Humans Help Us Matter: The Real Power of Mystery Shops in the AI Age

I get asked all the time about the value of mystery shops. A lot of people look at them as just another budget line, something to cut when expenses get tight. But here’s the truth: mystery shops aren’t a line item, they’re a mirror. They show us what it actually feels like to interact with our teams, our brand, and our communities.

Then comes the inevitable question: “Do we really need human shoppers when AI can do so much?”
Yes. We do. A thousand times yes.

Before I get up on my soap box about mystery shops, let’s start with a simple mindset shift. Can we please retire the words mystery shop and secret shop? Those phrases make it sound like we’re setting traps for our teams. And honestly, that’s what some companies have turned it into a “gotcha” moment. That’s not leadership. That’s surveillance.

To me, a shop is an experience evaluation. It’s how we measure what it feels like to be our customer. Every phone call, every tour, every email that’s all a shop. Every single interaction is a data point about how we show up.

And let’s tackle one of my favorite myths: “Our team can spot a shopper a mile away.” Maybe they can. But if that’s true, it’s time to rethink your shop, not dismiss the value of it. The point isn’t to trick your team, it’s to understand your customer experience.

Here’s something simple that works: change the questions. I remove the dead giveaways like the obvious fair housing or safety ones and replace them with something like, “Did the leasing professional do or say anything that could be perceived as discriminatory or that guaranteed your safety?” That subtle shift changes everything. It allows the shop to stay real.

And let’s be honest, today’s renters don’t ask those questions anymore anyway. They’ve already Googled the neighborhood, checked crime maps, and read twenty reviews before ever picking up the phone. The role of the leasing professional today isn’t to provide information, it’s to create connection.

If you’ve listened to my podcast, you know I share what really happens out in the field: the good, the awkward, and the revealing. And here’s the thing: if a team member thinks I’m a shopper and still doesn’t bring their A-game, that’s not a shop issue. That’s a culture issue.

Now, let’s talk about AI. You already know I’m a fan. AI can do amazing things. It can score calls, analyze emails, and spot trends that help us see the bigger picture. That’s powerful data. But AI doesn’t feel. It can tell you sentiment, but not sincerity. It can read a tone, but not a truth. It can count words, but it can’t capture warmth.

And it definitely can’t notice the friction points in a customer’s journey. AI won’t see that your guest card never reached the property, or that your listings on four different sites say four different things. It won’t feel the frustration of a prospect stuck in a chatbot loop just trying to get one simple answer.

That’s where humans come in. Our business has always been human to human. We don’t lease apartments. We build trust. We create belonging. And that can’t be automated.

A human shopper can tell you what AI never will: how it felt to experience your brand. The energy when they walked through the door. The tone in a greeting. The way someone paused to listen or didn’t. That’s the stuff that makes or breaks a leasing experience.

And that’s the real secret to great leasing. People may forget what we said, but they always remember how we made them feel.

Here’s where we need to evolve: stop rewarding only the “perfect” shop. Celebrate great performance, yes, but let’s stop teaching people to chase a score. Perfection often kills authenticity. The best tours are the ones where the prospect leaves excited and connected, not just impressed by a script.

When we use shops for coaching instead of correction, we unlock real potential. They become a way to inspire, not intimidate. They create stronger teams, better customer experiences, and ultimately, better results. That’s where the ROI really lives.

So yes, mystery shops still matter. But only when we use them as a tool for growth, not fear. AI can measure, but humans make meaning.

You have to spend money to make money, sure. But when that investment helps elevate your people, your customer experience, and your bottom line, it’s not an expense. It’s strategy.

Luxury Leasing with Styrofoam Cups? We Need to Talk

This September, I added a brand-new city and state to my mystery shop list and let me tell you, it was a wild ride. Five very different apartment communities. Five very different stories. Some were wins, some were misses, and a few left me scratching my head. But every single one revealed something important about where leasing stands today.

The Power of First Contact

At my first stop, the leasing process started strong. Within minutes of submitting my guest card, I received an automated email, a phone call from a real human, and even a text message. Three touchpoints within thirty minutes? Chef’s kiss. Unfortunately, that strong start didn’t carry through to the tour itself.
When I arrived, the leasing professional never introduced herself or asked my name. The conversation quickly turned into a transactional checklist of fees and floor plans. I left feeling like a number instead of a potential neighbor.
Here’s the kicker: the property had a resident rewards program, something I only discovered on a sign as I was walking out. Imagine how much stronger that connection could have been if they had led with a benefit like that.

When “Luxury” Feels Like Styrofoam

My second tour took place in a downpour. I was impressed to see umbrellas waiting by the door and an espresso machine that looked like it belonged in a boutique café. But then I was handed… a plain white styrofoam cup. Tiny detail, big disconnect. If you’re selling luxury, everything, from your leasing presentation to your coffee cups, needs to match that experience.
The tour itself? A little chaotic. No introductions, no clear structure, and a second leasing agent who swooped in mid-conversation. Confidence and clarity go hand in hand, and both were missing that day.

Tell the Story, Don’t Just Show the Space

The third property was housed in a converted factory—an architectural gem with real character. But the leasing agent never mentioned its history or used the story to sell the lifestyle. That’s a missed opportunity.
Worse, one of the units she showed was still occupied. As someone who’s toured over 160 properties, that was a first for me. It’s never a good idea to surprise a prospect with someone else’s furniture or dirty dishes.

When “Too Good to Be True” Hurts Credibility

At property four, I finally met someone who nailed the basics. She greeted me by name, smiled, and used my dog’s name (Snoopy) throughout our conversation. But then things took a turn into “wait, what?” territory. She offered to waive pet rent for Snoopy and claimed I could just “say whoever I work for” to get a preferred employer discount.
Charm is great. But credibility is better. Sometimes, honesty and transparency sell far more effectively than an off-the-cuff deal.

The One That Never Showed

The fifth property? A complete no-show. I confirmed my appointment in every channel—email, text, even voice AI—but when I arrived, no one was there. I waited ten minutes, wandered the mailroom, and finally left. Twenty minutes later, I received an email saying the agent was “on her way.” In leasing, timing is everything. And an email isn’t the right way to say, “I’m running late.”

What the Data Says

Across the third quarter, I shopped sixteen properties in three states, representing fifteen different management companies. Out of those sixteen:

• Only three asked questions beyond move-in date, price range, and apartment size.

• Only one asked me to apply.

• Nine followed up within 24 hours.

The average tour lasted twenty-two minutes and included just over two apartments. It’s clear that while automation is improving, the human side of leasing still needs a major tune-up.

My Takeaway

Leasing isn’t about showing apartments, it’s about showing what it feels like to live there. People want to be seen, heard, and helped. That means using names, asking meaningful questions, and being consistent from first contact to follow-up.

Ask for the close. Offer real value. And please, if you’re serving coffee in a “luxury” community, invest in better cups.

Until next time, happy leasing.

Occupancy Problems Are Leadership Problems, Not Leasing Problems

Leasing Is Not Optional: Why Property Leaders Keep Missing the Point

Across the multifamily industry, when occupancy drops, the first instinct is often to “fix” leasing. New scripts, mystery shops, or blitz weekends are deployed in a rush to close the gap. Yet the pattern repeats itself: short-term gains, long-term decline.

The uncomfortable truth? Occupancy problems are not leasing problems. They are leadership problems.

The Industry’s Blind Spot

Let’s be honest. At most properties, leasing is the forgotten child.

Site teams are drowning in competing priorities. They have resident complaints, staff drama, vendor headaches, and corporate demands stacking up by the hour. Something has to give, and more often than not, it’s leasing.

Managers unintentionally widen the gap. Many sit in offices far removed from the leasing floor, disconnected from the action. Morning huddles cover everything from maintenance tickets to who brought donuts, but rarely include: Who toured yesterday? How did it go? Who’s touring today?

Here’s the hard truth: if leasing is not a daily focus, it will not improve.

Where Leadership Gets It Wrong

Across the industry, there’s a dangerous mindset creeping in,  the idea that leasing is an “entry-level” responsibility rather than a leadership priority.

Leaders who treat leasing as a side task or push tours off to others signal to their teams that it doesn’t matter. That attitude kills performance faster than any nearby competitor.

Strong leaders set the tone. They walk the floor. They ask the right questions. They coach in real time. They infuse energy, presence, and accountability into every leasing interaction. And when they do, occupancy follows, every single time.

Training Is Not the Silver Bullet

The industry loves to throw training at performance problems. But training without accountability is theater.

Courses and certifications mean nothing if managers aren’t actively modeling sales-first behaviors. Leasing excellence doesn’t come from a PowerPoint  it comes from daily leadership.

If companies want lasting improvement, they must train leaders how to lead leasing teams, not just how to read reports.

