HallKeen Property Management Blog

On April 13th, HK employees dressed in Red Sox gear to show their support for the Rally Against Cancer. From Vermont to Massachusetts, North Carolina to Connecticut...employees from various properties showed their support.

We're happy to announce that HallKeen raised $1,845 in donations for The Jimmy Fund's Rally Against Cancer.  72 employees contributed! 

Great job to everyone involved. 

Photo: Employees of the Norwood (Corporate) Office show their support by wearing their Red Sox gear to work!

Good News for the Property Management Industry!  According to Reuters, the U.S. apartment vacancy rate in the first quarter fell to its lowest level in more than a decade, and rents posted their biggest jump in four years, as Americans eschewed home ownership and renting retained its popularity, according to real estate research firm Reis Inc.
 
The national vacancy rate fell 0.30 percentage points in the first quarter to 4.9 percent, the lowest level since the fourth quarter 2001, according to preliminary results Reis released Wednesday.

Meanwhile asking rents jumped by 0.5 percent from the prior quarter to $1,070 per month. Stripping away months of free rent and other perks designed to lure or retain tenants, effective rent rose to $1,018 per month, up 0.9 percent, the largest increase since the first quarter 2008, Reis said.

"I think that rent growth will accelerate this year," said Victor Calanog, head of Research & Economics at Reis.

But that may be short lived. About 150,000-200,000 new units are expected be built next year. That supply likely will dampen rent growth next year, especially in cities such as Salt Lake City and Austin, where development is ramping up strongly.

"Once that supply hits the market next year, we may find that this is the year rent growth peaked," he said. "It's still going to be a great year for apartment landlords."

The U.S. apartment market has been the best performing sector of commercial real estate over the past year, helped by the move away from home ownership. Even though it is now cheaper to own than to rent, with interest rates at record lows and inventories at record highs, most consumers are still shut out of the market altogether.

Read the full article here

(Source: Reporting By Ilaina Jonas; Editing by Jeremy Laurence, REUTERS)

HallKeen is thrilled to announce that Amy Lowell Apartments (in Boston's West End) received Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership's (MBHP) PROPERTY OWNER OF THE YEAR AWARD!  Congratulations to the staff and everyone that made this award possible! 

"Much of this award is credited to our amazing Resident Services Coordinator, Beverley Ferdinand," said Property Manager, Jannel Satterwhite-Williamson (RHA's 2011 Property Manager of the Year).  "She always goes above and beyond for our residents."  

 

 Amy Lowell Apartments is located at 65 Martha Road in Boston, MA. To learn more about the property, please view their website www.AmyLowellApartments.com. 

HallKeen Management is pleased announce that Joseph Moscariello has been hired as Director of Residential Management. Mr. Moscariello will work through the expertise of HallKeen’s Regional Managers to control expenses, maximize occupancy and properly allocate capital resources to insure maximum return on investment from all assets. With over 25 years of property management experience, he brings his “people first” approach to management to HallKeen - emphasizing resident satisfaction and creating an inspired and creative team approach to problem solving.

Prior to joining HallKeen, Mr. Moscariello supervised an affordable portfolio of 23 properties in Providence, Rhode Island for WinnResidential. The Providence portfolio consisted of various affordable programs, including LIHTC, S-8, HOME, 202, SHP, SRAP and NOP, providing Joe with exposure to multiple compliance requirements and agents. The predominantly fee managed portfolio required extensive attention to owners’ needs and concise, consistent communication with clients and staff. Joe’s dedication to his clients and staff earned him Winn’s “Distinctive Service Award” in 2010.

Mr. Moscariello currently serves on the Board for New England Affordable Housing Managers Association and served as the Vice President of the Rhode Island Apartment Association. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. He also holds multiple industry designations and certifications including: Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS) from the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI); Certified Professional of Occupancy (CPO™), National Affordable Housing Professional (NAHP-e™) and Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SHCM®) from National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA); Accredited Residential Manager (ARM®) from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®); and Certified Tax Credit Specialist (C3P) from Spectrum.

Welcome Aboard, Joe!

Usually published in the spring, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released the 2012 income limits early. 

Click here to view the new limits.

Congratulations to CAMERN MORALES, Property Manager for Barnum House Apartments in Bridgeport, CT.

She was awarded ARM of the Year by IREM Connecticut!

