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Proud member of GNAA
OTHER DISASTERS
2018 Board of Directors Chairman Andrew Klahn, CAPS®, NALP®, HCCP®, CAM®
Vice-Chairman Zac Ward, CPM® Secretary/Treasurer Stacey Holt, CAM® Immediate Past Chairman Lisa Swick, CAPS® Managers Representative Katherine Morrow, CAM® Maintenance Representative Dale Smith, CAMT®, CPO® Associates Representative Valerie Hirsbrunner, CAM® Management Directors Anne Adams, CAM®, NALP® Kitty Barry, NAAEI-AIT® Brigitte Byron, CAM® Tracey Crowe Tina Hamor Sully Lemmons Bret Marchbanks, CAM® Stephanie Liston Melanie Schlachter Lori Torres, CAM® Maintenance Directors John Johnson, CAMT®, CPO® Diane Mason, CAMT®, CPO® Associate Directors Jack Abernathy, CAS® Jill Carpenter, CAS® Jennifer McCoy, Esq. Loyd Owen Lacey Smithson, NALP® MDHA Representative Norman Deep Legal Advisor M. Wesley Hall
GNAA News & Events / January 2018
Contents
Chairman-Elect Stephanie Burns, CAM®, NALP®, CAPS®
President Diane Carter Director of Education & Events Ginny Johnson Director of Communications & Marketing Scott Meert Finance Connie Morris Statistics Bobbi Turner, ARM® Member Services Lori Ladnier Active Past Chairmen Mary Bradley Brad Cather, CPM®, HCCP®, SHCM® Kirby Davis Faye Ellis, CPM® Diana English Andy Gass, ARM® Barbara Haynes Shelley James, CAM®, CAPS®, CPM® Tammy Lee, CAM® Chari Lewis, CAM®, CAPS®, CPM® Stacy L. Molen, CAM® Harold Morris, CPM® Nancy Morris Linda Page, CPM®, ARM® Ellen Parker Judy Rose, CPM® Susan Sherfield, CPM® Rita Wilkinson, CPM®, ARM® Joyce Wolfe
Features 5
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From the Chair My Goal for 2018 It’s the Law Fair Housing in Tennessee Feature Telephone Technique
Association News 6
7
8
10
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NALP Registration Launch Your Career! Hands-On Training Class Get Your Punch List Done! 2018 Education Schedule Invest in Your Future! Calendar Something Special Noted on the Calendar The Assistant Manager Crew: The Art of Collections Another Day, Another Dollar! Certified Pool-Spa Operator Training Program Save the Date for February 22-23 New Members Welcome! General Membership Meeting Everyone Can Achieve Excellence January Networking Opportunities Associates & Managers Luncheons, General Membership Now Featuring BMI: What Makes Greater Nashville’s Apartments Greater? Celebrating 50 Years of GNAA Here’s to 50 More Years!
About the Cover 2018 Executive Committee Cover photo by Penny Rawls Photography Thank you to the Nashville City Club for allowing GNAA to use their wonderful facility for our cover shoot! Thank you to our cover sponsor: NASHVILLE
We are pleased to introduce your 2018 GNAA Officers and Board of Directors. Here’s to a great year! Executive Committee
Associate Directors
Andrew Klahn, CAPS®, NALP®, HCCP®, CAM® - Chairman Stephanie Burns, CAM®, NALP®, CAPS® - Chairman Elect Zac Ward, CPM® - Vice Chairman Stacey Holt, CAM® - Secretary/Treasurer Lisa Swick, CAPS® - Immediate Past Chairman
Jack Abernathy, CAS® Jill Carpenter, CAS® Jennifer McCoy, Esq. Loyd Owen Lacey Smithson, NALP®
Maintenance Representative
Legal Advisor
Dale Smith, CAMT®, CPO®
M. Wesley Hall
Managers Representative
MDHA
Katherine Morrow, CAM®
Norman Deep
Associate Representative
Active Past Chairmen
Valerie Hirsbrunner, CAM®
Mary Bradley Brad Cather, CPM®, HCCP®, SHCM® Kirby Davis Faye Ellis, CPM® Diana English Andy Gass, ARM® Barbara Haynes Shelley James, CAM®, CAPS®, CPM® Tammy Lee, CAM® Chari Lewis, CAM®, CAPS®, CPM® Stacy L. Molen, CAM® Harold Morris, CPM® Nancy Morris Linda Page, CPM®, ARM® Ellen Parker Judy Rose, CPM® Susan Sherfield, CPM® Rita Wilkinson, CPM®, ARM® Joyce Wolfe
Management Directors Anne Adams, CAM®, NALP® Kitty Barry, NAAEI-AIT® Brigitte Byron, CAM® Tracey Crowe Tina Hamor Sully Lemmons Bret Marchbanks, CAM® Stephanie Liston Melanie Schlachter Lori Torres, CAM®
Maintenance Directors John Johnson, CAMT®, CPO® Diane Mason, CAMT®, CPO®
4 GNAA
From the Chair
