Meta: With so many condos and co-ops available, it can be a challenge to stand out from the crowd. Read on to find out how you can create the kind of community where people want to live.

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Buying a condo or co-op isn’t just a financial investment, it’s also an emotional decision to become a part of a community. Whether someone is buying an apartment for themselves or considering renting out the unit, they want to find a place that feels like home. At a minimum, prospective residents want to know that their new home is safe, comfortable, clean and properly maintained. But truly exceptional buildings begin to feel like home when there is a sense of community and connectedness between residents and the building. Creating that feeling/experience takes work, but there are many ways property managers and board members can make this easier. With a little effort and patience, it’s possible to foster a warm and welcoming atmosphere that residents simply can’t find anywhere else.

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At Daisy, we strongly believe that every building is a unique ecosystem with its own vibrant lifeforce. So as property managers, we work to empower board members and residents of the ecosystem so it can reach its full potential. Everything we do – our North Star – is to make the building a place people love living in. So we figured we’d share the values and processes that are vital to achieving that goal. Because, as Dorothy famously said, “there’s no place like home.”

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What makes a building attractive to potential residents?‍

Reviewing your building’s amenities is an easy place to star‌t if you’re wondering “How can I increase the value of my condo building?” It shouldn’t surprise you to know that people want to live in a building that provides two things: comfort and convenience.

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According to data compiled by Zumper in 2021, searches for properties/buildings with outdoor space increased by 143% over the past year – thank you, Covid-19. Other amenities people are seeking out include in-unit laundry, a swimming pool, a balcony and ample storage space. It’s not surprising that people are looking for more than just an apartment. They’re looking for a building where they can spend more time and experience more life – particularly “the good life.”

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While amenities are important, there are many other factors potential residents consider when selecting a new place to live. From the way the building is maintained to how staff communicates with residents, people need to know they will be in good hands wherever they choose to live. We believe it's also the little things that create a sense of home from the moment you walk into the building. Like chatting with your doorman when you are heading home after a night out or having your building manager offer to water your plants while you’re on that long awaited beach vacation. And we know that there are some building basics that must be achieved to reach that point.

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‌1. Cleanliness‌

Curb appeal plays a significant role in why people choose one condo or co-op over another. First impressions count, whether potential residents are simply driving by or touring the building in person. The most attractive buildings maintain a dedicated grounds keeping crew to keep the sidewalk, facilities and community areas free of trash or debris. Not only is a dirty building off-putting, it can also lead to building health issues: be it dirt and dust collecting in building systems like the HVAC – gross! –or garbage not being collected and cleared in a timely fashion, leading to rodents and pests – even grosser!

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We believe that – like wine and cheese – cleanliness and maintenance go hand in hand. By keeping up with the minute details today, it’s possible to avoid more serious building problems tomorrow. Invest in a dedicated crew to take care of basic upkeep throughout the week and your residents will certainly take notice. Residents are happier when their building is always sparkling and squeaky clean. With smiles on their faces, people will come home after a long day’s work knowing that the building will always be cleaner than the subway was, and by several orders of magnitude.

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‌‌2. Reliable, proactive maintenance‌

Some building managers will wait until a problem presents itself before they do something about it. Unfortunately, this method makes maintenance work more costly and time consuming than it needs to be. But there is another way! Instead of taking a reactive approach to building maintenance, consider creating a proactive system that identifies potential issues with the building before they cause any disruptions. Monitoring the condition of equipment in real-time and alongside other statistical data enables preemptive planning and scheduling for repairs and upgrades.

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Board members can work with their property managers to make informed decisions on vendors and systems, and residents are informed and aren’t inconvenienced by emergencies. Beyond the inconvenience to residents and board members, don’t forget that a severe maintenance issue could mean safety risks. On top of that, predictive maintenance helps prevent violations which can be costly to building owners. Meanwhile, identifying problems early with elevators, HVAC systems, boilers, and the building itself will help mitigate the costs of pricey emergency repairs. With fewer equipment failures and less downtime – and more confidence in the building’s health – residents can rest easy and experience a better quality of life.

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‌We exclusively believe in proactive maintenance. We create predictive maintenance plans by monitoring critical building systems and by comparing performance data with information from our network of buildings. Everything from the crucial – a building’s structure and foundation – to the little details like hallway light bulbs is meticulously tracked and planned for. There’s no reason to have costly building violations. We built a compliance tracker to keep everyone up-to-date on annual inspections, renovation projects and maintenance calendars. ‌Everyone’s safety and well-being is important to us, but we don’t neglect the details, because – collectively – that makes for an exceptional and secure building.

