Millennial Trends | What Makes a High Rise Building a Home?

We asked millennial business professionals why they chose to live in luxury high rise buildings, and what their experiences have been.

High rises in large cities can sometimes get a reputation for feeling cold and impersonal, but millennial professionals still seek them out for rentals and homeownership. These buildings are often conveniently located in city centers, which is a perk for an office commute, but location alone is not enough to make for a great living arrangement.

We asked a panel of urban millennial professionals what matters to them when choosing to live in a high rise building. Amenities? Security? Sense of community? In other words, what makes a high rise a home?

1. When choosing a building, what were the top 3 things on your “must-have” list?

“The top 3 things I would look for would be, doorman service/gym/access to a rooftop or outdoor space”

– Media, NY

“Spacious and clean amenities, great location, and responsive management”

– VP, Marketing, NY

“I mainly choose a building based on the amenities they offer, matching that to the rent price. I look for modern, clean amenities, building maintenance, and good pet policies.”

– Self Employed, FL

“Pool, Location and Space.”

– Sr. Manager, Fundraising, NJ

2. How does your building create community? How important is it for you to know your neighbors?

“The amenities in my building are amazing and I have never seen anything like this. The neighbors often interact with each other as there are free drinks offered daily, sports, and many hangout areas.”

– Freelance Creative, FL

“I moved into the building mid covid so there are no social events. My old building used to have an event about once a month with food and drinks. It’s not very important for me to know my neighbors but if the building has events I do go for a little and have interest in them.”

– Executive Sales, Media, NY

“They have monthly events, Food Trucks once a month etc. I personally don’t know my neighbors but would love to. I have met people at the pool during the summer months.”

– Sr. Manager, Non-profit, NJ

“They host a variety of events, mostly in the summer, and I have met a few neighbors that way. We have rooftop movie nights, DJ nights on the pool deck, and meet and greets with various vendors that service the building. There’s also a building bulletin board where people can post items for sale and share general topics/issues.”

– Marketing, NY

3. In your opinion, what qualities make for an excellent property manager?

“Communication is key. They need to communicate proactively so residents are always informed and prepared, and also be responsive whenever issues are brought to their attention.”

– Digital Media Executive, NY

“Interactive and easy-going.”

– Self Employed, FL

“Someone with good communication skills. Management and staff that fix maintenance and other issues quickly”

– Sr. Manager, Non-profit, NJ

“Responsiveness to complaints and general building upkeep”

– Executive, Media Sales, NY

What does this mean?

We’ve summarized the feedback and crafted tips for property and community managers looking to get into the minds of Millennials. Amenities, Community, and Communication are key.

AMENITIES

Amenities are a top factor for millennial professionals looking for a building to make their home. Make sure to promote yours when visitors and guests come to your building – they may turn into future residents!

COMMUNITY

Residents want to know their neighbors and look for opportunities to get together. Help foster community with social events and promote them beyond just an app notification or an email. People are busy, and notifications get lost in the shuffle.

COMMUNICATION

Residents like a property management team that communicates well. Make sure your messaging, updates, and protocols are prominently featured on channels that you are certain residents check.