Renters want dog parks, lavish rooftop decks and state-of-the-art fitness centers with their modern apartment buildings, right? Maybe. But a new study suggests that a perks as boring as security and convenience are just as important as these glitzier amenities.
Apartment Guide recently released its latest study on the amenities that renters seek. Topping the list? Gated access. Apartment Guide reported that 35 percent of respondents considered gated access as a key amenity.
Apartment Guide found that renters are interested in convenience, too, with 31 percent of respondents saying they were wanted their buildings to offer shuttle services to public transportation. Then there is flexibility, with 26 percent of respondents saying they’d like their landlords to offer short-term leases.
This doesn’t mean that renters aren’t interested in some of the more exciting amenties. The survey found that 34 percent of renters want hardwood floors, while the same percentage are interested in rooftop terraces.
A coffee shop or cafe is a key amenity, too, with 32 percent of renters saying they’d enjoy such a perk. And to little surprise, renters are also interested in safer deliveries, with 31 percent saying they’d like to live in an apartment building that offers Amazon Lockers.
Smart home technology is an interesting perk, but it isn’t quite as important to renters, according to Apartment Guide’s survey. Just 23 percent, for instance, said they were interested in thermostats controlled by an app, while 25 percent pointed to door locks controlled by apps as a key perk.
Those are perks. But what about necessities? What items must apartments absolutely have? Apartment Guide found that 92 percent of renters would not consider renting an apartment that didn’t offer air conditioning, while 86 percent would pass on any unit that didn’t have its own dishwasher. The survey also found that 77 percent of renters consider washer/dryer units in an apartment a necessity, while 75 percent consider garbage disposals a must-have.
Amenities, of course, aren’t free. But building owners need to be careful what they charge for thse perks. Apartment Guide asked renters what they’d expect to pay each month for specific amenities. Renters said they expect to pay an extra $34.22 a month for a swimming pool, $33.56 for secure resident parking and $33.52 for gated community access.
