Argentum, a leading national trade association for senior living operations, recently called for submissions as part of its “Heroes Work Here” collection of stories. The organization selected The Meetinghouse at Riverfront, a Lloyd Jones Senior Living community, for its story about a special ice cream truck event.

After nearly six months of safely staying put, the team at The Meetinghouse at Riverfront, a Lloyd Jones Senior Living community, wanted to do something unique for their residents on a hot summer day. The executive director, Anne, contacted a local ice cream truck to bring some fun-in-the-sun directly to the community. The truck pulled up in the parking lot one afternoon to give residents some fresh air and their choice of any of the dozens of novelty ice cream selections on the truck. They enjoyed socially distant conversations and their favorite ice creams together. Talk about a sweet treat!

– Click link for full story: https://heroesworkhere.argentum.org/

ORLANDO, FL—Lloyd Jones, a multifamily investment firm based in Miami, has acquired Arium Grandewood, a 306-unit apartment community built in 2005. The community, which is located in the fast-growing South Orlando submarket, is the fourth property Lloyd Jones owns and operates in the area. Lloyd Jones plans to execute a comprehensive value-add business plan to upgrade the property’s interiors. Arium Grandewood, which will be rebranded as Grandewood Pointe, will be professionally managed by Lloyd Jones Multifamily Management.

Arium Grandewood is a garden-style apartment community with a mix of one- two-, and three-bedroom floor plans and an amenity package that includes a resort-style pool, BBQ pavilion, fitness center, volleyball court, and business center. The South Orlando apartment community is just south of the Beachline Expressway, and within minutes of two Fortune 500 companies (Lockheed Martin and Darden Restaurants), office and industrial parks, Lake Nona Medical District, and the 500-room Ritz-Carlton and 1,000-room JW Marriott.

“The acquisition of Arium Grandewood is part of our strategic investment plan focused on established Orlando properties that are centrally located and well-positioned for value-add opportunities,” said Ashley Socarras, EVP of Investments for Lloyd Jones.

Lloyd Jones’ plans for the property include $2.7 million in capital improvements that include a two-level interior renovation package program comprising 95 percent of the units. “We believe that there is an opportunity to substantially upgrade interiors to create best-in-class units,” explained Stuart Keller, SVP of Asset Management for Lloyd Jones. “The community’s convenient location, and our planned capital improvements will appeal to the growing number of young professionals moving to the area.”

“We are excited to acquire our fourth property in the dynamic Orlando market,” said Christopher Finlay, Chairman/CEO of Lloyd Jones. “We anticipate that the market will continue to benefit from in-migration and favorable employment drivers which will help support demand for a well-located, upgraded multifamily community.”

 

ABOUT LLOYD JONES

Lloyd Jones, LLC is a real estate investment and development firm with 40 years in the industry under the continuous direction of Chairman/CEO, Christopher Finlay. Based in Miami, the firm has divisions in multifamily investment, development, management, and senior living. Its investment partners include institutions, family offices, and its own principals. To learn more about Lloyd Jones, visit www.lloydjonesllc.com.

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On January 20, 2021, Lloyd Jones hosted its first annual Excellence Awards. Held virtually, the awards ceremony honored exceptional performance among individual employees and entire onsite teams within its multifamily and senior housing communities. After calling for nominations in a multitude of categories, a committee reviewed the nominees and selected the winners, who were announced during the awards ceremony.

