The fastest way to get someone to love something? Let them build it.
When residents help shape their living experience, they don’t just like it—they love it.
That’s the IKEA effect in action.
It’s about ownership. Absolute, psychological ownership.
Give residents a voice in amenity design, community events, and apartment upgrades. Let them feel they built it.
Why does this work? Because effort breeds attachment.
People overvalue what they invest effort in, especially when it reflects their preferences.
It’s not the couch. It’s their couch, because they assembled it.
In multifamily, this means customization is currency.
Modern residents want modularity.
They want to mix and match.
They want options that say: “This space fits me.”
They don’t just want to live somewhere.
They want to shape where they live.
Resident experience is a process to co-create.
Ignore this, and you’re just another commodity.
Embrace it, and you become unforgettable.
This strategy is underused.
The ones who sweat a little are the ones who stay.
“The more your residents build, the less likely they are to bail.” – Mike Brewer
P.S. The same goes for team member engagement.