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RYE, N.H. – September 10, 2026 – Housing needs do not remain the same simply because a building does. Jeff Herter believes that distinction is important for multifamily operators managing properties intended to serve residents for decades.

Herter, Principal of Providence Real Properties, LLC, has more than fifteen years of experience working with multifamily properties. Over that time, he has watched housing expectations change as work patterns, household structures, technology, and lifestyles have evolved.

“A property can be physically well maintained and still become less practical for the people living there,” Herter said. “The question isn’t only whether the building is in good condition. You also have to ask whether it still works well for the way residents actually live.”

Herter is encouraging multifamily operators to make that question part of their long-term planning.

Resident Needs Rarely Change All at Once

Changes in housing preferences can be easy to miss because they often happen gradually.

The rise of remote and hybrid work is one example. For many residents, an apartment is no longer simply where they return after a day at the office. It may also serve as a workplace for several days each week. That can place greater importance on reliable connectivity, quieter spaces, flexible layouts, and common areas that can accommodate different uses.

Household structures are changing as well. Some residents live alone longer. Others share housing with roommates, work from home alongside a spouse or partner, or need space for children or older relatives.

Herter believes operators should pay attention to these changes without assuming every new trend requires an expensive renovation.

“You don’t need to rebuild a property every time lifestyles change,” he said. “Sometimes the right response is much simpler. Maybe a common area can be used differently, lighting needs to improve, or residents are asking for better package handling. Small operational changes can make an existing property work better without changing what it fundamentally is.”

Listen Before Making Changes

For Herter, one of the most useful sources of information is also one of the simplest: residents themselves.

Maintenance requests, questions, complaints, renewal conversations, and everyday interactions can reveal patterns in how people are using a property. A single request may not mean much, but the same issue appearing repeatedly deserves attention.

“If five different residents are asking about the same thing, I want to understand why,” Herter said. “It doesn’t automatically mean the answer is a major capital project. It means there’s probably something about the resident experience worth looking at more closely.”

He believes this approach can help operators distinguish between a temporary preference and a meaningful shift in how residents use their homes.

It can also prevent operators from making improvements simply because they are popular elsewhere.

“What works in one community may not matter nearly as much in another,” Herter said. “I’ve always thought you learn more by asking people what they actually need than by assuming you already know.”

Useful Can Matter More Than New

Multifamily properties are long-term physical assets, and many will serve residents through several generations of changing expectations. Herter believes that makes adaptability particularly important for existing housing.

An older property does not necessarily need to imitate a newly constructed development. Instead, operators can focus on preserving what works while identifying areas where thoughtful updates can make daily life easier.

Herter points to practical considerations such as storage, parking, common spaces, lighting, landscaping, package delivery, maintenance communication, and how residents move through a property.

“People experience a building through ordinary moments,” he said. “They notice whether a maintenance issue gets handled. They notice whether the entrance is well lit or whether a common area is actually comfortable enough to use. Those details aren’t flashy, but they’re part of living there every day.”

That perspective can also help operators prioritize improvements. Rather than trying to modernize everything at once, they can identify which changes solve real problems and which are largely cosmetic.

Avoid Chasing Every Housing Trend

Planning for changing needs does not mean reacting to every new idea in the housing industry.

Herter believes there is an important tradeoff between adapting and constantly chasing what is new.

“There’s always going to be another trend,” he said. “If you respond to every one of them, you can spend a lot of time and resources changing things residents may not actually care about.”

Instead, he recommends looking for patterns that persist over time. Operators can consider how frequently residents request a particular feature, whether an existing space is being underused, and whether a proposed improvement would make the property more functional several years from now rather than simply more fashionable today.

“The goal shouldn’t be to make an older property pretend it’s brand new,” Herter said. “The goal should be to keep it useful.”

Long-Term Planning Starts With Paying Attention

Herter believes some of the best planning begins long before a major renovation is necessary.

Regular property walks, conversations with staff, resident feedback, maintenance histories, and observations about how common areas are being used can all provide clues about what may need to change.

The same principle applies outside the property. Changes in nearby businesses, transportation, employment patterns, and neighborhood demographics can influence what residents expect from their housing.

“Communities evolve, and the people living in them evolve too,” Herter said. “A property operator can’t control those changes, but they can pay attention to them.”

For multifamily operators, Herter’s message is ultimately less about predicting the future and more about remaining responsive to it.

Buildings may last for generations, but the lives taking place inside them will keep changing. Properties that remain useful over the long term are likely to be those where operators recognize that reality, listen carefully, and make practical improvements when there is a clear reason to do so.

About Jeff Herter

Jeff Herter is Principal of Providence Real Properties, LLC and is based in Rye, New Hampshire. He has more than fifteen years of experience working with multifamily properties across the United States. His work has given him firsthand experience in property operations, evolving resident expectations, and how existing housing can continue serving communities over time. Herter is a graduate of Boston University’s Questrom School of Business and also volunteers as a SCORE mentor, working with small business owners as they navigate practical challenges and growth.

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Company Name: Jeff Herter
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City: Rye
State: New Hampshire
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