Moving is already a full-contact sport: packing, unpacking, movers showing up late, and a seemingly endless flow of minor frustrations—which box has the coffee maker, again?
The last thing most residents want on move-in day is to spend hours comparing internet providers, scheduling an install window, and hoping the technician shows up before their first Zoom call or movie night.
That’s why Crest at Stones Branch, a newer apartment community in Hermitage, built connectivity into the move-in experience from day one.
Shelby Lambrite, an area vice president at Regent Homes, oversees Crest at Stones Branch and several other apartment communities in the region.
For her, resident experience comes down to removing friction—especially in the first 24 hours after a move.
Fiber that’s ready when residents are ready
Instead of asking residents to figure out their internet setup after move-in, Crest at Stones Branch partnered with United Communications to make internet access simple and seamless.
According to Lambrite, the property’s ownership team helped launch the partnership and coordinated installation so United service is available across the community.
“United installed their boxes in all of our apartments,” Lambrite explained. “That way, when residents come in, they’re automatically set up and ready go.”
In practical terms, residents don’t have to research providers, confirm coverage, or juggle pricing options and installation appointments. “They don’t have to worry about finding an internet provider,” Lambrite said. “When they do move in, it’s ready to go for them.”
A modern amenity that helps lease units faster
In today’s rental market, offering granite countertops is a major plus—but reliable, ready-to-go internet has its own category of importance.
Lambrite says the United partnership is a tangible, explainable benefit to introduce during tours. “We definitely use it as an amenity for our property,” she said. “It’s one of the talking points when we’re showing them the apartment.”
The team even walks prospects through what to expect. “We always go in and show them the Wi-Fi boxes… and let them know the process of starting that up,” Lambrite added.
Positive feedback from the community
When it comes to their Wi-Fi, residents typically only speak up when something isn’t working. Crest at Stones Branch has seen the opposite.
“It’s all been really positive feedback,” Lambrite shared, pointing again to the simplicity of move-in connectivity.
And when residents do need support, United’s availability stands out. Residents have said United Communications is “very responsive and helpful,” and the property team has seen “really great responses from reps” when they’ve needed to reach out.
Lambrite put it perfectly: after setup, “you’re probably not hearing from the residents unless something is going wrong,” and Crest at Stones Branch has had “a pretty good experience so far.”
Local partnership, faster support
For property teams, time matters. When something needs attention—especially in a leasing office—waiting on hold isn’t a strategy.
Working with a local company helps, Lambrite said. “It’s easier… because we have their contacts and their direct lines versus having to wait on hold for a while with another company.”
She added that it’s “definitely a quicker response working with someone that’s local and that can come out quickly.”
United also supports the leasing office’s day-to-day operations, powering essentials like emails and phone access.
Advice for other communities considering United Communications
Lambrite’s recommendation to other property leaders is straightforward: “Do it. It’s been a great experience.”
For her, the “most important factor” is ensuring residents “have a good connection,” while also “making things as easy as possible for them.”
Ready to learn more about how United Communications supports multifamily communities with fiber internet solutions? Explore United’s Communities offerings and see what move-in-ready connectivity can look like for your residents.