new decade much less in the first six months of this year. As an inspirational speaker, industry advisor, educator and career coach, I’ve been sharing massive amounts of “Vitamin E” (Encouragement) during this time, and realize that we could use a “multi-vitamin” with extra amounts of “Vitamin C.” Managing a way forward requires each of us to create a more authentic communication plan: Calm, Considerate, Compassionate and Consistent are four core elements for reducing the turbulence and finding a smoother path forward.

Dr. Debbie Phillips, CPM is a real estate advisor, nationally acclaimed speaker, author, educator and career coach. Debbie may be reached at Debbie@thequadrillion.com or 404-787-4409.

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Education

OPPORTUNITIES YOUR CHANCE TO GROW AND LEARN Visit austinaptassoc.com/education for more class info and to register.

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Sharpen your knowledge of your legal rights and responsibilities as a rental housing owner or manager by participating in one of the REDBOOK seminars being offered by AAA in Austin in 2020. Continuing Education Credits: You must be present for your entire session. Course is approved for Five (5) TREC/MCE & NAA/CEC credits. You must bring your real estate license number for MCE credits. Course offered under TAA’s providership.

Course Name and Number: Apartment & Rental Housing Legal Seminar – 38665; Provider: Texas Apartment Association (TAA) – 0087.

Sharpen your knowledge of your legal rights and responsibilities as a rental housing owner or manager by participating in one of the REDBOOK seminars being offered by AAA in Austin in 2020. Continuing Education Credits: You must be present for your entire session. Course is approved for Five (5) TREC/MCE & NAA/CEC credits. You must bring your real estate license number for MCE credits. Course offered under TAA’s providership.

Course Name and Number: Apartment & Rental Housing Legal Seminar – 38665; Provider: Texas Apartment Association (TAA) – 0087.

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8:30 a.m. – 4:30 PM each day Presented by Chelsea Kneeland, CAS, NAAEI Faculty, J. Turner Research AAA – 8620 Burnet Rd., #475 $415 per AAA member10% discount for ACE subscribers The National Apartment Leasing Professional (NALP) credential is designed to teach leasing professionals the skills to help them become top producers.

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LAW IN ORDER

The Warren Report IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO GET YOUR WILL

William S. Warren, Warren Law Firm

By William S. Warren, Warren Law Firm

A

If this time has taught us anything, it’s that things happen when you least expect it, so why not be prepared for the unknown?

GET A WILL.

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ll our lives have changed due to the Coronavirus. We know the virus can kill. With that knowledge, we are acting in ways quite out of the ordinary to stay safe and prevent harm to others.

That is the responsible thing to do, and we are committed to staying the course to accomplish the preferred outcome.

In 2019, there were 203,031 people who died in Texas. That was before COVID-19 barged into the United States this year. As that disease wreaks havoc and claims lives at frightening rates, what will that number look like when 2020 is over? How many of those lost will be satisfied with their level of preparation for their end? Rather than being frightened by this, let’s be motivated.

If this time has taught us anything, it’s that things happen when you least expect it, so why not be prepared for the unknown? GET A WILL. Trust the valuable lessons of preparation you have observed from COVID-19’s onslaught against humanity. It’s not too late.

Remarkably few of us have even a basic will. It is your will, nonetheless, which can help provide protection and guidance for your loved ones. It can help ensure that the financial successes you have in your life benefit your heirs when you are gone. Your estate

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planning, moreover, includes planning for your children, your close family members, your preferred charities and even your favorite uncle – Uncle Sam. Your estate planning need not be complex. Even the most basic will go a long way toward preserving what you have and distributing it in the way that you want it distributed.

You spend most of your life acquiring, preserving and managing your assets. We have a shared common goal – to maximize our financial well-being while we lived. What is it worth to you to know those efforts which turned out well for you will be at least equally beneficial to your loved ones when you are gone? Since we never know when our time is up, shouldn’t we nudge the future in the direction we can feel good about while we can? Involve yourself in the process of what happens to your property after you pass.

There are attorneys, including the author of this article, who can assist you with all varieties of estate planning. Whether you currently have a lot or a little should not influence whether you have a will. Whether you are single or married, or have children or not, should also not be determining factors in your decision about getting a will now.

It should be your desire to plan while you can, and to control what you

own, which motivates you to create even the most basic estate plan. Since that plan can always be changed, and either simplified or made more complex, there is never a better time than the present to get it started.

