NMHC/Kingsley Report: Renters Prefer the Basics in Amenities

Apartment operators shouldn’t assume that today’s preferred renter amenities are defined by the regions where they operate. The 2017 National Multifamily Housing Council/Kingsley Renter Preference Report unveiled in October suggests apartment residents around the country have some very distinct favorites that don’t necessarily jive with where they live. The bi-annual report, which drew 272,000 responses from 1.1 million Gen Z to Boomer renters at mostly Class A and B properties, did confirm that technology and comfort are highly desirable. Getting a good cell phone signal in a climate-controlled apartment or community space is among the top must-have amenities. The fact, too, that so many responded is testament that apartment renters take their amenities seriously. Last year’s survey drew 120,000 responses. “If you get a 5 to 10 percent response rate, you’re giddy,” said NMHC President Doug Bibby. NMHC/Kingsley report has a few oohs, aahs A snapshot of preferred amenities at major metros around the country surprised the audience attending the opening day general session at NMHC’s 2017 OpTech Conference & Exposition. A chorus of oohs and aahs filled the Islander Ballroom at the Mandalay Bay conference center in Las Vegas after it was revealed that most renters in San Jose prefer covered bike storage. Similarly, the audience was a bit shocked to learn that apartment residents in Orlando, site of OpTech 2018, preferred recycling and package lockers over outdoor amenities like basketball courts and roof-top space. And what’s a top must-have for a female apartment renter in San Francisco? One might think security but a dishwasher is No. 1. Renter response to the survey, sent to residents at more than 4,800 communities, more than doubled from 2015. Since then, the top five community and in-apartment likes only slightly changed as residents continue to value basic features of apartment living and not so much...