The Non-Negotiables for Strong Leasing Performance

If you are serious about turning around occupancy, here is where to start:

1. Make leasing a daily conversation. Every meeting should include a discussion on tours, traffic, and conversion.
   

2. Stop hiding in the office. Leadership has to be visible, involved, and willing to show an apartment when needed.
   

3. Hold people accountable. Numbers matter, but so does presence. Coaching at the moment beats a monthly metric review.

4. Shift your mindset. Leasing is not a “stepchild” function. It is the lifeblood of a community’s financial success.

Why I Never Lose the Leasing Game

For me, leasing is not a task. It is a game I refuse to lose. Every property I’ve touched has seen results because I refuse to let leasing slide into the background noise.

And here is my message for the industry: stop treating leasing as optional. It’s not something to focus on only when numbers dip. It is the foundation of every property’s performance and the clearest reflection of leadership culture.

Occupancy doesn’t slip because the leasing team forgot how to sell,  it slips because leadership forgot to lead the leasing effort.

It’s time for the industry to stop treating leasing as a box to check and start treating it as the heartbeat of every community.

Because when leasing wins, everything else follows.

The Future of Leasing: Why AI Is Here to Empower, Not Replace You

Artificial intelligence isn’t just a buzzword anymore—it’s becoming a daily reality in multifamily leasing. In a recent Rooms with Ronald conversation, I sat down with Justin Jones, founder of Multifamily Q Space and widely known as “the multifamily AI guy,” to unpack what AI really means for leasing teams today. Spoiler: it’s less about replacing people and more about empowering them.

Where AI Is Headed

Justin explained that we’re moving from simple automation and chatbots to what he calls agentic AI—technology that doesn’t just wait for prompts but proactively takes action. Imagine an AI co-pilot that schedules follow-ups, reshuffles appointments, or flags a prospect for you before you even think to do it.

A JLL study backs this up: 61% of multifamily organizations plan to invest more in generative AI by the end of 2025, with proactive AI expected to handle nearly half of all initial leasing interactions.

The Big Fear: Job Security

Understandably, leasing professionals worry: If AI is doing the work, what about my job? Justin’s take was reassuring. Leasing is all about human connection—something AI can’t replace. Instead, think of AI as a digital teammate that takes the repetitive tasks off your plate so you can focus on what makes you invaluable: relationships, empathy, and creating community.

His advice? Use AI to handle the noise so you can amplify the human. And if you see technology creeping too far into your lane, raise your hand, upskill, and make yourself irreplaceable.

Practical Ways to Start Using AI

Overwhelm is real in leasing, so Justin broke it down into two buckets:

1. Institutional tools – The tech stack your company invests in (think virtual leasing assistants, marketing automations, rent reminders, or maintenance request triage). The key is making sure these tools actually solve problems for you. If they don’t, speak up.

2. Individual tools – The AI in your pocket right now: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini. Experiment with them. Use them to draft emails, brainstorm events, or even polish your own professional voice. Just remember to keep yourself in the loop—AI is a co-pilot, not the driver.

Training Gaps and Blind Spots

A common fail? Rolling out AI without training leasing teams properly. Deloitte reports that while 64% of leasing professionals use automations daily, only 22% received hands-on AI training last year. To close that gap, training should focus on why a tool matters, not just which buttons to click.

And don’t underestimate AI’s superpower with data. It can instantly spot drop-offs in your leasing funnel—like a pattern of tours not converting—so you can make smarter, data-informed decisions.

The Privacy Piece

Justin kept it simple: don’t put proprietary or personal resident data into public AI models. Vendors should also be upfront about how they handle data. Before you get wowed by a sales pitch, ask the compliance questions first.

The Enablement Champion

If Justin had to give AI a job title in multifamily, he’d call it the Enablement Champion. It’s not just about saving time—it’s about enabling you to do the work that really matters.

Final Word

AI isn’t coming for leasing professionals—it’s coming with them. It’s here to lighten the load, unlock new insights, and help leasing teams shine brighter in what only humans can do: connecting with people and building community.

As Justin put it, “AI is your digital workforce. Let it enable you, not replace you.”

The Evolution of Leasing: What 3.0 Means for Multifamily

The world of multifamily leasing is changing fast. What used to be a simple transaction (Leasing 1.0) has evolved into an experience-driven process (Leasing 2.0). Now we’re entering a new stage: Leasing 3.0, where technology, customer expectations, and community all converge. Our recent roundtable explored what this means for operators, teams, and residents—and how to stay ahead of the curve.

Market Trends and Renter Behavior

Renters are shopping more properties than ever, and one surprising trend is clear: higher concessions often tie to a worse customer experience. Meanwhile, AI is reshaping how prospects find apartments. About 65% of searches begin on listing sites, 51% on community websites, and 11.5% are now driven by AI. Renters also pay close attention to reviews—especially the bad ones. They want to know how management responds, not just how shiny the amenities are. As a result, companies are shifting KPIs away from closing ratios and toward lifetime value, renewals, and resident satisfaction.

Borrowing from the Savannah Bananas

One of the most interesting comparisons came from baseball. The Savannah Bananas have built an enormous following with almost no traditional marketing. Instead, they focus on unforgettable experiences that people want to share. Multifamily can do the same. By creating memorable leasing experiences, operators can spark organic word-of-mouth and stand out in a crowded market.

From Leasing 1.0 to 3.0

Some basics never go out of style: greeting people warmly, standing to meet them, having a real conversation. But today’s renters expect more. Leasing 3.0 blends those traditional skills with video, personal branding, and seamless technology. Younger generations may not come in with natural soft skills, which means training has to cover both interpersonal and digital communication.

Redefining Customer Service

Customer service doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone anymore. For some renters, the best service is self-service. Self-guided tours are gaining traction with all age groups, offering convenience without pressure. Communication should adapt too—some prospects prefer a text, others still want a phone call or an in-person conversation.

Modernizing the Shopping Process

Traditional shop questions don’t always capture what matters most. The real question is: Would you lease here? That emotional response tells the bigger story. Operators also need to fix persistent issues like closed offices, slow AI responses, and outdated website information. Seamless technology can reduce friction, but it has to work.

The Future of Leasing Roles

As technology handles more basics, leasing roles are likely to become more specialized. Entry-level leasing may fade, replaced by positions that require higher skill sets and a mix of human and digital expertise. Centralized teams could handle administrative tasks, while on-site associates focus on advising and connecting. Incentives may also shift, with bonuses tied to lifetime renewals instead of just move-ins. And personal branding matters more than ever—leasing professionals can be micro-influencers who attract residents with their own voices and stories.

Breaking Sacred Cows

Our group called out several outdated practices: rigid tours, poorly executed drip campaigns, forced touring methods, and office hours that don’t match customer preferences. The takeaway? Operators need to challenge tradition and rethink what actually serves today’s renters.

Balancing Tech, Lifestyle, and Community

AI and automation are helpful, but they can’t replace the sense of belonging that comes from lifestyle and community. Resident-generated content, authentic referrals, and stories from the community itself are powerful marketing tools. Interestingly, even Gen Z is showing signs of wanting to disconnect from tech at times, leaning into flip phones and simpler habits—a reminder that balance is key.

Empowering Leasing Teams

Finally, flexibility matters. Remote work options, hybrid schedules, relaxed dress codes, and trust in employees can go a long way in attracting and retaining talent. Empowered teams not only perform better, they create better experiences for residents.

The Big Takeaways

• Lifetime value is the new closing ratio.

• AI is no longer optional—it’s already shaping searches and operations.

• Experiences drive leasing more than ads.

• Leasing professionals need both soft skills and digital fluency.

• Customer service now includes self-service.

• Tradition isn’t always best—some sacred cows need to go.

• Community and lifestyle are stronger differentiators than technology alone.

• Flexibility and empowerment are essential for today’s leasing teams.

Leasing 3.0 isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the next chapter in how multifamily connects with renters. Those who blend technology, humanity, and community will be the ones to thrive.

Finding the Right Training Team to Employee Ratio in Multifamily

Employee turnover in Multifamily is no secret. Depending on the study, it runs anywhere from 30% to more than 50% annually for onsite teams. Maintenance techs alone churn at close to 40% a year. That means property management companies are constantly hiring, onboarding, and retraining just to keep up with the pace of business.

With so much movement in and out of our communities, one question becomes critical:
How many training professionals do you really need to support your team?

The Industry Benchmark

Across industries, the Association for Talent Development (ATD) reports the average ratio of training staff to employees is 1:212. Put another way, for every 212 employees, there’s typically one full-time training professional keeping them engaged, compliant, and growing.

That ratio works in industries with more stable workforces and slower turnover. But Multifamily isn’t average.

Why Multifamily Is Different

• High turnover creates a never-ending cycle of onboarding and skill refreshers.

