The Lease-Up

As a multifamily professional, technical expertise can get you in the right room, but it’s your communication skills, presence and trust that often determine what happens next. In the September episode of Mission Success: Women in Multifamily , MHN Executive Editor Laura Valean sits down with Pamela Eyring, president & owner of The Protocol School of Washington, to examine why the skills often dismissed as “soft” may be better understood as “power skills” in a relationship-driven industry. Eyring explains how small details—from the way a leasing office greets a prospect to how an executive communicates in a high-stakes meeting—shape perceptions of both the individual and the company. She also discusses the gaps she sees among young professionals entering multifamily and why mentorship, coaching and clear expectations can help translate technical knowledge into workplace readiness.

Great development marketing starts long before a project has a name, a logo or even an architect. Increasingly, marketers are involved at the earliest stages of development, helping developers understand market demand, evaluate sites and make decisions about everything from unit mix to the overall resident experience. This episode of Multi-Housing News’ Top Marketers podcast explores how marketing can shape development strategy from the ground up—and how a deeper understanding of the market can help determine what ultimately gets built. Joining us are Sarah Patton and Dan Parker, co-heads of Compass Development Marketing Group in New York. With more than 18 years of experience in new development, Patton brings an owner’s perspective to projects, working across pre-development, design, architecture, marketing, sales and leasing while keeping an eye on the financial bottom line. Parker, who co-heads the group’s new development business, is involved in every phase of the development process. He works closely with architects, designers, creative agencies and public relations strategists to assemble multidisciplinary teams and help each project establish its own identity and appeal to New York’s increasingly sophisticated pool of buyers. The conversation looks at how that expertise can shape the physical product, from unit mix and apartment sizes to amenity programming and design. Patton and Parker discuss how developers can distinguish between lasting shifts in renter and buyer preferences and trends that may quickly lose their appeal—and why understanding the audience should come before deciding what to build. Key topics include bringing marketing into the process before site selection, using market intelligence to shape development strategy, optimizing unit mix and amenities, balancing trends with long-term appeal, building brands that resonate with buyers and renters, influencing neighborhood evolution and fostering stronger collaboration among developers, architects and marketing teams. From the Ground Up: Marketing Before the Building (0:00) Unit Mix, Amenities and the Trend Trap (7:32) Changing a Neighborhood One Building at a Time (14:59) One Team: Rentals Meets Sales (18:30) Community, Privacy and the Next Decade (23:46)

RPM Living Chief People Officer David Lynch talks with MHN’s Denile Doyle about the connection between how companies support their on-site teams and the experience those teams create for residents. Lynch pushes back on the idea that an employee will leave for another company for 50 cents and that’s the whole story. He firmly believes that it goes beyond that. He also breaks down his “skill-will-ability” approach to hiring and training and explains how executives can improve consistency in processes. Here are some of the topics we cover: (3:42) Where property management teams are feeling the most pressure right now (7:12) His perspective on how multifamily measures success (12:16) What investing in employees looks like beyond pay (15:09) Why defining your company culture should come before hiring and training (16:46) The "skill-will-ability" test and what employers can truly train for (19:08) Why the people doing the work should help shape the process

After more than two decades working across real estate banking, structured finance, lending and investment management, Elizabeth Roy has learned to look at a deal from more than one angle. Now, as the newly appointed chief investment officer of American Landmark Apartments, she's bringing that perspective to a multifamily market where capital is expensive, supply dynamics are shifting and investors are being forced to rethink what creates value. In this episode of Mission Success: Women in Multifamily, Roy joins Multi-Housing News Executive Editor Laura Valean to discuss the experiences that shaped her investment philosophy, from navigating multiple real estate cycles to evaluating opportunities through both the debt and equity sides of the capital stack.

