Student housing is both one of the most challenging and opportunity-rich verticals in the rental industry. The ages of students coupled with the involvement of their parents can prove to be higher maintenance in many ways. Since parents are typically the ones paying rent, they too need attention. With the proper planning and implementation of systems to mitigate issues these obstacles can not only be overcome, but can even transfigure into a competitive advantage for your company.
Connectivity between students with technology acts for and against asset owners and property management companies in a variety of ways. From online reputation management to staying informed with what your competitors nearby are doing, it can quickly become a stressful operational climate if you do not have good information.
At this year’s Student Housing Insight Summit in Charlotte, NC, leaders specializing in property management technology met to collaborate and share some of the best information available with student housing providers from around the country. Being that student housing is so dynamic, it is only fitting that the tools used be equally as dynamic.
Utilizing Technology
Leveraging new forms of technology is bar none the best way to scale your property management company in size and to make your company better all around. Companies like PooPrints and PetScreening are leading the charge with the development of solutions to combat some of the challenges present in student housing industry related to pets and animals.
For example, PooPrints has created a global genetic database of dogs with DNA collected from cheek swabs. They collect DNA from any unscooped pet waste and compare it to the database to identify who hasn’t picked up after their pet. Essentially, PooPrints is holding student residents with pets accountable with picking up their pet’s waste and contributing to a clean environment in every student housing community they serve.
Meanwhile, free services like PetScreening are giving on-site teams time to focus on resident satisfaction by taking the tasks of manual pet auditing and assistance animal validation off of their plates.
Along with a comprehensive HUD/FHAct review process, PetScreening assesses the housing-related risk of household pets as well as helps hold your no-pet residents accountable to your policies.
PetScreening serves as a prime example of when it is appropriate to delegate certain workflows within your company, especially given the liability involved with pets and animals in housing.
Student housing is both one of the most challenging and opportunity-rich verticals in the rental industry. With the proper planning and implementation of systems to mitigate issues, obstacles can be overcome and transfigured into a competitive advantage for your company — helping you connect with residents and build a better community.