• Frontline-heavy roles mean that new hires often represent the customer experience on day one. Training can’t be optional.

• Regulatory and compliance requirements are strict and constantly evolving.

• Market growth adds new properties, new markets, and new systems—all requiring training support.

Because of these realities, Multifamily needs a more generous training ratio than other industries.

The Multifamily Sweet Spot

Here’s where the research and practical experience converge:

• 1:150–1:180
  Best for companies growing quickly, battling high turnover, or rolling out new systems. The closer you get to 1:150, the more agile your training team will be in handling onboarding surges.

• 1:200
  A strong “steady-state” ratio for most operators once onboarding is stable and processes are consistent.

• 1:250+
  Possible only if training is highly centralized, technology-driven, or if you outsource content development and delivery. This can work in very large companies but risks leaving frontline associates under-supported.

Beyond the Ratio: Team Design Matters

A ratio gives you a starting point, but the composition of your training team matters just as much:

• Field Trainers/Facilitators to ride along with leasing teams and certify onsite skills.

• Instructional Designers or Content Managers to keep compliance, systems, and job aids up to date.

• L&D Operations support for scheduling, reporting, and LMS administration.

Even a lean team benefits from this balance. Without it, trainers get buried in logistics and can’t focus on coaching.

Why It Matters

Getting the ratio wrong can look “efficient” on paper, but the hidden costs show up fast:

• Missed leases from under-trained leasing consultants.

• Lower resident satisfaction when new hires aren’t service-ready.

• Higher employee churn when onboarding feels chaotic and unsupported.

In short, investing in the right training team size isn’t overhead—it’s a performance driver.

A Final Thought

If you’re a Multifamily operator wrestling with turnover, growth, or resident experience challenges, take a hard look at your training ratio. One training professional for every 150–200 employees isn’t just a benchmark—it’s a lifeline for consistency, culture, and customer experience.

The real question is this:
Are you staffed to simply keep up with turnover, or are you staffed to create stability, growth, and a culture where employees want to stay?

The Questions Every L&D Professional Should Ask Before Saying Yes!

Not Every Performance Problem Is a Training Problem

Years ago, I got a call from an operations leader who was frustrated about a site that was “underperforming.” The request came fast: “We need training out there as soon as possible.”

On the surface, it made sense. Training is visible. It is structured. It sends a message that leadership is taking action. But something about the urgency told me to slow down and ask more questions.

So instead of hopping on a plane with a training deck, I scheduled a conversation first. I asked simple questions: What are you seeing? What are your expectations? What does success look like?

By the end of the call, it became clear. The issue was not a lack of skill or knowledge. The employees knew how to do their jobs. The real problem was accountability. Expectations had not been reinforced, and leadership on the ground had let standards slide. Training would not have fixed that.

The Quick Fix Trap

This experience is not unique. I have seen it happen over and over again. A performance issue pops up, and training becomes the default solution. It feels like action, but it often misses the mark.

If we treat every performance gap as a training gap, two things happen. The wrong solution gets applied, and the credibility of training takes a hit. Suddenly training is seen as ineffective, when in reality, it was never the right tool for the job.

When Training Does Add Value

This does not mean training has no role in performance conversations. In fact, some of my favorite moments came from site visits where my purpose was not to deliver a class but to observe.

On those visits, I would walk the floor, talk with team members, and watch how work was being done. Sometimes I uncovered skill gaps that truly needed development. Other times, I saw strong teams that were simply missing clarity or direction. The real value came from providing leaders with an honest picture of what was happening and giving teams immediate support.

But for this to work, trust had to be in place. Teams needed to know that I was there to help, not to catch mistakes or create reports that might be used against them. Without that trust, even the best-designed training effort would fall flat.

Asking the Right Question

That day years ago shaped the way I approach every training request. I have learned to pause and ask, What problem are we actually trying to solve?

Sometimes the answer is training. Sometimes it is leadership accountability. Sometimes it is process clarity. The role of learning and development is not only to teach but also to diagnose. By asking the right questions, building trust, and partnering with leaders, training becomes a powerful tool used in the right way at the right time.

So I will leave you with this: when performance issues arise in your organization, how do you decide whether it is truly a training need or something else entirely?

How Preparation and Personality Outshine Any Amenity

Six Apartment Tours. One Big Lesson.

I recently toured six apartment communities in a downtown market near where I live. I’ve been shopping properties across the country for years, but this was my first time in this particular market. I wasn’t sure what I would find, but I wanted to see how leasing teams would show up.

Let me tell you, it was a rollercoaster. Some tours felt robotic, others were unprepared, and only one stood out as a true example of preparation and personality.

Tour One: No Name, No Connection

The first tour started off flat. I was buzzed in and greeted with a casual “have a seat” from the leasing professional. He never introduced himself, never asked more than my price range and move-in date, and even started selling against one of his sister properties. We toured a two-bedroom that wasn’t aligned with what I asked for, and the amenity tour revealed a leaking ceiling dripping onto an elliptical machine.

The conversation was stiff, scripted, and left me with no sense of connection. By the end, I still didn’t know his name, and he didn’t know me.

Takeaway: First impressions don’t need bells and whistles, but they do need to be human. A warm greeting, curiosity, and a little effort go a long way.

Tour Two: Lost in Translation

This property leaned on AI to set my appointment but left the people part behind. Locked doors, confusion about who I was supposed to meet, and five unready apartments later, I walked away with more questions than answers. At no point was I invited to apply.

The highlight was a brief spark of connection over my Starbucks mug collection, but even that was buried under delays, broken amenities, and constant “I’ll email you” responses instead of real answers.

Takeaway: Tech can assist, but it can’t replace people. If your team isn’t trained to step in with confidence, the tech becomes a barrier instead of a tool.

Tour Three: The Sticky Note Mystery

This one felt rushed from the start. I toured four units, all in varying stages of move-out. The leasing agent didn’t know if one-bedroom market units were available, and the solution offered was for me to write my name and number on a sticky note. To this day, I’ve never heard back.

Takeaway: If the prospect leaves with more questions than answers, the tour wasn’t effective. And if you’re not going to follow up, don’t bother asking for someone’s information.

Tour Four: Running Errands, Not a Tour

I arrived on time but waited ten minutes for the agent. When he finally showed up, he answered questions from a colleague about an application in front of me, then rushed me through multiple apartments while fielding phone calls from his boss. At one point, I realized I wasn’t on a tour at all—I was just running errands with him.

Takeaway: Respect people’s time. Being present and prepared matters. And please, don’t answer your phone on a tour.

Tour Five: Preparation Meets Personality

This tour stood out instantly. I was greeted by name at the door. The leasing professional had emailed me a detailed confirmation with photos, left a cheerful voicemail, and came prepared to answer every one of my questions. She anticipated my needs, gave context I hadn’t considered, and even turned concrete walls into a selling point by explaining why their gym could stay open 24 hours.

I met the porter, the manager, and felt welcomed throughout the experience. Even though we never saw an actual unit, this was the one community where I truly felt like I mattered.

Takeaway: Leasing success isn’t about perfection. It’s about preparation, personality, and care. That combination makes people want to sign a lease.

Tour Six: The Repeat Performance

The last tour circled me back to the same leasing agent from Tour One. This time I finally learned his name, but the approach was still transactional. He continued to sell against his sister property and never really dug into what I needed. It was another missed chance to connect.

The Big Lesson

Out of six tours, only one felt like more than a timeslot. Most missed the mark because they missed me. Leasing is never about the building—it’s about the experience.

If leasing teams spent even half the time preparing for people as they do preparing the units, closing ratios and resident satisfaction would skyrocket. Out of six tours, only one made me feel like I mattered. That’s the real difference.

Make every prospect feel like the only person you’re touring that day. That’s what earns you the lease.

The Invisible Powerhouses That Keep Properties Profitable

When rents stop climbing, concessions start stacking up, and costs keep creeping higher, budget cuts start flying around like confetti at a parade nobody asked for. Budget season has me thinking about this, and hearing about layoffs lately made it hit even harder. I once worked for a company that went through four rounds of RIFs during my time there, and every single time, marketing was one of the first to go. It always made me wonder why training and marketing seem to get the pink slip before anyone else, especially when they are the very lifelines you need most when the market is rocky.

Too often, training and marketing are treated like expensive accessories instead of the powerhouse engines they are. They might not be the ones signing the leases or collecting the rent, but they absolutely shape the moments and the messages that make those things happen. The tricky part is that their influence is not always easy to measure on a spreadsheet, so they get underestimated.

Marketing is not just about putting ads into the world and hoping someone notices. It is about making sure your property is in the right spotlight so the right people walk through the door. Without it, leasing teams are starting a race with no running shoes.