Strong multifamily branding isn't built through campaigns alone. In today's apartment industry, long-term success depends on understanding changing renter expectations, listening to resident feedback and delivering a consistent brand experience across every touchpoint—from digital interactions to everyday life inside the community. This episode of Multi-Housing News' Top Marketers podcast explores how a hospitality-driven multifamily brand scales its marketing and communications while preserving a consistent voice and resident-first culture across expanding markets. Joining us is Ashley Cerasaro, executive vice president of Communications at AVE, the hospitality-inspired apartment brand from Korman Communities, a fifth-generation family-owned real estate company. Today, AVE's portfolio spans more than 6,000 apartments across 20-plus communities nationwide. Over the past 14 years, Cerasaro has helped shape the company's multifamily brand strategy, overseeing public relations, resident communications, online reputation management, social media, corporate messaging and brand positioning. Most recently, she played a leading role in AVE's national brand evolution and redesigned digital platform, initiatives that reflect the company's rapid expansion and the growing demand for flexible apartment living. She also helped develop AVE's resident survey program, which has contributed to the company's industry-leading resident satisfaction rankings for four consecutive years. Key topics include maintaining brand integrity across many touchpoints, aligning communications with on-site operations through training and cultural leadership, using resident feedback and survey data to shape amenities and messaging, redesigning a digital platform to support seamless search and adopting AI for efficiency and faster insights without losing authenticity. From Journalism to "The Voice of Ave" (1:18) Shift from Persuasion to Trust (6:34) Service is the New Marketing (13:12) Listening That Changed Design (18:57) AI vs. Authenticity (20:35)

Village Green Executive Vice President of Operations Matt Guenther chats with MHN’s Denile Doyle about how renewals have evolved since he first started out in the industry and why retention is a year-round effort. He explains what sets the tone for whether someone stays or leaves and the importance of controlling your controllables. Here are a few highlights from this episode: (2:15) How renewals evolved from simple flat increases to a much more nuanced process (4:03) What residents are really weighing when the renewal notice arrives (5:54) The move-in experience and the first service request are the two make-or-break moments (8:24) Why framing renewals as a "happy anniversary" changes the conversation (13:02) The danger of a resident who never tells you they're unhappy (14:42) How conservative increases can boost the bottom line

Across the country, colleges and universities are rethinking how they deliver and finance student housing for today’s students. Aging residence halls, shifting enrollment patterns and rising expectations for the on-campus experience are prompting more institutions to turn to public-private partnerships to modernize housing while managing capital constraints. Gilbane Development Co. has been one of the firms most active in this space, with several projects illustrating how P3s are supporting large-scale campus transformations. Earlier this year, the company secured Western Kentucky University Board of Regents' approval for Elevate WKU , a $350 million project designed to redevelop the university’s residential footprint, with the first phase including a new 1,000-bed living and dining facility. The firm also started work on another multi-phase P3 with the University of Rhode Island, where the company will add more than 1,100 beds to the institution’s flagship campus in Kingston, R.I. That activity reflects a broader shift in student housing. In this episode of Student Housing Unlocked , Senior Associate Editor Olivia Bunescu is joined by Geoff Eisenacher, executive development director at Gilbane Development Co., to discuss why campus housing is no longer just about adding beds. Instead, Eisenacher describes a sector shaped by new expectations for the college experience, with projects increasingly combining housing with dining, parking, infrastructure and mixed-use components. Here’s what they discussed: How is student housing faring today? (01:34) The residential campus experience keeps demand resilient (05:38) Gilbane’s roots in student housing and its current strategy (07:36) Reading enrollment shifts and selecting university markets (09:18) Why colleges are considering P3s (12:39) Elevate WKU and the rise of whole-campus housing strategies (15:37) Balancing university control with private capital (17:43) On-campus P3s vs off-campus purpose-built student housing (20:12) More beds, better beds or a different housing mix? (23:46) Right-sizing amenities around affordability and flexibility (27:42) The next phase of student housing (30:20)

As the U.S. continues to face a severe shortage of affordable rental housing, much of the conversation centers on financing, development pipelines and the number of units being delivered. But for residents, the experience is also shaped by what happens inside the communities. For Lydia Liley, owner of Arrivare Interiors, thoughtful interior design can help affordable housing feel livable, durable and dignified without adding unnecessary cost. A registered interior designer with more than a decade of experience in multifamily design, Liley works at the intersection of budget discipline, material performance and resident experience. In the July episode of Mission Success: Women in Multifamily, she talks about why interior designers should be involved early in the development process, before project teams default to contractor-selected finishes or miss opportunities to elevate a space within budget. Sharing insights from her work on multiple projects across the country, she also discusses how lighting, flooring patterns, paint sheen, wood tones and even grout color can create warmth and visual interest without requiring custom materials.