The winners are listed below:

Property of the Year (Multifamily)
Vero Green Apartments, Vero Beach, FL

Property of the Year (Senior Living)
Meetinghouse at Collins Cove, Jacksonville, FL

Manager of the Year
Erin Balta
Ventura Pointe Apartments, Pembroke Pines, FL

Assistant Manager of the Year
Sandra Plappert
Waters Edge at Harbison, Columbia, SC

Maintenance Supervisor of the Year
James Rendon
The Granite at Tuscany Hills, San Antonio, TX

Leasing Consultant of the Year
Carmen Lopez
Fountains at Forestwood, Fort Myers, FL

Maintenance Tech of the Year
Uldarico Haeckmann
Carlyle Court Apartments, Orlando, FL

Maintenance Associate of the Year
Lugene Haynes
The Westcott Apartments, Tallahassee, FL

Most Essential Worker
Tammy Weaver
The Granite at Thirty-Fourth, Amarillo, TX

Most Essential Worker (Senior Living)
Debra Richmond
Meetinghouse at Daytona, Daytona Beach, FL

Helping Hand Award
Ventura Pointe Apartments, Pembroke Pines, FL

O.W.L. (Outstanding Wisdom Leadership)
Elizabeth Fisher-Bishop
Meetinghouse at Bartow, Bartow, FL

Social Media Award
Shamrock of Sunrise, Sunrise, FL

Rising Star Award
Vero Green Apartments, Vero Green, FL

Brightest Star Award
Shamrock of Sunrise, Sunrise, FL

WOW Customer Experience Award
Ventura Pointe Apartments, Pembroke Pines, FL

The Finlay Award
Kelly Thomason
Vero Green Apartments, Vero Beach, FL

Dedication Award
Yasmany Lopez
Meetinghouse at Bartow, Bartow, FL

Most Improved Property Year over Year
Lake Forest Apartments, Daytona Beach, FL

Lloyd Jones’ multifamily and senior housing management leaders were thoroughly impressed with the nominations they received in each category. “Choosing just one winner for each award was a very tough decision,” said Mandy Doucet, EVP of Operations for Lloyd Jones Multifamily Management. “And, while we couldn’t present the awards in person this year, we’re so glad to have created an opportunity to recognize our onsite team members who’ve gone above and beyond to serve their communities.”

MIAMI—Lloyd Jones, a multifamily investment firm based in Miami, recently sold Deerwood Park Apartments, an apartment community in Jacksonville, Florida, to provide favorable returns to its investors after adding value to the property through a capital improvement project.

Lloyd Jones acquired the 282-unit, garden-style community in October 2017 and sold it in December 2020 after surpassing the projections of the original business plan. The firm’s joint venture partner in the deal was a Chinese wealth fund group.

“Deerwood Park outperformed our initial underwriting of an anticipated five-year hold period to meet its target yield and IRR parameters within just three years. We consider this a highly successful exit for our partner and ourselves,” said Ashley Socarras, who oversees the entire investment division for Lloyd Jones as the firm’s EVP of Investments.

During the hold period, Deerwood Park Apartments was professionally managed by Lloyd Jones Multifamily Management, who maintained the property at a healthy occupancy while executing the interior and exterior enhancements. Upgrades included converting the indoor basketball court to an oversized fitness center with a yoga studio and creating a co-working lounge.

“The Southside submarket of Jacksonville is one of the area’s strongest for millennial renters and young professionals,” added Stuart Keller, SVP of Asset Management for Lloyd Jones. “The capital improvements we chose to implement at Deerwood were appealing to this growing demographic.” Jacksonville is rapidly expanding in the finance, technology, and healthcare sectors, with major corporations like Florida Blue, Bank of America, and SoFi calling the Southside area home.

“I am thrilled that we produced these results for our multifamily investment partners,” stated Chris Finlay, chairman/CEO of Lloyd Jones. “Our firm is very optimistic for the year ahead.”

 

ABOUT LLOYD JONES

Lloyd Jones, LLC is a real estate investment and development firm with 40 years in the industry under the continuous direction of Chairman/CEO, Christopher Finlay. Based in Miami, the firm has divisions in multifamily investment, development, management, and senior living. Its investment partners include institutions, private investors, and its own principals. To learn more about Lloyd Jones, visit www.lloydjonesllc.com.

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MIAMI—This month, Lloyd Jones Multifamily Management, the property management division within Lloyd Jones LLC, launched its newest corporate giving program, Lloyd Jones Living.

