April 08 Ciaa Newsletter

“Our Profit is Your Success”

April 2008

An Affiliate Of

Things to do today... Start planning your foursome now, be sure to mark July 11th on your calendar and plan on a ton a fun at our Annual Golf Outing. Your Vendor Council has been hard at it and here’s what they have so far for this fun-filled day: 12:00 Noon Shot Gun Start, Best Ball, 18 Holes, Cart Supplied Cash Prizes for the Top 12 Golfers!

Upcoming Events Certified Apartment

Registration Fee includes a Steak Dinner

Manager (CAM) Classes

Many Awesome Giveaways from Vendor Sponsors. Summer doesn’t get any better than this! The Registration form is on page 6 of the newsletter and is available on our website under Upcoming Events. For our Vendor Members - we have Hole Sponsorships available for you to purchase. Please see registration form on page 7 for more details...

Exciting News… FREE SEMINAR!! The CIAA is delighted to offer a FREE class for members titled “Closing is a Process, Not a Single Event” on May 9th at Ingersoll Square. This is a great seminar for new hires and a great refresher for veteran leasers as well! Mary Spain will be presenting this seminar that includes the first impression of the property, phone and leasing techniques, how to ask for the deposit/closing, and calming phrases to use with residents. We’ll cover all the techniques needed for you to become a world-class closer! Class size in limited so sign up early! Look for the registration form on page 10 of the newsletter.

April 7th and 8th April General Membership Meeting & Susan Wells Seminar April 17th - Airport Holiday Inn Lunch 12 - 1 pm Seminar 1 - 4 pm April Vendor Council Meeting April 24th - 4:00 pm Chicken Coop - WDM Leasing Seminar Closing Techniques May 9th 9:30 - 1:00 Ingersoll Square Lofts

Inside Your Newsletter: • • • • •

Education Committee Update Vendor Council Update Spring/Summer Check List 2008 CIAA Board Members Fair Housing Update

• • • • •

2008 NAA Conference Roll Out the Red Carpet Vendor Spotlight Need a Vendor? Golf Outing Registration

•

Vendor Hole Sponsorship Form

•

Susan Wells Seminar & April Lunch Meeting Registration

• •

NAA Connect Closing Seminar Registration

May General Membership Meeting May 14th - Airport Holiday Inn Lunch 12 - 1 pm

COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Education Committee Update CAM Classes Reminders Classes were scheduled to be completed on April 7th, 2008. Due to scheduling conflicts and class lengths we are now scheduled for half a day the morning of April 8th, 2008 as well. This class will be at Mansions at Hemingway in Johnston. We will begin at 9:00 a.m. and most likely be done by noon. Please remember to mark your calendars and plan your time for completion of all CAM Assignments due on June 8th, 2008.

Leasing Seminar—April 17th Our commitment to bringing you top-quality education at rock-bottom prices continues with this fast paced and energizing seminar presented by Susan Wells. Managers and leasing staff will benefit from Susan’s dynamic presentation. NAA representatives will present as well!! Because we are expecting a high turnout for this event , we are offering a discounted rate to pay in advance. Instructions are included on the registration form on page 7 of this newsletter. Hope to see you all there for this great event - you won’t want to miss out!!

Vendor Council Update Your Vendor Council has been very busy making plans for 2008. Be sure to save the following dates and look for more information on these great exciting events they have planned for us through out the upcoming year!!! Golf Outing and Tournament ~ July 11th ~ Toad Valley Vendor Trade Show ~ October 23rd ~ Airport Holiday Inn Maintenance Olympics and Vendor Social ~ December 10th ~ Airport Holiday Inn

