Is The Past Like The Present?

This past weekend I went to a Bar Mitzvah for a bunch of teenagers. There was a DJ, food and dancing. It was a fun time for all…including the parents! It seems our music is popular with the youngins’. I felt like I was back in the 80’s…AC/DC, Journey, Bon Jovi, Peter Frampton, Poison, Madonna, etc. The amazing thing was the kids knew the words!! What is happening??? The kids were asking the same thing, as the “older and heavier than we were in the 80s” adults started dancing our own special dance…which probably looked something like Elaine from Seinfeld. I felt a little robbed…I didn’t want kids to know the songs I drank beer or slow danced to in my youth. Our songs were to be left in the past, only to be brought to the future for reunions and crying sessions on how wonderful High School was. I didn’t want to share my memory of the guy I kissed while slow dancing to Stairway to Heaven.

Which brings to my point…has time changed the apartment world? (Great segway, huh??) Or is the past like the present?

A 2009 survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling showed that almost half of all American adults no longer believe owning a house is a realistic way to build wealth. Another 42 percent no longer own a house and don’t expect to ever own one again. The past 50 years Americans thought the American Dream was to own a home, but with housing prices collapsing, the so-called “dream” of homeownership turned into a financial and emotional nightmare for millions. The largest generation of children in the history of the US will be entering the housing market in the next few years. Will this change Apartments? Heck yeah!

The National Multi Housing Council states that 2.83 million new renter households were created in the last four years, the biggest such gain in 24 years. And the renter household is changing from the “typical” Married couples with children…a growing number of nontraditional households are emerging…single parents, couples without children and empty nesters.

What does that mean for us? It means our industry will be the beneficiary of the new way of rethinking rent. There will continue to be demand for safe and desirable rental housing. And we need the people to help manage, maintain and enhance the value of the rental properties.

But stick with Justin Bieber and Katy Perry…leave my Bret Michaels alone.

I'm a Blog Slacker!

I have much to say and I try to stay on top of my social media networking, but this blog thing has me "whipped!" It's always on my "To Do" list and it's always number one, but I never seem to get to it.

Things have been moving & grooving at D&F. We had our Regional Awards Banquet in Virginia and North Carolina in March. It was wonderful to hear about all the successes and acknowledge the service awards of our long term employees. The Awards Banquet made me proud and warmed my heart. Congrats to all the team members!

Recently I heard a speaker, Don Yaeger, talk about "Greatness," what makes someone great and how you can achieve your own greatness. I would like to share his 16 characteristics of "Greatness" which I keep at my desk to refer to often.

1) It's personal--they hate to lose more than they love to win.

2) Rubbing Elbows--They understand the value of association.

3) Believe--They have faith in a higher power.

4) Contagious Enthusiasm--They are positive thinkers... they are enthusiastic... and that enthusiasm rubs off.

5) Hope for the Best, but prepare for all possibilities before they step on the field.

6) What Off Season? They are always working towards the next game... the goal is what's ahead and there's always something ahead.

7) Visualize Victory--They see victory before the game begins.

8) Inner Fire--They use adversity as fuel.

9) Ice in their Veins--They are risk takers and don't fear making a mistake.

10) When all else fails--They know how and when to adjust their game plan.

11) Ultimate Teammate--They will assume whatever role is necessary for the team to win.

12) Not just about the Benjamins--They don't play just for the money.

13) Do Unto Others--They know character is defined by how they treat those who cannot help them.

14) When No One is Watching--they are comfortable in the mirror... they live their life with integrity.

15) When Everyone is Watching--They embrace the idea of being a role model.

16) Records are made to be Broken--They know their legacy isn't what they did on the field. They are well-rounded.

Are you great? What do you need to do in your personal and professional life to become great?

On another note... it's nice to move into other markets that we have traditionally not been in before... Charleston, SC and Annandale, VA (Northern Virginia). Let's expand our footprint in the southeast!