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‌3. A Sense of Community

People feel more connected to where they live when they can develop lasting relationships with everyone from their next door neighbor to the doorman. Holding community events, for example, is a great way to create that sense of community. Condo and co-op residents want to find a place where support is available when they need it, from borrowing sugar for late night brownies to having a neighbor walk their dog. By making an effort to bring people in the building together, you’re actively creating a nurturing environment where people trust and care for one another. Afte rall, residents want to feel like they’re part of a neighborhood where they can create meaningful memories with those around them. And maybe post a few group photos on Instagram while they’re at it.

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Daisy-managed properties foster a positive, open atmosphere where residents always feel welcome. When issues do arise, residents can easily communicate their concerns through the Daisy app, with confidence that any problem will be quickly resolved.

‌4. Automated services and apps

We live in a technology driven world where we’re able to order a car at the touch of a button, order food that's delivered within the hour, and file our taxes in minutes without stacks of paper. So let’s be real. People have come to expect this type of app-based accessibility – with its fluid communication and real-time tracking – in every aspect of their lives. But so far, building life has been mostly technology starved.

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That’s why we bring innovative tech, automation and accessibility to residential buildings so residents and board members can have the exceptional experience they’ve come to expect in so many areas of life. Whether that means creating a fully digital and automated buyer/tenant application process that reduces the time and headache for all involved or making it easier to communicate with your property manager through an app chat, so much of one’s building life experience levels up with the addition of smart technology. Residents and board members come to love their building even more when they have access to innovative, digital solutions while prospective buyers and tenants see automated services and apps as a coveted, elusive amenity that adds value. Value that their friends in other buildings may come to envy. As word spreads, more and more people will want to call your building “home, sweet home.”

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‌While there are plenty of individual tools out there, we’ve built our own app and tools in a centralized place for residents to find everything they need. Everyone is able to communicate quickly and access information easily – including monthly fees or charges, maintenance requests, guest registration, online payments and a digital dashboard for board members. You can learn more about our Daisy App and the Daisy Dash here.‌

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5. Easy access to information

Residents want to know what’s going on in their building and they value property managers and board members that keep them in the loop. Whether you’re planning the building’s upcoming annual pest control visit (not so fun) or installing rooftop grills (very fun), being able to provide timely updates is a gamechanger for resident experience. Even for unexpected issues that pop up, when people are kept in the loop, they are appreciative and tend to be more understanding and accepting of inconveniences.

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Timely communication that provides board members and residents alike with visibility is really important to us. Through our app we offer a real-time feed to alert board members and residents on any building issues, updates and projects. Keeping the people in your building well informed will ensure each member of the community feels respected and connected, further elevating their experience and the reputation of your building.

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As time goes on, residents will stay longer because they love the building. Word of mouth is a powerful motivator for prospective buyers, and as community members share their positive experiences with friends and loved ones, people will be eager to live in your building.

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6. On-site recreational facilities

‌Ask yourself “How can I improve my building?” or “How do we attract new condo buyers?” For one thing, people want to have the option to spend more time in and really experience more of their lives in their buildings. One of the best ways to create that all inclusive atmosphere is to offer various fun and convenient amenities. As we work with building boards to improve their building life, we help create a strategic roadmap – a yellow brick road, if you don’t mind another reference to Dorothy – and budget for recreational additions and upgrades.

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Aside from the convenience they provide residents, certain amenities can also help members of your community save money or time. For example, a fitness room can replace a gym membership or a game room can keep your kids entertained while you work (aka, a miracle). Examples of amenities and recreational facilities your residents will enjoy include:

• Game room with pool table, ping pong table or air hockey
• Rooftop balconies
• Grill stations and picnic seating
• Swimming pool and hot tub
• Multiple washers and dryers with a vending machine for detergent/dryer sheets
• Basketball, volleyball and tennis courts
• Ponds, gardens and walking paths

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‌Creating a place where people want to live

Individuals and families consider a range of diverse factors when choosing a place to call home. Board members can make their buildings much more appealing by implementing a proactive maintenance plan, keeping the building clean and using apps that help better connect residents to the building. Residents also need to feel like they’re a part of the community through events and notifications about building updates. Finally, installing and maintaining various on-site facilities will attract more people to your building over the years, ultimately ensuring you never have an open unit for long – no one wants to leave, but everyone wants to join.

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‌‌Our team at Daisy will coach you – with all the positivity of Mr. Ted Lasso himself – on ways to make your condo or co-op a better place to live for current residents, board members and prospective buyers. We’ll develop a strategic approach for managing your building, both inside and out. Meanwhile, our dashboard and feed ensures board members and residents are always up to speed on the latest community developments. Using our proprietary tech, we streamline your building maintenance schedule and work orders for optimal efficiency and minimal headaches. Forget about the constant stress and worries of doing building management the old fashioned way. With Daisy, you’ll finally have the time to stop and smell the roses.

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Rely on us to provide a solid foundation to support your building’s growth and continually improve the home life of your valued residents. Learn more about how Daisy can help you create a comfortable, inviting community on our website.