Hands-On Management, Custom Solutions and Quick Response Are Winning Strategies for Melrose-Sovereign

ORLANDO - With vacancies at rental apartment communities in Florida at an all-time high, Melrose-Sovereign, based in Orlando, is establishing itself as one of the state’s fastest-growing community management firms with a strategy that includes hands-on property management, custom solutions and quick response to fast-changing issues. The result–higher occupancies.

Rebecca Shaffrey, recently named Vice President of Property Management at Melrose- Sovereign’s Multi-Family Division, said the firm values its standing as a boutique management company.

“Boutique management companies have less overhead, so we can charge less for our services,” Shaffrey said. “We have fewer management layers, so we can respond quickly to market conditions and design custom solutions that produce results,” she added.

Shaffrey said record vacancies are a result of a non-traditional housing market.

“In the past, condominiums competed with new single-family homes for buyers,” Shaffrey said.

“The huge wave of condo conversions five years ago resulted in thousands of investor-owned condominiums in the market that are now competing with rental communities for the same renters,” Shaffrey explained.

“Traditional apartment management companies are having trouble keeping up with current market conditions,” Shaffrey said. “Companies that rely on their traditional business models can’t compete in this fast-evolving, non-linear environment. No two communities are alike and therefore, each needs a specific strategy if rents and occupancies are to remain high. We are able to respond quickly, identifying and implementing unique strategies for finding new renters and keeping the ones we have. This requires your most talented, well-trained and highly motivated management people on the ground, and in the rental office every day,” Shaffrey said.

For more information, contact: Rebecca Shaffrey, Vice President of Property Management, Melrose-Sovereign, 407-228-4181; rshaffrey@melrose-sovereign.com; Jack B. Hanson, LCAM, Partner/Co-founder, Melrose-Sovereign, 407-228-4181, jhanson@melrose-sovereign.com or Ellen G. Lumpkin, LCAM, Partner/Co-founder, Melrose-Sovereign, 407-228-4181, elumpkin@melrose-sovereign.com