Across from Duke University, Trinity Commons and Lofts at Lakeview in Raleigh-Durham had all the ingredients for success. But after two tough summers at Trinity and a rocky first at Lofts, it was clear something had to change. Both teams struggled with short-term thinking, the wrong resident profile and reactive decisions that held both properties back.
This year, the reset came.
“We’ve struggled at both properties since we’ve owned them,” said partner and senior vice president Kristen Rutledge. “This year, we decided we’re going to do this the right way.”
Kristen started overseeing the market in January, showing up every week and building a long-term plan with partner and senior director Erica McLoughlin. Their focus: the right people, the right strategy and daily execution.
The Right People
Top-performing senior sales associate Nick Friedrichs moved from Bradford to Lofts in February. By the end of March, he had 32 transactions, ranking fourth company-wide on our Top Sales Associates list. In April, he moved into the top three, with 34 transactions.
“I love being at the top,” Nick said. “It’s just my competitive nature. I always want to win.”
Across the street at Trinity, sales associate Becca Pressburg had talent but needed more development. With one-on-one coaching from Kristen and a spot in the All-Star sales class, she leveled up fast. She closed 53 transactions between March and April, earning a top 10 spot on the Top Sales Associate list.
“Kristen and Erica are amazing,” Becca said. “It’s been the greatest turnaround in management for me in my time at The Connor Group.”
The Right Residents
Before this year, the focus was on filling units fast, even if it meant leasing to Duke students in short-term programs, who were unlikely to renew. It wasn’t working, and it wasn’t sustainable. So, at the start of this year, Kristen and Erica worked together to redefine the ideal resident. They settled on med school students, law school students and engineers.
“We know we’re going to have students, and we can’t change that,” Erica said. “So, we had to go after people who are here longer than one year.”
Becca didn’t just adjust her pitch, she became a Duke expert. She worked side-by-side with Kristen to understand Duke’s programs and their nationwide rankings. She knows every bus stop and how long it takes to get to each part of campus.
“I learned the importance of coming in with knowledge and authority,” Becca said. “Parents say, ‘Wow, she really knows what she’s talking about,’ and it builds that rapport and trust.”
This level of trust and ownership is also growing at Lofts. The property’s customer service scores jumped from a 3.6 to a 4.59 in 90 days. Lead tech Josias Ortuno and general manager Lucy Acosta are key drivers of that success.
“Between Josias delivering service and Lucy following up, they’ve made a real difference,” Erica said.
Daily Execution & Success
Instead of being overwhelmed by big numbers, the teams at Trinity and Lofts stay laser-focused on daily execution.
“Two a day,” Erica said. “Two transactions a day will take us to the promised land.”
Through every transaction, the properties are getting closer to their goal of 95% occupancy by September, something we’ve never achieved at either property.
“They’re doing a really good job,” Kristen said. “They’re very focused. If you call Erica, Becca, Nick or Lucy, they can tell you exactly how many more approved rentals they need. They’ve even counted down how many working days there are. So, we’re that focused.”
Other changes added even more momentum. Trinity’s leasing office got a facelift with fresh paint and modern furniture to appeal to students. For the first time, Trinity offers virtual tours thanks to new, portable Wi-Fi. Both properties also sent resident referrals for the first time.
Sales associates also meet potential residents where they are using apps like Google Meet, WhatsApp App and WeChat.
“It’s more personable now,” Becca said. “I might be on the phone with someone’s dad for 20 minutes if he couldn’t join his daughter on a tour. Or I’m messaging a potential resident at 9 p.m. because of a time difference. You have to be relentless.”
Both properties also embraced new marketing tactics, leaning into TikTok, SEO and Sunday tours. Trinity opened seven days a week. Lofts followed with flexible Sunday appointments. They made themselves available when out-of-town students were most likely to visit.
Right now, both properties are exceeding customer service standards, and every book is to standard, something that wasn’t true last summer. Their hard work is paying off. For the first time, both Trinity and Lofts are on track to be in position for sale by the end of this summer, just as the next round of Duke students moves in.
“In my seven years, North Carolina has always been the forgotten market,” Nick said. “Now, Kristen’s putting us on the map. Everyone’s getting recognition from maintenance to grounds to management. This isn’t overnight. It’s something we’re really focusing on. We want to put North Carolina first out of all the markets.”
That’s exactly what’s happening: focused leadership, aligned teams and a long-term mindset. What’s unfolding at Trinity and Lofts isn’t just a turnaround, it’s a model for what’s possible when we have the right people, execute the right plan and stay committed every day.