Training is not just teaching. It is about creating confident, capable teams who can deliver experiences that stick and close the deal. We often expect training to magically change behaviors, but real behavior change comes from accountability. It means holding people to the standards they were trained on and making sure the knowledge actually shows up in their daily work. And yes, we have all seen training done badly. Too many “death by PowerPoint” sessions have sucked the life out of a room. But done well, training is a spark. It is the kind of energy that makes people want to try new things, connect better with customers, and actually enjoy the work they do.

Cutting these investments when times get tough is like deciding to save money by never putting gas in the car. You might feel like you are saving in the moment, but sooner or later, you are stranded on the side of the road wondering what happened.

I learned this early. When I was eight, I was president of a youth group, and we needed money for activities. I learned fast that if we wanted results, we had to invest first. You have to spend to see a return. That lesson has never stopped being true. Whether you are running a property or running a lemonade stand, strategic investment in people and visibility is what keeps the whole thing moving forward.

One Chart, Three Roles: Why Marketing, Leasing, and Training Deserve Their Own Boxes

As I search for my next opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the multifamily space, I’ve noticed a trend that keeps popping up. It’s subtle at first, but once you see it, you can’t unsee it: marketing is becoming the catch-all department in our industry. Over the last several years, roles that were once distinct: leasing, training, operations, are slowly folding under the marketing umbrella. And while some overlap is natural and even beneficial, this shift raises a few important questions. Mainly: Are we losing sight of what makes each function truly effective?

It’s not unusual to see leasing and marketing bundled together these days. In fact, it mirrors what we often see in other industries where sales and marketing work closely. That part makes sense. But here’s where it starts to veer off course; marketing teams are now housing training departments too. That’s a lot of hats on one rack. I understand the desire to streamline, reduce overhead, and create leaner organizations. But are we actually solving problems, or just blurring the lines until everything becomes everyone’s job?

Let me be clear: I love leasing. I love everything about it. I love coaching teams on how to lease. I love connecting the dots between customer behavior and closing ratios. I love reading the story hidden in the data and then turning that insight into strategy. But that doesn’t mean I’m a marketing expert. I’m not a brand strategist or a website designer. I don’t speak fluent SEO or dabble in geo-fencing. Sure, I understand how marketing helps drive leads to the top of the funnel, but my true strength lies in helping teams convert those leads once they arrive.

And I know I’m not alone.

There are so many leasing professionals out there who are highly skilled at nurturing relationships, closing leases, and understanding the operational levers that impact NOI. Yet when I look around, I see titles like Director of Marketing, Marketing Manager, Digital Marketing Specialist… but where are the Directors of Leasing? Where are the voices at the table who know how to take a hundred leads and turn them into real results?

In a strong organization, marketing and leasing are partners—not one hidden inside the other. A dedicated leasing leader brings a deep understanding of conversion metrics, occupancy strategy, and the customer journey. They know how to ask the hard questions, like: What happened to the 60 leads who never toured? Why aren’t we converting the way we used to? Are we training people to ask the right questions, or just hoping they figure it out?

Leasing leaders serve as a critical bridge between marketing and operations. When occupancy drops, operations wants more leads. Marketing says the leads are there, look at the numbers. And then the ping-pong match begins. But what’s often missing in that conversation is someone who can connect both sides. Someone who understands the nuances of lead quality, leasing performance, and customer decision-making. That someone is your Director of Leasing.

Now let’s talk about training.

When training is housed within marketing, it often feels like style wins over substance. A beautiful LMS interface doesn’t mean the content is effective. A great-looking slide deck doesn’t guarantee behavior change. Training is not just about branding. It’s about building people.

Effective training takes more than design skills. It takes emotional intelligence, adaptability, storytelling, and the ability to make people care. A great trainer can read a room in real time. They can spark engagement, challenge thinking, and tailor delivery to the moment. That’s not something you tack on to a marketing role. That’s a craft and it deserves its own lane.

Sure, there are unicorns out there who can do it all, but they’re rare. And when we ask one person or department to juggle too much, something inevitably drops. Often, it’s the people, our teams, who suffer most.

We shouldn’t have to choose between good marketing and strong training. We shouldn’t have to compromise leasing expertise in order to boost brand aesthetics. There’s a better way. Let the experts do what they do best. Let marketing lead demand generation. Let leasing drive conversions. Let training develop the people who make it all happen.

Because when we stop forcing functions together and start investing in specialized leadership, we don’t just save money, we build stronger teams, better experiences, and more sustainable success.

How to Fix the AI to Human Handoff in Leasing

Let’s be real. Today’s renter arrives at your leasing office more prepared, more informed, and much more tech-savvy than ever before. They have scoured your website, chatted with bots, filled out guest cards, and maybe even taken a virtual tour all before stepping foot on your property.

That is not just convenient. That is power in their hands.

Here is the kicker. We are investing big dollars in technology but the human experience, the very thing that seals the deal, is getting left behind. I see it every time I shop and visit properties. Incredible technology, yes, but teams are often unprepared. It is like buying a high-end espresso machine and only using it to heat water.

What is going wrong?

We stopped training. Or worse, we are training the wrong way. Somewhere along the line, we bought into the myth that smart systems mean we do not need smart people anymore. That mindset is costing us leases.

Onsite teams are drowning in a flood of platforms, apps, dashboards, and digital tools, all designed to make life easier but instead creating a second full-time job just to keep up.

Add to that the fear creeping into their minds, "If the bots can do everything, why am I even here?"

They were handed keys to powerful systems, but no one showed them how to drive. Technology was rolled out without context, strategy, or any guidance for when things go sideways.

Meanwhile, while we pat ourselves on the back for having the latest technology stack, the customer experience quietly crumbles. Renters show up excited and leave frustrated not because your property is not great but because the follow-through is missing.

Let us walk through it.

A prospect visits your website.
They interact with your chatbot, answer qualifying questions, maybe book a tour.
Your AI captures it all: move-in date, apartment size, pets, and more.
They are serious. They are ready. They have done their homework.

Then they walk into your leasing office.

And we are not ready for them.

No one greets them by name.
No one has reviewed their guest card.
No one knows they even had an appointment.

The leasing consultant scrambles, clicks through tabs, asks questions already answered. The prospect, once energized and ready to sign, feels like just another number. That spark is gone.

They are asked the same questions twice.
They watch the leasing agent fumble through the system like it is their first day on the job.
They wonder, "If this is how they treat me before I move in, what is it going to be like after?"

And just like that, momentum stalls.

This is not a technology failure.
It is a leadership and training failure and we need to fix it now.

Here is the wake-up call

Technology will not close leases or build relationships by itself. It is a tool and without skilled hands and sharp minds guiding it, it is just noise.

If we want to win, we need to bridge the gap between AI and human connection. We need teams who do not just use technology—they own it. Teams who turn guest cards into conversation starters and tours into memorable experiences.

Here is the truth. Investing in technology without investing in training is like buying a racecar and never learning how to drive. You might have the fastest car but you will not cross the finish line first.

So how do we change the game? How do we give onsite teams the skills, confidence, and playbook to not just survive but thrive with technology? Let us dive in.

How to Stop Fumbling the Tech Handoff and Start Winning More Leases

1. Train for the Handoff Like a Pro
Your guest card is more than data. It is a story waiting to be told. Teach your teams to use it like a script. Instead of repeating questions, confirm and connect.
Try this: "I saw you are moving in next month and have a golden retriever named Max. What is Max’s favorite toy?" Instant rapport. Instant trust. Instant lease momentum.

2. Test Your Tech Like a Mystery Shopper
Do not wait for the system to fail on a big day. Run weekly tests by sending mystery leads through your own website and chatbot.
Did the appointment hit the calendar? Did the guest card arrive where it should? If not, troubleshoot fast and train your team on backup plans. Confidence comes from knowing the playbook.

3. Build a Confidence Playbook
Create a quick-reference guide your team can lean on when things get tricky. Include:

• How to read and interpret guest cards

• What to do when an appointment is not on the schedule

• How to confirm info without sounding like a broken record

This simple tool turns anxiety into authority and helps your team feel calm, in control, and ready to lead.

The bottom line

When teams know their tools and trust their training, technology stops feeling like a threat and starts feeling like a teammate. Your renters see the difference. They do not just see a chatbot or a guest card—they see someone who knows them, values them, and is ready to help.

The future of leasing is not AI versus humans. It is AI plus humans. When we get this right, leases get signed faster, prospects stay excited, and onsite teams actually want to come to work.

It all starts with training. If you want help building that training playbook and empowering your teams, I am just a message away.

Leasing Like Spielberg: Direct Every Tour Like a Blockbuster

Picture this: the lights dim, the screen flickers, and for the next two hours, you're captivated. Not by explosions or wild CGI, but by a story. A deliberate, intentional, well-crafted story. Every word. Every look. Every outfit. On purpose.

Now imagine your leasing tour delivering that same experience.

