first floor apartments

Since Jan., I have cleaned 37 apartments. Of that 37, only 2 were on the first floor.

Has anyone noticed that first floor tennants never seem to move out? They stay there for like 15 years, but the 2,3,4 floor people are gone every 6 months.

I started watching this more this year and concluded that the first floor apartments often are older renters looking to avoid stairs. They are often people who sold their homes for a less complicated living and value a carpet cleaner while the upstairs crowd are the younger and more transient bunch who would never clean their carpets unless they have young children.

I have started to advertise according to this new opinion. When I am at the complexes, I go down to the first floors and leave flyers and my card on all the doors. If my theory is correct, it should open the door to a somewhat untapped market.

Anyone else seeing this?

I have noticed similar things about some apts in a building/complex with some having a huge constant turn-over rate, and then others that are never vacant because the tenants never leave. Which doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the floor from what I've seen.......seems to apply to any floor.  

I always thought those with the constant turn-over were the haunted ones!!     

Seems like the bottom floor units would vacate due to the noise from above. I guess they count their selves fortunate not having to climb stairs.

Yep! I have cleaned under 10 bottom floor apts in the last 8 months. I despise apts. always puts me in a bad mood.

Good observation Mil one that could bring in some business.

Isn't the reason you're cleaning the vacating apts because the landlord requires it at move out. PM are so cheap I doubt they would pay the to have the lower level occupied apts cleaned.

Yes they are vacant cleanings for the most part, but yesterday was the exception as the lower units hired me to clean their places when I was done. PM will never pay to clean an occupied unit, true, but the tennants were paying and since I was already there and set-up, I found a good price point that made us both happy.

I used to do so many apartments, and still do a few but its just a difficult situation... they just want it done for too cheap and dont care about quality, dont appreciate going the extra mile and theyll drop you as soon as they find someone cheaper.

I had an apartment complex that was sending jobs 2-3x/month, they were one of the few that allow any dogs or pets.

One day had a unit that I said was uncleanable and told them it was too much pee, owner of the building called me up and got pissed off super rude on the phone and they said were finding a new company to work with. I said "sounds great, see ya"

place had like 100 pee stains in a 1bdrm

I understand your point AC, I fired 3 others a couple of months ago for similar reasons. The main one that I work with right now manages 4 properties no more than 5 miles apart of each other and the guy is real cool to work with. He just sends me a text when he needs me, gave me the master keys, and pays withint 7 days.....very rare group to work for in this industry.

Boy aint that the truth! Most people on the bottom floor are old and and pretty much in retirement , so stairs are not an option. That and some bottoms floors are handicap ready and those people usually bunker down for quite a while.
As for getting the prop man. to pay for cleaning occupied... Heres what worked for me,
Most Prop man. give a gift like a costco gift card/wallmart etc. for when tenets sign another 6 month or year lease. So what you do is tell them how people love options and you would be happy to have one of the options be a free carpet cleaning. Works for me, the prop man. because they dont have to bother going to get the gift cards, and the tenets because who doesn't want clean carpet?

Smart idea there Blue...I will look into that, thanks

It also has a crazy chain effect kinda like you stated... the tenets tell their neighbors as they are out smoking and drinking with each other and so the next day the neighbors go to the office so they can sign another lease just to get the free cleaning. People will come and ask me constantly how much I charge and I say $145 or if you go sign a new lease you can get it done for free.