Social Media Revolution

I know, I know...it's been too long since I've last written, but been busy! I know it's no excuse because after all, I keep up with my Twitter and Facebook accounts! Social Media is a necessary evil, but it can be time consuming. Do you tweet? I've become addicted! I am following CNN, Ellen, Tony Robbins, Zappos CEO, Oprah and some friends. Sometimes the tweets make me laugh, sometimes they are serious and sometimes they are mindless, but in 140 characters or less...it's a part of my life (although my husband isn't too happy about the addiction). Watch this short video to better explain the Twitter Universe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddO9idmax0o

Facebook is addicting as well! I've enjoyed getting in touch with old classmates, lost friends and distance family members. And it's nice to see our apartment communities with Facebook Fan Pages sharing community information. NO MORE PRINTED newsletters! Use your Facebook Fan page to share news and events with your residents...and in the meantime, you might even attract a prospect to your community. Have you made an attempt to gather all of your resident's email addresses? Tell them your property is going green! You'll be surprised how many people will rather give you their email address! But remember there's a difference between a Facebook profile and a Facebook Fan Page...check this out...http://www.authoritydomains.com/blogs/authority-domains/what-s-the-difference-between-a-facebook-fan-page-and-a-facebook-group.php

Watch this video to see how important Social Media is to the world...it's a revolution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8

D&F wants to promote Social Media in the workplace...we believe in it! Therefore, we have developed a Social Media Statement & Policy that will be included in the Employee Handbook. Check it out on http://www.dfpeople.com/

It's chilly outside

Thanksgiving is around the corner and it's time to reflect on everything and everyone I'm thankful for in my life. My personal list seems to get longer and longer each year, but that's a good thing. The older you get, the more you appreciate the little things in life as well as the big things.

During our Thanksgiving meal, we have a family tradition to go around the table and say what we are thankful for in our lives. It's a good practice (and should probably be done more than once a year to publicly proclaim what one is thankful for.) The kids usually say something silly like their x-box; but the older we get, the more meaningful it becomes as we find real gratitude in our lives.

During this economic downturn, I am thankful Drucker & Falk is able to offer stable jobs to qualified employees. We have some properties whose occupancy is being effected by increased skips and evictions, but overall we are performing on budget as a company. I am thankful Drucker & Falk continues to be awarded by performance, by our properties and employees. For the latest awards and recognitions, please visit our website AND our Facebook page to become a fan of Drucker & Falk, LLC.

I also wanted to congratulate (thank!) our latest Star Performers in both regions. In the Southeast: Robin Hays, Phillip Shumaker, Olivia Wise, Rashena Green, Jodie Bell, Debra Shea, Dawn Sims, J. Brea Garner, Brenda Anderson, Melissa Jones, Joni Surmrak, Jacqueline Perez, Sabrina Gendreau & Kendra Knowles. In the Mid-Atlantic: Shauna Beasley & Almonie Scott.

Finally, I am thankful for my family and friends...everyone needs some love and laughter to help us get through our crazy days! Enjoy your holiday...and be safe!

Kellie Falk-Tillett

Autumn is in the air...

Sorry for the delayed blog, but been busy and on the road. My eldest son has packed up and move on campus at NC State University. So, I'm officially a Wolfpack Mom! I just wish they had a better football team.

Some good news...we were just awarded the managment of St. Albans at North Hills. A mid-rise mixed used apartment building under contruction in Raleigh, NC. It will have 409 units with average rents around $1300/month. There will be underground parking and 2 floors of retail with a Harris Teeter. We are currently working with the owner on the construction plans as well as their branding iniatives. We should have our first units in Fall 2009. Construction is almost complete on Smith's Landing Apartments in Blacksburg, VA and construction is complete on our renovated historical hotel, The Chamblin, in Hampton, VA. If you haven't visited their websites, please do...wonderful properties!

