There are 360,000 new multifamily apartment units estimated for delivery this year. That’s 20 percent more than last year, according to Yardi Matrix. With so much new supply coming online, how are property managers staying on top of the competition in their markets?

“In Seattle, every quarter there’s a new building with that ‘new car’ smell. If you’re not brand new, you’re basically a dinosaur,” jokes Matt Stibbs, property manager of Stadium Place, a 500-apartment building located in the city’s hip Pioneer Square neighborhood.

Seattle ranks fourth on the list for new inventory, with more than 12,000 units slated for delivery this year. The city has been home to the most cranes in the sky of any U.S. city for at least the last two years.

While all the new supply in Seattle comes with challenges, Matt has managed properties through many different market cycles, and he brings that perspective with him to work every day. We sat down with him and his colleague, Oscar Ramos, leasing specialist, to hear how property managers can stand out from the competition and remain competitive in a frenzied multifamily market.

Zillow Rentals: How do you compete with all the new supply in Seattle?

Matt: There are a lot of ways, but the best way I know to try to compete with all these new buildings — which are offering X, Y and Z concessions and trying to get as full as fast as they can — is to have the best people.

We can always compete on a beautiful building — that’s part of what Pillar Properties is. But where we really stand out is the customer service from our on-site team — it’s their personalities, their greetings when you walk in the door. We have employees who take genuine pride in their work, and that presents to our prospects and our residents.

Zillow Rentals: Would you say that all the new inventory is posing a challenge to leasing?

Matt: Yeah, it makes it tougher.

Zillow Rentals: What are you doing, aside from focusing on your people, to maintain and even drive occupancy at Stadium Place?

Matt: We first focus on the fundamentals and dive into the basics. I make sure every part of the leasing process is on point. Then, I make sure that our marketing and advertising is on point and that we’re getting the word out about our apartments and our properties to prospective renters.

When we get the contact, I make sure that my team is handling it appropriately and professionally — meeting their specific needs and then, of course, getting a tour. Next, we focus on when they come in to tour — making sure my team is giving the best tours.

Zillow Rentals: That sounds like no small task. With warmer weather on the horizon, what advice do you have for surviving peak leasing season? What are you telling your team?

Oscar: I definitely say to prioritize your day. As long as you make sure you know the number one task in your day — and you make sure to at least get that finished before you leave — you’ll be fine.

ZGR: How do you prioritize your day?

Oscar: I prioritize lead management. That usually consumes between 30 and 50 percent of our day. After that, it depends on how many tours we have. Then audits or whatever it is that needs to be done throughout the property. And, of course, you have your current residents. As soon as they walk through the door, they’re the most important thing on your schedule.

Zillow Rentals: How many leads do you get in a day?

Oscar: Most of my leads are email and phone, with some walk-ins, too. I get between 15 and 20 per day.

Matt: We definitely get more email leads here at Stadium Place.

Zillow Rentals:  And which do you find convert to leases better for you — telephone or emails?

Oscar: Between an email or a phone call coming through, probably the higher percentage conversion into a lease is a phone call. We can use our personalities and focus on customer service and communicating the value of our community.

Matt: Call me old school, but personal interaction is always going to be favored. That said, this property most likely turns more conversions from emails because of the sheer volume. Primarily our demographic is in the millennial age range, so if you can’t work through the emails, then you’re going to miss out.

Zillow Rentals:  Are many of your prospects coming from out of town? Do they lease sight unseen?

Matt: Seattle is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Something like 1,000 people move here a week. So, yeah, we have a lot of that. That’s another reason why our people and our customer service are so important.

You have all these prospects calling, emailing and doing everything but stepping foot on-site. We’re giving them the same experience on a Skype tour that someone would get in person. They end up basing their decision on the person who was most responsive to their 6 million questions — who had the most patience and followed up with the most specific details.

That’s one of the best ways you can see who’s really a good leasing agent, because you know that they’re giving a level of customer service that’s definitely a step ahead of what a lot of the competitors are doing.

For even more from Matt and Oscar, watch below!