There are some really cool amenities at apartments now.

There are soundproof rooms to record podcasts and Tiktoks.

Speakeasies.

Gyms with Pelotons, Pilates classes and professional-level machines.

Pools with cabanas, grills and fire pits.

Pet spas. (And some even spas for people.)These are sure to attract residents—how could they not? But it's hard to win the amenities arms race. Can you even compete for renters if you don't have the newest luxury amenity? 

Yes. Yes, you can.

The flashy amenities might get all the attention. But ultimately, it is the practical amenities that residents need that will get used the most. Here are some unsexy amenities that you should have at your community to attract and retain renters.

Package lockers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in the fourth quarter of 2022, ecommerce sales equaled $260 billion. And at this point, I think we all pretty much know our Amazon password better than our spouses' birthdays. Communities need a place to safely store residents' packages.

Strong, reliable Wi-Fi. Duh. No further explanation needed.

A system to pay rent online. Do you know how many people still use checks? No, seriously, do you? I didn't check. (Ha!) But, regardless, make it easy for your residents to pay their rent. And if you allow them to make payments automatically, they don't need to worry about remembering, plus you're more likely to get all your payments in a timely manner.

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