Opening New Doors: Property Management and First Impressions

The old adage, “do what you do well and leave the rest for those who do it best,” is especially apt in business matters. It comes down to simple efficiency; when we keep to what we know, we perform better and our outcomes are more successful, especially when there is a lot at stake. Although most of us know this, it isn’t always easy to hand over the reins when your success depends on being the best.

To be successful in its first few years, Milhaus had to focus on the strengths they already had, namely, the development and construction end of the business. “In order to do those aspects well, we needed to outsource the property management to a company who knew that end of the business better than we did at the time,” explains Andrew Lahr, vice president of operations at Milhaus. “It wasn’t easy, but making that decision, and not having to create the infrastructure for managing properties, allowed us to grow our company, establish our reputation and develop a brand image that we can now stand behind.”

After cutting their teeth on a few major urban projects, Milhaus launches the newest branch of their business, property management. Artistry, currently open for leasing, is the first property being managed by Milhaus’ team led by Kimberly Hurd, director of residential services, Danielle Littlejohn, resident services manager and Cassi Cloud, sr. transition specialist. “We are creating property management entirely focused on its residents,” says Hurd. “Since we began leasing Artistry units, we’ve gained a better understanding of who we’ll be serving. They aren’t ordinary apartment renters; they’re urban dwellers who have different wants and needs and we want to serve those requests from the start.”
Managing resident needs is easier with the help of resources like ActiveBuilding, a messaging software system that allows the team to make building announcements via email, texts or calls. Residents can use the program to track package deliveries, reserve amenities, make service requests, engage in social media and make online rent payments. A new sales and marketing program, Pynwheel, brings the rental experience to life for prospective residents who can access interactive touch panels to explore the community, interact with floor plans, and check availability based on their specific requirements. “With Artistry occupying such a significant downtown location and ample amenities nearby, we can help residents engage online grocery delivery, mobile grooming and vet services, dry cleaning delivery and even dinner reservations on a busy evening,” says Hurd. Other projects to be managed exclusively by Milhaus’ property management team include Circa, currently under construction in downtown Indianapolis, and future projects to be announced soon elsewhere in the Midwest.