Through Lloyd Jones Living, the firm’s property management teams nationwide will plan and host quarterly themed acts of community service or giving. Events include volunteering at a food bank during Thanksgiving, hosting a back-to-school backpack drive for their young residents, or a spring beach cleanup day to benefit local marine life. On-site teams receive marketing and PR support from Lloyd Jones’ corporate marketing team.

“Our on-site teams have long been passionate about serving their local communities,” said Mandy Doucet, EVP for Lloyd Jones Multifamily Management. “Lloyd Jones Living provides structure and support to help their philanthropic efforts reach further.”
Lloyd Jones Living was created with the company’s mission in mind: providing quality housing that makes lives better. “As we improve the lives of our residents and our local communities at large, we create environments where people truly want to live. That’s also a benefit for our investors and owners,” explained Doucet.

With the holiday season approaching, the theme of the program’s premiere quarter is appropriately titled, “Making Spirits Bright”. On-site teams are currently planning their Thanksgiving or holiday themed events and activities to bring cheer to their local communities.

To learn more about the Lloyd Jones Living program, visit https://www.lloydjonesllc.com/divisions/lloydjonesliving/.

About Lloyd Jones LLC
Lloyd Jones, LLC is a real estate investment and development firm with 40 years in the industry under the continuous direction of Chairman/CEO, Christopher Finlay. Based in Miami, the firm has divisions in multifamily investment, development, management, and senior living. Its investment partners include institutions, private investors, and its own principals.
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Waters Edge at Harbison in Columbia, SC is a 204-unit garden-style apartment community acquired by Lloyd Jones in 2016.

The Columbia multifamily market as a whole suffered a challenging period in summer 2017, when one of the area’s largest employers, V.C. Summer, suddenly shut down production of its nuclear power facility. More than 5,000 local jobs were lost virtually overnight.

Nearly three years later, Waters Edge has come back stronger than ever—and even six months into the pandemic is currently pre-leased at 99.02%. Forward-thinking approaches, exceptional customer service and innovative technology have all contributed to the community’s success.

Waters Edge offers flexible deposit options: the standard security deposit, to be refunded at the end of the lease; $125 non-refundable deposit; and for those renters who don’t qualify due to a low credit score or inadequate rental history, Liberty Rent—a provider of rental guarantee contracts—which acts as a guarantor for their first year of rent. “Helping all applicants become paying residents, especially those who need a second chance, has definitely contributed to our high occupancy, despite the financial impact of COVID-19,” said Joei Lemacks, business manager at Waters Edge. “And because we know that building a credit score is one of the most important tools to personal financial health, we also offer RentPlus, a service that reports their rent to credit agencies. We even had one resident who increased her credit score enough to become a homebuyer.”

Other factors that helped Waters Edge gain a competitive edge this year were shifting to self-guided tours almost immediately, and purchasing electrostatic sprayers, which allows for quicker, more complete sanitizing of public areas and amenities. “Implementing these procedures helped give us more time to focus on leasing,” said Joei. “We also added the Knock CRM, a leasing tool that enables our team to respond and follow up on inquiries from prospective residents more quickly.”

Personally connecting with residents, whether at lease renewal time or working through challenging times, is another area where Waters Edge excels. Earlier this year, in anticipation of residents who may be faced with financial struggles due to job loss or furloughs, the staff recorded personal video messages for the residents, asking them to reach out to the office if they expected difficulty in paying their rent. “It was a sincere touch that I think went a long way to let our residents know we genuinely care about them, versus simply sending an email reminder about rent being due,” said Joei.

Waters Edge prides itself on exceptional customer service, which contributes to a high renewal rate among residents. “We have an outstanding team in place at Waters Edge,” said Mandy Doucet, executive vice president of property management for Lloyd Jones, LLC.

“Everything we do reflects the Lloyd Jones core values of Passion, Compassion and Optimism, and it shows in our work, our attitudes, and how we interact with our residents. And it’s putting these principles in action that ultimately benefits our investors.”

