This article was originally published on Fort Worth Inc. By Mike Ballard Multifamily owners and developers are familiar with the substantial upfront costs of building, renovating and upgrading properties, especially when it comes to energy-efficient units. Although it tends to be an expensive endeavor, eco-friendly units not only provide long-term sustainability and benefits to the […]
Archive | Management
Outsourcing: A Multifamily Solution
By Mike Ballard Outsourced operations have continued to gain traction in the multifamily industry as new technology and providers emerge. Many find themselves questioning if this is a quick fix or the dawn of a new industry-altering work model. Such practices may not fit perfectly into every business, but its versatility throughout a range of […]

IMN Panel Recap: The Pros & Cons of Starting your own Management Company
By Mike Ballard I recently visited Atlanta, Georgia to moderate a panel at the 6th Annual Middle-Market Multifamily Forum Southeast on the pros and cons of starting your own management company. I was joined on the panel by ACRE CEO Melanie Gersper, ILM Capital and WE Communities CFO Mark Moore and Providence Investments CEO John […]

Single-Family Units to Multifamily Properties: One Client’s Strategy for Scaling Operations
By Mike Ballard When kicking off your career as a new investor, owner or operator, most people tend to start within the single-family sector before making the jump into the multifamily and commercial industry. Whether you are catering to portfolio growth or just acquiring knowledge of the trade, single-family units often serve as a starting […]

Ascent Multifamily Budgeting Bootcamp – October 2020
Are you looking to make your property budgeting more effective and enjoyable? Want your people to take more ownership and use the budgets throughout the year? We have been presenting our 2021 Budgeting Boot Camp to many of our clients, and they are loving the process. An accurate annual budget is one of the most […]

Ascent Multifamily Breaks into Inc 500
Ascent Multifamily Breaks Into Top 500 in 2020 Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies Las Vegas firm ranks No. 374 with a growth rate of 1,218 percent Inc. magazine announced today that Las Vegas-based firm Ascent Multifamily is No. 374 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, a prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. […]
Succeeding with Limited Resources, According to ‘Moneyball’
One of my favorite films is the Brad Pitt movie Moneyball, because it serves as a wonderful case study to showcase that, if a leader wants, he can look at challenges as opportunities and come up with unconventional solutions. It shows how an open-minded leader with limited budget valued the importance of data to assemble […]
Make Your Own ‘Field Of Dreams’
“If you build it, they will come.” Made famous in the renowned motion picture “Field of Dreams,” this iconic phrase depicts an admirable work ethic that is applicable to life beyond the screen. Field of Dreams, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, is certainly an entertaining movie for baseball aficionados, but it also offers a […]
Are your employees stealing from you?
Are you sure? Fraudulent activity from employees can occur in a number of ways and have severe financial implications for multifamily owners and managers. To stay ahead of the game, you must analyze your policies and procedures, have more than one person watching the books and keep your eyes open for any red flags such […]
Bohemian Rhapsody: Learning to Turn Weakness Into Strength
Released less than a month ago, Bohemian Rhapsody, the story of Freddie Mercury and the band Queen, is already the highest grossing music biopic movie in history. And while Mercury was an amazing singer, it’s his strong business acumen that I most often remember. The man’s mind focused on solving problems, capitalizing on opportunities, and […]