In this episode Anne and Chris sit down with Kara Rafferty, National Director of Sales at Apartment Geo-Fencing, for a long-anticipated conversation on what collaboration in multifamily really looks like.

Kara brings a wide-ranging perspective shaped by years on the vendor side of the industry, deep involvement with apartment associations, and a passion for building relationships that go beyond transactions. The conversation explores the shared responsibility between vendors and operators, the importance of transparency and respect, and why defaulting to blame or rigid marketing templates often misses the bigger picture.

The group also dives into Kara’s approach to brand awareness, including the role of streaming TV, geo-fencing, and video in reaching renters earlier in their decision-making process. Throughout the discussion, she challenges marketers to move from “checkers to chess” by prioritizing creativity, storytelling, and differentiation in an increasingly crowded landscape.

The episode wraps with a look at the Multifamily Marketing Hive, a community Kara helped co-found to encourage open learning and idea sharing without a sales agenda, reinforcing the central theme of collaboration as a driver of better outcomes for the industry.

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 Tamela Coval and Tami Siewruk, two of the creators of Multifamily NEXT, a series of hands-on workshops designed to integrate artificial intelligence into the apartment industry. The guests explain that their "hackathon-style" events are moving beyond abstract concepts to help property owners and executives achieve AI fluency and operational efficiency. They emphasize that while AI will not replace humans, it requires a human-in-the-loop approach to maintain brand voice, manage data security, and avoid the pitfalls of "garbage in, garbage out" information. The discussion highlights the necessity for leadership and onsite teams to evolve alongside technology to prevent job displacement. By partnering with vetted implementation providers, the initiative aims to replace fragmented "Frankenstein" tech stacks with streamlined, AI-powered strategies for marketing, leasing, and renewals. The future of AI for real estate professionals is to embrace AI literacy as a standard requirement for the modern workplace.

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

Find more of The Apartment Department exclusively on our Substack. Subscribe for articles and new episodes straight to your inbox.

In this episode, Chris and Anne speak with Ben Pleat, the co-founder and CEO of Cobu. A technology platform designed to help multifamily marketers and owners drive resident satisfaction and community engagement, which in turn boosts occupancy and retention rates. Pleat shares that the genesis of Cobu was inspired by his mother's feeling of isolation despite living in a luxury Manhattan apartment building, revealing the widespread issue of loneliness. The conversation thoroughly explores how Cobu leverages user-generated content (UGC) and community building—including events and neighbor-to-neighbor interactions—to foster an authentic "vibe" for properties, which is then used to increase website conversion rates and improve SEO and AI search results. The guests and Pleet also examine broader marketing trends, such as the shift toward authenticity in branding and the impact of AI on consumer search behavior, emphasizing the importance of a positive, consistent resident experience.

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

Find more of The Apartment Department exclusively on our Substack. Subscribe for articles and new episodes straight to your inbox.