If you’re upgrading your property with property technology, there are a few things you’ll need to consider first.
Proptech has many applications depending on its users’ requirements. When investing in proptech, choose products or services that address the needs of residents, property staff, or both.
But proptech selection doesn’t have to complicate your life. Read this post to learn how to select the right proptech for your building.
3 steps to select the right proptech for your building:
Step 1: Know your market
It’s true of every business in every industry — the first step to take when making a significant proptech investment is to collect as much information as possible. As a multifamily operator, here are some important things to consider.
To select the right proptech investment, you must first understand:
- Your market
- The demographic you’re addressing
- Your residents’ needs
- The type of living experience your residents expect
- The proptech landscape
Your proptech needs will shift depending on which demographic you’re catering to.
Millennials, baby boomers, and proptech
Approximately 75 million millennials live in America, more than any other age demographic. They will be the largest group of renters for years to come. However, baby boomers remain the wealthiest generation. Plus, as they continue to retire and move to big cities with more services, they still represent the fastest-growing group of renters.
The primary proptech needs of millennials and baby boomers overlap, but there are a few key differences:
- To provide building access, millennials want to ensure product and service delivery to their doorsteps, even when they aren’t home.
- Boomers want the assurance that their living spaces are accessible to those who matter and protected from those who don’t.
Some proptech features appeal to both generations. Millennials and baby boomers both share a desire for convenience and security. They’re both comfortable with having the doorman experience of providing secure and convenient access to the building without necessarily having doormen themselves.
The National Apartment Association and National Multifamily Housing Council have reported that security-related proptech ranks at the top of the list for all residents, and Wealth Management Real Estate notes that most residents want convenience-based technology most of all.
Watch how ButterflyMX improves the resident experience:
Step 2: Get internal buy-in
Ensure everyone from upper management to property staff understands the use cases for proptech. Ensure the “why” is clear: You aren’t selecting proptech just because it’s trendy, a hot topic, or the reigning buzzword of the day.
Make sure to demonstrate or explain the value of proptech in terms of:
- Operating efficiency
- Positive impact on the building’s NOI
- High resident satisfaction and retention
- Lower turnover
Further, trained and knowledgeable staff are essential to your project’s success. There is no substitute for technology preparedness. The National Apartment Association urges property managers to provide upfront and ongoing training and make sure all staff understands why proptech is essential.
One good practice is to cross-train your staff so that each individual knows explicitly everybody else’s duties and responsibilities. That way, they can help manage breakdowns and other issues should anything unexpected happen. And always emphasize that what helps your residents can also benefit your staff.
Step 3: Develop your budget
When you’ve decided on your target market, it’s time to get cost estimates and a detailed breakdown of your hardware, installation, and ongoing maintenance costs to nail down your budget.
Some costs may include:
- Hardware costs
- Installation fees
- Ongoing maintenance expenses
- Recurring software fees
- Internet and energy bills to power your proptech
