With 800 communities comprising 201,472 units under management, Willow Bridge Property Co. is carrying its strong 2023 pace into 2024. In just the fourth quarter of last year, the property management firm added 15,000 units and has plans to continue prioritizing growth, market expansion, and innovation.
Property management president Scott Wilder says, “In 2023, we were acquired by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, creating an opportunity to invest in our business in new ways. Our focus is on implementing our comprehensive five-year strategic plan, geared toward expansion into new markets, creating a distinctly Willow Bridge resident experience and leveraging our scale and best practices to lead the way in best-in-class property management.”
Readily expecting expansion, Willow Bridge is keeping an eye on this year’s uncertainties. “Things like fluctuating interest rates, the unpredictability of an election year, and navigating changing regulations, especially regarding fees, are on our radar,” he says. “The industry is also experiencing a dip in transaction volume. The big question mark of what the Federal Reserve might do, along with concerns about inflation, adds to the mix.”
Willow Bridge is leaning into artificial intelligence (AI) as the technology continues to help streamline operations for residents and employees. “We are continually learning more about how we can utilize AI for things like predictive maintenance, answering resident requests, tackling fraud issues, or even as a human resources chat service for our nearly 5,000-employee base to receive instant answers about benefits or policy questions,” says Wilder.
Wilder finds that the best solutions are those that prioritize residents. In a post-pandemic world, he says the firm has shifted to embrace more technology like self-guided or virtual tours as well as more leasing happening completely online. Assets have also adapted to accommodate many residents’ new work-from-home or hybrid schedules that the pandemic produced.
“Amenity spaces are catering to remote work, with work pods and lounges, and we’re designating intentional space in-unit for residents to put their own desks,” he says. “Because residents are physically at the community more than ever, we’re seeing higher package volume and evolving expectations for customer service and resident experience.”
As a third-party management company, Willow Bridge strives to offer a variety of vendor and community management solutions that collaborate with companies and technologies that genuinely address resident needs. Because Willow Bridge manages a 200,000-plus unit portfolio across 75 markets, Wilder says, “Recognizing the unique characteristics of each community—such as asset type, location, resident lifestyle, and business requirements—we understand that a tailored approach is essential.”
The firm, founded in 1965 by Mack Pogue, is formerly known as Lincoln Property Co. Headquartered in Dallas, Willow Bridge is considered one of the largest full-service residential property companies in the United States with integrated capabilities in development, investments, and property management. The firm has built over 200,000 apartments nationwide. It ranks No. 4 on the National Multifamily Housing Council's 2024 Top Managers list and No. 18 on the Top Developers list.