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~ Mark Twain Page 2

Get Your Community Ready for Summer Spring has Sprung and it is time for you and your staff to start preparing your community for the warm weather. Because there’s a lot to do at this time of year, it’s a good idea to have a checklist of spring maintenance tasks that you and your staff can refer to every year. We have put together the following check list for you to utilize to get your community ready for summer. □ Inspect Air Conditioning (change filters, clean coils, clean debris around unit) □ Inspect Roof, Gutters, Catch Basins, Shutters, Downspouts □ Check Landscaping Equipment □ Schedule Spring Clean Up (Clean up sand, leaves and gunk left over from the snow melting) □ Begin Lawn Care (now is the best time to put down fertilizer and weed control) □ Begin Spring Mulching and Planting (Fresh mulch around your flower beds and bushes is a great way to spruce up your property for all the Spring traffic you will be getting and makes for great curb appeal) □ Inspect Irrigation System (If you are one of the lucky ones that have an irrigation system—now is the time to begin getting it ready for summer) □ Repair Parking Lots (Winter weather can cause serious damage to parking lots) □ Prepare Swimming Pool and Inspect Playground Equipment □ Inspect Patios and Balconies (Patios and balconies often get cluttered during the winter and a friendly reminder to your residents to help clean up is a good idea). □ Clean and Inspect Maintenance Shop □ Review Tornado, Thunderstorm Procedures (Review your procedures and notify residents of “What to do in case of…..”). □ Conduct Risk Management Inspection (Walk your community and look for any problems that developed over winter and could potentially injure residents or guests and lead to lawsuits such as heaved pavement and cracks).

2008 Board Members and Committees President

Education Committee Chair

Rick Koontz, Signature Place

Mary Spain, Apartment Finder

Past President

Legislative Committee Chair

Melissa Johnson, Olde English Village

Vice President Deb Lanpher, R & R Realty Treasurer Lori Young, BH Management Secetary

Rick Koontz, Signature Place Membership Committee Chair Lesley Sweet, Knapp Properties

The CIAA needs your ideas to make the organization what you, our members, need and want.

Public Relations Committee Chair

Jennifer O’Brien Konior, TAB Properties

Deb Lanpher, R & R Realty

Vendor Council Co-Chairs

Trade Show Committee Chair

Tom Newton, Gorman Roofing Mary Spain, Apartment Finder

Get Involved, We Value Your Opinion…

Michelle Ogden, Timberland Partners

Please contact any of the Board Members and Committee Chairpersons if you are interested in participating on a committee.

Website: www.ciaahq.org

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Fair Housing - Letter from the President DISCRIMINATION!

Headlines in the Des Moines Register and Cedar Rapids Gazette reported that a recent audit by the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission uncovered a disturbing number of blatant Fair Housing Law violations. Out of 39 management companies tested, 29 companies discriminated between black and white applicants. Are your employees well-versed in Fair Housing laws? CIAA offers Fair Housing training to assure our members are NOT discriminating in any way. Contact Mary Spain if your company is interested in this important training. Violators can be fined $11,000 for the first offense and ordered to train all staff. Subsequent violations can result in losing the ability to manage any properties and being forced to sell your properties. This is serious business, folks, not to mention illegal and highly immoral. You’d better be prepared because testing will happen in Des Moines. I was appalled when I read the articles. I find it hard to believe that this is still taking place in our industry. Everyone has the right to equal housing. CIAA is a proud sponsor of the Fair Housing Symposium and believes strongly in the spirit of the Fair Housing laws. Please let us know how we can help your company today!

Rick Koontz, CIAA President

2008 NAA Education Conference Is your company sending any staff to the NAA Conference in June? We’d like to know!!! Please reply to [email protected] to let us know how many people from your company will be attending.

June 26-28, 2008 Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center Orlando, Florida Get more information regarding costs and registration at www.naahq.org

Rolling Out the Red Carpet Welcome to our new Members and Vendor Members! It is an honor to have you join our growing organization. New Vendor Members Bragg Handywork

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New Property Members Regency Woods

Delaware Crossing

Stubblefield1 LLC

Hunters Run

Midland Management Inc.

Prairie West Email: [email protected]

Vendor Spotlight Hello! from Gallon, Inc. We are a full service company with 50 years experience, along with our master and journeymen plumbers. We maintain high quality standards, an extensive knowledge of professional plumbing services in the field of new construction: single family dwelling, townhouses, condo's, and apartments. We also carry the knowledge in the commercial field, such as restaurants, offices, department stores and hotels. Gallon, Inc. stands by our profession and knowledge of the plumbing industry. Contact us: Gallon, Inc. 6080 NW Beaver Dr. #104 Johnston, IA 50131 By Phone: (515) 331-0030

Need a Vendor...Call a Member First! A+ Lawn & Landscape

ICS Advanced Technologies

Stew Hansen’s Dodge

American Family Insurance

Jetz Service Co.

Stitzell Electric Supply Co.

Lawns Plus

Sudzy’s Carpet Cleaning

Marsden Building Maintenance

Tenant Data

Carpet Pro by Baker Interiors

Nationwide Office Care

Tub Wrx

On the Spot Carpet & Tile

Waste Connections

Cort Furniture Rental

Performance Leasing

Waste Management

The Des Moines Register

Qwest

West Des Moines Police Dept.

