What do Millennials want from their rental apartments?
It depends on the Millennial. As a Millennial myself, I can tell you that we can be as different from each other as we can be from past generations. For example, my roommate would prefer to not bother our landlord with maintenance requests for the sake of not seeming bothersome. I, on the other hand, would rather get a problem fixed sooner than later. If something needs fixed either way, why wait?
We do, however, have expectations that run across the board.
Free Wi-fi with good connectivity. We use the internet for everything. If I had to choose between the free cable option that most of my previous apartments have offered or free Wi-fi, which most of them haven’t, I would pick free internet every time. We watch most of our TV programs online anyway.
Apartments with online applications, online tenancy contracts, ability to make online rent payments, and online maintenance. Again, internet. It’s key with us Millennials. Also, from my own experience as a renter, office hours don’t always work with my schedule and for smaller apartment complexes there isn’t even an office. It’s nice to have internet options so that I can take care of my bills and paperwork when I have the time to get to them.
Smart-home technology. We like fancy, new technology and it makes more sense to us. It also gives apartments a nice, upgraded feel.
Fitness centers. I have grown up being told to exercise and eat healthy. We all have. An on-site fitness center is nice because it means I can fit exercise into my schedule easily and be more likely to actually do it.
Entertainment and other fitness amenities. Swimming pools, basketball courts, tennis courts, outdoor movie theaters, a large area for events - there are several choices to choose from. I am single, as are most Millennials (74%), and we like to have a variety of ways to socialize and be around other people.
Laundry facility. I love it when there is a washer and dryer inside my apartment, but an on-site laundry facility is nice also. I won’t even consider an apartment that doesn’t have one of these options.
Month-to-month leases. As a recent college graduate my life is difficult to predict. In the past I have needed to move with only a couple of weeks notice, so it’s nice when I can have a month-to-month lease that makes it easier for me to move to another location.
Accessibility to social events. The reasoning behind this is the same as listed in number five. We like it when our apartment is either in a good downtown location to go to events or is close to bus routes that make these activities easily accessible.
Quick service. If my bathtub is clogged I don’t like to have to wait a week before I can shower again. No one of any generation does. The more quickly our concerns can be addressed, the more we will recommend your property for others online.
No black mold. I don’t know why, but my generation is very concerned about this.