On August 12, 2020, Lloyd Jones Multifamily Management communities across the country celebrated Apartment Onsite Teams Day. The holiday, created by the National Apartment Association (NAA), was designed to honor the dedication and sacrifice that property management teams have made to keep our communities running smoothly and our residents safe during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

“The apartment industry does not stop in a crisis,” said Mandy Doucet, EVP/COO of Lloyd Jones Multifamily Management. “Lloyd Jones’ onsite team members have worked tirelessly since the onset of the pandemic to maintain occupancy through virtual leasing efforts, collect rent by working one-on-one with residents struggling with financial difficulties due to COVID-19, and uphold a positive attitude despite these new challenges, all the while keeping residents safe and informed.”

Lloyd Jones was pleased to participate in NAA’s Apartment Onsite Teams Day alongside property management firms across the U.S. The company encouraged property management staff to share photos of their teams on their communities’ social media pages using the campaign’s hashtag, #APTeamsDay.

Lloyd Jones Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Chris Finlay, was a featured speaker at the “Outlook on Active Adult from the C-Suite” panel during Senior Housing News’ Active Adult Virtual Summit (July 15, 2020). Here are the key takeaways from his talk:

• Finlay believes that an all-rental model holds untapped potential for developers and residents. As seniors age in place, with the addition a la carte services as needed and emerging technology, they’ll be able to enjoy an elevated quality of life for longer.
• The rental model will also meet the growing demand of seniors who want to sell their home and retain equity to better manage their retirement financially.
• To address this demand, Lloyd Jones offers its Aviva brand of active-adult living. Finlay introduced the three Aviva products.
  • Aviva Cottages are a for-lease cottage product which Finlay envisions will be especially popular with seniors in suburban markets making their initial transitions from single-family homes. These single-story cottages with attached garages will surround a resort-style clubhouse where events and activities abound.
  • Aviva 55 is a three- to four-story building, better suited to urban environments where lot sizes are smaller. This product is similar to a luxury apartment community but available solely to residents at least 55 years of age and will appeal to consumers looking for the lifestyle afforded by these locations.
  • Aviva Independent is a more traditional independent living product, with the first building set to break ground in Port St. Lucie, Florida later this year.
• Active adult communities tend to be slow to lease-up (about six a month), but once occupancy levels reach stabilization, they tend to remain constant. In order to control operational costs in new construction during lease-up, Aviva Independent Port St. Lucie was designed to include two wings flanked by a central clubhouse, enabling Lloyd Jones to lease up one building while the other is under construction.
• The industry average for how long seniors stay in an adult active community is five to seven years, but the average stay for residents in Lloyd Jones Senior Living communities is over ten years. Residents form close, lasting friendships, and with the addition of home healthcare services and future technology, they’ll be able to stay even longer.
• Active adult represents the biggest real estate opportunity that Finlay has seen in his 40-year career, but it is also a challenging sector to enter. It requires correctly identifying the right markets to build active adult, deducing demographic trends for growth, and being ahead of the curve in terms of the services and technology that residents will need in order to comfortably age in place for the next five to ten years.

 

The Lloyd Jones’ property management teams’ core values are Passion, Compassion, and Optimism. Careers in property management require a servant’s heart, as our role is to provide quality housing to all our residents.

Volunteering is just one way our staff shows their compassion for others, and we love hearing stories of our onsite teams taking the initiative to give back to their community.

Ventura Pointe Apartments in Pembroke Pines, FL recently spent the morning volunteering at Feeding South Florida, the leading nonprofit food bank in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Ventura Pointe’s front office and maintenance teams helped pack boxes for local food deliveries as part of their community service efforts.

“I truly feel like giving is actually receiving,” said Erin Balta, Business Manager of Ventura Pointe. Erin added that she hopes to pair up with another nearby Lloyd Jones property, Shamrock of Sunrise, for their next volunteer outing.