No, I’m not saying pass out popcorn (although… not the worst idea). I’m saying that from the first click on your website to the final follow-up, your leasing journey should feel like a feature film. Every moment should be designed with intention. It should have rhythm. Character. Chemistry. And if you're doing it right, it should leave the prospect wanting an encore.

So grab your director’s chair, because today we’re talking about leasing like it’s your summer blockbuster.

Step One: Lights, Camera, Table Read

Before filming begins, there’s a table read. That’s the first interaction with your prospect. Whether it’s an online inquiry or a call, this is the moment you feel each other out. Like actors meeting for the first time, you’re looking for tone, pace, energy. Does this feel like a rom-com or a drama?

The key? Listening. Not waiting for your turn to talk. Not jumping into sales mode. Listening. Because they’ve already done the research. They’ve already watched the “trailer” your marketing team put together. Now they’re trying to figure out if the full feature is worth the watch.

And spoiler alert: if your response time is 48 hours, you’ve already been recast.

Step Two: Storyboard the Journey

Every film has a storyboard. A scene-by-scene breakdown of how things should go. And if you’re winging it on tours, you’re missing the mark. Your customer journey should be just as mapped out as a Pixar plot. First impression, tour flow, follow-up. Planned. Practiced. Polished.

You should know exactly where the prospect is in their journey. And if something changes mid-tour, you pivot like a pro. Swap scenes. Flip the order. Show the gym first instead of the model. The goal is a cohesive story with a consistent tone. Not one character in marketing, another on the tour, and a robotic AI doing your follow-up.

That’s three different movies. And none of them are winning Oscars.

Step Three: Shoot the Film (AKA, Nail the Tour)

Now it’s time to film. This is the heart of your leasing journey. You’ve done the prep. You’ve mapped the story. Now bring it to life.

But remember: you’re not the star. The prospect is. You are the trusty sidekick. The wise guide. Maybe even comic relief. Your role is to help them feel like the main character. Let them imagine their life in your community. Give them a sense of connection. Discover what matters to them. Hit the emotional high. Then close it with clarity.

The best movies don’t end in confusion. Neither should your tour.

Bonus Scenes and Alternate Endings

Great films always have deleted scenes, extra footage, alternate endings. So should your tour.

Overprepare. Have backup apartments to show. Know what your comps are doing. Be ready with thoughtful objections and even more thoughtful solutions. Maybe you don’t use every tool in your bag that day, but the fact that it’s there sets you apart.

Like that time I toured a prospect in Charlotte. They said they wanted to check out the place next door. I pulled up their competitor’s website for them, gave them all the info, and even offered to help them book a tour. Five minutes after they walked out, they came right back in and leased on the spot. Why? Because I overprepared and trusted the story I was telling.

Final Scene: The Credits Roll

Let’s talk about endings. Because the end of the movie is what sticks. You could have 95 minutes of magic, but if the ending flops, that’s what people remember.

Same goes for tours. End strong. Ask for the lease. Set the follow-up plan. Confirm the next steps. Create a moment that feels personal and unforgettable. That could be a handwritten note, a small token, or just an incredible level of service. Make it so good they’re telling their friends. Even if they don’t lease with you, make them wish they had.

Roll the Tape

So here’s your challenge. Take 30 minutes this week and storyboard your tour. Really map it out. Where are the dead scenes? Where can you add emotion or energy? What moments could use a little more sparkle?

And don’t worry about perfection. Even the best films do reshoots. Maybe your fitness center walk-through is a snooze fest. Rework it. Highlight that rock wall or the 24-hour access or the water rower nobody else has.

You’re not just leasing apartments. You’re directing the show.

So let me ask you: are you leasing with intention, or are you just letting the credits roll?

Multifamily Companies Need A Rewards Program

Take a moment and look at your phone. Examine all your apps. I would venture to say that a lot of the apps are rewards based. People love a loyalty program. 

This past weekend, I was talking with my husband about Starbucks. I had a star dash to buy any latte and I got 25 stars. The problem was that I gave up caffeine for Lent this year. So I told him that he had to get a latte. This is why I completed the star dash. I also looked on my Fetch app to scan the receipt and I was awarded with 1350 points. 

I choose where I eat, who I fly, where I stay, and other activities based on the opportunity to earn status with them. This is part of the Starbucks appeal. I can choose locations all over the country and get the rewards. I am not confined to one location. I can then turn these rewards into items. Such as a free drink or merchandise. 

Early in my travel career, I would pick flights on different airlines. This lead me to hop around to different airlines based on departure times, etc. However, I wasn’t getting anything out of this method. I decided I wanted to choose one airline and stick to them. I was lucky in the fact that I could use my own credit card so I got points there. I settled on Delta as my primary work airline. I used my Southwest credit card to pay for this.  Southwest credit card won out in the end because I was able to achieve the companion pass so when I traveled for fun my husband could fly for free. It was a win- win for me. 

This leads me to the question — why haven’t multifamily companies adopted the same philosophy? I am aware of 3rd party companies that offer something similar. And I think larger companies can benefit greatly from this type of program.

A rewards program builds loyalty. People have a hard time walking away from status. There are travel bloggers who are dedicated to help you achieve the status and get the most benefits out of your status. 

So you are probably asking yourself how this would work in a multifamily. I have some ideas. Consider offering different tiers because people are always chasing status. Residents could earn reward points for different activities. These rewards points could be transferred into different prizes or achievements. 

By offering this type of program, you create incentive-based initiatives that benefit the consumer and fit your business model. The longer you stay, the more points you get, and the higher the status earned. Want to push resident events? Assign points for participation. When people come and check in, they earn points. Want to score higher participation on surveys? Assign rewards points for completion. You can assign points to everything. You could even use this to surprise and delight residents. Are they celebrating a birthday or a special occasion? They get a surprise point boost. 

The possibilities are endless in this system. I think that we need to figure this out sooner rather than later. In the next couple of years, this type of program is going to be expected. All the big companies are doing it in other industries, why haven’t we caught up?

Sandwiches, Sticky Notes, and Silence: A Leasing Love Story Gone Wrong

Five properties. Five chances to shine. Most of them? Dimmer than a dollar store flashlight.

This past month, I hit the road and visited five apartment communities across three states. And what I experienced was a masterclass in missed opportunities. Don’t get me wrong, there were moments of brilliance, but they were few and far between.

Let’s break it down. Here’s what worked, what flopped, and how leasing teams can stop fumbling the bag.

Property 1: Silence, Sandwiches, and Zero Spark

I walked in and was greeted by a leasing agent who knew my name, knew my appointment time, and still decided it was the right moment to finish breakfast. The vibe? “I hope you cancel.” The rest of the tour followed that same energy.

No name introduction. No real engagement. She didn’t ask about my budget, my dog (and you know Snoopy is always part of the package), or even confirm who would be living with me. I got shown two-bedroom apartments even though I asked for a one-bedroom. When I brought up closet space, which I had already told her was a priority.  She just stared at the walls like they might answer for her.

She didn’t follow up for a week, and when she did, it was the leasing version of a dial tone.

Where it missed:

• No personal connection

• Ignored key details I gave her

• Gave the impression she wanted to wrap the tour faster than I could blink

• Zero close and a “meh” follow-up
  
  

Property 2: Sticky Notes Are Not a CRM

I got an email telling me I could schedule online. I clicked the link. Nothing. Tried on mobile, then on desktop. Still nothing. So I showed up in person  which, let's be honest, most prospects won’t bother doing.

I was greeted by maintenance. The leasing agent showed up a few minutes later, clearly unprepared. She rattled off fees like she was reading a warranty policy, while maintenance vacuumed so loud we had to shout. She couldn’t tour me, but told me she’d email photos. Then handed me a sticky note and said to write down my contact info. Yes, in 2025.

Five hours later, the photos came. No call. No text. No follow-up. Nothing.

Where it missed:

• Website and communication were completely out of sync

• Sticky notes are not a lead management strategy

• Zero urgency or recovery effort

• No personalization, no connection
  
  

Property 3: Scripted, Scented, and Slightly Confused

This one started strong. I was greeted, given pricing, handed floor plans. Great. But it quickly turned robotic. She forgot things I said earlier, like the fact that I had lived in the city before. She showed me a unit with a strong smell, then casually mentioned it had been vacant for a while.

The one bright spot? She described a patio as having a “treehouse feel”  and weirdly, I could see it. It was the one moment where she painted a picture instead of pointing at walls.

She ended the tour by saying she’d be out next week and to “call the office if I had questions.” There was no real handoff, no sense of team support. I left with a stapled brochure and a feeling that the follow-up wasn’t coming.

Where it missed:

• Great start, but she didn’t stay engaged

• Forgot details and showed a unit that needed an ozone machine

• No real attempt to close

• Made it clear that no one else would be following up while she was gone
  
  

Property 4: Finally, a Leasing Pro Who Came to Play

This was the standout.