Know this: If you pass away without a will, impersonal statutory provisions will determine who gets what you had when you left this world. You can’t take it with you, so you might as well direct where it goes. With a will, this is possible. Without a will it is not. What is your preference?

Before we get ahead of ourselves, let us consider what one’s estate actually consists of. One’s estate consists of real and personal property which the person who passed, known as the decedent, owned at time they departed. Real property is the land, and improvements located on the land, along with oil, gas and other mineral interests under the land. Personal property will then be all property other than real property. This will include items like clothing and personal effects, household furnishings, motor vehicles, stocks and bonds, life insurance policies, retirement or employee benefit accounts, and cash and money in bank accounts or your mattress. Within each of these categories, of course, there is a wide variety of property which all becomes part of your estate.

If you have a will, your estate can be probated. Probate is simply the legal process of transferring the property

shutterstock

of the deceased person to the beneficiaries of the decedent. In our will, we name persons we want to be our beneficiaries, and we identify what property, or interests in property, we want those beneficiaries to receive.

Without a will, the Texas Estates Code determines who our heirs-at-law will be. Those will be the persons entitled by law to receive our property if we die without a will.

Who are your heirs-at-law under the Texas Estates Code? Several inquiries must be made before we know. The first inquiry is whether you have a surviving spouse. The second inquiry is whether you have children. The third inquiry is whether your children have children. There is a fourth inquiry whether your parent(s) have survived you. Fifth, your brothers and sisters come into play. Sixth, your surviving grandparents are given consideration. Essentially, after your spouse, the inquiries follow your bloodlines, so that ultimately your nearest lineal ancestors and their descendants are likely to be your heirs-at-law.

When you depart intestate, meaning without a will, not only does the law decide who your heirs-at-law are; but it also decides what portion of the cash value of your property they get.

That’s right. Cash value. Heirs at law only get percentages of monetary value, not specific items you once owned. Without a will, there is one big liquidation sale.

If someone departs without a will, one goal of the Texas Estates Code, which will govern distribution of your property, is to provide for the orderly distribution of property at death. Who gets what will be determined by how closely a particular heir was related to the decedent, not by the kindness, generosity or conduct of the person toward you during your lifetime. In fact, no matter how remotely related one is to a person who dies without a will, that person is potentially an heir-at-law in Texas. This is true whether you even know of them or not. It is not an ideal scenario.

Probate courts become involved,

moreover, whether there is a will or not. There is quite a bit more court involvement and expense, however, when one dies without a will. That extra cost inevitably diminishes the overall value of your estate.

Probate courts protect the rights of the family, and those entitled to receive your property. Probate courts also apply the laws which influence or control creditors of your estate, and those who are charged with taking care of your estate and carrying out your wishes.

If you have a will, but only in that instance, you select these individuals.

With a little thought, we quickly

know how we would like our property to pass to others when we are gone.

Most often, we want to take care of those in our immediate family, like our surviving spouse and our surviving children. Often, we treat our children equally, so that if we have three of them, they will each get one third of the interest which goes to the children. We can even provide for the children of our children who predecease us to inherit in their place.

A will can be unique and highly individualized. This can include making provisions concerning the new home for and care of your pets. You lose that

ability entirely if you pass and have not made a will.

Having a will is always appropriate.

Your will can be simple or complex. Either form is beneficial to you and those you care about. In either variety, you will want your will to clearly delineate your plan using language and a degree of detail that your executor can understand. Your executor is the person who you selected and identified in your will to oversee assembling your property, paying your debts, and distributing all your assets according to your stated desires. It is never an automatic process, and both the executor and your beneficiaries benefit from you providing as much guidance in your will about your wishes as possible.

Before property is distributed, and ownership transfers from you to others, the business of your estate must be taken care of. There will be an inventory and appraisement, through which the full extent of your property ownership will be determined, and values assigned to what you own. There will also be an opportunity for claims to be made against your estate, notably by those to whom you owed money when you left this world. In the case of your real estate, mortgages and property taxes are immediate concerns. Your tenants may also have claims.

An attorney can provide substantial assistance to you when formulating and crafting your estate plan. Assistance can be in the form of identifying the type of assets you have and determining whether special attention may need to be given to certain assets. To properly handle your estate, whether through a probate or an administration, it will take time. There will be delays. Several things could happen, in fact, before one even determines where your will is located, or if you even had a valid will.