DeWitt Painting

Reliable Construction

Diamond Vogel Paints

Sherwin Williams

First Advantage SafeRent

Snider Lawn Care

Furniture Options

State Farm Insurance

Jared Frank Agency Apartment Finder Bragg Handywork

Gallon, Inc.

Glen Waterhouse III

Transworld Systems, Inc.

All Vendor Member contact information and links to their websites can be found on the CIAA website: www.ciaahq.org

Goalsetter Systems, Inc. To Become A Vendor Member Contact: Tom Newton 515-883-0838

[email protected]

If you would like featured in our Vendor Spotlight contact: Deb Lanpher 515-270-0940 [email protected]

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2nd Annual Golf Outing DATE: Friday July 11, 2008 WHERE: Toad Valley Golf Course TIME: 12:00 NOON Shotgun Start FORMAT: 18 Hole – 4 Person Best Ball COST: $60.00/person (includes green fee, cart, dinner, prizes) Sign up today for the 2008 Central Iowa Apartment Alliance Golf Tournament to be held at Toad Valley Golf Course! This event will be

IZES R P H CAS FOR RS E N N I W TO P 1 2

an 18 Hole 4 person Best Shot. Steak Dinner, awards, cash prizes and giveaways will follow your golf round! Many prizes will be awarded. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT MARY SPAIN @ 327-0606 OR TOM NEWTON @ 883-0838

Registrations must be received no later than June 15th, 2008

Mail registration and payment to: CIAA, 3775 E.P. True Parkway, Suite 263 West Des Moines, IA 50265 Individual sign ups welcome, we’ll place you on a foursome! Name

Phone

Name

Phone

Name

Phone

Name

Phone

Method of Payment

Check

Cash

2nd ANNUAL CIAA GOLF OUTING HOLE SPONSOR REGISTRATION The 2nd Annual Golf outing is Friday July 11, 2008 at Toad Valley Sponsors will be taken on a first come first served basis as there are only 18 positions open. The cost is $150.00 which includes a sign for everyone and a table at the hole for the first 10 sponsorships received. Please note that you cannot give away major food items and or beverages of any kind, unless it is purchased from the golf course. Please sign up as a sponsor no later than May 1, 2008 Fax registrations to Tom Newton at (515) 278-5562 An invoice will be generated and faxed to you Cost for dinner only is $18.50 if you have not purchased a round of golf

HOLE SPONSOR CONTACT PERSON PHONE #

FAX#

E-MAIL ADDRESS I will also be donating a prize worth at least $25.00 I will not be sponsoring a hole but would like to donate a prize of at least $25.00 BUSINESS NAME CONTACT PERSON PHONE #

CENTRAL IOWA APARTMENT ALLIANCE presents

Susan Wells

The Central Iowa Apartment Alliance is pleased to bring you this exceptional seminar, designed specifically to your expectations of top quality education! Whether salesmanship comes naturally for you or not, come join us for a fast paced, high energy leasing seminar that will teach you the ropes on becoming a better sales person. In today’s soft market filling out a guest card and showing an apartment just isn’t enough. You’ve got to understand the sales process, have a leasing plan and ask for the sale - if you don’t someone else will. Competition is fierce. Here you will learn how to open yourself up to being a good closer, how your attitude can make or break you, keeping your team motivated, and what is expected of you. Her exuberance for the industry and your success will have you fired up and ready to sell! About Susan: Susan’s first job after an honorable discharge from the US Navy in 1992 was as a Leasing Consultant with Trammel Crow Residential Services in Virginia Beach, VA where she ranked in the top three for “Highest Closing Ratio” nearly every month. Since then leasing has been her passion. She has held the position of Leasing Consultant, Assistant Manager, Site Manager, Property Manager and Marketing Manager. Susan has worked with multi-family housing developers and has supervised several property rehabilitations.

