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The multifamily industry is experiencing a fundamental shift in how leasing operations are structured and executed as a result of AI and centralization. New, automation-focused tools are changing the competitive landscape. Falling behind means burning marketing budget and losing prospects to communities in your area that are changing the way they operate. It’s no longer a hypothetical—ALN data shows that AI-enabled operators realize a 2% occupancy delta versus their comps.
With that in mind, EliseAI’s Client Strategy team has been pulling back the curtain on real centralization and automation strategies implemented by leading operators around the country in EliseAI’s Centralization Webinar Series. We’re highlighting both the processes and workflows needed to stand up these structures as well as the financial results. Session three covered the benefits of centralized leasing—here are 6 key takeaways you can take back to your team today.
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Takeaway One: Centralization Is More Than a Cost Cutting Play—It Boosts Conversion Rates Too
When operators first consider centralization, they often focus solely on reducing headcount. That misses the bigger picture. Look no further than Cardinal Group Companies. They handled 36,000 prospect calls in five months and improved their lead-to-tour and lead-to-lease conversion rates after standing up a centralized leasing function.
The secret? Specialization. When you remove repetitive tasks from on-site teams and create focused roles, performance improves across the board:
- AI handles 90% of initial inquiries instantly
- Centralized specialists process applications with specific expertise
- On-site teams focus exclusively on tours and relationship building
Each team member does what they do best, and prospects get faster, more consistent service delivery throughout the entire prospect-through-customer journey. The impact on your leasing operations? An increased likelihood of shows with AI-powered reminders, more applications received due to AI-powered tour follow-ups, and better application-to-lease conversion rates as a result of personalized attention from specialists who no longer have to spend their time on top of funnel responsibilities.
Takeaway Two: Modern AI Can Already Automate Up to 90% of Prospect Communications
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Modern AI has come a long way from the days of pre-programmed chatbots. Purpose-built tools like EliseAI can handle the vast majority of initial prospect inquiries across all channels, including text, email, voice, and web chat. But automation alone isn't enough. The real magic happens when AI, centralized teams, and onsite staff work together seamlessly.
Consider how dramatically technology has evolved. Who remembers the days of flipping through physical property binders while on calls with prospects? We do—but we don’t mind saying goodbye to those clunky plastic folders.
Today, AI-powered knowledge bases provide instant, searchable answers to any property question—like how Haley Residential uses EliseCRM to enable their centralized teams as they seamlessly pull information from specialized community knowledge banks while chatting with prospects. Putting the right information at the fingertips of your best team members is a recipe for success for the Haley Residential team, and it could be for yours too.
Takeaway Three: Only Three Leasing Activities Have to Stay On-Site
After mapping hundreds of leasing activities, a clear pattern emerges. Despite the complexity of modern leasing operations, only three activities actually require an onsite presence:
- Physical unit preparation and move-in coordination
- In-person tours and relationship building
- Escalated resident issues requiring face-to-face interaction
Everything else—lead response, nurturing, application processing, follow-ups, scheduling—can be centralized or automated. Innovative operators like Villa Serena are already proving this can be done at scale, driving significant NOI increases.
Takeaway Four: Forget the 1-to-100 Ratio, How About a 1 (Team)-to-10,000 Ratio?
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The math of centralization is compelling. Best-in-class operations follow this structure:
- 1 supervisor manages 5-7 specialists
- Each specialist handles 1,200-2,500 units across 7-10 properties
- The entire team can effectively manage up to 10,000 units
We’re not pulling these numbers out of the blue. They’re real benchmarks from hundreds of operators using EliseAI to enable their centralized teams at scale. The key is having the right technology stack and clearly defined workflows that get the most out of these new tools.
Takeaway Five: Centralized Leasing Is an Accelerator for Marketing ROI
Centralization is a marketing force multiplier. When every lead gets an instant response, when application processes are streamlined, and when prospects receive consistent service, your marketing dollars work harder.
The benefits compound:
- 24/7 AI coverage means no lead goes untouched
- AI enables a consistent brand experience across all properties—no more “highs and lows”
- Platforms like EliseCRM give you full-funnel visibility for better optimization
- Higher conversion rates maximize marketing spend, like Kittle Property Group showed us
Centralized operations create the responsive infrastructure that modern digital marketing and consumer expectations require. Without it, even the best marketing campaigns hit operational bottlenecks that kill conversion rates and result in wasted spend. Our State of the Leasing Office report paints a tough picture of the real financial realities of poor lead nurturing, so give it a read if you want the full scoop on how much a lack of responsiveness really costs.
Takeaway Six: Traditional Leasing Metrics Don't Capture AI-Human Collaboration
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In a centralized model, measuring individual performance misses the point. Success comes from how well your three teams—AI, centralized specialists, and onsite staff—work together. You have to adjust your KPIs to reflect this reality. Here’s the four buckets we recommend grouping them into:
- Behavioral Metrics: Response times, escalation rates, handoff efficiency
- System Metrics: AI utilization rates, automation success percentages
- Efficiency Metrics: Time per task across all three teams
- Performance Metrics: End-to-end conversion rates, leasing velocity
These metrics accurately capture the interplay between technology and human teams, revealing where optimization opportunities lie.
The Shift to Centralized Leasing Is Already Happening—Don’t Fall Behind
Forward-thinking operators don’t have time to debate whether to centralize because they're too busy actively implementing these strategies into their operations. Don’t take our word for it—Carynes Gitler, VP Centralized Operations Services at Cardinal Group, said it better than we ever could.
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For marketing professionals, the implications are clear. Centralized leasing aligns perfectly with modern marketing goals: delivering consistent, high-quality experiences at scale while maximizing return on every marketing dollar spent. The question isn't whether your organization will centralize, but whether you'll lead the change or be forced to catch up.
The tech exists. The models are proven. The benefits are clear. Get in touch with us via the form below today to learn more about both EliseAI’s purpose-built centralized tools as well as our centralization consulting services.