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In this episode of The Apartment Department, co-host Chris Johnson sits down with Minna Song, CEO of EliseAI, to discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming multifamily operations. For nearly a decade, EliseAI has helped properties automate leasing, maintenance, and resident communications—cutting lead-to-lease times from 30 days to just 14 and boosting renewal retention by 9%.

Minna shares how EliseAI’s success is rooted in deep partnerships with their 700+ customers. Her team learns directly from on-site staff—observing workflows, conducting time studies, and building bespoke solutions that fit each property’s goals. It’s AI built with the industry, not just for it.

The conversation also explores Elise AI’s new partnership with Zillow, where their AI Assist feature brings 24/7 renter responses directly into listings, and looks ahead to the next frontier: how robotics could soon revolutionize on-site operations.

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In this episode, Justin Jones, Shelly Steitz, and Anne Baum recap their experience at the Blueprint Conference including the vibe, their favorite takeaways for key technologies and AI, the opportunity for vendors and operators to co-build and co-collaborate, and some advice for first-timers in 2026.

Flamingo - Resident Retention App
400K+ units use Flamingo’s Resident Retention Platform to stop Retention Leak & hit 63%+ retention.

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In this episode, Chris and Anne talk with Marge Enrique about her extensive journey in transforming her company's approach to marketing data, emphasizing the importance of moving beyond simple last-touch attribution to a more comprehensive multi-touch model using tools like HyLy and Remarkably. Enrique details her strategies for data cleaning, source tracking, and building in-house attribution models, contrasting the performance of different marketing channels like Zillow, Apartment Ratings, and paid social against traditional paid search. Finally, the conversation briefly shifts to a humanitarian project by her parent company, City View, to fast-track home rebuilding after the Los Angeles wildfires.  You won't want this episode to end.

Flamingo - Resident Retention App
400K+ units use Flamingo’s Resident Retention Platform to stop Retention Leak & hit 63%+ retention.

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Have you ever wondered how the reputation and resident experience of your property actually impact marketing success and NOI?  In this episode, Devin Shurtleff, CEO of Opiniion, shares their data around the ROI of reputation.  In addition, the conversation highlights the critical role of resident satisfaction in multifamily marketing, emphasizing how positive online reviews and feedback directly impact key performance indicators like occupancy, retention, and net operating income. Shurtleff also addresses the future of the industry, focusing on consolidation and the increasing influence of AI in analyzing resident feedback and automating processes to enhance the resident experience.

Flamingo - Resident Retention App
400K+ units use Flamingo’s Resident Retention Platform to stop Retention Leak & hit 63%+ retention.

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Data is transforming how multifamily operators approach marketing, from measuring KPIs to optimizing lead conversion. Understanding which metrics matter and how to act on them is critical for improving occupancy and revenue.

In this episode of The Apartment Department, Aimee Farmer, VP of Marketing at Middleburg Communities, shares how she’s redefining marketing through data-driven strategies. The conversation covers the importance of tracking key metrics like booked appointment show rates and response times, while emphasizing the impact of personal touchpoints in boosting conversions.

They also explore the evolving renter decision-making process, including the value of “coming soon” campaigns and extended lead nurturing, and discuss how the rise of AI is changing search and marketing measurement in multifamily.

In this episode we discuss:

• Tracking meaningful metrics to improve leasing conversions
• The impact of personal touchpoints in the marketing funnel
• Adapting marketing strategies to longer renter decision timelines
• Implementing “coming soon” campaigns and extended lead nurturing
• Using data from multiple sources and integrating AI into search and marketing measurement

Key Topics:
multifamily marketing analytics, apartment marketing KPIs, data-driven marketing, lead nurturing strategies, AI in property marketing, renter decision-making

The Apartment Department explores the people, systems, and strategies shaping the future of multifamily.

Flamingo - Resident Retention App
400K+ units use Flamingo’s Resident Retention Platform to stop Retention Leak & hit 63%+ retention.

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In this episode Chris and Anne speak with Brooke Henderson, VP, US Strategic Partnerships at Yext to get an inside look at how conversational search is shifting how multifamily marketers should approach their online presence. 

Brooke takes us through the current search landscape and how multifamily marketers can update their SEO strategy to account for conversational search - the new trend that is being heavily driven by AI search engines.  Listeners will walk away with an understanding of how search is changing and how the basics of SEO + incorporating new tactics will keep you inline with prospect expectations.

Flamingo - Resident Retention App
400K+ units use Flamingo’s Resident Retention Platform to stop Retention Leak & hit 63%+ retention.

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In this episode, Chris and Anne speak with Jami Thomas, VP of Sales at Zillow Rentals, where we cover a wide range of exciting topics including:

• The rumor that Zillow may be phasing out their PPL options for packages.
• Zillows recent partnerships with two AI powerhouses, EliseAI and Google Gemini.
• Best practices for creating effective Zillow listings.
• Utilizing your Zillow support team and data resources to maximize results.
• Zillow Rentals vision for the future.

For any multifamily marketer or operations professional who has been dying to know what Zillow Rentals next move is after their already strong year, this episode is for you!

Flamingo - Resident Retention App
400K+ units use Flamingo’s Resident Retention Platform to stop Retention Leak & hit 63%+ retention.

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In this episode, Chris and Anne talk with Jon Simpson, about Swifty's Hyper-Effective Local Pages (HELP).  AI-powered landing pages built for how renters search — by neighborhood, landmark, and location. Jon tells us the story of how they developed HELP and how this strategy helps their clients rank quickly in Google.  And of course, no episode would be complete without predictions about the future of multifamily marketing.

Flamingo - Resident Retention App
400K+ units use Flamingo’s Resident Retention Platform to stop Retention Leak & hit 63%+ retention.

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In this episode, Chris and Anne sit down with Jacob Carter, founder of Nurture Boss, to discuss the how conversational AI + humans can revolutionize the leasing and resident experience by offering a customized, intuitive, responsive communication machine.  In addition, they discuss the importance of AI tools using the PMS as the data source of truth and how operators can lead the charge on creating a more open system for sharing data across vendors.  

Flamingo - Resident Retention App
400K+ units use Flamingo’s Resident Retention Platform to stop Retention Leak & hit 63%+ retention.

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In this episode Chris and Anne talk to Dorota Firek, CMO of Tour24, a state of the art self-guided touring technology, discusses how the future of apartment marketing and leasing includes meeting renters how they want to rent.  Bonus: hear how Tour24 is approaching the self-guided tour by including the entire community in the tour process.

Flamingo - Resident Retention App
400K+ units use Flamingo’s Resident Retention Platform to stop Retention Leak & hit 63%+ retention.