Federal housing policy is constantly shifting, making it challenging for multifamily owners, operators and property managers to keep up with every proposal, rule change and court-tested uncertainty. Multi-Housing News Executive Editor Laura Valean reached out to Nicole Upano, assistant vice president of Housing Policy & Regulatory Affairs at the National Apartment Association, for a timely regulatory roundup on the federal actions multifamily professionals should have on their radar.

AI is shaking up many aspects of the multifamily industry, from marketing to leasing to operations, but one aspect that’s less discussed is how the tech can be applied to apartment building construction. To learn more about how AI has already been deployed in multifamily projects, along with what the future potential is, MHN Associate Editor Matthew Kaufman turned to James Garner , a member of the Construction Professional Group Panel at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, or RICS. He’s also the Head of AI and Data at Gleeds. Here are some highlights from their discussion: (1:17) AI’s early construction impact (4:36) Today’s biggest AI wins (7:00) Keeping humans accountable (8:38) Making data AI-ready (11:47) Culture over cost (13:14) Four AI mindsets (16:25) AI meets robotics (23:30) Investor and insurer reactions (27:35) Responsible AI standards

This month, Mission Success: Women in Multifamily Host Laura Valean sits down with Lissette Calderon, founder & CEO of Neology Group, and one of the few women leading large-scale residential development in South Florida. Calderon reflects on leaving investment banking, a decision that once felt like failure but ultimately became the first time she truly trusted herself. She also revisits the risk of launching her first project, Neo Lofts, at 28, the fear of losing her lender after 9/11 and the conviction behind her long-term bets on the Miami River and Allapattah neighborhoods in Miami. Beyond the buildings, Calderon speaks candidly about the responsibility developers carry toward residents, investors, teams and communities. She also talks about being a woman in real estate, why ambition should never be downplayed, and how much her late father has influenced everything she has achieved.

For the current and next generation of students, showcasing a polished lifestyle across a property’s social media channels is no longer enough. Since social platforms are often where prospects first discover student housing communities, the most effective campaigns are the ones that make students feel like they already understand what it would be like to live there before they even schedule a tour.In this episode of Student Housing Unlocked , MHN’s Senior Associate Editor Olivia Bunescu is joined by Maggie St. Geme, vice president of marketing at Subtext Living, to discuss what it takes to build a social media strategy that feels authentic and resident-first. St. Geme breaks down how Subtext turns brand identity into content across its Local, Verve and Ever communities, while keeping each property’s voice connected to its residents, neighborhood and on-site team.The conversation also highlights the approach behind LOCAL Nashville’s Silver-winning social media strategy at last year’s MHN Excellence Awards . Rather than making the property the main character, the campaign leaned into Nashville, the Midtown neighborhood and the residents, turning them into the main characters of the community, instead of amenities. From hyperlocal storytelling and short-form video to curated giveaways, St. Geme explains why social media now plays a role across every stage of the leasing process. Here’s what they talked about: Defining success in social media (01:36) Building trust with renters (02:37) Creating an authentic brand voice (04:12) Subtext’s three content filters (05:44) Turning brand identity into content (07:46) Creating a viral reel (08:50) LOCAL Nashville’s award-winning strategy (11:25) Balancing polished and organic content (15:00) The power of short-form video (16:47) On-site teams as content engines (17:50) Applying lessons across the portfolio (19:22) Measuring social media’s success (20:51) Trends that will shape student housing marketing (22:58)