I was greeted with energy. She asked good questions. She repeated things back to me. She walked me through the options, explained the revenue management system, and told me how I could still lock in the best deal if I adjusted my move-in date by just a couple days.

We laughed, we talked dogs, we talked neighborhood noise. She even brought a current resident into the conversation when I asked about concert traffic nearby. I got follow-up texts, personalized emails, and a clear next step.

And best of all — she looked me in the eye and said, “Want to go ahead and apply for the apartment now so you don’t have to worry about it?” Yes. Yes, I do.

Where it hit:

• Confidence without pressure

• Personalized, warm, and clear communication

• She connected, educated, and closed

• Gave me options, not obstacles
  
  

Property 5: The Disappearing Act

I showed up three minutes early. Waited eight minutes total. No one came out. I heard voices in the back. Maintenance walked past me and said nothing. The leasing agent who confirmed my tour never showed, never followed up, never acknowledged the miss.

This property is offering two months free. And now I know why.

Where it missed:

• Missed appointment

• No recovery

• No contact afterward

• Left me wondering if they even want new residents
  
  

The Bigger Picture: What This Tells Us

After 33 apartment shops across 11 cities and six states, only four communities asked meaningful qualifying questions. Just two asked me to apply. That is not just a missed opportunity — that is a broken process.

The average tour time is just over 24 minutes. Which means you’ve got less than half an hour to make someone feel welcome, heard, and ready to say yes. If your leasing experience isn’t intentional, it’s forgettable.

So here’s what we need to fix — now.

What Leasing Teams Can Start Doing Today

1. Match your AI’s energy
Your automated responses are warm, helpful, and responsive. Then I show up and get cold silence and confusion. That disconnect loses leads. Your tech is setting the stage. Your people have to carry the momentum.

2. Show up like you mean it
Use my name. Tell me yours. If I’ve filled out a guest card or scheduled online, confirm that info and ask something deeper. Let me feel like I matter more than your checklist.

3. Ask smarter questions
Move past “When are you looking to move?” and “What size apartment?” That’s the surface level stuff. Ask about my lifestyle, my pet, where I’m coming from, what I love about home. Those are the answers that help you connect.

4. Don’t just show the apartment, sell the experience
You’re not leasing square footage. You’re selling a lifestyle, a sense of home, a feeling. Help me see myself there. Use descriptions. Build imagery. Make me want to say yes before we even step inside.

5. Always ask for the lease
You don’t need a pushy pitch. You just need the confidence to say, “Would you like to apply today?” That small moment can be the difference between a maybe and a lease.

6. Follow up with purpose
“Let us know if you have questions” is a cop-out. Be specific. Be human. Reference something we talked about. Follow up like you care whether I choose your community or not. Because I can tell.

This industry is moving fast. AI is getting better, systems are getting smarter, but people still lease apartments. And people want to feel seen, heard, and welcomed.

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Oof. That sounds familiar,” take a breath. You’re not alone. And you’re not stuck. Every single tour is a fresh chance to get it right.

So let’s raise the bar. Let’s put the human back in the process. Let’s make leasing feel less like a transaction and more like a relationship.

Want me to Mystery Shop your team? Or maybe you’ve got a leasing horror story to share? Head to roomswithronald.com and let’s raise the bar together. Because good leasing isn’t just about showing a unit. It’s about showing up.

Until next time, happy leasing.

Confidence, Charisma, and Connection: The Leasing Trifecta

So… What’s It Gonna Take?
A micro-sized pep talk with mega impact

Have you ever been hit with a question that completely stops you in your tracks? That happened to me recently. I had just wrapped training with a new leasing agent when he looked me straight in the eye and asked:

“So what’s it gonna take for me to be successful at leasing?”

No fluff. Just straight to it.

It caught me off guard, but it also lit me up. Because deep down, I knew the answer. And now I want to share it with you.

1. Be Your Own Energizer

If you rely on your environment to motivate you, you’ll get tossed around by every slow day, stressful coworker, or personal distraction. Your energy has to come from within.

Leasing energizes me. It fuels me. That doesn’t happen by accident. You’ve got to find your spark and bring it with you every day. When you do that, people feel it. And trust me, energy is contagious.

2. Ask Better Questions

Too many leasing pros ask questions that feel like a checklist. Sure, you get the info you need, but there’s no connection. The best questions are curious, human, and real.

Just like that agent’s question to me—what’s it gonna take?

That kind of question builds trust. It shows you’re present. It invites conversation instead of just collecting data. The more intentional your questions, the more powerful your conversations become.

3. The Big Three

Here’s what I believe makes someone successful in leasing:

Confidence without cockiness
Know your product. Know your competition. Know your value. Believe in what you offer without turning it into a brag session. Confident leasing professionals make people feel good. They use eye contact, warm body language, and a voice that says “I’ve got you.”

Consistency with charisma
Show up the same way every time. Be personable, be prepared, and follow through. Don’t rely on charm alone—back it up with action. Charisma is great, but consistency earns trust.

Connection is the currency
If you want to seal the deal, connect with people. Genuinely. Listen. Be present. Make them feel like they matter. Because they do. When someone feels seen and understood, the ask becomes easy. That’s why I get leases—I care, and people can feel that.

You Don’t Have to Be a Born Closer

I wasn’t. In fact, I didn’t love closing in my early career. But once I realized leasing was all about relationships, the close got easier.

Once I’ve made a real connection with someone, it feels natural to say, “Want to head back to the office and start the application?” or “Let’s pull it up right here.” It doesn’t feel pushy because it isn’t.

You don’t need to know everything about sales psychology. But you do need to be able to read people and respond in the moment. That part matters more than any script.

One Word: Intentional

That’s my word of the year.

Be intentional with your calls. Be intentional with your tours. Be intentional with your follow-up. Don’t go through the motions. Practice, improve, and find what works for you.

When you show up with intention, confidence follows. And when confidence shows up, so does your best work.

Your Challenge

Think back to a tour you gave this week and ask yourself:

• Did I show confidence?

• Was I consistent?

• Did I make a real connection I could reference in a follow-up?
  

Audit yourself. Be honest. And if there’s room to improve, own it and adjust. That’s how growth works.

The Recap

If you’re still wondering what it takes to be successful at leasing, here it is:

• Confidence without cockiness

• Consistency with charisma

• Connection is the currency
  
  

You’ve got it in you. Now go out there and lease like you mean it.

Happy leasing.

Leasing is on Life Support. Here’s How to Revive It!

Everywhere I go, I’m hearing the same thing.
“We need more traffic.”
“Our occupancy is dropping.”
“We’re offering two months free and still nothing’s moving.”
“We’ve added automation, a chatbot, boosted our ILS spend—why aren’t we leasing?”

Then comes the question:
“Ronald, can you wave your magic wand and fix it?”

Spoiler alert: there’s no magic wand. But there is something better: a strategy.

Let me tell you a story.

I recently mystery shopped a community that was screaming from the rooftops about their amazing offer: two months free! I thought, “Great. Let me check it out.”
I went to the website ready to book—but there was no online scheduler. Instead, I had to fill out a guest card and wait. A templated email showed up 20 minutes later. Points for speed. But to book the tour, I had to reply and go back and forth. In total, it took four hours to confirm the appointment. Most prospects? They’d have moved on after the first email.

And it doesn’t stop there.

I show up for the tour—waited five minutes—no one greeted me. No “hello,” no “we’ll be right with you,” just... silence. So I left.

Two days later, I got a follow-up email saying, “Hope I answered all your questions during the tour!”

What tour?

There’s a serious disconnect.

Here’s what I’m seeing out there in the wild:

1.     The higher you go, the less you see.

On paper, everything looks fine.

You’ve increased your ILS spend. The leads are coming in. Tours are being logged. Your reports show activity, and the dashboards look promising. But here’s the kicker, your occupancy still isn’t moving.

Why? Because what’s on the page and what’s happening on the ground are two very different stories.

I’ve visited communities where the numbers said “we’re in great shape,” but the experience told a whole different tale. Half the tours are no-shows. Guest cards sit unanswered. The phones ring and ring. The model isn’t ready. The team is scrambling. And somewhere, a frustrated prospect is walking out after waiting too long to be greeted.

The report might tell you you had 87 leads last week, but it doesn’t show you that most of them never got a call back. It doesn’t capture the long delay in scheduling. It doesn’t show you that the AI response was generic, or that the first human interaction was rushed and impersonal.

Yes, data matters. But if you’re only looking at the numbers, you’re only seeing the surface. The real story lives in the customer experience, and that part doesn’t show up on a spreadsheet.

