WASHINGTON, D.C. — More and more renters are looking for apartments that feature high levels of technology, according to the 2020 Apartment Resident Preferences Report released by the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and research firm Kingsley Associates. The NMHC is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization serving the multifamily industry. The report was compiled through survey responses from nearly 373,000 renters living in 5,336 different apartment communities throughout more than 270 U.S. markets. It was the largest number of responses in the report’s eight-year history, according to the NMHC. On the technology front, 91.2 percent of respondents said reliable cell phone reception is important, and 44 percent won’t rent at a property without it. Even more — 91.7 percent — noted the need for high-speed internet, with nearly 70 percent even saying that Wi-Fi throughout the community (not just in apartments) is important. This reliance on the web is because of residents’ use of multiple internet-connected devices. Over 98 percent of respondents use at least one internet-connected device, and over 40 percent possess five or more. Renters also expressed high levels of interest in smart-home technology like smart thermostats (70.5 percent), smart lighting (66.9 percent) and smart locks (63 percent). However, …