Kerry Fedigan’s story begins far from real estate, in the halls of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and later in her own thriving speech pathology practice. But life, as she shares with striking honesty in this podcast, rarely follows a straight line. A deeply personal family challenge prompted her to step away from her business. What followed wasn’t a calculated pivot, but an unexpected opening into real estate that would ultimately redefine her career. In this episode of Mission Success: Women in Multifamily , Multi-Housing News Executive Editor Laura Valean sits down with Fedigan, now director of sales at Sun Homes. She leads sales at One Kingsland, a townhouse-condominium community within Sleepy Hollow’s Edge-on-Hudson, where her relationship-first approach has translated into strong momentum. Fedigan reflects on a reality that will feel deeply familiar across the multifamily and real estate industry in general: the constant tension between professional ambition and being present for the moments that matter most at home. There’s no perfect balance, she admits, only choices, trade-offs and the quiet determination to show up where it counts. That mindset continues to shape how she leads today.

Elizabeth Ambacher, NAA's vice president of meetings and expositions, and Clark Ebbert, director of conference education discuss what’s on the agenda this year and what it says about the evolution of apartment operations. This year’s educational programming, shaped by direct input from NAA’s advisory board, reflects the challenges operators are facing right now. AI remains a major focus, but the conversation has evolved from “What is AI?” to proving ROI and scaling adoption. Listeners can save $150 on registration with promo code "MHNPODCAST" through May 26. Here are a few highlights from this episode: (3:19) Why centralization and automation haven't delivered as cleanly as operators expected (4:20) Doing more with less is the No. 1 challenge members bring to NAA (9:21) The shift from fixing things faster to building systems that break less (12:31) Why "we want less" is really code for "we're overwhelmed by options" (15:55) Three keynote speakers bringing perspectives from outside the industry

As multifamily operators navigate shifting renter expectations, rising competition and rapid technological change, large portfolios are uncovering behavioral patterns and operational insights into renter behavior that smaller firms may not yet see. At scale, data becomes more than a performance metric; It becomes a window into how renters think, search, compare and ultimately decide where to live. From digital trust and pricing sensitivity to tour behavior and response times, today’s renter journey is becoming increasingly nuanced. Operators are no longer competing solely on amenities or location. They are competing on speed, transparency, convenience and authenticity across every touchpoint. What’s emerging is a broader shift in multifamily marketing: the convergence of marketing, centralized operations, customer experience and technology. The operators best positioned for the future are those learning how to connect these functions into a seamless renter journey, while still maintaining a local, human touch. This episode of Multi-Housing News’ Top Marketers podcast explores what large-scale multifamily platforms are learning about renter behavior and how those insights may shape the next phase of leasing, marketing and resident engagement. Joining us is Josh Draughn, senior vice president of marketing and centralized operations at Hillpointe. A recent hire at Hillpointe, Draughn brings nearly two decades of experience spanning multifamily marketing, centralized operations and technology strategy. Before joining Hillpointe, he held leadership roles at Greystar, Cortland and Weidner Apartment Homes, where he helped oversee large-scale marketing initiatives and operational systems across tens of thousands of units. Throughout the conversation, Draughn discusses how renter behavior has evolved over the past two decades, why authenticity now outweighs overly polished branding, how AI and centralized operations are reshaping leasing strategies and what operators can learn from analyzing millions of renter interactions. Key topics include how data-driven marketing, renter trust and centralized operations can better interpret renter behavior at scale, transform multifamily leasing in an era where authenticity beats polish. From Indiana Jones to Multifamily Marketing (4:31) What Renters Really Think at Scale (9:09) The Laughter Stat: 1.6M Calls Analyzed (11:00) Why Polished Marketing Backfires (20:43) Reddit, Speed & the Modern Renter Journey (19:00) Tech, Trust & the Future of Leasing (22:28)

