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LOCATOR REFERRAL SYSTEM
Since 2005 AIM has been persistent to create a multi-family multi-listing service for apartment locators that is comperable to the listing services available to residential and commercial real estate agents. aimMLS is more than a reorganized apartment database. It solves the most common challenges property managers face working with locators to restore the apartment locating service.
Advertising to apartment locators is different than advertising directly to individuals. Staying competitive in a market with more than 2,500 communities requires marketing from every angle. aimMLS multi listing service for apartment owners is a multi-platform solution to help you accomplish your goals as an extension of your marketing team.
aimMLS is a complete Locator Referral System that provides the structure the apartment locating industry desperately needs. Owner members and Locator members can share our tools with non locator members and walk in prospects because we want to improve the industry as a whole. Take one of our product tours to learn more about our membership benefits.
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Locators Generate Approximately 72,000 Leases In Houston Annually
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Widen The Net
It's Easy....Really!
Over the years many apartment locators have expressed fear and concern over learning our software. We understand that for some people technology can be intimidating because it's unfamiliar. There is comfort in the familiar which is why we designed aimMLS with a look and feel like many other common web based programs your familiar with. The client database is similar to Google contacts, the search functions are under the search tab, the client functions are under the client tab, your account set up is under the my account tab and so on. We were very mindful of this technology fear when we created our system and we have several solutions to get you past it. Our testing phase showed locators needed to create between 3 and 8 lists on average to feel comfortable although several locators only needed to create 1 list to feel comfortable.
aimMLS apartment locating software operates exactly the opposite. Our primary function is to provide apartment locating software with the most accurate and comprehensive information on apartment availability so locators can be a hero to their clients. Our data is organized specifically to cater to apartment locators by categorizing all of the information on a unit level instead of a property level and entering each availability as a real estate listing.
aimMLS solves the biggest challenge in our industry, availability and pricing . It is a shared system online so owner and locator members can submit changes. Every member of the MLS works as a control center for the data which AIM verifies. It's evident that the existing methods for collecting and searching apartment information don't work because currently locators can't get the availability and pricing they need. It's time to do something different!
Approximately 750 locators in Houston are responsible for signing an average of 8 leases a month each for a total of 72,000 leases a year. That type of volume demands consistent accuracy and real time information.
As occupancy rates continue to rise, apartment locators need to widen the net of apartments they work with while minimizing the risk of not getting paid. Most locators refer clients to the same properties over and over because they have a consistent payment reputation, but what happens when those properties get full? There are nearly 700 management companies operating in Houston, over 400 of them are individual owners. I f an apartment owner is a one man operation and he can't afford to be positioned on the list, how does he obtain locator confidence and a good payment reputation?
How do apartment owners stay competitive in Houston when individuals have more than 2,500 apartment communities to choose from? Over 1,900 communities in Houston (76%) use apartment locators to drive traffic and stay in front of their competition. As I'm sure you know, marketing to apartment locators is very different than marketing to individuals and choosing the right listing service is critical to generating qualified traffic.
Referrals are a critical part of any business! Leveraging relationships with apartment locators is time and cost effective. Locators have access to an extensive list of current and past clients and you only have to pay a fee after an individual moves in.
Marketing to locators can be fruitless and archaic if you don't choose the right listing service. Emailing and faxing specials or posting a banner ad is not locator marketing. These are examples of "static" marketing tactics and they no longer work. Locators have to generate more leads and complete more transactions for the same amount of money than just a few years ago. The industry has drastically changed so your listing service must provide your availability and pricing in a "dynamic" format that puts your property in front of locators consistently.
Social media has penetrated every industry including apartment locating. Locators expect new and constant messages from you to stay relevant. New properties, new specials, new promotions are always competing against you so your listing service should provide a solution to keep you in front. This doesn't necessarily mean you should run out and get a twitter account but it does mean that constant dynamic messages need to be delivered without taking a lot of your time. Your listing service should be doing it for you.
After you receive a locator referral, your listing service should also help manage that referral from start to finish. Your listing service should be able to explain what locators need in today's changed environment and provide structure to manage the referal and communicate the process to the locator. A Locator Referral System will simplify the process and strengthen your relationship with apartment locators.
Your listing service should be an extention of your onsite leasing staff by improving performance and increasing occupancy by listing your property and it's availability to licensed real estate agents and apartment locators in a online and real time format. Apartment locators have been drastically affected the last two years by the economy and higher occupancy rates. They are desperate for a listing service that can provide real availability and actual pricing. Not so they can do less work but so they can provide a better service to you and the client by having the information they need to pre-qualify a client for you.
