Katie Nelson

What Should Be Protected When Marketing Budgets Tighten? I've spent over a decade hearing "How do we increase leases while tightening the monthly marketing budget?" For any marketing leader, you need a methodology to turn to when it is time to ensure the marketing you are doing is truly driving performance, not just throwing money into the wind. This is where I decided that, instead of blindly cutting line items and pausing campaigns, I would define the three non‑negotiables in...

What Your Board Is Really Asking for When Your Portfolio Is Underperforming. I’ve been there. The boardroom of an owner/operator, where, in a moment, the energy shifts. The CEO leans back. The COO stops tapping their pen. The CFO folds their arms like they’re bracing for impact. The VP of Ops glances at the VP of Marketing with that “don’t say anything yet” look. And then someone finally says the thing everyone has been dancing around: “This portfolio isn’t performing the way it should. What...

Most developers start with the basics: secure the domain, stand up a simple website, upload a couple of exterior renderings, and add a “Join the Waitlist” button. And while that’s technically a start, it’s also the bare minimum in 2026. It’s miles behind what today’s renter brain actually responds to. Renters don’t want placeholders. They want experience. And they expect that experience long before the building exists. Forward‑thinking developers are already shifting their approach. Here’s...