With more than two decades of experience in the Houston multifamily market, Roxann Bacchus has seen nearly every side of the business. As an asset manager at Momentum Multifamily, her career has spanned leasing, condo sales, development, renovations, property operations, and even RV park development.
In a conversation with Dustin Miles on On The Move, Roxann shared practical lessons from her experience and discussed what it takes to operate properties successfully in today’s market. Her message was consistent: strong asset management comes down to paying attention to the details, taking care of residents, and being willing to adapt.
Look Beyond the Surface When Evaluating a Property
When evaluating a potential acquisition or taking over a property, Roxann looks beyond the obvious value-add opportunities. The condition of the grounds, the upkeep of signs and fixtures, and the overall appearance of the community can reveal a lot about how a property has been managed.
She also pays attention to how the onsite team responds during due diligence and whether there are patterns of neglect or deferred maintenance.
These seemingly small details can point to larger operational issues. A well-maintained community may reflect consistent attention to work orders and preventive maintenance, while visible neglect can signal deeper problems that need to be addressed.
Resident Retention Starts With Customer Service
With concessions and move-in specials creating more competition among apartment communities, retaining existing residents is more important than ever.
Roxann emphasized that customer service needs to be consistent across the entire team, from leasing professionals to maintenance staff. Residents who feel valued and receive timely service have fewer reasons to look elsewhere when their leases come up for renewal.
She also cautioned against pushing rent increases too aggressively and reversing course only after residents submit their notices. By then, they may already be exploring other communities.
Understanding the market, pricing appropriately, and maintaining strong resident relationships can go a long way toward reducing turnover.
Make Renovations Easier for Residents
One of Roxann’s most successful renovation strategies focused on making the process convenient for existing residents.
The team started by renovating vacant apartments and model units, then offered current residents the opportunity to transfer into upgraded apartments at a modest rent increase. To make the transition easier, the property covered their moving expenses.
At a 336-unit community, this approach helped complete approximately 36 apartment renovations in just 18 months, with most residents choosing to stay at the property rather than move elsewhere.
The takeaway? Residents may be more willing to upgrade within their community when the property removes the hassle and expense of moving.
Pay Attention to the Numbers and Operational Details
Successful asset management requires more than reviewing occupancy and revenue. Roxann highlighted several operational areas that deserve regular attention:
Online reviews: Look for recurring themes in Google reviews and address negative feedback before small issues become larger problems.
Delinquency: Set realistic delinquency targets based on the property’s specific circumstances, including whether it has an affordable housing component.
Maintenance inventory: Keep track of parts and supplies already on hand to avoid unnecessary purchases and better control expenses.
Roxann also discussed how Momentum is incorporating AI into property operations. Tools are being used to help analyze rent-roll trends and floor-plan availability, while EliseAI assists with resident communications such as rent reminders, renewal notices, and work-order follow-ups.
Effective Leadership Means Being Present
For Roxann, strong property management starts with leaders who are engaged and accessible. Rather than managing an entire community from behind a desk, she believes property managers should regularly walk the property, observe what’s happening, and stay connected with their teams.
She also emphasized the importance of organization and delegation within maintenance operations. A strong maintenance supervisor understands the team’s workload, sets realistic expectations with residents, and delegates smaller work orders appropriately so technicians can focus on more involved repairs.
Ultimately, good leadership means being willing to do the work and setting an example for the people around you.
Rethink Traditional Multifamily Marketing and Operations
Roxann encouraged operators to question long-standing industry practices, particularly when it comes to marketing and lead generation.
Traditional listing platforms and locator commissions have long been part of apartment marketing, but she sees opportunities to explore social media advertising as another way to reach prospective residents and potentially reduce marketing costs.
She also pointed to changing resident expectations. Today’s renters increasingly expect convenient digital options for everything from leasing and maintenance requests to move-outs.
Operators who continue relying exclusively on older processes may find themselves falling behind. Adapting to how residents want to communicate and interact with their communities is becoming an important part of staying competitive.
Adapt to the Market Instead of Relying on Old Playbooks
As multifamily operators prepare budgets and look for ways to manage expenses and reduce concessions, Roxann’s advice is to remain flexible and intentional.
Strategies that worked a few years ago may not deliver the same results today. Whether the focus is resident retention, renovations, marketing, or day-to-day property operations, successful operators need to understand current conditions and adjust accordingly.
Roxann’s experience reinforces an important lesson: strong multifamily performance isn’t driven by one big initiative. It’s built through consistent attention to operations, thoughtful resident service, effective leadership, and a willingness to adapt.