In a couple of weeks, I will participate in the Race for the Cure in Charlotte, NC with the Charlotte Apartment Association. I know too many people who have had cancer or have a loved one with cancer. I am walking in honor of my dear friend, Susan, who recently found out she has breast cancer at 45 years old. I ordered a photo button of her to wear during the race at www.buttonsofhope.com. Let me take this opportunity to remind everyone to volunteer for a non-profit organization. You can make a difference in someone's life. You can visit www.volunteermatch.org to see what organizations are in your area.

Now...something for fun...visit http://secure.wonderfulgraffiti.com for some great ideas on decorating a playroom, bedroom or bathroom. We used this site to help decorate the Raleigh Training Room. You can make up your own saying or use one of their quotes to put up on a wall. Some of our properties have used this site to decorate their clubhouses.

My youngest son just texted me...he wants to sign up for driver's ed...should I text him back and just say NO?? And why is he texting me and not calling me???

National Apartment Association

Greetings...just back from my vacation and ready for the grind!

The National Apartment Association was a success. I was introduced to a few new companies that can help us in our business. We are getting formal presentations from the new vendors to see how we can benefit from each other. All the new companies have something to do with technology. Rent Wiki is a new social media oriented apartment locator for our industry. It is in its beginning stages, but they have pulled concepts from MySpace, Facebook, Apartment Ratings, TripAdvisor, etc. It should be a great product once it is finalized. I also met with 2 vendors that will benefit the property's individual websites...one helps to search local businesses around an address and the other helps residents set up their utilities. We are working with them now to see how we can integrate for success. Lastly, we reviewed a Lead Tracking system to partner with Yardi to help us manage our "guest cards" more effectively.

Steve Hayworth, Maintenance Director, toured the trade show floor meeting with current vendors and seeking out new companies and products.

National Apartment Association (NAA) is also the time our current vendors introduce new products or enhancements. I was excited to learn how Yardi can help us even more in the management of our properties as well as enhancements within Vaultware.

You recently received a memo from us about finding a replacement for Ron Melvin, our COO/President. While we are very sad that he will be retiring in a couple of years, we are excited about the prospect of bringing in someone dynamic to help us to obtain the goals of our strategic plan--which is basically to grow our business in all departments. We have just started the search and hope to have someone within a few months.

Did you know you could receive a bonus for bringing leads for new business? It could be a lead for commercial space management, commercial space leasing, property management or a commercial sale. Just contact myself, David or Wendy if you have any leads and we will redirect you to the appropriate person.

Finally, for your enjoyment, I wanted to share with you a short clip from UTube on a recent story I saw about 2 guys and their lion cub. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiGKWoJi5qM

We're Moving and Grooving

My trip a couple of weeks ago was a success! We signed a management agreement on a new construction property in Knoxville, TN...252 units, Class A Apartment Community. We have posted job openings on DFPeople.com, so be sure to check it out! We have a few more management proposals outstanding, so hopefully we will hear soon about additional new business.

I was finally able to eat at Penguin's in Charlotte...great fried pickles...highly recommend the sweet potatoe french fries, but go early for a table. I'm still in search of the best cheeseburger, please let me know if you have any recommendations.

Here are the Mid-Atlantic "Star Performers" from first quarter...sorry about the delay in posting, but I am trying to get up to speed on how to blog, etc., etc.

Eboni Soule, Colonial Pines, Williamsburg, VA
Angie Faille, Crater Square, Petersburg, VA
Pamela Wagner, Old Donation, Va. Beach, VA
Deborah Hall, Smith's Landing, Blacksburg, VA
Rich Parron, The Towns at Jones Run, Newport News, VA
Gladys Woods, Woodbriar, Richmond, VA

Congrats to all!!!

Tomorrow I am leaving to attend the National Apartment Association Educational Conference with some of our Regional Property Managers. I expect to attend educational seminars as well as stroll through the 300+ vendor trade show for ideas, products, services, etc. to bring back to you.

Summer is here and the rental season is HOT! Keep watering your maintenance teams and lease your apartments!