My Goal for 2018 I want to see the Association vibrant and thriving. We don’t achieve this by reaching 200,000 units. We don’t achieve this by doubling our education space. We don’t achieve this by any accolade or award. We achieve this by taking an active position in political affairs to protect our business. We achieve this by being active in the community: be recognized as a viable career choice, provide needed quality housing, give back to and care for the community. We achieve this by offering and participating in education that stimulates, grows, and challenges all members at every stage of their career. We achieve this by engaging the membership and making each other successful. “My goal for 2018: Solidify the foundation laid these past 50 years to build 50 more.” That’s how my installation speech concluded, but how do we achieve that? You don’t have to take it all on yourself and no step is too small. With over 76 management companies, 542 apartment communities and 359 vendor companies represented by the Greater Nashville Apartment Association, we can make a huge impact with each small action. Take it on yourself to make one positive change this year. The political climate has a direct impact on our industry and ultimately our personal lives. Legislation influences construction as well as rental rates, which affect the number of jobs and the pay rates of those jobs. The National Apartment Association has a grassroots campaign that starts with a quick survey at http:// re.spon.se/OTmUtG to determine who you might be able to directly influence. I urge you to take five minutes and complete the survey. For state and local issues, Catie Lane Bailey lobbies on
behalf of the GNAA, providing updates and resources to contact local representatives. To get on this distribution list all you need to do is email Bobbi Turner at bobbiturner@gnaa.org. Both of these steps take only a few minutes to complete but can keep you informed on possible laws and regulations that affect your everyday work life. In regards to our public profile, it seems we are too easily painted as the big bad greedy landlord by the media or completely unimpressionable to those seeking employment. If we want to change that perspective we need to bring more light to our humanitarian efforts as well as the benefits and opportunities within the multifamily industry. Join a committee and donate about an hour of your time a month. The Community Service Committee plans events for underprivileged children through the King’s Daughter Day Home and raises money for victims of natural disasters both locally and nationally. The Education and Membership committees explore avenues for recruiting and training new talent. How much easier would it be to find the best employee for your next opening if there was a surplus of personnel? If those don’t interest you, there are over a dozen other committees to choose from. Your unique background, skills, and perspective will better strengthen the association. All you have to do is utilize them. I love my job and am thankful for the opportunities provided by the Greater Nashville Apartment Association. Like many of you, I never considered this as a career but now I can’t imagine doing anything else. If you want to see the apartment industry thrive as I do, take action. We are all responsible for its continued success. Thank you for your support and involvement. I look forward to serving as your 2018 Chairman.
by Andrew Klahn, CAPS®, NALP®, HCCP®, CAM®, Chairman
GNAA 5
Launch your career! Launch your January 23-25, 2018 career!
UPDATED CURRICULUM!
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Each day)
GNAA Education & Training Room
NATIONAL APARTMENT LEASING PROFESSIONAL Earning NALP, your first industry credential, signals to your employer your commitment to a career in residential property management. Presented by:
If you’re a leasing consultant, concierge, or career changer with hospitality, retail, or customer service experience we recommend this course!
You’ll learn about: • Using technology to generate traffic
• Applying fair housing law and communicating rental criteria
• Monitoring and managing your community’s reputation
• Qualifying prospective residents according to rental policy
• Inspecting the leasing center, tour route, model units, and vacant apartments
• Preparing and reviewing leases with new residents
• Shopping the competition while building relationships with competitors
• Responding to resident issues and maintenance requests with appropriate follow-up
• Compiling a comprehensive community resource tool • Effective marketing plans
• Building relationships with residents and creating a sense of community
• Relationship sales process and evaluating personal sales performance
• Reporting incidents, maintaining documentation, and taking corrective action
• Evaluating a prospect’s commitment level and overcoming objections
• Maximizing revenue and operational efficiency
• Reviewing the next steps in the sales process with prospects
• Move-in process
• Securing and processing lease renewals
• Conducting a market survey SPACE IS LIMITED! SIGN UP TODAY. Email to ginnyjohnson@gnaa.org or fax to GNAA at (615) 365-3571.
