Meet Carson: Your Virtual Doorman
We recently published a blog about our commitment to keeping our tenants' packages safe, but package deliveries aren't the only hassle of renting in a major city. Even entry access for yourself or your visitors can be a frustrating process.
Most property buildings no longer have a doorman on staff, and, even if they do, it's not always the best solution for tenants. This is what led to our decision to do something that not many property buildings have yet considered: we introduced a virtual doorman to our premises. While there are a few virtual doorman services already on the market, we opted to go with Carson for a number of reasons.
Revered for its affordability and convenience, Carson gives people who live in New York's beloved walk-ups rental freedom unlike ever before. Through the app, residents can unlock doors for their guests, submit maintenance requests for repairs, and receive delivery notifications — all from their smartphones. This is all possible without sacrificing the security and peace of mind that would traditionally come with having a doorman on hand.
Renters no longer have to worry about seeing that dreaded "unable to deliver" sticker that couriers leave behind if a person isn't home to buzz them in. Morning or night, renters can open the door for couriers using Carson so that the courier can either access the package room or deliver the package right to the tenant's front door. The same accessibility is true for family and friends as well, but Carson extends an additional benefit for visitors. With permission from Centennial Properties NY, a tenant can allocate an electronic key to their repeat guests, which can include everyone from a loved one to a dog walker to a housekeeper. And lastly, in addition to allowing tenants to request repairs from their phones, Carson serves as a way for residents to pay their rent, message staff with questions or concerns, and receive building updates/announcements.
But these aren't the only benefits of having a 24/7 virtual doorman to serve tenants. Recent data found that Manhattan property buildings that still have doormen charge around 8.4 percent more in rent than those without them, which means that a virtual app like Carson can actually make your price tag for a beautiful apartment in Manhattan lower, while increasing the value of your amenities.
We are living in a time when more and more renters are looking to move into apartments in major cities like New York. Not only are these renters changing the scenery of where they want to live, but their needs and expectations continue to adapt as well. While amenities like Carson are a rare find right now, these technologies will soon become the future of city living. At Centennial Properties NY, we're pleased to be ahead of the curve so that our tenants can already be enjoying the innovations that will make life easier for everyone in the future.
To learn more about our company, and to see all of our available listings, check out our website today.