When you’re managing an apartment complex, one of the things you’ll have to decide is which utilities you want to include. Utilities for an apartment can cover everything from water, sewer systems, and electricity to security systems and landline phones. Which of these you cover and how well they work can have a big impact on both your renters and your bottom line.

With smart home technology coming down the pipeline fast, it's easy to accept smart home technology as a good thing. However, while smart home technology makes our lives and the communities we live in better, it is important to understand the pros and cons of smart home technology.

In today's rental market, Millennials (80+ million strong) are the largest pool of renters. Gen-Z is not far behind as a fast-growing portion of the market. These generational groups prefer to rent rather than buy a home for multiple reasons. One of the most prominent reasons tends to be the amenity-rich offering of an apartment, such as common spaces and pools, on-site concierge, and typically located within an urban community. Trends and studies show that one of the most important amenities is technology. Millennials and Gen-Z will consider technology as one of their main decision-making factors when choosing a community.

Apartment Owners, Developers, and Homeowners' Associations – are you prepared for the enormous demand for connectivity in your communities? The statistics firm, Statista, estimates that by 2021, there will be 35.82 billion connected devices in the world. They also estimate that the 35.82 billion will grow to 75.44 billion by 2025. This onset for device connectivity is result of the Internet of Things (IoT) movement. IoT is the connecting of everyday devices to each other and the internet. Everyday applications such as Amazon Alexa and Nest Thermostats are basic examples of the IoT expansion. This expansion is not slowing down anytime soon.