Rising stars roundtable: New multifamily housing strategies from industry pros

Did you catch our latest virtual roundtable? It brought together some of the brightest minds in multifamily: three experts from NAA’s 20 on the Rise list. They talked through what they’ve learned lately, where they see the industry heading and new multifamily housing strategies for 2026.

Special thanks to Geoffrey Gonzales, Chase Hunt and Sarah Wieman for their insights. And kudos to Esther Bonardi for being the host with the most!  

Keep reading for a recap of what was covered, or watch the recording if you prefer to listen and learn.

Meet the panel of industry pros

Esther kicked off the session with some introductions, asking each speaker what’s gotten them to where they are today.

For Geoffrey, regional vice president at Olympus Property, it’s been about remaining people-focused. “Leadership is less about control, and more about the connection that you’re building with your people,” he shared. After 11 years in the multifamily industry, Geoffrey is no stranger to navigating new trends and challenges, which makes staying people-focused all the more impressive.

Chase, vice president of marketing technology and client solutions at Avenue5 Residential, echoed the same sentiment. Through his seven-plus years in the industry, Chase has prioritized teamwork and collaboration. He’s also focused on staying curious. “I love asking questions, and I love trying to figure out how we could do things differently or better,” he said.

Sarah is a regional manager here at REACH. With eight years of multifamily experience, she agrees that connecting with your teams (and finding mentors) is a big piece of the puzzle. “I’ve been able to consult with folks about their ideas, or see their history in the industry and what they’ve learned,” she explained. Sarah said that wisdom helps her push herself to try new things as a marketer.

Now, onto the heart of the webinar! Which trends were important in recent years, and where do these experts see the industry going in 2026? Also: How can multifamily professionals stay ahead of the curve?

In the last 3-5 years, what industry changes have made the biggest impact?

Chase: It’s been the focus on experience. So, moving beyond just marketing and leasing apartments … but creating meaningful resident journeys and lasting relationships. Technology has played a huge role in this. The real impact comes from how we’re using that technology, blending the data and human touch to create experiences that feel thoughtful.

Sarah: It’s having access to data to prove revenue drivers. It changed the way we were able to have discussions with folks across different avenues. The brand experience, the customer experience — being able to measure it through successful KPIs — and proving that all these tactics are driving that bottom line.  

Geoffrey: It’s been people. Specifically, how we attract, develop and retain our talent. People aren’t just looking for a job anymore, they’re looking for culture. We’re incorporating a tool gift set for maintenance new hires, we’ve implemented stipends for maintenance teams when they’re on call … you have to think outside of the box to retain your people and attract new talent.

Looking ahead at the next 12-24 months, what should we be focusing on as an industry?

Sarah: Technology is around our clients every single day. With all this adaptation of technology, there also comes this desire of: How can companies make the technology represent their brands? It’s not just about the technology you’re adding to your stack, but how the technology is working to make your brand stronger.

Geoffrey: We need to focus on balancing affordability with rising expenses and balancing innovation with the human side of property management. Affordability continues to be an issue within our industry, so making sure that we’re finding smarter ways to operate, without sacrificing quality or our resident experience. Centralization and technology is also going to play a key role, but we have to stay focused on what truly matters: building relationships, driving performance and creating community.

Chase: We have so much technology out there. The next big focus is the alignment piece. Making sure our technology, our people, our marketing, our customer experiences … they’re all working together to support the brand or property. It’s not just about having more tools, it’s about using the right ones that make things easier for our residents and teams. Also, continuing to show the why behind every single dollar. Where it’s going, what impact it’s making, and how it’s actually improving the experience.

What are the biggest wins and risks with AI?

Chase: On the win side, AI chatbots allow our current or prospective residents to have conversations online. On-site teams can focus on what they do best, which is building relationships, while the technology takes care of repetitive or time-consuming tasks. The potential risk is relying on AI too much. It’s important for teams to know the technology is there to support their success, not define it.

Sarah: I love how AI helps people work smarter and create new efficiencies. There’s also this behind-the-curtain AI happening with supportive AI, especially for our clients. There might be an AI bot that can help you answer a question — not just prospect or resident facing — but for you, to help your day become more efficient. I see risk with ensuring quality control. How do we find this balance of reality versus the virtual world? I’m curious to see when AI policies are written, where rules and regulation come into play.

Geoffrey: It’s freeing up time for our people so they can focus on the human side of our business. AI should empower our people, not eliminate them. It’s also a chance to enhance our team’s communication. We’re feeding data to AI so that it becomes smarter about our policies and procedures. Our teams can go in there and review that, and AI gives them tools for more informed decisions and better service. On the risk side, leaning too heavily on AI will cause us to lose that personal touch.

Watch the recording

Have questions?

Once again, huge thanks to our panel for sharing their insights and multifamily housing strategies. We hope you learned something new and feel inspired to tackle your next project.

If you have questions on anything covered, don’t hesitate to get in touch! We can also do a quick, free consultation to evaluate your current marketing strategy and help you plan for what’s next.