By Michael Procopio, vice president of development, The Procopio Cos. Undeniably, as we progress through 2021, one of the hottest trends in the field of owning and operating multifamily properties will continue to be technology and automation. According to the 2019 Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report, 43 percent of Gen Z buyers and 35 percent of millennials rated smart home features as “very important.” Although Zillow’s 2019 report shows that older generations are less concerned with smart technology, we know that the desire for technology will continue to grow as younger generations enter the market to rent and buy and as older generations adapt to its use and convenience. Evolution of Amenities For decades, as the multifamily amenity wars heated up, residents placed an increasing focus on lifestyle amenities. Just having a gym was no longer appropriate; robust fitness centers with boutique offerings like yoga, spin and rowing became the norm. Basic lounges gave way to designer-finished club and sport spaces, where virtual golf replaced ping-pong, and interconnected coworking suites replaced the ever-so-sterile business centers of the 2000s. As we progress further into the 2020s, it’s becoming clearer that the focus on technology as it impacts the resident experience will …
