Report: Wi-Fi 3 Times More Important Than Laundry

About 34% of multifamily unit managers ranked Wi-Fi as the amenity that’s most important to their renters, compared to just 13% who said it was in-room laundry facilities.

Meanwhile, 30% of these property managers said that quality communications technology boosts property values by at least 20%. About 87% said they believe technology plays either an “extremely important” or “very important” role in keeping renters satisfied.

According to FierceCable, the data comes from a survey conducted by Xfinity Communities, the Comcast division which, understandably, would like to show the landlords of America just how important high-speed internet and Wi-Fi is for the renters of today.

“Property managers and developers are balancing the requirement to provide sophisticated technology for their residents with the challenges of providing the latest network infrastructure,” said Mike Slovin, VP of Xfinity Communities, in a statement commenting on the report. “Residents expect a high-level of services, and in an increasingly competitive rental market, the need to provide new services and upgrade existing ones intensifies.”

The survey, “Networking with Residents: Technology Drives the Multifamily Industry,” was conducted with 205 building managers in the U.S. Notably, respondents said that 36% of their renters are between the ages of 18-34.