That raises an interesting issue, especially when rental property is involved with your estate. If you owned some but not a great deal of rental property, you probably took care of it yourself while you were alive. You probably managed it, handled all the expenses related to

If someone departs without a will, who gets what will be determined by how closely a particular heir was related to the decedent, not by the kindness, generosity or conduct of the person toward you during your lifetime.

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it, and kept it as profitable as you could.

Profitability was inevitably influenced by management of your tenants and filling vacancies as rapidly as possible.

Your efforts may also have included handling tenant issues, like maintenance or emergencies, and making decisions whether evictions were necessary or not.

It is a good idea to make provisions for management of your rental property separate and apart from who will inherit it. One reason is timing. As those of you involved with rental property know, bad things can escalate into really bad things quite quickly and will need prompt attention. If you were the one giving the attention, and you are no longer around to do so, someone else must step in.

You do not typically select an executor in your will for his or her property management skills. One of the first things you probably want to address in your estate plan, therefore, is who will be making decisions about your rental property during the time before it actually becomes owned by your will beneficiaries or your heirs-at-law.

Remember, the probate process will take some time.

One way to accomplish this is through a Statutory Durable Power of Attorney. This is an instrument found in Section 752.051 of the Texas Estates Code. It grants authority, through a

specific written instrument, to a designated agent to manage your property on your behalf while you are alive. The form identifies numerous powers but provides an option for you to cross out the powers you intend to withhold from your agent or attorney-in-fact.

You have the option, for example, to limit the powers you grant under your Statutory Durable Power of Attorney to those which deal with real property transactions alone. If you do that, the construction of that power is contained in pertinent statutory provisions.

Those provisions generally provide for buying and selling, along with leasing and conveying, and managing and operating real property. The actual powers are very specific in the Texas Estates Code, and even with a simple designation of powers relative to “real property transactions”, your agent or attorney-in-fact will be provided a wealth of guidance for what can be done on your behalf.

The statutory durable power of attorney, however, ends when you end.

Yet having a durable power of attorney in place before your death may well enable a semblance of order to be established before you pass and be continued, at least temporarily, after you do.

Notably, there will probably have been a property manager hired by your agent or attorney-in-fact, and that individual or company can

continue to manage your property effectively while your after-death directives are carried out. This way, tenant or property issues will not go unattended, vacancies will not linger, and non-payment of rent or other breach of lease issues can be promptly addressed. This will help, among other things, to preserve the value of the rental property portion of your estate while the probate process proceeds.

The durable power of attorney can certainly be a useful tool for your estate plan if you own rental real estate. You certainly do not want chaos to control, with unwanted debts going unpaid and unwanted litigation springing up from tenants whose needs are not fairly addressed because there was no one to do so after you departed. But whether you own real estate or not, it is a useful tool, although it has its limitations.

GET A WILL. Act sooner and not later! Make plans for your estate upon your death. It is the responsible thing for every adult to do. The planning process is not overwhelming, and certainly, should not be considered morbid. The benefits of a will and possibly more, far outweigh the uneasiness which might result from thinking about such things now.

Planning now will help address the unexpected. You want a plan that will be as effective years down the road as it would be now. Develop a plan for the care of your minor children. It will enable you to have input and control over who cares for your kids when you are gone. Create alternatives now, in the event someone you were relying upon to help out when you were gone departed this world before you did. This is a plan for the future, no matter how long that future may be.

But the FUTURE for the preparation of your will begins now. Don’t let another precious moment slip away.

If anything, the future will always be uncertain. Add some certainty now. It’s never too late to get your will.

The year 2020 marks BILL WARREN’s 40th year of practicing law. His law practice focuses on a variety of issues and cases, the majority of which address the concerns of those active in the multi-family industry. He founded and manages Warren Law Firm. In addition, he serves as Of Counsel for the Texas Apartment Association and as Legal Counsel of the Austin Apartment Association. Bill is also a Credentialed Mediator in Texas. He writes and speaks regularly, and as author of Law In Order: The Warren Report he has had over 120 articles published. His topics cover all nature of issues pertaining to rental housing, from onsite to the boardroom to the courtroom. Bill has been Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 30 years, and is also a Fellow of the College of the State Bar of Texas. He can be reached at Warren Law Firm, 1011 Westlake Drive, Austin, Texas 78746, (512) 347-8777, or through his firm’s website at www.WLFtexas.com.

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