2. AI isn’t the villain. Boring AI is.

I am a fan of AI. I use it every day and it makes my job easier. I used it to help craft this blog, however I still gave it the Ronald touch. But let’s be honest. Most AI on property websites today is like a robot that’s seen one too many training videos and forgot how to be interesting.

You click that little chat bubble hoping for help and instead get the same cookie-cutter responses you’ve seen on ten other sites that day. It’s polite. It’s technically accurate. But it’s also forgettable.

If your AI sounds like a tired call center script from 2006, it’s not connecting with anyone. Renters don’t want to feel like they’re being filtered through a machine. They want to feel seen. The problem isn’t that AI is involved. The problem is that we’ve let it do all the talking and stopped checking if it’s saying anything worth listening to.

3. We hired bodies. But we forgot to build salespeople.

Leasing is sales. Let me say that again. Leasing. Is. Sales.

But somewhere along the way, we started treating leasing like it was just entry-level admin work. We bring people in, sit them in a chair, show them how to open the CRM, give them a script or two, and then hope they “figure it out.”

Meanwhile, we’re asking them to wear twenty different hats. One minute they’re a therapist. Then next, they’re resolving complaints. Then they’re cleaning the coffee bar. Then they’re expected to close the lease like a seasoned sales pro.

This is not a plug-and-play role. It takes confidence, empathy, consistency, and skill. If you haven’t trained your team to sell, you’ve handed them the car keys without ever teaching them to drive.

4. When leasing isn’t a priority, everyone feels it.

You can walk onto a property and tell in five minutes if leasing is the focus. The phones are ringing. The team is energized. Everyone knows who’s coming in today and what stage they’re in. They’ve followed up. They’ve called back. They’re prepared.

Now flip that. Walk onto a property where leasing is an afterthought. It’s quiet. The guest cards are untouched. There’s no urgency, no energy, and no connection with the prospects who are coming through the door.

Leasing isn’t just a task to squeeze in between packages and maintenance requests. It’s the heartbeat of your business. And when the heartbeat slows, occupancy flatlines.

And then we wonder why they crash.

So what do you do?

Here’s how we fix it, together.

This isn't a mystery that needs solving. It's a series of clear steps that need executing. If your occupancy needle isn’t moving, it’s time to stop guessing and start taking action. Here’s what to do, and how I can help you do it:

1. Shop your own community like a prospect.
Click through your website like it’s your first time. Try to schedule a tour. Call the number. Submit a guest card. Then ask yourself: Would you lease here based on that experience?
Don’t have time? That’s where I come in. I do this for a living. I know where to look, what to test, and what to flag. I’ll find the leaks in your leasing funnel so we can patch them fast.

2. Use AI as a tool, not a crutch.
AI should be your leasing team’s assistant, not the one running the show. If a human has made contact with a lead, that human should own that lead. That’s how trust is built.
I train teams on how to balance automation with personalization so renters don’t just get fast responses, they get the right ones.

3. Train your people like they’re your revenue drivers, because they are.
Leasing is a skill. It needs training, coaching, and reinforcement. You wouldn’t hand someone the keys to a jet and say “figure it out.” So why are we doing that with the people responsible for generating your income?
I don’t just train. I partner with your teams on-site to build confidence, boost performance, and turn talk tracks into signed leases.

4. Make leasing the priority it’s supposed to be.
If leasing isn’t the focus, occupancy won’t move. I help communities shift into action mode with real accountability. Follow-ups get done. Phones get answered. Tours get booked, and leases get signed.
Need energy? I bring it. Need structure? I’ll build it. Need results? Let’s talk.

Want to turn these pain points into performance? Let’s talk.
📩 roomswithronald@gmail.com
🌐 www.roomswithronald.com

Whether you need training, strategy, or a leasing revival, I’m ready to help you bring it back to life.

Let’s fix this. Together.

What I Learned From 5 Apartment Tours in May (Besides How Not to Do A Virtual Tour)

What I Learned From 5 Apartment Tours in May (Besides How Not to Do a Virtual Tour)
By Ronald Harrington

Have you ever shown up for a leasing tour and wondered if you were accidentally crashing a staff meeting or about to be recruited for a reality show? Welcome to my May mystery shop recap.

In May, I toured 5 apartment communities across the country. From the West Coast to the East Coast and everywhere in between, I encountered the full leasing spectrum. There were wins, facepalms, awkward moments, unexpected joys, and more than one whiff of mystery odors.

Here’s what stood out—and what your team might want to avoid.

The Booking Struggle is Real

Let’s start with scheduling. It should not take a full escape room challenge to book a tour. I had to copy and paste links, fight with CRMs that didn’t allow tours for several days out, and in some cases, never received confirmation emails. If I were a real prospect, I’d be long gone. No one should have to work that hard to give you their money.

Smells Like Missed Opportunity

At one property, I was greeted by the unmistakable scent of dog urine. Not ideal. The leasing agent casually brushed it off by saying, “We’re just very pet friendly.” I love pets. I do not love the lingering aroma of their bathroom habits greeting me at the door.

The tour itself lacked energy. No questions about what mattered to me. No connection. No ask to apply. Just “Do you have any questions?” followed by a wave toward the exit. A perfect example of a tour that technically happened but didn’t stick the landing.

The Case of the Missing Bedrooms

Another community advertised one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. The leasing agent informed me on-site, “We don’t have three-bedrooms here.” Cue confusion. Do you not have them at all, or just not right now? She also stood in the kitchen scrolling her phone while I explored. I wanted to talk about my dog, my Starbucks mug collection, and the closet space—things that matter to prospects. That moment of connection? It never came.

But here’s the kicker: she was the only agent in May who actually asked me to apply. Points for confidence.

The Selfie Wall That Never Was

Yes, a leasing agent mentioned their selfie wall like it was a throwaway comment. I perked up, intrigued, and asked more about it. Instead of leaning in and letting me experience the feature, we just kept walking. No “Let’s take a photo.” No tie-in to community pride. Just another missed chance to create a moment.

Also, I was introduced to a new fee: the “porter fee.” The explanation was that it helps cover payroll for groundskeeping. If you’re going to charge for upkeep, reframe the story. Make it about keeping the space beautiful, functional, and photo-worthy. Otherwise, it feels like a cover charge just to use the grill.

East Coast Adventures (or Lack Thereof)

I booked virtual tours in the East. One agent never showed. One canceled last minute. One required an application before the tour. Safe to say, virtual leasing still has some bugs to iron out.

Small Wins with Big Impact

A standout moment came from a leasing agent who asked to see a photo of my dog. That single question changed the whole energy. We talked about floorplans with dogs in mind. We discussed where my travel mug might go. She made it about me, and it mattered.

Another tour ended with a district manager who was upbeat, engaged, and even tried to recruit me to multifamily. She built connection quickly and showed off the space with confidence. But like so many others, she dropped the ball after the tour with a generic follow-up that didn’t reflect anything personal we discussed.

Final Thoughts

May’s shops taught me this: The magic isn’t in the script. It’s in the moment. Ask real questions. React to the answers. Personalize the follow-up. And for the love of leasing, show off that selfie wall like it’s the hottest spot in town.

We’re at 27 shops so far this year and counting. I’m excited to share with you what June had in store. If you take one thing from this recap, let it be this—don’t be the tour that fades into the background. Be the one that makes a prospect say, “This feels like home.”

Want more leasing lessons and mystery shop insights? Tune in to the Rooms With Ronald podcast, where we spill the leasing tea weekly.

#LeasingExperience #Multifamily #RoomsWithRonald #ApartmentTours #MysteryShops #PropertyManagement #RWRConsulting #MMN

Apartmentalize 2025: Rebels, Ducks, and a Whole Lot of Heart

What a week at Apartmentalize. I’m still riding the high from all of the energy, connections, and conversations that filled every hallway and stage. I had the absolute privilege of speaking alongside some incredible people and, spoiler alert, the crowd did not disappoint.

First up was Unapologetic Innovators: Wild Ideas for Rebels, Dreamers, and Early Adopters with Jenny Schoellhorn, Christy Rodriguez, and yours truly. We weren’t afraid to go off-script—literally and figuratively. We dove into big ideas like subscription-based leasing models and the importance of failing forward. One of my favorite moments was encouraging the room to go back to their teams and invite people from different departments to shake things up. Diversity of thought is where innovation really begins.

Then came Empowering Property Management Teams: Inclusive, Engaging, and Effective Training Strategies in a Birds of a Feather format. The roundtable format sparked so much great discussion. We talked about everything from integrating virtual teams into meetings to removing the pressure from learners to disclose neurodiversity. I shared how I approach training by looking at scores and behavioral data to truly understand each learner. We challenged the norm of traditional skills tests and proposed using application-based scenarios instead. Because honestly, when was the last time a judge asked you what year Fair Housing became law? Exactly. They care about how you apply it in real-life situations.

