Residential real estate
Delivering expert insights on resident engagement strategies, resident perks, and the how-tos on how to help residents save.
Guides for residential real estate leaders
Residential real estate refers to properties that are used for living purposes, as opposed to commercial or industrial real estate which is used for business and industrial activities. Our content includes how-tos, guides, industry trends, and news about resident perks, rewards, and engagement.
Latest
Rent increase Letter: Format, Templates And Examples
A rent increase letter tells a resident how much the rent will rise, when it takes effect and what to do next. This guide covers the format every letter should follow, three copy-ready templates (standard, friendly, and an increase after a concession ends), the notice rules to check by state, and how to deliver the news in a way that keeps residents renewing, including a gift card for early renewal that leaves the new rent unchanged.
Lease Renewal Letter: 4 Templates, Examples And Timing
A lease renewal letter is the most important retention message a property manager sends all year. This guide gives four copy-ready templates (standard renewal, renewal with a rent increase, renewal with an early-signing reward, and a final reminder), a 90-day renewal timeline, what every letter must include, and current RealPage and MAA data on renewals. It also shows how a gift card for early renewal improves response without touching the rent.
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Cutting operational costs with autopay incentives
Discover how residential real estate operators can reduce operational costs with autopay incentives. Learn how automated payments lower admin workload, cut processing expenses, and improve resident satisfaction—plus how Paylode helps property teams accelerate adoption effortlessly.
Types of residential real estate categories include:
- Single-family homes: Stand-alone houses meant for one family or group of people.
- Apartments: Housing units in a larger building, typically owned by a single entity and rented out to individuals or families.
- Condominiums: Similar to apartments, but the units are owned individually rather than rented from a single landlord.
- Townhouses: Multi-floor homes that share one or two walls with adjacent properties but have their own entrances.
- Duplexes, Triplexes, and Quadruplexes: Buildings divided into two, three, or four units, respectively, with each unit typically having its own entrance.
- Multifamily homes: Larger buildings that house multiple families, often more than four.
- Vacation homes: Properties used for leisure and vacation purposes.
The main focus in residential real estate is providing living spaces, whether through ownership or rental. It's a significant sector in the real estate market and has a direct impact on the economy and consumers due to its essential role in providing housing.
According to the National Association of Homebuilders using US Bureau of Economic Analysis data, RRE's combined contribution to the economy usually makes up 15-18% of US GDP annually, and occurs in two basic ways:
- Residential investment (around 3-5% of GDP), means construction of new single-family and multifamily buildings, residential remodeling, manufactured home fabrication, and real estate brokers’ fees.
- Consumption spending on housing services (around 12-13% of GDP), includes gross rents and utilities paid by renters, as well as owners’ imputed rents and utility payments.
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