6 Implications of the Work-at-Home Future for Multifamily

COVID-19 will pass. But some of the repercussions won’t. And perhaps the biggest will turn out to be the increased time people will spend at home rather than an office, as Americans have proven that traditionally office-based businesses can do pretty well when people work from home, and that most employees like it. Naturally we won’t see the end of office buildings. But even a modest shift to working from home (WFH) will mean significant changes at multifamily properties. Here are six of them. 1. Demand for improved wireless technology Affordable access to high-speed Internet will be a major asset. Office workers are accustomed to Internet access that is both reliable and very fast. And increasingly, they’ll want it beyond the four walls of their units. One projected long-term result of the recent lockdowns is that more communities will offer reservable workspaces that allow residents to work at home without feeling trapped in their apartments. What’s more, with so much communication and transacting happening on cell phones, residents will expect a fast connection when sitting by the pool or at an event in a community space. At its 2020 RealWorld conference, RealPage announced its commitment to equipping multifamily properties with Smart WiFi, a property-wide robust wireless network unlike any other, as part of its CommunityConnect platform  (see more below). 2. The Internet of Things (IoT) More time at home means more demand for conveniences. Residents who come home tired after a long day of work, grab something to eat and watch TV until bedtime are a whole different breed from those who will be at home most of the day, increasingly using phone-based apps to get things done. The more convenience you can offer in this arena, the happier your residents will be. Where once it was marble countertops that caught people’s attention, more and more it’s useful smart home tech conveniences. Along these lines, another RealPage...