Name(s): _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Email:______________________________________________________________ Phone: _______________________________________________
Available in person Authorized by: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ naahq.org/NALP and online! For more information, visit Property/Company: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date: __________________________________ Bill Account $______________ Payment enclosed $ __________________________________
Cost: $675 Scholarship Available! Apply by December 31st. To locate an affiliate offering this course near you, visit GNAA Policy: Payment must be made by course date. Absolutely no refunds Kitty Barry will be issued.nd-course. If for any reason you cannot attend the course, you or your naahq.org/learn/education/fi Instructor:
CLK Multi-Family Management
company may send someone in your place.
Greater Nashville Apartment Association, Inc., Two International Plaza, Suite 201, Nashville, TN 37217 • P: 615.365.3047
6 GNAA
Educate. Inspire. Motivate.
2018 Education April 5, 2018 Music City Center Conference 201 Fifth Avenue South
This is the best local educational event to stock up on CECs for 2018! Get better pricing the more people you sign up from one company!
5 to 10 Attendees: $49 off per attendee: $250 each 11+ Attendees: $100 off per attendee: $199 each Non-Member Attendees: $350 each
Nashville, TN 37203
Registration 8:30am
$299 per person
Coffee Break and Lunch Included
6 Continuing Education Credits
Register online at gnaa.org.
Thank You 2018 Education Sponsors!
Brookside Properties • Elmington Property Management • Ferguson Facilities Supply • First Call • Freeman Webb Companies Langley & Taylor Pool Corporation • Law Office of Hall & Associates • Law Office of Jennifer McCoy • L.I.C.R.A - Nashville Lighthouse Property Management • Lincoln Property Company • Valet Living • Wheeler, Inc.
Get your punch list done! February 15, 2018 • 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Located at the GNAA Office
Speaker: Shane Gates, Chadwell Supply
Cost $99 per person*
Approved for 3 Continuing Education Credit Hours *Non-member price is $198 per person
Thank You 2018 Education Sponsors!
Brookside Properties • Elmington Property Management • Ferguson Facilities Supply • First Call • Freeman Webb Companies Langley & Taylor Pool Corporation • Law Office of Hall & Associates • Law Office of Jennifer McCoy • L.I.C.R.A - Nashville Lighthouse Property Management • Lincoln Property Company • Valet Living • Wheeler, Inc.
GNAA 7
1st Qtr Education Schedule Which classes are right for you? Look for the registration badge to find the course you’re looking for.
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AM
MG
PS
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LEASING
ASSISTANT MANAGER
MANAGER
PORTFOLIO SUPERVISOR
SUPPLIER
MAINTENANCE
Course
Dates
Member Cost*
January 23 - 25 (8:30am-5:00pm) TBD- Presentations
$675
Assistant Manager Crew: The Art of Collections (3 CECs)
January 30 (9:30am-12:30pm)
$99
Hands on Training – 5 Basic Punch List Items (3 CECs)
February 15 (8:30am-12:30pm)
$99
February 22-23 (8:00am-5:00pm)
$400
March 8 (9:00am-5:00pm)
$135
National Apartment Leasing Professional* (NALP®)
Certified Pool Operator* (CPO®) HVAC Hands-On Training Low Voltage, Electrical Controls & Diagrams (6 CECs)
*Non-Members of GNAA should call (615) 365-3047 for non-member pricing. Scholarships available for CAM , CAPS , CPO and NALP certification courses. ®
8 GNAA
®
®
®
It’s the Law
Fair Housing in Tennessee The Tennessee Human Rights Commission (THRC) has published its FY 2016-2017 Annual Report. The THRC Housing Division resolves fair housing complaints in Tennessee through conciliation and investigation. It accepts complaints of discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and familial status. This Annual Report examines Tennessee housing discrimination claims accepted from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017. In the FY 2016-2017, the THRC handled 520 inquiries and accepted 107 housing complaints. During the year, the THRC found 6 complaints where there was cause to believe discrimination occurred and resolved 46 complaints through the conciliation process. Of the 46 conciliated complaints, the Complainants were awarded $63,322 in monetary benefits. The conciliation agreements also resulted in non-monetary benefits to the Complainants including accommodations, modifications, removal of eviction records, fair housing training, policy revisions, third-party monitoring, and housing opportunities. We also discovered that an overwhelming 53% of the housing complaints in the FY 2016-2017 were based on disability. Coming in second were race claims at 28%. The remaining claims were: 9% based on familial status; 7% based on gender; 2% based on religion; and 1% based on national origin. Keep in mind, these numbers do not include the complaints filed exclusively with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Many of this year’s housing discrimination complaints are filed jointly with the THRC and HUD. Under the THRC’s Memorandum of Understanding with HUD, the THRC investigates these cases and reports its findings to HUD. In exchange, HUD pays the THRC for each housing discrimination complaint it investigates and closes, as well as additional
