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Is Happiness the Latest Apartment Amenity?
The managers of an apartment complex in Washington, DC are experimenting with a new type of amenity: happiness.
According to a news report, 2M's VP of Marketing and Leasing Operations got the idea when she thought about how happy people become whenever they see a cute puppy. So, she decided to try it out at their NoMa location.
Dubbed the 'puppy ambassador' a young, wrinkly-faced English bulldog named Emmy hangs out in the leasing office, much to the enjoyment of apartment residents.
Interested renters can come by the office and set up a puppy play date, which is supervised in the community's internal dog park — assuming Emma is up for a visit. The system suits renters who find themselves without the time or space to take care of a dog.
Besides the fun it provides for current tenants, the puppy is proving to be an interesting and effective marketing tool. Her story has been featured by several sources, including a popular DC real estate guide Urban Turf. Prospective renters are asking to see the dog while filling out applications, after being lured to the complex from the puppy's Instagram and Twitter posts. 2M says it plans to franchise the puppy model in its other buildings.
Landlords and property managers are always competing for the latest amenity to lure prospective tenants and keep the ones they already have. Whats next? Maybe an in-house petting zoo?
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