When your residents run out of sugar, they not only have one neighbour to call upon but many. Knowing your neighbours, relying on your neighbours and feeling genuinely connected to your neighbours can be a major selling point for condos buyers.
However, unlike a single-unit home, your residents might not have the same opportunities to get to know the people next door. They’re not out mowing their yard, teaching their kids to bike up and down the street or throwing block parties where they have every chance to say “hello” or “welcome to the neighbourhood.”
As the condo manager, you have to go the extra mile to create a strong, tight-knit community, which can be the piece that makes or breaks your retention rates.
Follow these ideas for condo social events that make a warm, welcoming atmosphere for your condo owners.
Create Your Community First
First and foremost, create a community yourself. Inspiring resident engagement doesn’t have to fall on your shoulders alone. So for each of these suggestions, reach out to your owners and ask for their help!
You’ll get the most buy-in when everyone participates in these events, gestures and groups.
All you have to do it set the foundation and check-in every once in a while to make sure the work is getting done (and we promise, it’s fun work).
Join the Welcoming Bandwagon
Hello, bonjour, aloha, Konichiwa — this is your welcoming committee! This team of resident-appointed members is responsible for greeting newcomers with grand enthusiasm.
When a new owner moves in, have this committee knock on their door with a bottle of champagne, a gift basket or even an invite to a small gathering of neighbours for a morning coffee.
The gesture doesn’t have to be massive as long as it’s timely and invites them to get to know those they share a hallway with.
Host Holiday Events
For some, their community is their family. Giving everyone a chance to connect and come together for special events can be the highlight of their year.
Whether you host a potluck Thanksgiving dinner, a New Year’s Eve social or even organize door-to-door trick or treating for the kids — you’re creating an opportunity for people to come out of their individual units and get to know one another.
Just remember, you’re relying on your committee to plan and set up for the event, but you should still hire cleaners to help with the mess afterwards.
That’s where GoJaxon can help — send us your events calendar and we’ll schedule one-off cleanings for the day after the big shebang.
Let’s talk post-party cleanup.
For the Fitness Buffs
You thought of areas to congregate and workout when the condo was built, but are they being used to their full potential?
Host a pool-side sociable or organize private swimming lessons for the kids in your units. Facilitate weekly yoga or salsa dancing in your common room. Even take the chance to step out of the building on a crisp evening to organize a run club.
No matter what you choose, make it fun, regular and make sure to let your residents know!
Make Date Night Possible
This one is for all of the parents out there! It can be hard to make time for themselves and find the time to spend one-on-one with each other.
Give them an opportunity to go out once a month with a communal kid’s club. Invite the children to get to know one another with fun games and activities under hired adult supervision. Whether their parents leave the building or not, it gives them an opportunity to enjoy a kid-free night.
Shared Spaces
Similar to your workout areas, there are other areas within your building that have the potential to host groups. Whether these ideas exist already or not, you have the opportunity to see if they’ll work within your available space.
Try:
- Adding a library and reading nook
- Making a communal garden
- Setting up a rooftop patio
You can invite residents to use these areas on their own and use them to host some of your events.
You could have residents teach new skills like:
- Spring maintenance how-tos for your bike
- In-unit condo maintenance workshop
- No-bake cooking classes
Or host events like:
- Movie night
- Boardgame competitions
- And more!
Invite Everyone
You’ve put in the work, the event is planned, but how do you get everyone to show up?
- Put flyers in your common areas and elevators
- Start a moderated Facebook group for condo-planned events
- Create a Facebook group for non-event conversations (like asking for that cup of sugar)
- Start an email list for a monthly digest that each committee can add to
- Ask your concierge to help spread the word
Don’t forget to outline who the event is for (kids, seniors, 18+, etc.) but otherwise make them available to everyone.
Get Some Additional Support
As you recruit and fill your community engagement committees, make their life easier by hiring a cleanup crew for after the events.
You’ll have complete confidence that your common areas are back to tip-top shape and ready for any future gatherings.
At GoJaxon, we can schedule on-going cleaning a few days a week or one-off cleanings for special events.
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