Your listing service should offer a multi platform solution. Including your property in a database is just one step to staying in front of locators. Locators make a decision to include or exclude your property on a list based on several factors and your listing service should know what those factors are and educate you on how to appeal to them. Availability, price, friendliness of the onsite staff, commission, risk of collecting the invoice are all part of the decision. Your listing service should be able to evaluate these factors and help you overcome any challenges.
Our Locator Referral System gives locators the confidence to send you referrals with our simple user agreement, aimMLS creates automated communication so the relationship between you the locator and the client is documented and our multi platform advertising includes our sophisticated real time database, social media and monthly networking opportunities.
Owner Member: $249/month
Locator Members: $20/month
Locator Referral System
Any Owner Member can take advantage of the free property profile.
Free Property Profile
Need more information, have a specific question or would like to schedule a demo? Fill out the form below and tell us how we can help. One of our specialist will help you decide about the next step, you will not be added to an email list.
Our corporate office is located in Houston, Texas with more apartments and more apartment locators than any other city. We are always at your service and want to create a partnership to help you acheive your goals.
7941 Katy Freeway #186
Houston, TX 77024
Sales:
Sales_ApartmentIM.com
Technical Support:
Support_ApartmentIM.com
Customer Service:
ClientServices_ApartmentIM.com
Phone & Fax: (281) 652-5575
Extensions:
Sales: Ext 1
Technical Support: Ext 2
Billing: Ext 3
Customer Service: Ext 0
Locator Tracking
Track every client and the apartment locator who referred them. See exactly which locators are sending you referrals and how many your getting each day from all locators.
Automated LRN
System generated LRN's for every locator on every client. View the prospect's name, move date and unit criteria along with the locators contact phone and email address. Receive a notification by email or pull a list as needed.
Resolve Disputes
Each LRN records the referring source and gives you the locators phone number and email address along with a time and date stamp of when they added them as a client. Since clients can work with as many locators as they want, this undisputable time/date stamp can help you resolve a disputes with apartment locators who claim they are both the referring source.
Electronic Move In Verification
Select the prospects name from the list of automated LRN's and notify the locator electronically. Referrals will sky rocket from that locator knowing you send move in verifications.
Invoices With Activity History
Locator invoices come preprinted with LRN, Time/Date stamps of activity history between locator and prospect, real estate license information and more. Proves the referring source and the paper trail is created for you automatically.
Stay In Control Of Your Listings
No one knows your property better than you. You control what locators know about your property by maintaining your availability online. You control your locator traffic in less than 30 seconds a day verifying your listings.
Top The Search Results
You can reach the top of the search results every day by controlling your listings. Each time you update or verify any part of your profile a new time/date stamp is created. Locators view search results in real time by the most current listings at the top.
Availability In Real Time
Lots of websites post availability online, but "Real Time" means "without delay". If you have to call or fax a website to update your information, it is not real time. If a locator cannot use a website several times a day while an "update" is performed, it is not real time. With aimMLS the instant you save your profile, your availability is distributed to every user on the system without delay. Lists and eBrochures that were emailed previously to prospects will also have your new information the next time they open the list or eBrochure.
Distribute Your Availability
Your availability is distributed in three ways:
Every apartment has a free custom web address that they can distribute to anyone who calls or emails asking for availability. It's free, it's an easy to remember web address and it's secure. People who access your profile online cannot search for other aparments in your area. Here is a sample free property profile: propertyname.aimmls.com
User Agreement
Owner members and Locator members sign the same User Agreement that explains the duties and responsibilities for each user. Apartment Inventory Management will enforce the agreement on behalf of any member.
Commission Rate
AIM does not share in the commission but the system does track changes made to your commission rate and who made the change. Our system can resolve a commission dispute made by a locator with time/date stamped factual information. AIM is happy to provide a commission report for you any time you need it.
Expired Move In Specials
Our system automatically deletes every move in special on the first of each month to protect you from advertising an expired move in special.
Resolve Locator Disputes
Our system tracks not only commission changes but also logs every time the profile is updated and who updated it. Disputes can be easily resolved with a activity history report from our office.
Commission Notifications
Any time a change is made to your commission rates or policies, our Locator members are notified by email.
Free Competitive Profiles
Apartments signed up for the Locator Referral System can search their comps for free. Using our advanced search feature you can search our entire property database.
Custom Competitors
Our system doesn't predefine your comps. You can search by management company, property name, zip code, and submarket to select your own comps.
Competition In Real Time
Profiles on competitors display real time occupancy, concessions, move in special, floor plans, availability and pricing.