Arqline Property Management was formed in 2026, after residential technology platform Alfred acquired and merged RKW Residential and A Residential (formerly Quarterra Living). For this episode of Management Diaries, Arqline President Kevin Owens shares how the firms navigated the integration, and why aligning people and processes turned out to be harder than aligning the tech. He discusses the three-part framework his company uses to decide what can be automated, what to centralize and what should stay with a human. Owens prefers simplicity over complex tools or systems. As he puts it, “Things can sound really smart when they're complex. They also aren't very easy to execute." Here are a few highlights from this episode: (5:18) Why cultural alignment was a critical part of the merger (11:37) How structured feedback loops drive better outcomes (13:29) Why following through matters more than the feedback itself (20:22) What operators need to pay attention to moving forward (17:45) What “Property Management 3.0” looks like and what it means for operators

From fighting food insecurity to advancing housing affordability, Rebecca Ely has built her path around one core idea: Real change happens when you connect resources with the people who need them most and invite others to step into that mission. Now Director of Resource Development at Operation Pathways, the resident services arm of The NHP Foundation, Ely operates at the crossroads of affordable housing, philanthropy and community impact. In this episode of Mission Success: Women in Multifamily, MHN’s Laura Valean sits down with Ely to explore what leadership actually looks like behind the scenes, from navigating expectations as a woman in the industry to now contributing to a broader shift where resident services are finally being recognized as essential, not optional.

Creativity is becoming a decisive advantage in New York City multifamily marketing, where intense competition and shifting renter expectations demand more than traditional campaigns. In a city defined by high supply, fast-moving lease-ups and demanding renters, standing out requires more than attractive amenities. Across the country, multifamily teams are rethinking how to attract and retain residents, but nowhere is the need for originality more urgent than in New York. From luxury high-rises to mixed-income communities, successful campaigns increasingly rely on authenticity, hyperlocal insight and experiences that resonate beyond traditional advertising. What’s clear is that creativity in New York City multifamily marketing isn’t about flashy campaigns. It’s about clarity, originality and understanding renter behavior—whether for a luxury apartment, a boutique rental, or a large mixed-use project. This episode of Multi-Housing News’ Top Marketers podcast explores how innovative approaches to New York City multifamily marketing translate into measurable lease-up results. Joining us is Michelle Easterlin, vice president of leasing and marketing at Avery Hall, who also manages high-profile Brooklyn projects including 544 Carroll, a luxury rental bridging Gowanus and Park Slope. With a fashion background and years of experience in New York City multifamily marketing and leasing, she brings a consumer-driven perspective that blends creative branding, problem-solving and on-the-ground strategy. Previously, Easterlin led leasing for Nancy Packes and advised on One Boerum Place, while her brokerage experience at Compass and Douglas Elliman generated over $150M in GCI. Key topics include how innovative multifamily leasing strategies, authentic branding and community engagement can drive performance in the highly competitive New York City rental market. From Fashion to Real Estate (01:35) Defining Creativity in NYC (04:23) NYC Market Reality Check (06:47) Authentic Marketing That Sells (10:10) Resident Events That Retain (16:54) Selling Lifestyle Over Units (20:13)

Savas Karas, COO & Chief Transformation Officer at CAPREIT, discusses why so many tech-forward initiatives stall or fail in property management. With more than 30 years of management and technology leadership experience, he shares his approach to aligning strategy with execution, from observing on-site teams firsthand to eliminating the hidden workarounds that drain employees. Listen to hear his advice on where to start if your organization has never had a formal change management plan. Here are some of the topics we cover: (3:31) Why you should begin with the end in mind before launching any initiative (4:53) The importance of failing fast and redeploying resources quickly (7:52) How observing on-site teams can reveal hidden friction and inefficiencies (18:06) Why skipping change management derails transformation efforts (19:21) Why one-and-done training doesn't work and what to do instead (26:20) How to define success as an organization before investing in change

What keeps great employees from leaving, especially when they have every reason and opportunity to do so? In this episode of Mission Success: Women in Multifamily, Multi-Housing News Senior Editor Laura Valean sits down with Christine Gilmore, vice president of learning and development at Bell Partners, to unpack one of the industry’s most persistent challenges: retention. And not just any retention—the kind that keeps your best people engaged, growing and, most importantly, staying.