Published on April 29th, 2022
By Stacy Holden

The Atlanta metro multifamily rental market has experienced an incredible amount of change over the last two years, and so have its residents. To see just how much property management expectations, needs, and perceptions have shifted, we surveyed local renters.

The full breakdown of their feedback can be found in our 2022 Atlanta Resident Motivations report, but we’ve included the most impactful stats property managers and owners need to know now in one helpful infographic. 

Read on for additional insights into the stats, or download the infographic now to explore it for yourself.

Key insight #1: Atlanta renters are satisfied, but not enough to stay

While 53% of Atlanta residents surveyed report feeling satisfied with their property manager or landlord, half still admitted they’re likely to move within the next year. We explored renter motivations for moving and learned that the current property management experience isn’t the only factor but it does play a critical role.

We asked, “How has your property management  company or landlord disappointed you in this last year?” Atlanta survey respondents said:

• “They keep increasing the rent without any upgrades.”
• “She is not technologically progressive. I’ve inquired about payment options such as Zelle to make rent payments, but my landlord insists on in-person or mailed money order payments.”

The open-ended feedback we received around making the decision to move involves myriad factors for renters, but respondents did care if property managers were delivering on promises made during the leasing process and throughout the rental period.

Paired with the fact that 45% of respondents said the number one thing they would change about living in Atlanta is its skyrocketing rent rates, it’s undeniable that property managers and owners need to show their residents value in multiple, different ways in order to better attract and retain them.

Key insight #2: Atlanta renters value responsiveness, flexibility, and technology

Thankfully, Atlanta renters were crystal-clear about what they value and expect from property managers and landlords today: responsiveness, flexibility, and technology.

Compared to before the pandemic, how important are each of the following factors to you now?	MORE
My property manager offering flexible payment plans	51%
My property manager’s response time to my questions or concerns	48%
My property manager proactively communicating time-sensitive updates about my rental unit or community	48%
My property manager offering digital tools (e.g., mobile app) to manage my rental	40%

 

Directly implementing solutions to address renter issues, or even just demonstrating that you’re working on meeting and exceeding expectations, can positively affect resident experience and satisfaction rates. In turn, that can also make all the difference in how well you attract and retain residents in 2022 and beyond.

Key insight #3: Empathy is the ultimate win with Atlantans

We also asked Atlanta renters, “How has your property management company or landlord exceeded expectations in the last year?” The feedback provided to this open-ended question was telling: Renters want property managers to deliver on promises and show they care about the resident experience.

Some of the personal responses included:

• “They added a playground for the children here, and are working hard to catch up with work orders that the previous management did not take care of; they are very compassionate and understanding, too.”
• “She was very understanding when my grandmother got sick and passed away. She accepted late payments when I was out of state and waived late fees.”
• “They have been attentive with maintenance issues and got me a brand new oven when mine quit working.”

While it may feel like sometimes residents only provide negative feedback, it’s clear from their survey responses that renters both recognize and genuinely appreciate when property managers and owners go the extra mile.

To see the complete survey results and how they compare to renters across the United States, download our 2022 Atlanta Resident Motivations report now. If you’re looking for even more ways to improve your resident experience, we’d love to chat whenever you’re ready.