“The harder a unit is to rent, the more I like to do it!” - Susan Wells

Date: April 17, 2008 Time: Lunch and Membership meeting from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Seminar from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Lunch includes Grilled chicken, sides, salad and drink) At: Airport Holiday Inn, 6111 Fleur Drive, Des Moines Cost: MEMBERS: $30 for lunch and seminar paid in advance, $35 at the door. NON-MEMBERS: Seminar Only - $40.00

National Apartment Association representatives will be here to answer any questions you may have about the Association and the benefits of membership in a national organization! Mail registration and payment before April 7, 2008 to: CIAA, 3775 E.P. True Pkwy, Suite 263, West Des Moines, IA 50265 If paying at the door, please fax your reservations to Mary Spain at (515) 327-9104 or email the information below to [email protected] Registration Form: Name:

Name:

Name:

Name:

Company Name: Address: Phone:

City: Fax:

Zip Email:

Connect With NAA Gen. Colin Powell, USA (Ret.) to Speak At NAA Education Conference B y M i c h a e l To m p k i n s , C A P S , C P M , C C I M 2008 National Apartment Association Chairman of the Board Julian LeCraw & Co.

G

en. Colin Powell, USA (Ret.), will present the Opening Keynote Session “Leadership: Take Charge” Thursday, June 26 at the 2008 NAA Education Conference & Exposition. This year’s conference also features more than 50 education sessions divided into nine education tracks including: Executive, Development & Rehab, Marketing & Leasing, Human Resources, Independent/Small Owner, Specialty Housing, Personal Development, Wild Card! and Shared Interest Roundtables. The 2008 NAA Education Conference & Exposition is June 26-28 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. Visit www.naahq.org/ meetings for registration information.

NAAʼs Accessibility Training CD Now Available NAA’s New Accessibility Training CD, “What You Need to Know Now: Ensuring Accessible Housing” is now available for purchase. The primary audience for this course is single-site and multiple-site community managers. The secondary audience is other rental housing frontline employees, including leasing professionals, assistant community managers and other onsite staff members. The cost of the CD is $24.99.

ApartmentCareerHQ.org Launched The NAA Education Institute has launched www.ApartmentCareerHQ.org, a career-oriented Web site for high school and college students. This site offers Apartment Career resources for those interested in pursuing careers in the apartment industry and features Apartment Management, Maintenance and Leasing career paths.

NAAEI Apartment Career Brochures Available Three new career track brochures on Apartment Management, Leasing and Maintenance have been produced by NAAEI. The four-page colorful brochures give brief overviews of each career track, special career benefits unique to the apartment industry and testimonials from real apartment professionals. The back cover of each brochure features a detailed career track with sample salaries. Downloadable copies of the brochures are available at www.ApartmentCareerHQ.org. To request brochures, contact Julie Barden at 703/797-0691 or [email protected].

New List Serve for Affiliate Membership Staff and Affiliate Membership Committee Members. A new list serve has been launched to provide affiliate membership staff and affiliate membership committee members a forum to network and exchange ideas. Contact Valerie Hairston at [email protected] or 703/797-0624 for information.

Make Your Onsite Management Team A Certified Success NAAEI’s designation programs are the most effective ways to enhance your onsite management team’s skillsets. NAAEI’s programs designed for property supervisors (CAPS), apartment managers (CAM), leasing professsionals (NALP) and maintenance technicians (CAMT) will help your community increases employee retention, improve resident retention, strengthen NOI performance, improve team performance and increase job satisfaction. Enroll yourself or encourage your staff members to enroll in NAAEI designation programs by contacting their local apartment associations or [email protected].

CENTRAL IOWA APARTMENT ALLIANCE presents

“Closing is a Process, Not a Single Event”

FREE TO MEMBERS! Leasing season is in full swing...are you prepared to close your prospects? Please plan on sending your new hires and those in need of a Spring Refresher to this FREE class offered by the CIAA. This will be the “back-to-basics” that you never get to share with your new hires. Mary Spain and Gail Cudworth will cover all the basics. Topics will include: • • • • • •

•

Choosing Your Attitude Why Curb Appeal is Important First Impressions Phone Technique How to Greet Prospects How to Fill Out the Guest Card, and What it is For The Apartment Tour

• • • • •

•

How to Ask For the Deposit/Closing Follow Up Internet Etiquette Important Elements of a Work Order Customer Service - Under Promise, Over Deliver Calming Phrases to Use with Residents AND MUCH MORE!

Date: May 9, 2008 Time: 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. At:

Ingersoll Square Lofts, Corner of MLK and Ingersoll

Cost: MEMBERS: FREE! NON-MEMBERS: $50.00

Fax your registrations to Mary Spain at (515) 327-9104 by May 5, 2008 or email the information below to [email protected] Registration Form: Name:

Name:

Name:

Name:

Company/Community Name: Phone:

Email: