Earlier this year, simplydbs released a series of reports based on renter preferences. From pools to podcasting facilities, we asked about 238 preferences.

We also asked if renters were willing to pay more for each preference and if so, how much. We got 1,500 responses from owners and renters across Canada, resulting in 740,000 data points.

We want to emphasize that this was a national study, and the results reflect high-level trends. To understand the preferences specific to your rental community, either existing or proposed, we would filter our data accordingly.

This is Part II in a series and what follows is an excerpt of the services and technology report.

In following articles we will explore resident preferences regarding programing, sustainability and accessibility as well as building design and features.

Services and technology support residents

I’m sure that your calendars are like mine; jam-packed! Life is hectic.

Trying to find time in your week to do the things you want to do is a challenge and is often eclipsed by the things that you have to do. Anything that helps simplify life is in demand, whether it is fast internet that you can count on, or help with errands.

Rental communities are starting to identify ways in which they can support their tenants by providing services that help to ease the load.

In our preference survey, we asked respondents how they feel about an array of 30 different services and 35 tech features.

The themes that emerged from the answers that we collected can be categorized into security, connectivity and convenience. We discovered that residents are highly motivated to pay extra for services that tick these boxes.

A concierge or security person who is on duty 24/7 tops the list of services for which residents are willing to pay more. This is followed by housekeeping services and, third on the list, a security guard and/or system to monitor the rental community.

Security

Your home should be a place where you feel secure and the survey results make it clear that safety is a top priority for residents.

Here are a few examples of what we mean.

Controlled access to the lobby and parking areas is preferred by 79 per cent of respondents; 35 per cent of whom consider it essential. In addition to being willing to pay more for having 24/7 concierge or security available at their residence, 75 per cent of respondents preferred this service and it is essential to 30 per cent. Video doorbells for each suite are preferred by 71 per cent and are essential to 31 per cent.

We are able to delve further into these numbers and segment the answers by demographic and locational markers.

For instance, respondents who live in Canada’s urban centres ranked having controlled access to their building higher than those living outside of these areas.

It is important to know your residents so that you can implement services that truly resonate with them.

Connectivity

In today's hyper-connected world, reliable technology infrastructure is not just desirable; it's essential. According to our survey, internet connectivity ranks as a top feature people look for in their rental communities.

• Free wifi throughout the building: 77 per cent preferred it, 36 per cent say it’s essential.
• Fibre optics for internet: 76 per cent prefer it, to 31 per cent it’s essential.
• High-speed wireless internet access in common areas: 74 per cent prefer it and it's essential to 33 per cent.

Cell service in buildings can be affected by a number of reasons like its location or even by energy-efficient windows. Seventy-four per cent of respondents would prefer to have cell service throughout their buildings and 34 per cent say this level of service is essential.

Convenience

Many survey respondents showed strong interest in services like housekeeping, guest suites for overnight visitors and everyday conveniences such as on-site storage and package delivery during working hours. In fact, all of these services have preference rates of more than 60 per cent.

They also value lifestyle features. These are services that support residents’ day-to-day living.

Pet-focused services such as a dog walking service and transportation-related services (e.g. shuttles to transit or shopping and car detailing) rank high among the services that we included in our survey.

Property apps also help streamline the daily life of residents.

The ability to open doors, control heat and light, pay rent or utilities, book amenity space all help with centralizing tasks and remove the friction of completing them. Recognizing this, survey respondents assigned high value to these tech features.

Conclusion

Some of these services might seem like extras, but the survey shows they matter to people.

Increasingly, residents are looking for more than just a place to live - they want a home that fits their lifestyle and value services that save them time, reduce stress or help them handle the little things.