Megan Oresar and Drew Hudson brought the energy and then some. Megan even handed out ducks to every table, each one carrying a message: Don’t Use Conversation Killers. It was quirky, memorable, and exactly what you’d hope for from a session like that.

To wrap it all up, Paul Rhodes and I turned the tradeshow floor into our personal stage with Soft Skills in Maintenance: A Competitive Edge. We gave each other a hard time (as expected) but landed a powerful message with Paul’s “5 P’s” of maintenance: Person, Pleasant, Present, Personal, and Provide. It was heartfelt and hilarious, just the way we like it.

And if that wasn’t enough excitement, I made a literal leap off the side of the Strat for Move For Hunger. We raised over $2,800 toward my campaign, and the greater group pulled in $35,000 total. That’s 140,000 meals going to people who need them. Talk about impact.

Apartmentalize gave me everything I needed: great people, bold conversations, and a chance to make a difference. Until next year, keep flipping the script and passing out ducks. You never know where the next wild idea will come from.

The State of Apartment Leasing: Is “Mediocre” the New Standard?

The State of Apartment Leasing: Is "Mediocre" the New Standard?

By Ronald Harrington

Can you believe we’ve already zipped through May? January dragged on like a lease audit in Excel, but spring hit the gas pedal and here we are. I’ve recently released the podcast that sums up my mystery shops for April and let me tell you, the experiences ranged from “that was...fine” to “did they even want my business?” And in between, a glimmer of magic (laryngitis and all).

Let’s break it down.

22 Shops in, Zero Mic Drop Moments

That’s right. As of April 30th, I’ve done 22 shops this year and not one leasing professional has made me say, “Wow, I want to live here and I want to invite them to brunch.” I’ve had more delightful customer service ordering a venti cold foam cold brew. At least the barista remembers my name. Meanwhile, in multifamily? I’m still waiting on someone, anyone, to make me feel like more than a line item on their occupancy report.

Digital Leasing: The Good, the Bot, and the Boring

April gave me a buffet of online experiences. Some communities were refreshingly bot-free (a rare breed in 2025), but those sites often lacked ease, efficiency, and, let’s be honest, logic. One required an Olympic-level number of clicks just to submit a guest card.

One standout moment? A property sent me a “lifestyle video” in their automated response. Real residents. Real dogs. Real moments. It was modern leasing gold. The kind of thing you move to a homepage and let autoplay like it’s your headliner at Coachella. But alas, it was buried three tabs deep under “Virtual Tours.” That’s like hiding Beyoncé in the back row.

Leasing Agents: From Laryngitis to Legendary

One tour stood out, not because of glitz, but because of genuine connection. The leasing agent had laryngitis (a leasing professional’s worst nightmare), but handled it like a champ. She ushered me to a comfy seat, asked thoughtful questions, including the best of all time: “What’s your story?”

That was the first time someone treated me like a whole human, not just a prospective rent check. She made the tour feel like a conversation with a friend. Until the end when she didn’t ask me to apply. Missed it by that much.

The Others? A Whole Lotta “Meh”

Let’s just say if leasing were a dating app, I’d be swiping left. A lot. One agent tossed six floor plans at me before asking what I was even looking for. Another never used my name again after “Are you Ronald?” (Spoiler: I still am.) One wore AirPods during the entire tour. Not a vibe. And nearly all failed the follow-up. No personalization. No memorable touches. No “Hey, Ronald, here’s that floor plan with the closet space you loved!”

The most exciting part of one shop? A “Choose Your Own Adventure” lease special. Want AirPods? A Visa card? Parking? That’s the spirit. Incentives should be memorable. Like your apartment tour should be.

The Final Tally

Out of five April tours:

• Only one person asked about me — what I’m looking for, who I am.

• Zero asked me to apply.

• Most follow-ups felt templated, rushed, or like they were typed while waiting in line for coffee.

I’m not asking for fireworks and a red carpet. I just want leasing experiences to match the $1,500 a month we’re asking prospects to commit to. Shouldn’t we aim for hospitality that rivals a boutique hotel or at the very least, your local Starbucks?

Am I Asking Too Much?

Maybe. Or maybe we’ve just let the standard fall. But here’s the good news. It’s fixable. With the right mindset, training, and a little bit of Ronald sass, your leasing team can absolutely stand out.

If you’re reading this and thinking, “We need help,” well, hi. I’m Ronald. And I’ve launched RWR Consulting to elevate the leasing game. Visit www.roomswithronald.com, email me at roomswithronald@gmail.com, or just slide into my DMs. Let’s talk about making your communities memorable for all the right reasons.

Until next time, keep it classy, keep it personal, and above all, happy leasing.

March Leasing Mystery Shops Recap: Where Service Stumbled and One Shined

March brought another round of multifamily mystery shops, and the results were equal parts revealing and frustrating. I toured five properties in one city:  a mix of digital inquiries, self-guided experiences, and in-person appointments, and the big takeaway was this: we are leaning too heavily on automation and losing the human touch that makes leasing feel personal.

This wasn’t my first rodeo. I’ve committed to shopping five properties each month, and by the end of Q1, I had already visited 17 across four major markets: Sacramento, Atlanta, Houston, and DC. March’s shops were in DC, and the variety of approaches I encountered highlighted a concerning trend.

Let’s start with the digital experiences. One property had a great website, but submitting a guest card felt like trying to unlock a safe. Chatbots dominated, and I couldn’t provide basic information without being pushed to schedule a tour. When I finally managed to submit the form, the response was fast: a text, then an email, both pushing a time-sensitive special I didn’t qualify for. Despite clearly stating my move-in timeline, no one acknowledged it. No personalization. Just promo overload.

Another property stood out with a simple but powerful detail: a big “Text Us” banner right on the homepage. Texting is my preferred way to communicate, and it’s the top choice for Gen Z prospects too. This property made it easy to connect. Their follow-up email used a subject line I hadn’t seen before:  “Your future home awaits.” It was a small thing, but it sparked interest. Most others stuck with “Thank you for your interest” or “Apartment inquiry,” which doesn’t exactly scream excitement.

On to the tours. One self-guided experience gave me full access to everything (elevator, amenities, apartments) with zero identity verification. I could’ve been anyone. The website guided me through the tour, which helped, but the order was confusing. I went from rooftop lounge (locked, by the way) to apartments scattered across floors with no logical flow. Some units had no lights on, no descriptions, and no context. I had to piece together what was what. At one point, I found myself creeping into apartments unsure if they were vacant or not, not exactly the ideal first impression.

Another tour had me greeted by a concierge who didn’t acknowledge my presence until I introduced myself. The leasing agent wore an AirPod the entire time and seemed more invested in whatever was happening on the other end than in showing the space. She highlighted that they provided toilet paper and paper towels on move-in day with the enthusiasm of someone giving away luxury watches. It was... something.

Then there was the high-end, boutique property with all the trappings of luxury and none of the service to match. I was greeted politely and handed a paper guest card, which I filled out,  and which was never collected. The leasing agent rushed through the tour like she had a plane to catch, barely asked me anything, and stood in one spot the entire time. I left without a single follow-up message. The rent? Close to $6,000 a month. The service? Less than zero.

Thankfully, not every experience missed the mark. One agent delivered a standout tour. She was warm, engaging, and actually got to know me. We talked about my dog, my job, my relocation plans — and it felt natural. She walked me through the apartment, highlighted features based on what she’d learned about me, and sent personalized follow-up materials. Oddly enough, she never asked me to apply either, but the overall experience was head and shoulders above the rest.

Let’s break down the Q1 data:

• 17 total properties shopped
  
  

• 0 asked me to apply or commit financially
  
  

• 14 followed up, but only 1 personalized the communication
  
  

• 2 phone calls were received, and both were delayed
  
  

• Average in-person tour time: 26 minutes
  
  

• Average self-guided tour time: 30 minutes
  
  

• Average number of apartments shown: 2 (increased from prior studies)
  
  

• Most communication was via AI-generated emails with little variation
  
  

There’s a clear trend: leasing professionals are defaulting to scripts, checklists, and automation  and it shows. Prospects are being met with closed-ended questions, generic responses, and little effort to build real connection.

Even more telling, the property that provided the best service didn’t offer any specials. They didn’t have to. They sold the value of their community, their team, and the resident experience. Meanwhile, others were giving away one or two months free before even meeting me, signaling that the price is negotiable because the experience isn’t selling itself.

As the market shifts and concessions increase, service has to level up too. Otherwise, we’re just offering discounted rent in exchange for discounted engagement.

If your team needs support refining the leasing experience, I can help. From mystery shops and performance coaching to custom training and process audits, I offer solutions that drive results. Prospects want more than a floor plan. They want to be heard, understood, and welcomed. Let’s help your team deliver on that.

Want to talk about how to elevate your leasing strategy? Let’s connect.