FRED Newsletter - April 2024 - Volume 6, Issue 4

NEWSLETTER APRIL 2024

EVENT RECAP 2024 FRED SUMMIT

BY HEIDI KIVI

March 21st brought our second live Summit postCovid It was hosted at Potawatomi Casino Hotel for our on-site office teams I would like to think it was our most successful, as the sky was the limit.

FRED-U came in strong with economic trends from Michael Bingham, we dug a little deeper into how to Let Your Marketing Work for You with Erin Ball and Shannon McInnis, Karla Schultz and Eric Isidoro tested the eye in a friendly competition of “What’s wrong with this model?”, and finally, Kristin Janowski boosted us with Enthusiastic Service.

We were excited to learn that each property will have new lifestyle videos filmed by Rockrose Productions and had plenty of laughs with our keynote, Jan McInnis (www.theworklady.com), who taught us how to bring humor into difficult situations.

I would like to thank my team, Julie Lincoln, Shannon McInnis,

and Vong Lee for all the time and effort they put in to put on the best Summit ever!

Jack Winkler, Eric Isidoro, Erin Ball,

DEPARTMENT UPDATE

INTERIOR DESIGN

BY KARLA SCHULTZ

Did you know?

FRED’s Corporate support team is always happy to help and loves to hear your ideas and feedback!

Often, you will hear me say, “Your property can do the work for you!” That being said, who wouldn’t want some extra help, right? However, there’s a catch. We must do our part to make this happen. Remember that line in the movie, Jerry Maguire, when Tom Cruise says to Cuba Gooding, Jr., “Help me, help you!”? Now imagine your property saying this to you.

At this year’s FRED Summit, we presented the best practices for preparing a show-ready property "Show-ready" is a phrase used to describe a property that is prepped and ready to be viewed by potential residents. But taking the extra steps to properly display your property does require some work and planning. That’s why we developed the PPP (Property Preparation Procedures), a daily checklist of tasks guaranteed to aid your property in performing at its greatest potential.

Benjamin Franklin said, “Failure to prepare, is preparing to fail ” This certainly rings true in the property management industry By incorporating the PPP into your daily routine, your efforts will surely pay off AND “your property will do the work for you”! Furthermore, prospects will take delight in this kind of preparation, as it’s an acknowledgment of your attention to detail and professionalism. It will also demonstrate that you can provide them with the same level of service once they become residents

We all know teamwork and collaboration are crucial in setting your property up for success. Therefore, when it comes to following the PPP, everyone should take part in the process We encourage managers to delegate these tasks so they may be completed in a timely and efficient manner

And as always, you can count on your trusted interior designer, to keep spaces around the property looking stylish and fresh! So never hesitate to ask for assistance! Now go help your property so it can help you!

WHAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE SAYING

Want to read more?

Check out the sites listed to read full reviews from residents at each of our properties!

WELLS STREET STATION

“I need you all to know what a great job Erik has done cleaning up all the snow I have been here for 5 1/2 years and this is the best it is ever been He has been on top of it since the beginning I think he plowed the driveway four times yesterday and also salted, someone removed their car from the property this morning in the guest parking and it was covered with snow. They cleaned it off and left it for Erik to clean up which he did within an hour. He is so conscientious and I feel very lucky to have him here as our maintenance man. Please let him know how appreciative I am known."

- Elizabeth L., Facebook/Google Review from January 2024

SEASONS AT PLAINFIELD

ILENE MARTINEZ PROPERTY MANAGER

“I had an exceptional leasing experience with Ilene She was incredibly kind and went above and beyond to alleviate the stress of my relocation to Illinois. Ilene demonstrated a remarkable level of thoroughness and was accommodating throughout the entire process. Choosing Seasons at Plainfield feels like the perfect decision, and I am eagerly looking forward to moving in!"

- Anonymous, Google Review from February 2024

LIBERTY SQUARE

“Sherry always greets each resident with a cheerful hello when she passes them in the commons area or hallways. Her open door policy is inviting for all residents to stop by at any time to discuss any concerns they might have. All the staff at Liberty Square apartments have years of experience in their focus areas, i.e., Maintenance, Social Gatherings, Cleaning, Group Entertaining, etc. As each staff member states, they like working here because of the manager and the residents who live here Liberty Square, 55 and older Senior Apartments, is a great place to transition to when the kids move out and the house is too big for the two of you"

- Lawrence S., Resident Portal Review from February 2024

SEASONS AT HOFFMAN ESTATES

“Seasons at Hoffman Estates has beautiful floor plans which I am honored to call my new home Michael has been so wonderful to work with since day one He has guided us in the right direction and tended to any and all of our questions He is patient, understanding and a great manager who communicates and listens to his residents Thank you!"

