Managing our world... using Appfolio to make sense of it all.

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I was asked about what software we use to manage online payments, maintain our 24 hour maintenance line and do all our accounting of our properties… and realized that I never talk about the systems we use! Well, Appfolio is the system we use to manage our world! We love it. While it is complex and complicated at times, it helps us stay organized and provides services to our clients and residents that are top notch.

You can read about Appfolio here.

Proud Places: Your City Should Go And Love Itself by Jeff Siegler

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“If you found yourself in a relationship with someone with low self-esteem and you weren’t willing to leave, how would you go about making them feel better about themselves? Love them, unconditionally. This doesn’t mean accept them as they are, but fight to help them change for the better.”

Thanks for the honesty, Jeff.

You can read this very important article here.

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October 28th - Virtual Lecture for the Incremental Development Alliance

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Do you want to learn more about how you can become a small real estate developer for a project in your neighborhood?  Are you an advocate or local leader looking to encourage better buildings in your community?

Join us for a free virtual lecture by Bernice Radle, owner and operator of Buffalove Development and Little Wheel Restoration Co.

You can sign up for the event here.

Proud Places: The Stages of Small Business Grief by Jaime

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Proud Places has been pumping out some serious content. We are excited to be a contributing partner to Proud Places! This article by Jaime, owner of Storefront Mastery, is a good one about the importance of being nimble and the stresses that our small businesses are under. We are sharing it because we work with small businesses and are one - so we really feel this.

The main moral from this story is the need to be flexible, adaptable, and nimble. Making small bets and building incrementally has allowed for mid-course changes with minimal damage. Good listening skills help understand what customers want, and a keen eye for details is very useful in creating a satisfying in-store experience. 

You can read his article here.

Proud Places: Attracting Business - What Scores & What Fumbles

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Proud Places brings you an article about how to help your Main Street using football lingo. GO BILLS!

“The future is now, and the devastation to our Main Streets is obvious. Conservative experts believe the Covid 19 pandemic will result in a loss of at least 20 to 30 percent of small businesses, while others suggest it will be as bad as 60 percent. 

Our main streets that were barely hanging on in good times are now losing businesses at an unprecedented rate. While we all grieve the loss of our favorite dining establishment or boutique, we need to start planning for the rebuilding of America’s great main streets once again. 

So let’s apply some tried and true football metaphors to our favorite strategies to attract businesses to commercial storefronts. We’ll also consider a few problematic ones so we can win our game! “

You can read about it here.

Dreaming big.

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Our clients just closed on this lovely church on the West Side of Buffalo. While we don’t have plans yet, we know that it can be a place where the community can gather. The Sunday school building areas are wonderful and the space is heated! We are going to work this fall to secure it and figure out what the community needs. More on this dreamy space soon! If you have any ideas, send us an email!

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A little inspiration from the neighborhood... minimalist style found in Five Points.

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While walking over to Foibles Coffee. & Pie, I stopped to take a photo of this scene. The black color is bold… and the clean lines work here. I love that this homeowner kept the planters simple, too. We tend to aim for whimsical style gardens because minimal can be harder to do… believe it or not! Here is a good article about minimalist style design.

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Delicate White & Butcher Block.

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We love this little cottage. Every time we have a turn over, we add a little more sweetness to it. This time we added Delicate White paint on the walls, a pop of color on the cabinets with this purple / grey color and a butcher block countertop to add some warmth. We love it! Not visible: a combo washer / dryer unit that fits right into the countertop! (Yes, European style!)

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Minimalist Monday: Love You For Life

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We love seeing how our apartments look when people put their belongings in them! This one is quite minimal - you cannot go wrong with a mid century inspired table and chairs. When we renovated this space, we restored the floors, added “shark grey” paint with white trim and kept the ceiling the yellow / gold color it is because we liked the way it contrasted with the floors and walls. We love it!

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