Market Information
Simple easy to read market reports
Cloud Technology
Our system was built with the latest cloud technology to support a 100% scaleable platform for infinite growth to other markets.
Integration
Our cloud technology allows us to import information from any business system. Typical integration requires significant approvals, red tape and customizations between two software systems. Cloud technology circumvents typical integration because you control what information you send us in a report and then we import that information into your profile. This also gives integration capabilities to all properties, not just the ones with big software budgets. We can import from something as simple as Microsoft Excel.
Free Training
We offer free on site training but our online interface is so easy and intuitive we are rarely asked for training by our clients.
SaaS
Software as a service (SaaS) benefits its users by securing the software and its data in a centralized location in the cloud with impermeable firewalls and 100% up time. The software and its data can be accessed on the web or through a mobile device.
Nothing To Buy
If the Locator Referral System isn't currently in your budget you can still control what locators know about your property by maintaining your availability online through the free property profile. It's not as comprehensive as the Locator Referral System but you can edit your property profile, floor plans, availability and pricing with a one page online form.
You can reach the top of the search results through the free property profile because each time you update or verify any part of your profile a new time/date stamp is created. Locators view search results in real time by the most current listings at the top.
Photos Included
To add property photos and floor plan images to your free property profile, email them to Support_ApartmentIM.com
Why Is It Free?
We would rather provide free tools to apartments that increase occupancy, in exchange for the onsite staff updating their profile, than pay an inefficient call center to attempt to call each apartment.
Your availability is distributed in three places to locator members through our software and to non-members and prospects through a public web address (ex. newport.aimmls.com )
Search Your Way
Various seach techniques so you don't have to change the way you build a list.
Sophisticated Search & Filters
Build a list using the step-by-step wizard, apartment directory or a combination of both. The wizard contains over 200 fields to filter the property database including your own personalized tags (avoid list). By default the system removes tax credit and section 8 properties from the search and only includes properties paying a locating commission.
Shopping Cart Technology
Build a list by adding properties to a shopping cart then send the list to an existing client or create a new client.
Personalized Views
Three views to display search results depending on your preference. Map view plots all results on a Google map. Detail view (without map) displays property profiles with the most current profiles in a list. Detail View is a combination of the map view on top and details at the bottom.
Unlimited Support
Most locators have a fear of learning a new system so we intentionally built aimMLS with a straightforward intuitive interface to minimize fear and reduce training time. The search functions are organized under search, the client functions under client and so on. There is an online help system with written instructions and visual you tube videos for guidence and training. Our support staff is available by phone and email to answer your questions but if one on one training is what you need we will make arrangements either at our office or yours.
Branding
Each client receives your branding with your company logo and headshot if you have emailed these items to our office so we can create a custom banner for your account. Every report that is emailed will display your banner and your contact information is in the footer of every email and it cannot be changed.
List Confirmation
Locator members receive an email when a client opens a list and the status changes on the client record where a copy of each list is saved.
Conflict Checker
When you add a new client, the system checks if a client is already in the sytem with the same name and email and it will notify you by email for 30 days if a conflict is created after the fact.
Familiar Format
We used the Google Contacts formatting to add and edit your clients so it should look familiar. The clients contact information, LRN details and lists are organized on one simple page.
Commission Changes
Once a property has accepted the User Agreement and verified their commission rate, the system tracks all changes and sends all Locator Members an email when future changes are made.
Move In Verification
Apartments signed up on the Locator Referral System can send electronic move in verifications from the automatic LRN's they receive.
Automatic LRN
The system sends an automatic LRN to every property for every client on every list with a time/date stamp, your client name and any LRN information you input on the client record along with your contact phone and email address. This automatically proves you as the referring source. This is a free service we provide to all apartments, but only apartments signed up on the Locator Referral System can send move in verifications and access the list of LRN's online.
Every apartment in the database has a complete property profile. We want our Locator Members to have the most complete database to search from so we don't limit information, photos or floor plan images at the apartments based on how much they pay us. Every apartment has a free property profile they can access online to change property information, commission, move in special, availability and pricing. They have to email us photos but we will gladly upload them to their profile.
Organized Data
Fields that apply to the unit like attached garage, floor level and washer and dryer are saved to each floor plan & listing and fields that apply to the property like being on the metro rail and pet weight limits are saved to the property information. We eliminate the need to call each property looking for an available unit with an attached garage on the first floor.
Apartments can sign up for the Locator Referral System for a better way to manage your referrals, invoices, LRN numbers, search their comps, upload their own photos and manage their availability and pricing. It's a more robust interface than the free property profile and gives them more control over their information.