HallKeen Management is Awarded Accredited Management Organization of the Year
Award given by Institute of Real Estate Management - Boston

November, 3rd, 2011 – Boston, MA - The Institute of Real Estate Management, Boston Metropolitan Chapter No. 4, held their Annual Awards Night on November 3rd at the Seaport Hotel in Boston, MA.  The event is the largest event that IREM Boston holds, with over 200 people that attended this year.  Portions of the ticket proceeds and vendor sponsorships were donated to the “Wounded Warriors Project” – an organization which honors wounded veterans and service members.

Various awards were given out to honorable recipients including: CPM of the Year, ARM of the Year, ACoM of the Year, CPM Candidate of the Year, Student of the Year, Associate of the Year, Region 1 of the Year, Friend of the Year, and AMO of the Year.  HallKeen Management was awarded with the Accredited Management Organization (AMO) of the Year.

“This was a wonderful surprise to receive such recognition from our peers,” said Andrew P. Burnes, President of HallKeen Management.  “An IREM honor is a company honor and is the result of teamwork and all the hard work put in by our employees.”

Congratulations to Jannel Satterwhite-Williamson, Property Manager for Amy Lowell Apartments!

The Rental Housing Association of Boston (RHA) held their annual expo in Boston, MA at the Hynes Convention Center on September 27th, 2011. Property management professionals from New England states attended the all day event.  At the close of the event, professional achievement awards were given out to a few attendees.  The nominees for the On-Site Property Management Award were required to submit a statement showing their ability to achieve financial goals of the property, showcase their commitment to customer service, success in team building and resident retention.  Nominees were also required to have their supervisor submit a statement why the nominee should be recognized.  Jannel Satterwhite-Williamson was the proud winner of the 2011 On-Site Property Manager Award.

Mrs. Satterwhite-Williamson is the Property Manager for Amy Lowell Apartments, located at 65 Martha Road, Boston, MA.  Amy Lowell Apartments is a high-rise building consisting of 11 stories and 151 one-bedroom apartments located in the historic West End of Boston. The community is managed and controlled by HallKeen Management, a real estate management and investment company, based out of Norwood, MA. 

With help from Massachusetts General Hospital, Mrs. Satterwhite-Williamson was able to create and implement a more thorough and beneficial assistance program.  These new services included; meals on wheels, insurance education, homemaker services, and health care aides, and where necessary- alternative housing.

She has mentored various employees, and is thrilled to see them promoted.  HallKeen Management often calls on her to train and teach her peers about all aspects of the affordable component at their respective properties.  “It is my belief that the single greatest career achievement one can receive is to see someone you’ve trained, apply that knowledge to excel and achieve,” says Mrs. Satterwhite-Williamson.

Mrs. Satterwhite-Williamson holds the COS and TCS professional designations from NHCM, C4P from Spectrum, Marketing Strategies from RHA, and Accredited Residential Manager from IREM. She also has MassHousing Certifications through the TAP program in Conflict Resolution, Hoarding, Mental Illness, Fair Housing, and Grant Writing. She is an avid member in the Impact Advisory Group to the Boston Redevelopment Authority, regarding the pending West End Garden Garage project. 

“I am so proud of Jannel for winning this award.  She is one of the most deserving individuals I can think of to be recognized and honored for her professional achievements.  She is an inspiration to property management professionals everywhere, especially those of us at HallKeen who have the pleasure of working with her on a regular basis.  The Amy Lowell residents really hit the jackpot when Jannel became their manager,” says Steve Lodi, Regional Manager for HallKeen Management.  “I know Jannel will continue to do great things, and inspire and motivate not only herself – but all those around her.  If I know Jannel, this award will be one of many milestones in her career  in property management.”

Mrs. Satterwhite-Williamson recently got married, and currently lives in Dorchester, MA with her husband.

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About Amy Lowell Apartments
Amy Lowell Apartments was built in the mid 1975 as part of the well-known Charles River Park community. It is located near the TD Bank North Garden in Boston's historic West End, and is in walking distance to the North End, Government Center, Mass General Hospital, and Beacon Hill. Originally designed by architect Victor Gruen, his concept was based on the ideas of French architectural visionary Le Corbusier, who advocated building towers in a park setting without streets, creating a self-enclosed community. The property is consistently 95% or more occupied, with 151 one-bedroom apartments.  For more information, please visit www.AmyLowellApartments.com.