Client story: How Steward + Helm transitioned to a new platform & RentCafe websites

Switching to a new property management (and marketing) platform can feel like a big leap. Is a smooth transition possible? How long will it take? When will you see ROI?

It’s always helpful to hear from brands who’ve done it before you. In that spirit, meet Steward + Helm!

We can’t wait to share the marketing side of their journey. In making the jump to RentCafe, Steward + Helm gave 29 community websites a new home — and they’ve seen major successes since.

Big thanks to Kristen Ford, vice president of shared services at Steward + Helm, for her insightful interview. Kristen spoke at this year’s Apartmentalize, and her session captured an important theme that guided this project: Leading with creativity, clarity and heart during times of change.

Keep reading to get the full story, including what inspired the transition to RentCafe, their experience working with REACH and so much more.

Why Steward + Helm chose RentCafe

Steward + Helm is a Texas-based multifamily operator under LURIN, a real estate development company. Since launching in 2016, their mission has been clear: Give renters a great place to live.

But before RentCafe, Steward + Helm used fragmented systems to manage and market their communities. This made it challenging to create a unified experience for teams and renters.

Naturally, moving 29 websites to a new platform is no easy feat. You need experts who can plan, execute and optimize without disrupting your business. That inspired Steward + Helm to work with REACH, an award-winning multifamily marketing agency.

From the start, the goals were to deliver a better user experience, give the marketing team smarter tools and position Steward + Helm as a prospect-first brand.

Spoiler … these goals were achieved, and the entire transition was done in about three months.  

Check out the results

Now that you’ve got some background on Steward + Helm’s journey, let’s look at some early results from their websites, which are promising.

In just a short time working with REACH, their biggest win is increased conversions portfolio-wide. Steward + Helm’s sites have seen 921 total conversions, with 128 — roughly 14% — directly tied to marketing features.

Here’s the breakdown:

• 59 conversions from floor plan assistants
• 69 conversions from nudge marketing
• 2 conversions from RentCafe Chat IQ

Updates like more intuitive navigation, better visuals and clearer calls to action also played a role in boosting conversions. 

Read Kristen’s interview

When you’re reading a success story, there’s nothing like hearing directly from the team involved, right? Check out Kristen’s interview on Steward + Helm’s journey to RentCafe.

You recently led a major platform and website transition for Steward + Helm. What inspired that change, and what were your goals going into it?

Kristen: It was driven by a need to unify our digital experience, and better support marketing and leasing efforts across the portfolio. Our previous systems were fragmented, which made it challenging for our teams to work efficiently. It became clear that moving to a single-stack solution was the best path forward.

From the start, our goals were clear: Deliver a seamless, modern user experience for renters, equip our marketing team with smarter tools and position Steward + Helm as a brand defined by thoughtful, prospect-first design.

Give us some background on the scope of the transition, particularly as relates to the marketing aspect. What were the biggest changes? How many websites were involved?

Kristen: The scope was significant. We transitioned 29 individual community websites in a little under 12 weeks. One of the biggest marketing changes was gaining more control over our digital presence.

With REACH, we no longer rely on third-party vendors for every update — our team can now make real-time changes to content, images, promotions and calls to action. That agility has allowed us to move faster and align marketing efforts with what’s actually happening on-site. 

Lastly, integrations with our CRM and analytics tools have improved dramatically. We now have a much clearer view of the renter journey, which is helping us make smarter, data-informed decisions.

At Apartmentalize, you talked about bringing “creativity, clarity and heart” to change management. How did those help you guide your team — and your communities — through this process?

Kristen: “Creativity, clarity, and heart” became our north star throughout the transition. Creativity helped us reimagine what our digital presence could look like, not just replicating what existed but building something better.

Before the transition began, everyone understood the purpose: To create a unified, more effective digital experience that would better serve both prospects and on-site teams. And leading with heart was about making space for the human side of change. Honoring the effort it takes to adapt, and ensuring the end result made life better not just for our teams, but for the people we serve.

What role did your partnership with REACH play in helping you achieve a smooth transition? What have you seen improve as a result — either for your team or your renters?

Kristen: Our partnership with REACH was truly instrumental. They brought deep industry knowledge, technical expertise and a collaborative spirit that made all the difference. My team and I unanimously agree: We have nothing but fantastic things to say about every member of the REACH team.

Website transitions can be incredibly stressful, but this project was hands down the smoothest of my career so far. REACH mapped out a thoughtful, phased rollout, kept us on track and built in time for revisions. They remained agile when unexpected challenges arose and always approached the work with a problem-solving mindset.

The marketing team has seen a dramatic shift in their day-to-day workload when it comes to website updates. The new CMS is incredibly user-friendly, giving the team direct access to make most changes themselves — no more submitting tickets and waiting on support to respond! Plus, we have an outstanding dedicated team available to support us whenever needed, which has made the process even smoother.

Looking back, what are you most proud of from this experience? Any surprises or lessons learned along the way?         

Kristen: I’m most proud of how our marketing team showed up and embraced the change … not just implemented it, but really owned it. We turned a complex, high-stakes project into an opportunity to re-energize our individual property brands and bring our values to life online.

One surprise? We expected the technical improvements and integrations to move the needle, but what really surprised us was how much of a difference things like simplified navigation, better photography and clearer calls to action made in driving engagement and conversions.

It was a great reminder that while platforms and back-end systems matter, the front-end experience can have a huge impact.

If another property management team is considering a similar shift, what’s one piece of advice you’d give them?

Kristen: Involve your on-site teams from day one. They’re the ones living your brand every day, and their insights are incredibly valuable.

Also, lean into the strengths of your marketing team. Not just to execute the transition, but to create opportunities for others to lead. I’ve been through transitions like this before, so I intentionally stepped back and encouraged our outstanding director of marketing, Jenn Guidry, to take the lead. It was a great opportunity for her to grow, and she rose to the occasion beautifully.

Here’s to Steward + Helm

Adopting a new platform doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With skilled experts by your side, the transition is easier and the results are worth it.  

Thanks to Steward + Helm for sharing their story, and double thanks to Kristen for taking the time to chat with us. We hope you found some inspiration to kickstart your next project.

Have questions about working with REACH? Get in touch. We’d love to help you strategize your next big move.