Listings
Available units are entered as listings with real time availability and pricing. Each floor plan is displayed on each property profile as usual so if a client isn't moving for several months current availability isn't relevant but when any apartment indicates they have availability in any floor plan, our system automatically creates a listing. The system also calculates the commission amount on each listing based on the commission rate being offered.
Locator Alerts
Locator members can click a link on each profile to create a Locator Alert that sends an email and fax to the property with instructions to update their free property profile. Our staff gets a copy so we can all work as a team for greater database accuracy.
Up To Date Profiles
Each profile displays the time/date stamp it was last updated and the name of the user who updated it.
When popular apartments get full you need a wider net to refer your clients to while minimizing your risk of not getting paid your commission from an unfamiliar property. Our system does not position apartments at the top of your search results if they are buying a service from us or not. You will probably see many apartments in your search results that you are not familiar with for this reason. Apartments are positioned based on the most current profiles first. Our Average Days to Pay and Locator Experience features will help minimize the risk for sending a referral and your likelihood of receiving your commission.
Custom Tags
Create up to 10 custom tags to organize the apartment database you your specific categories. You can add and delete tags from any property in the database. From the search wizard you can choose to include or exclude the properties with your tags in your search results. The popular example of tags is to create an avoid list.
Avoid List
Create a custom tag called avoid list, tag properties using the apartment directory or wizard that you don't want to show on your search results and you will save a great deal of time building each list when you elect to "exclude" the avoid list from your search results using the wizard.
Notes
Locator members can create public and private notes on each property profile.
No Daily Updates
Lots of websites post availability online, but "Real Time" means "without delay". If you cannot use a website several times a day while an "update" is performed, that is not real time. If an apartment has to call or fax a website to update commissions, prices and floor plans, that website is not real time. The instant a property profile is saved by the apartment or our staff, the availability is distributed to every user on the system without delay. Lists and eBrochures that were emailed previously to clients will also have new information the next time they open the list or eBrochure.
Import Contacts
You won't lose your current client database. If you have a client database you would like added to your aimMLS account we will import it at no charge.
Privacy Policy
We will never access or use your client database period! Client information is considered your intellectual property and it belongs to you. If you have a client database you would like imported into your aimMLS account we will import it at no charge.
Software as a service (SaaS) benefits its users by securing the software and its data in a centralized location in the cloud with impermeable firewalls and 100% up time. The apartment database and your client database are constantly backed up and secure. The software and its data can be accessed on the web or through a mobile device.
Since 2005 Apartment Inventory Management has been persistent to create a multi-family multi-listing service for apartment locators that is comperable to the listing services available to residential and commercial real estate agents. aimMLS is more than a reorganized apartment database. It solves the most common challenges property managers face working with locators to restore the apartment locating service.
Currently only available in the Houston market with more than 700 apartment locators covering the metro, aimMLS is expanding to the Phoenix market in early 2012 with more than 250 apartment locators serving Phoenix and Scottsdale.
Advocating for all Apartment Locators by spearheading the Texas Apartment Locator Association a registered non-profit trade association for all Texas locators not just AIM clients.
www.TALAhq.org
Advocating for the apartment locating real estate service since 2005 by creating unique relationship building opportunities like the Locator Expo and Locator Property Tours.
www.AIMLocatorExpo.com
Because It Is Successful In The Residential and Commercial Markets Already
Since 2005 AIM has been persistent to create a multi-family multi-listing service for apartment locators that is organized to their needs but also must provide significant value to the apartment owner.
Designed similar to a residential MLS, aimMLS creates structured information on every apartment in Houston. Collecting data since 2005, aimMLS contains over 200 pieces of information on more than 2,500 operating apartment properties and 550,000 units.
With the exception of the Houston and Dallas markets, a centralized database does not exist for licensed real estate agents to search available apartment units. The existing services were designed in the 1980's and their format and data collection methods are out dated. Online apartment search engines for individuals typically contain only 25% of the apartments in the market and expecting licensed agents to use property websites is impractical.
*AIM is not affiliated with any of these companies. They are intended to be examples only.
Symmetric design creates a database with the most accurate availability and pricing so Locator Members can improve performance and occcupancy for Owner Members.
Owner members keep their profile updated because its free, simple and defers phone calls to an online web address with real time availability like newport.aimmls.com instead of hours on the phone.
Everyone wants real time availability and pricing, aimMLS makes it possible...no gimmicks or empty promises.
Feel Free To Watch Both Videos To See How The Whole System Works Together
Both Videos Are About 8 Minutes...Just Long Enough For A Cup Of Cofee...Go Ahead...We'll Wait....