- Briana, Google Review from March 2024

ERIK MURAS MAINT SUPERVISOR

SHERRY COENS PROPERTY MANAGER

MICHAEL SOUTHERN PROPERTY MANAGER

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT RYAN SIELSKI

MAINTENANCE TECH II AT CREEKWOOD & FOXCROFT

I started with FRED in 2022 at Foxcroft as a Maintenance Tech I when I saw that FRED checked many of my boxes and offered me the opportunity to be outside and have a new task list each day!

I HAVE SINCE GOTTEN A PROMOTION AND WORK BOTH AT FOXCROFT AND CREEKWOOD AS A TECH II, LEARNING ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF PLUMBING AND BOILER SYSTEMS.

My favorite event every year is attending the Brewer’s game and playing mini golf with Tyler! Outside of FRED, I like to hike. My favorite hike was the Manitou Incline in Colorado. I am looking forward to this April when I will become a firsttime Dad I can't wait to create memories with my family and watch my son take his first steps hiking along the trails with me!

G I V E A W A Y

Hey everyone! It’s April which means it’s time for our semi-annual FRED Spirit Store Giveaway!

We are so excited to offer you a wide, curated selection of items on the Spirit Store With great brands like Brooks Brothers, Carhartt, Eddie Bauer, Helly Hansen, New Era, Nike, OGIO, The North Face, TravisMathew, and more, there’s sure to be something for everyone at a variety of price points.

We will be giving away two Spring/Summer 2024 items, seen here, on May 1st! All you have to do is place an order now until April 30th to be entered into the drawing. Good luck and happy shopping!

OUR GROWING COMPANY

FEBRUARY 16, 2024 - MARCH 15, 2024

CHRISTIE BRYANT PROPERTY MANAGER SEASONS AT MOUNT PLEASANT

Whether promoting from within or bringing new team members on board, we are always excited to see the ways FRED is growing. Help us in congratulating the individuals below on their new roles! INTERNAL PROMOTION

EVELYN GALEANO LEASING PROFESSIONAL SEASONS AT HOFFMAN ESTATES

ELLIOT JOHNSON MAINTENANCE TECH SEASONS AT RIVER VIEW

MITCHELL SPENCER ASSISTANT PROPERTY MANAGER SEASONS AT HOFFMAN ESTATES

KELLY KOCHER GROUNDSKEEPER RIVERWOOD

ELON ROLAND, JR. LEASING PROFESSIONAL SEASONS AT HOFFMAN ESTATES

WELLNESS TIP RESILIENCE

BY ALLIE HOWARD

Many of us think about improving our "wellness" or practicing more "self-care." We are often bombarded with images of people in gyms, eating green salads or smoothies, and engaging in self-care activities like getting a massage, taking a hike, or working out I think improving your overall wellness is about cultivating small daily habits that accumulate to bring significant changes. It involves caring for your body, nurturing relationships, pursuing personal growth, and figuring out steps to take to become more resilient

Wellness is crucial in improving your overall quality of life and enhancing resilience. Resilience is a vital concept to understand. At the beginning of 2024, I took a class in counseling where I learned about the importance of resilience and how it helps you bounce back from adversity, cope with stress, and adapt to change

MATT BORATYNSKI MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR SEASONS AT ORCHARD HILLS

SHANE SNYDER REMODEL TECH ARBOR LAKES

SUNNY STEVENSON LEASING PROFESSIONAL SEASONS AT RIVER VIEW

SARAH BALLWEG ASSISTANT PROPERTY MANAGER RIVERWOOD

MARCUS BUTLER MAINTENANCE TECH SEASONS AT PLAINFIELD

SEAN SAMPSON GROUNDSKEEPER SEASONS AT PLAINFIELD

Stress is one of those tricky things we are learning more and more about and it can cause some chronic conditions that many of us face.

If I were to give one tip, it would be to start small and focus on increasing resilience You can do this by building supportive relationships, maintaining a positive outlook, taking care of yourself, developing problem-solving skills, setting realistic goals, staying flexible, seeking support, and practicing mindfulness