NAA CALP key terms

A record of a prospect's name, contact information, move date, budget, and preferences, captured at first contact so staff can follow up and track the lead.

A conversation early in the tour that uncovers what the prospect wants: budget, move-in date, household size, pets, and must-have features, so you can recommend fitting floor plans.

A feature is a factual attribute of a unit or community, such as a walk-in closet; a benefit is what that feature does for the resident, such as space for a wardrobe. Good leasing connects the two.

A low-pressure question, such as 'How does this floor plan feel so far?', used to check a prospect's readiness and surface objections before asking for the lease.

The process of hearing a prospect's concern, acknowledging it, asking questions to clarify it, and responding with relevant facts instead of arguing or dismissing the worry.

A unit that has been cleaned, repaired, and inspected and can be shown and leased immediately, with no outstanding work needed before move-in.

The price a comparable unit currently commands in the local market, based on competing communities, demand, and unit condition, and used to set asking rents.

A temporary incentive such as free rent, a waived fee, or a gift card offered to attract or keep a resident; it lowers the rent the community actually collects.

Planned contact with a prospect after a call or tour, by phone, text, or email, to answer remaining questions and keep the decision moving forward.

A third-party website, such as an apartments search site, that advertises available units and sends prospect inquiries to the community; performance is tracked by lead volume and conversion.

The specific channel, such as an ILS, referral, walk-in, or search ad, that produced a prospect; recording it shows which marketing dollars generate leases.

The first impression a property makes from the street, including signage, landscaping, parking areas, and building exteriors, which shapes how prospects judge management quality.

A structured offer that rewards current residents with cash, rent credit, or gifts when someone they refer signs a lease, turning satisfied residents into a low-cost lead source.

Building relationships with nearby employers, schools, businesses, and local organizations to generate leads, referrals, and goodwill for the apartment community.

The percentage of prospects or traffic that becomes signed leases; it shows how well the team turns interest into residents and where the leasing process loses people.

The defined group of renters, described by income, life stage, and lifestyle, that a community's pricing, amenities, and marketing messages are designed to attract.

A new lease signed by an existing resident before the current one expires; renewals usually cost far less than replacing a resident.

The process of a resident moving out and the unit being cleaned, repaired, and made ready for the next resident, along with the lost rent and costs involved.

The share of residents who stay or renew over a given period; higher retention reduces marketing spend, vacancy loss, and turnover work.

A written or system-logged request for a repair, recording the unit, problem, date received, priority, and completion so maintenance work can be tracked and confirmed.

What staff do after a service failure: apologize, fix the problem, follow up, and sometimes offer a goodwill gesture so the resident's trust is restored.

A planned gathering, such as a food truck night or holiday party, that builds relationships among residents and with staff and supports renewals.

A resident's written statement of intent to move out, usually required a set number of days before the lease ends, which begins the turnover timeline.

Rent that remains unpaid after the due date; managed through reminders, late fees, payment arrangements, and, when necessary, legal action under state law.

A group of people that fair housing law shields from discrimination in renting, such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability, plus any groups added by state or local law.

Fair housing protection for households that include a child under 18, a pregnant person, or someone in the process of gaining legal custody, so families cannot be treated differently.

A change in rules, policies, or services, such as assigned parking or an exception to a pet rule for an assistance animal, that lets a person with a disability use and enjoy their home.

Directing a prospect toward or away from certain units, buildings, or communities based on a protected class, such as showing families only ground-floor units; it is illegal.

A policy or practice that is neutral on its face but disproportionately harms members of a protected class, and can violate fair housing law even without discriminatory intent.

An animal that provides disability-related support and is not a pet, so pet fees, breed limits, and pet rules do not apply; requests are handled as reasonable accommodation requests with proper documentation.

A written limit on how many people may live in a unit based on its size and bedroom count, applied the same way to every applicant, usually two people per bedroom.

A written notice telling an applicant that they were denied or offered different terms because of a consumer report, naming the reporting agency and explaining the applicant's rights.

The written, uniformly applied standards, such as income ratio, credit history, rental history, and background checks, used to decide whether to approve an applicant.

Giving full attention to a speaker, reflecting back what was said, and confirming understanding before responding, so the other person feels heard and details are not missed.

Naming and acknowledging how someone feels, such as 'That sounds really frustrating', without necessarily agreeing with their conclusion, which lowers tension and builds trust.

Calming an upset person by slowing your pace, lowering your tone, acknowledging feelings, and steering toward a specific next step rather than arguing about blame.

Everyday words and short sentences instead of leasing or legal jargon, so residents and prospects understand fees, deadlines, and policies the first time.

Protecting personal and financial information about prospects and residents, sharing it only with staff who need it and as required or allowed by law and policy.