Redside Reflects on the 2025 AppFolio Conference: Real Estate, Industry, and Technology Leaders for Three Days of Innovation and Connection

SEATTLE, Wash. — Redside Partners attended the 2025 AppFolio Conference that featured over ninety speakers and included more than forty-five sessions. The event brought together property management professionals, tech innovators, and thought leaders to explore emerging trends, technology integrations, and data-driven strategies to help shape the future of property management and leasing.

Senior Portfolio Manager Harmin Mattu, Senior Director of Operations Justin Weeks, and Assistant Director of Accounting Martha Vaughn all attended a conference held in San Diego, California, on behalf of Redside Partners and enthusiastically reported back to the Seattle team. Since the busy leasing season has come to an end, Justin Weeks began the discussion by sharing some information on this topic. According to data shared by PropertyTech, in partnership with ShowMojo, the average time a unit remains on the market nationwide has reached 38 days, which is the highest recorded since leasing data began being tracked. This signals a broader shift in market dynamics.

Weeks reflected, “It was interesting to hear that leasing is a nationwide challenge and not just a Seattle challenge.”

He also learned that over 65% of successful lease conversions occurred simply because the respondent was the first to reply to inquiries. In contrast, following up later with lower offers often proved ineffective, as most renters had already signed leases elsewhere. This data highlights the critical role of both speed and pricing in tenant acquisition. In other words, responding quickly and pricing competitively significantly increases the likelihood of conversion.

The conference also revealed a decline in overall rental lead volume over the past decade. While the Seattle market has its own nuances, the trend of fewer rental leads is emerging across multiple U.S. regions, suggesting a nationwide shift in tenant behavior and availability.

Weeks emphasized that, in light of these findings, Redside Partners must continue to leverage technology to improve lead conversion, pricing decisions, and communication. “As the leasing landscape becomes increasingly competitive, timely communication, smart pricing strategies, and effective use of technology will be essential to staying ahead,” Weeks stated.

Building on this focus on technology and strategic improvement, Martha Vaughn noted that a recurring theme throughout the conference centered on efficiency and the potential pitfalls of pursuing it without purpose. In a session led by Blythe Mink, Senior Learning and Development Manager at AppFolio, attendees were challenged to think critically about what efficiency should truly unlock. Mink posed the question, “By becoming more efficient, what is that going to unlock?”

She cautioned that chasing efficiency without direction often leads to burnout and disengagement. “Winning is how you spend your time and who you spend it with,” Mink explained. She argued that true efficiency is about creating space for meaningful work by removing mundane tasks that can be delegated to AI-driven systems. Vaughn shared several strategies from the discussion that stood out to her for preventing burnout and promoting focus. These included ending meetings five minutes early, replacing unnecessary meetings with clear emails, celebrating small wins, and conducting regular check-ins with team members.

Martha also enjoyed Mink’s suggestion to have employees complete a strengths assessment to better align individual talents with team needs. Mink concluded the session with a powerful leadership principle: “Know your people. Coach, don’t manage. Prevent burnout before it happens.”

Another pivotal session Martha reflected on was, The Property Management Performance Blueprint, led by Brad Johnson, CEO of Profit Coach, who explored the importance of process clarity and documentation. Johnson discussed what he called the “process process” which is the ongoing effort to define, document, and refine operational systems. He distinguished between core processes, the foundational methods that define a company’s way of doing business, and SOPs, Standard Operating Procedures, warning against creating an SOP for every small task. He explained that over-systematization can blur the line between structure and rigidity.

Martha thought that for Redside, Johnson’s message brought up the need to articulate “The Redside Way.” While Redside Partners has clearly defined values and mission statements, creating a unified operational framework could help ensure consistency across teams. As Johnson emphasized, clarity in process not only improves operations but also reveals whether the right people are in the right roles.

This session also introduced performance metrics that could guide Redside’s growth and accountability: days on market, speed to repair, response time to renters, and Net Promoter Scores (NPS) for both owners and residents. These indicators align closely with Redside’s current focus on improving internal tracking and leadership visibility.

Harmin Mattu thought it was then a great time to segway to another theme of the conference which was growth through purpose not just expansion. In a panel titled The Numbers That Should Keep Us on Track, several property management executives discussed the importance of aligning growth with mission and values. One participant said, “If your growth doesn’t align with your mission, your mission doesn’t mean anything.”

This idea was echoed by keynote speaker Edward Norton, founder of Crowdrise (now GoFundMe). Norton shared that when companies take care of their people and communities, “profit naturally follows.” His story about helping a Harlem limo driver turn a drug-ridden park into a thriving community garden captured what is meant to be a caring leader. Harmin stated, “it was cool and motivating to see an example of something heartwarming showing that profit is a byproduct of purpose.”

For Redside, the AppFolio Conference served as both a mirror and a roadmap. It highlighted where the company already excels and where it can continue to evolve through process clarity and technological innovation. Within days of returning from the conference, Redside Partners activated Maintenance Performer in Appfolio to make a step forward toward optimizing internal workflows and improving the tenant experience through better use of technology. More to come.