Common Is Redefining Property Management

With the help of tech and a community-focused culture.
Written by Olivia McClure
May 18, 2021Updated: May 18, 2021

Does the idea of a stress-free apartment rental experience sound like a mere dream? Real estate brand Common wants you to think again. 

Since its inception in 2015, Common has set out to reinvent the tenant-landlord relationship by putting comfort and convenience in the hands of renters. The company designs and manages a national network of coliving and traditional apartments for modern-day city dwellers in places like New York City, San Francisco and Chicago. 

Unlike your typical property manager, Common takes care of the added stressors that creep up in the typical renter’s life. Coliving members get access to an all-inclusive rental experience, meaning utilities, Wi-Fi, cleaning services and even household supplies are included in their monthly rent. In this way, the company strives to be an answer to the challenges people often face when finding and paying for a place to live in a big city, which has become especially important during the pandemic.  

Common’s focus on convenience and modern-day sensibility centers around the company’s aim to take property management into the 21st century. 

Eric Rodriguez
Vice President of Operations • Common

“The average urban renter looks much different now than they did even a decade ago,” said Eric Rodriguez, the company’s vice president of operations. While many houses are still being designed for the nuclear family, an increasing number of people are delaying getting married and having kids. “Common is able to take this clear discrepancy in housing and cater to the reality of how people are living by designing spaces for the changing definition of a household.” 

In order to keep up with its ambitious goals, the company is growing fast. In fact, March 2021 turned out to be one of the company’s busiest months, during which time over 1,000 new tenants joined the firm's residential communities. 

“Scaling was always a part of our goals, so we have the infrastructure to handle this type of movement and are really excited about it,” Rodriguez said. “My team knows being nimble and ready for anything is an important part of being at Common.” 

 

Common proptech company Robsinson property

 

The Common Difference

If it feels like you’ve never seen a company quite like Common before, that’s because you haven’t — and that’s exactly the point, Rodriguez said. 

“So many direct-to-consumer brands rose to popularity, such as Casper, Billie and Quip, because they solved a broken, mundane experience and brought transparency, technology and design directly to consumers,” Rodriguez said. “Common is uniquely using this approach to create a branded property management experience that hasn’t been seen before in the industry.”

Naturally, maintaining a network of buildings and renters requires a strong technological core. That’s why the company offers an app that grants tenants easy access to every aspect of the rental process, such as submitting maintenance requests, paying rent, communicating with service team members or chatting with other residents. 

“Bringing technology and automation to our everyday operations is how we differentiate ourselves from other property managers completely stuck in the 1980s,” Rodriguez said. 

 

AN INSIDE LOOK AT COMMON’S SPACES

Common doesn’t hold back on its promise to offer convenience to the modern-day housing seeker. At each of the company’s contemporary dwellings, tenants will find private bedrooms; open, outfitted kitchens; and free on-site laundry. 

 

Indeed, there is a real difference in the way that Common’s operations are centered around the idea of community and ownership. Behind each of the company’s bespoke properties, you’ll find a team of people ready to tackle any issue, regardless of where tenants live.  

“Many property managers hide behind anonymity and are not held accountable when things go wrong,” Rodriguez said. “But at Common, we strive to bring a uniform, positive experience across all of our buildings so that you know when you live in a Common building, you’re in a safe and connected community.”

This commitment to uniformity is made possible by the company’s entirely in-house operations and maintenance team. The company adopted this organizational model in its early days, realizing the importance of having employees that interact directly with the company’s brand and product each day, Rodriguez said. When everyone is working together, positive alignment is possible. 

“I think you feel electricity at Common because everyone wants it to be a success,” Rodriguez said. 

 

Common proptech company Marcy property

 

A Culture Defined by Community

Creating a culture like this requires bringing team members together, even during a pandemic. As employees continue to work remotely, the company has been ramping up its cultural initiatives as a way to help people connect and unwind. 

“We work with a company called Donut, which sets up two random employees so they can connect,” Rodriguez said. “It’s been a great tool, especially during the pandemic, since it’s easy to feel far from people who aren’t on your team. This channel facilitates connections across the entire company.”

 

I think you feel electricity at Common because everyone wants it to be a success.”

 

Additionally, members of Common’s operations team deliver shoutouts to deserving coworkers during weekly #TenetThursdays. These meetings offer a way to highlight the noteworthy work being done across the organization and reinforce the importance of recognition, Rodriguez said. The team also takes part in activities such as photo challenges, during which people can share pictures of their favorite vacation or childhood snack, thus allowing team members to connect with each other on a more personal level.

While these virtual hangouts are an obvious respite from the chaos of the work day, they are also a testament to the company’s mission. For Rodriguez, it’s this universal commitment to inclusion and community that drives the company forward and defines their overarching vision. 

“Housing isn’t a product for one kind of person,” Rodriguez said. “Our customers are diverse, and we should be too.” 

 

Jobs at Common

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