by Angelita Fisher, Attorney at Law Law Office of Angelita E. Fisher
dollars for training and administrative costs. According to a September 2016 Performance Audit, in fiscal year 2015 HUD began paying the THRC $2,800 per case for a no-cause, $1,400 for an administratively closed case, and $3,100 for a conciliation agreement with approved public interest terms. According to the audit, the majority of the THRC complaints are closed with a finding of no-cause. If you are wondering what happened to your fair housing complaint this past year, it may still be in the backlog. HUD has an efficiency goal for the THRC of closing 50% of the housing discrimination complaints within 100 days or less. This year, the THRC closed only 34% of the cases within 100 days or less. It appears much of the problem has involved staffing issues. The THRC had multiple vacant positions this past year. Investigation of complaints in the FY 2017-2018 should be completed quicker with the recent hiring of new investigators. The THRC highlighted two housing discrimination cases in the Annual Report – both based on disability. In the first case, the landlord failed to respond to a resident after the resident requested an accommodation. The failure resulted in the landlord paying $750 to the THRC for Education and Outreach and training for the landlord’s staff. The second case involved a landlord’s refusal to allow two emotional support animals which served different purposes. One was a dog, the other a snake. The denial resulted in the THRC receiving $2,000 for Education and Outreach and fair housing training for the landlord. The resident gets to keep her apartment and her snake. What does the Annual Report mean for Tennessee landlords? It first serves as a guide when conducting training for staff. Be sure disability accommodations are a high-priority topic. Second, the Report is insight into the workings of the THRC and why they set deadlines, request certain information, and often mention conciliation. Finally, the Report gives landlords some idea as to the monetary cost of a fair housing complaint – which in the business world is sometimes less than the cost of lost work time for staff involved with the complaint. In sum, the lesson best learned is that it is better to focus on ways to avoid future claims rather than ways to defend them after the fact.
GNAA 9
2018
Maintenance Mania is coming back to Nashville! Save the date on your calendar -- Friday, April 27. Sign up online If you would like to sponsor the event, at gnaa.org. contact Lori Ladnier at 615.365.3047. Sunday
Monday
January
New Year’s Day GNAA OFFICE CLOSED
7
Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
1
2
3
News & Events Committee* 8:45am
8
9
Associates Luncheon
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
15
Directory Committee*
16
10
22
NALP® Class*
6
Statistics Committee*
12
13
18
19
20
25
26
27
11
Maintenance Committee*
Leadership Lyceum (invitation only)
8:30am
12pm
10am
21
17
Golf Committee* Managers Luncheon*
Membership Committee*
5
8:45am
9am
9am
4
Saturday
10am
Hermitage House 11:30am
14
Education Committee*
Friday
23
NALP® Class*
24
8:30am - 5pm
8:30am - 5pm
NALP® Class* 8:30am - 5pm
Board of Directors* 9am
28
29
The Art of Collections*
30
9:30am - 12:30pm
General Membership Meeting
31
Airport Marriott 11:30am *at GNAA office
10 GNAA
December Managers Luncheon Highlights
Connie, GNAA; Lily & Kelsey, CIC Credit
Diane, Crescent Music Row; Wes, Eastside Heights; Chloé & Miah, Element Music Row
John & Lenzee, American Paint & Renovation
Rhonda, The Law Office of Hall & Associates; Debbie & Tina, Reliable Roofing
Chloé, Element Music Row; Stacey, Bell Partners
Tracy, South Brook; Rochelle & Tabitha, Willow Pointe; Stephanie, Waste Industries
Candyce & Amy, King’s Daughter Day Home
Diane, GNAA; Tracey, Verse on Bell
Andy, Sharp, Robbins & Popwell; Justin, True Friends Moving
Jennifer, The Law Office of Jennifer McCoy; Donnie, The Knolls; Nichole, Wright Construction
Valerie, BG Staffing; Julie, Lacey & Tiffany, CORT; Melanie, Vintage at the Avenue
Kim, Station 40; Mindy, The Grove; Katherine, Gale Lofts
Alberto, Real Floors; Rusty, Bug Solutions
Stacey, Bell Franklin Gateway; Alison, The Everly at Historic Franklin
Bridget, Contractors Incorporated; Diana, HND Management; Candyce, King’s Daughter Day Home
Chloé, Element Music Row; Stephanie, The Grove Richland/Whitworth
Stephanie, Please Assist Me; Tashiana, Freeman Webb
Vicki, The Sharp Solution; Jeff; Fast Signs Brentwood
GNAA 11
King’s Daughter Holiday Event
Lori, Brookside Properties; Diana, HND Management; Ginny, GNAA
Jill, CSC Service Works; Taylor, Verse on Bell; Valerie, BG Staffing; Lacey, CORT
Mr. & Mrs. Claus
Valerie, BG Staffing; Erick, Brentwood Station
Jack, ACI; Carole, RentPath; Andy, R3 Contractors
Jason, Village Green Recycling; Bridget, Contractors Incorporated; Jo, Data One
Marisa, MM Promotions; Jill, CSC Servi
Marisa, MM Promotions
Bridget, Contr Management
Art time!
Shelley, High 5 Residential; Loyd, Bug Solutions; Rebecca, Crawford Door; Pam, ForRent
Diana, HND Management; Connie, GNAA; The Grinch; Diane, GN Bug Solutions; Rebecca, Crawford Door; Ginny, GNAA; Jennifer, L Jennifer McCoy; Brigitte, Brookside Properties
Restoring Nashville’s Multifamily One Community
iceWorks
Loyd, Bug Solutions; Taylor, Verse on Bell; Lacey, CORT
ractors Incorporated; The Grinch; Joyce, HND
NAA, Loyd, aw Office of
y at a Time
Elsie, Ferguson; Jason, Green Village Recycling
Enjoying time with the kiddos!
Joyce, HND Management; Cindy, Eastwood Green; Elizabeth, West End Living; Malcom, City View
Hanging with The Grinch and the Clauses
Happy Holidays!
655 N. Main Street • Goodlettsville, TN 37072 Phone: 615.873.4631 • Fax: 615.873.4634 ryan@summitpr.net
Another day. Another dollar! TOPIC:
The Assistant Manager Crew: The Art of Collections Brought to you by
Jennifer McCoy
Law Office of Jennifer McCoy
January 30, 2018 9:30am-12:30pm Breakfast provided!
$99 Member Rate Three (3) CECs
Call 615.365.3047 for Non-member pricing.
Thank You 2018 Education Sponsors!
Brookside Properties • Elmington Property Management • Ferguson Facilities Supply • First Call • Freeman Webb Companies Langley & Taylor Pool Corporation • Law Office of Hall & Associates • Law Office of Jennifer McCoy • L.I.C.R.A - Nashville Lighthouse Property Management • Lincoln Property Company • Valet Living • Wheeler, Inc.
CPO®
Certified Pool-Spa Operator® Training Program
The World’s Most Recognized Pool and Spa Training Program Designation provided by the National Swimming Pool Foundation
Thursday, February 22 and Friday, February 23, 2018
8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Located at the GNAA Office
Member Cost: $400 Non-Member Cost: $535
Scholarship available for this class! Deadline to apply is January 11, 2018.
Thank You 2018 Education Sponsors!
Brookside Properties Elmington Property Management • Ferguson Facilities Supply • First Call • Freeman Webb Companies Langley & Taylor Pool Corporation • Law Office of Hall & Associates • Law Office of Jennifer McCoy • L.I.C.R.A - Nashville Lighthouse Property Management • Lincoln Property Company • Valet Living • Wheeler, Inc.
14 GNAA
What Makes Greater Nashville’s Apartment Communities Greater? Whether it’s played on TVs, radios, streamed or performed live in public areas, music adds a sense of community that encourages social interaction in apartment living. Since 2013, when BMI rolled out its first “Residential Communities” music license, and 2014, when BMI became the first performing rights organization to join the NAA through our local affiliation with the GNAA, the momentum to use music in multi-family housing has increased even further. This momentum has resulted in relationships with other housing associations nationwide, and BMI’s growing participation in conferences and sponsorships continues to help us streamline the licensing process to make things easier for residential communities to gain the permission they need to play music publicly. In addition, music users interested in licensing multiple locations are now promised a discounted rate, which could save up to 20% in annual licensing fees. Why is getting permission to play music publicly a requirement? Because creating music that people want to play in their businesses is a full-time job for songwriters and composers. That’s why the U.S. Copyright Law, as well as global laws, protect their work and give them the opportunity to charge fees when their music is used by businesses. This legislation was written so that songwriters and composers would be encouraged to continue to create music, whether they are superstar artists, a non-performer behind the scenes writing songs for artists, or someone in
between. Without this provision, which generally makes up the largest percentage of a songwriter’s income, music creators could not afford to continue their craft and the public’s choice of music (not to mention a business’s) would drastically decline. As a global leader in music rights management for 77 years, BMI’s mission is to not let that happen. That’s why we are diligent in our efforts to educate music users on why we do what we do. Approximately half of all the music played in America each day is represented by BMI. Our songwriters and composers greatly appreciate the use of their work by businesses because part of the creative process is sharing ideas, which is something BMI will continue to do with the many industries that play music publicly. By signing a BMI license, businesses are agreeing to pay songwriters and composers, who are essentially small business owners, for the use of their product. For more information on how to make music work in your property, visit www.bmi.com/ residential or contact our Nashville based licensing office at 1-888-689-5264.
GNAA 15
New Members Apartment Communities 505 Nashville Kim Augustine 505 Church St. Nashville, TN 37219 615-214-4505 350 apartment homes 505mgr@lincolnapts.com Lincoln Property Company Referred by: Tammy Lee, Lincoln Property Company Brookside Condos M. J. Roames 117 Cedarwood Dr. Lebanon, TN 37087 615-965-2191 53 apartment homes octoberskylebanon@gmail.com October Sky Referred by: Management Company for State Lease
The Eastland Kristen Sparkman 1035 W. Eastland Ave. Nashville, TN 37206 615-352-8900 49 apartment homes theeastlandmgr@elmingtonpm.com Elmington Property Management Referred by: Elmington Property Management
The Flats at Walden Grove Jason Soucy 225 Walden Village Ln. Nashville, TN 37210 126 apartment homes Vita Residential Referred by: Vita Residential Springfield Shea Newcomb 3726 Manson Pk. Murfreesboro, TN 37129 615-895-5757 269 apartment homes springfieldmgr@elmingtonpm.com Elmington Property Management Referred by: Jenn Mullholland
Law Office
Hall & Associates M. Wesley Hall III
Nathan C. Lybarger
T WO G REAT
RESOURCES FOR 20 18
LandlordAdvocate® 223 Madison Street • Suite 212 • Madison, TN 37115
6 1 5 . 8 6 8 . 4 1 0 1 • Fa x 6 1 5 . 8 6 8 . 3 8 9 3
16 GNAA
Village Row Bryan Lowery 1700 Belcourt Ave. Nashville, TN 37212 615-970-2422 15 apartment homes villagerowmgr@elmingtonpm.com Elmington Property Management Referred by: Elmington Property Management Woodstock Kristen Sparkman 1225 4th Ave. S. Nashville, TN 37210 615-352-8900 42 apartment homes theeastlandmgr@elmingtonpm.com Elmington Property Management Referred by: Elmington Property Management
Associates Bridge’s Cleaning & Restoration William & Zach Bridge 307 W. Cedar St. Franklin, KY 42134 615-800-9888 zachbridge@comcast.net Carpet cleaning, water extraction, repairs Referred by: Previous member
National Corporate Housing Tyler Litwack 106 Mission Ct., Suite 1000 Franklin, TN 37067 615-905-5671 nashvillesales@nationalcorporatehousing.com Short-term, furnished corporate apartment rental Referred by: Lacey Smithson, CORT
First Call Claims Shannon Rizzo 615 Berry Rd. Nashville, TN 37204 615-724-2424 srizzo@firstcallclaims.com Full service insurance claims Referred by: Angelita E. Fisher, Law Office of Angelita E. Fisher
Please Assist Me, Inc. Stephanie Cummings 41 Peabody St. Nashville, TN 37210 615-538-8065 scummings@pleaseassistme.com In-home services Referred by: Chloe Evans, Element Music Row Pressbox Taylor Pedersen 1300 15th Ave. S. Nashville, TN 37212 224-383-4869 taylor@usepressbox.com Dry cleaning, wash & fold, shoe care Referred by: Katherine Morrow, Gale Lofts
Everyone Can
Achieve Excellence! Excellence is not something only for a select few. We can all look to our experiences and work to achieve it every day. Our special guest and speaker for the January GNAA General Membership meeting on January 31 is none other than local Nashville legend Jimmy Carter. He will share with all of us his perspective on excellence and lessons that have guided him throughout his award-wininng career. Jimmy Carter’s Nashville credits include an Emmy for his public service TV work and multiple Emmy nominations for his news, children’s, sports and public affairs specials. Let’s fill the Marriott for Jimmy in January!
Speaker:
Jimmy Carter FEATURED MANAGEMENT COMPANIES
General Membership Meeting Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Registration: 11:00 a.m. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.
Location: Airport Marriott 600 Marriott Dr. Nashville 37214 Cost: $37/person
THANK YOU SPONSORS!
ApartmentData.com • DocAir • e-Premium Insurance • Entrata Ferguson Facilities Supply • First Call • Valet Living GNAA 17
December Maintenance Luncheon Highlights John, Firelife Safety America; Tim, ISOS
January’s GNAA
Networking Opportunities Associates Luncheon January 10, 2018
Hermitage Smorgasbord @ 11:30 am
The Year Ahead for GNAA Speaker: Andrew Klahn 2018 Chairman of the Board
Managers Luncheon
Jeff, Reliable Roofing; Austin, Deerfield at Providence
January 17 2018 GNAA Offices @ 12pm
Career Charisma and the Mastery of Influence: Part 2
Speaker: Lisa Harless, Regions Bank
Thank you to our sponsors!
The Hill Law Firm Langley & Taylor Pool Corporation RG Flooring, Inc. USS - United Structural Systems
General Membership January 31, 2018
s in Expert and s b bathtu ops t r e count tion a r o rest
Airport Marriott @ 11:30am
Everyone Can Achieve Excellence!
772.3234 getagrip.com
615
3 year warranty
24/48 Service
Before you get going on your remodel, Get A Grip. Call us today!
18 GNAA
Speaker: Jimmy Carter
Thank you to our sponsors!
ApartmentData.com • DocAir e-Premium Insurance • Entrata Ferguson Facilities Supply First Call • Valet Living
Feature
Telephone Technique
Is your leasing team operating at peak performance when it comes to sales calls? As Elaine Simpson, founder of Occupancy Solutions LLC, mentions in her seminar “Terrific Telephone Techniques,” good marketing leads to telephone calls. Prospective residents are 75% more likely to lease if they have spoken to someone in a phone call before they visit a community to tour. If you do everything right, the call should lead to a visit, the visit should lead to an interview, the interview should lead to a tour that leads to a closing and a signed lease. When answering telephone calls, your goal as a leasing specialist is to give and receive as much information as possible in an organized way, in very little time, in a polite and professional manner that leads to an appointment to visit the community or a lease over the phone.
by Elaine Simpson, Occupancy Solutions, LLC
knowledge notebook full of facts about the community and your leasing binder. Pick up a call within three rings. A recent study showed only 26% of rental phone calls were answered by a person. Eighty percent of callers hung up when they got voicemail and only 20% left messages. More than half of the people who call and don’t speak to someone won’t call back. Generally, they have a list of places to call and they will just move down their list to the next community. They are trying to narrow their list of possible places to live down to the best two or three and if you don’t answer, your community may fall off their “short list.”
You can create your own leasing script. We don’t want you to sound like a robot, but if you follow along with a script you won’t forget to ask important questions, give each caller a brief description of the apartment interior and community amenities, invite them to tour and set up an appointment.
When you answer the phone, give a brief greeting and introduce yourself. This gives the caller time for it to sink in where they have called and who they are speaking to. For example, “Thank you for calling A Perfect Place To Live. My name is _________ and your name is ?” After introducing yourself and asking for each caller’s name at the beginning of the call, use it during your conversation to personalize the call but don’t overuse it.
If it becomes your responsibility to answer the phones, be prepared by assembling the information and tools you might need to answer caller questions. Have an availability list ready with your target vacant apartments selected. You may also need guest cards, a telephone log, an appointment calendar, calculator, current market survey, product
Don’t ask for permission by saying things like “May I ask your name?”, “Do you mind if I ask you some questions?”, “May I have your telephone number?” Those are “yes/no” questions and they might tell you “NO”! If a caller tells you that they are just collecting information and would prefer to not give out their name and personal information, a continued on p. 20
GNAA 19
Feature, cont. possible response would be “I can understand that. How should I address you?” Typically they will then give you their first name. Use it by leading into the next question: “John, in case we get disconnected, what is the best number to use to call you back?” That question is generally viewed as offering good customer service, not being pushy. Your goal as a The caller ID number you leasing specialist may see on your phone is to give and system is not always their number.
receive as much information as possible in an organized way, in very little time, in a polite and professional manner that leads to an appointment to visit the community or a lease over the phone.
Have a conversation, not an interrogation. Ask more questions to find out how you can best serve their needs and collect needed information at the same time. Find out how each caller heard about your community so you can track what advertising sources are working and which ones are not working for you. What do they like and dislike in their current living situation? Your list of questions should also include: Desired floor plan? How soon needed? Number of occupants? Pets? Length of lease? Why moving? Your description should include: features/benefits of apartment interiors; community amenities; management company; on-site staff; maintenance; utility information; deposits and fees; rental rates; invitation to visit; location and office hours; directions if needed; instructions on how to apply, etc. It is even possible to have an entire conversation without ever discussing rental rates. The goal of the call is to create interest and make you and your community stand out from the competition in the mind of the prospect. It’s worth the few additional minutes of your time.
20 GNAA
Every leasing consultant should take the time to write out a description of each floor plan within the community and then practice verbally using those descriptions for their presentations whether over the phone, online or in person. Think of your own “ear appealing” words to use in your descriptions. Examples: exceptional, unique, charming, cleverly designed, stylish, etc. Avoid “feature dumping.” You know what that is. “Our kitchens are equipped with double stainless steel sinks, a dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator and stove….” is an example of feature dumping. Avoid using industry words. Replace “complex, property, site and unit” with “community, apartment or home.” When describing an apartment interior, start at the front door then describe a stroll through the apartment, creating a visual in the mind of the prospect with your words. Make them see the benefits of the apartment features. There are several ways to approach closing the sale. You can set the stage for closing when you first speak to a prospect on the phone or at the beginning of an office visit before you ever leave the office by asking two key questions: (1) What other options are you considering? (2) If you see something you like, are you prepared to lease today? This will start the dialog you need to work your magic. continued on p. 21
Feature, cont. Closing techniques is a topic for another day. However, the four top techniques are the feature/benefit close, the assumptive close, the alternative close, and the urgency close. The urgency close works really well and is sometimes overused by offering limited time incentives. To make this close effective without offering incentives, just narrow down what you have to offer to one or two apartments that would fit the needs of the prospect. Review their needs with them and then tell them you have the perfect apartment for them. For example, “Mr. Smith, you wanted a first floor, facing east with a lake view. Apartment #101 meets your needs, it is perfect. It is available for lease. What time works well for you today to come and see it?” Always try to set up an appointment with each caller, because when a prospect makes a verbal commitment over the phone they are more likely to visit the community. They don’t always show up; however, you will have done your job by increasing the likelihood that they will. Is your leasing team operating at peak performance when it comes to sales calls? Would it be helpful to have an
expert listen in and offer individual constructive critiques to your team members? Occupancy Solutions offers apartment owners and managers this valuable tool. To find out how we can help you with this and many other property management services, e-learning courses, training sessions, seminars or webinars, please visit www. occupancysolutions.com or call 1-800-865-0948 today for your free consultation. Elaine Simpson has been employed in the housing industry since 1986. Starting on site as a leasing agent, she moved up, working as assistant manager, site manager, executive director and finally senior regional manager with communities in several states and portfolios containing more than 1,400 units. With almost 30 years of experience in the multifamily industry, Elaine Simpson founded Occupancy Solutions, LLC to provide housing program compliance, human resources, leasing, maintenance, marketing and operations consulting and training solutions. Ms. Simpson is a licensed real estate broker in Michigan and Arizona, a Certified Senior Real Estate Specialist, a National Apartment Association Education Institute Faculty Member, an Accredited Resident Manager, Certified Assisted Housing Manager, member of the National Speakers Association and received in 2016 certification as a trainer and coach by John Maxwell.
GNAA 21
1968-2018
Here’s to 50 Years of GNAA! It is hard to believe that 2018 marks the Greater Nashville Apartment Association’s 50th anniversary. What started as a small group of multifamily professionals has grown to be the largest multifamily association in the state of Tennessee, with almost 1,000 members and over 110,000 units. The past truly set us on a course for success and our leadership has helped us get there! Each issue of News and Events in 2018 will have a special page dedicated to some aspect of the last fifty years to help all of us remember where we have been and where we hope to go. We have updated our GNAA logo to include the 50th anniversary celebration and it will be included on all marketing pieces you will see over the next twelve months. This month we will set the stage with some facts about Nashville in 1968, just to help us put things into perspective. It is remarkable just how much the Nashville area has changed. You may have noticed the cover picture of our 2018 GNAA Board of Directors Executive Committee. There is a deliberate pairing of Nashville 1968 and today in there that you may not have caught. The photo shoot took place at the Nashville City Club on the 20th floor of what is now known as 4th and Church. It was originally the SunTrust Building and was opened for business in, you guessed it, 1968. In the background is Nashville’s newest high-rise, the 45-story 505 building built by Giarratana, LLC. Thank you to the Nashville City Club for allowing us to bring our cover shot to you!
22 GNAA
Population of Nashville Metropolitan Area in 1968
538,000
Estimated population of Nashville Metropolitan Area in 2017
1,900,000
Population Density in 1968 (people per square mile)
314
Population Density in 2017
1,301
Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area ranking in 1968
64th
Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area ranking in 2017
36th
Average Hourly Wage for Nashville Area Resident in 1968
$2.46
Average Hourly Wage for Nashville Area Resident in 2017
$22.01
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