Satin Touch News

John Zuber has had an eye for design since he can remember.
“In middle school my drafting teacher told me I’d become a draftsman,” Zuber said. “At the time I didn’t know how right he was, but I knew I loved design.”
That love of design propelled him into a career of 25 plus years providing clients with reinvented and rejuvenated rooms. He’s worked in-house for such firms as SawHorse, Remodeling Dimensions, and as an independent consultant for many other Design and Build firms throughout the Twin Cities.
He’s pleased to lend his mind for design to satintouch to update apartment communities through designs or Change Outs.
“Every property from time to time is in need of an update,” Zuber said. “A Change Out not only helps attract new tenants and create a new feeling for the space, but it can increase your bottom line.”
A Change Out can be as simple as making selections for new paint colors to completely gutting and installing new items in a space — it all depends on your goals.
“The sky is the limit when it comes to design, but not everyone has the budget to realize every detail of their dream space.” Zuber said. “Through a cost-benefit analysis of every piece of your design job, we ensure that you achieve your vision, but don’t break your budget.”
Some items get used a lot, some spaces aren’t seen often, and some items almost never used. Through an analysis, we can identify where your dollars are best spent, and where you should save them.
“The design process can get overwhelming. Every inch of your space can be redesigned or updated, and the options are endless.” Zubewr said. “We streamline the process by showing you the best recommendations for your updates, which saves you time and money.”
Zuber looks forward to working with you on your next design project.

“I like working with clients,” Zuber said. “Designing interesting and uplifting spaces helps increase the quality of an owner and tenants day-to-day. It why I do what I do.”  

We love design so much, we redesigned our new offices in Minneapolis.
As a company that provides design & rehab services, we wouldn’t be very good if we didn’t redesign our new offices in Minneapolis.
To give our industrial space some style, we gutted this concrete facility then designed it to fit our brand.
To mirror who our company is, we actively chose to keep and add industrial looking elements to the space, but accent them with elements of high design and luxury. A perfect visual metaphor for what we do, immediately communicated to our clients upon entering the space.
With heavy warehouse doors on top of hard concrete floors, each office visually communicates the industrial backbone of what we do. Inside our offices, however, the bright blue supports the feeling of tranquility, our brand, and high luxury and design with a touch of home.
The modern white office furniture shows that we are forward thinking in our work. As white not only shows clarity and modernity, but it visually displays the cleanliness we keep in our own space, as white is not a forgiving color when it comes to stains.
In our owner’s office, the industrial feel meets the comfort of home with a modern touch. A regal wooden desk sits in front of a modern fireplace, one that is often found in apartment complexes, and a mantle to give the warm feeling of being home – something satintouch helps create for all of our clients.
 
 

No matter the property, it’s always a good investment to rehab.
To rehab or not to rehab? That is the question. But, to those who have rehabbed, the answer is clear:  rehab, rehab, and rehab!
But Why Should I Rehab?
Every building ages with time, and so does the hardware. And, with any amount of time, the look and feel of the apartment based on fixtures, hardware, and colors go out-of-date. A discerning client may look at your space and think: Wow, this place was built in the 70s, wasn’t it?
Rehabbing provides your space much needed updates that catch the eye of potential tenants, not only expanding your demographics, but allowing your property to increase the rental rates for this new clientele.
Anything you can do to help create a condo look and feel in a property will help increase the rental asking price and attract a new demographic.
A New Rehab Targets New Demographics
To get a new demographic, you’ll need to present potential clients with something new. Whether your building was built in 1970 or 1901, a rehab provides the essential new look that will help sell a property.  And, with new and more luxurious or modern facilities, you can attract a new demographic – young professionals who look for central city locations and luxury. This highly responsible demographic is willing to pay more per unit, respect facility rules, and pay up their accounts on time. Truly, they’re a property manager’s dream tenant.
A Return on Investment
There are many variables that impact rent and asking prices for rent, including: the age of the building, where it’s located, its tenant profile, and the surrounding competition.
If your properties don’t have good curb appeal, people will just drive by and keep looking for a property that more aligns with their vision of home.
Many owners report that replacing carpeting with vinyl, tile, or wood flooring promises the greatest return on their investment. Additionally, these are great flooring choices, as they are durable and easier to maintain.
Moreover, the best rooms to reinvent are the kitchen and the bathrooms. Realtor.com estimates an 85 percent ROI on kitchen and bath remodels. From new cabinets to fixtures, faucets, and surfaces, these two rooms garner a lot of attention from tenants.
And with new space targeting a new demographic, rental rates will increase putting money back in your pocket. On average, after a unit is rehabbed, a property can increase rental rates from 10 to 30 percent.

With so many places to rehab in your apartment complex, where should you even begin?
First, start with your audience in mind and ask yourself a few questions. What do they want? What types of places are they currently living? Do some research and see what types of things are drawing them to that place (besides location) that are within your control.
And, make sure to look specifically at these parts of their chosen dwellings:
Interior and Exterior Paint
Types of colors, accented walls, designs, etc. Are they bright and bold or unobtrusive and utilitarian?
Flooring
Are the spaces consistently one type of flooring? What type of floor is it? Carpet, hardwood, vinyl or a mix?
Kitchen & Bath
Kitchens and bath remodels truly bring in a strong ROI when rehabbed. Pay attention to the cabinets and surfaces and fixtures in both the bathroom and kitchen.
Windows & Doors
Windows do provide cost savings in terms of heat, but many consumers are simply looking for the design and ease of function. Doors are very inexpensive in comparison and help with heat, and help accent the space. Review the styles of both as part of the overall look and feel of the space.
Fixtures
What’s the state of the fixtures? What style are they? Color schemes? They’re often the easiest and cheapest to replace, and fixtures are found every room in a property.
And if you haven’t already, take stock of your fixtures: door handles that stick, toilets that constantly run, lighting older than 1990, cabinet hardware that has lost its finish, mini-blinds with missing slats, and faucets or tubs that drip.
These inexpensive fixes will help update the property, appeal to potential tenants, and reduce after-the-fact maintenance.
If you’re still confused as to what to look for, satintouch will consult with you about your space and how to redesign and rehab in order to help you get a sold return on investment.

Working with us isn’t just contracting a job, but becoming part of a community.
At satintouch, we work with people around the state to help reinvent rooms. Apartment complexes, commercial space, and residences.
Through our work, we make strong relationships with our clients. And from time to time, we like to surprise our clients and give back.
Zac is a property manager who has done lots of business with satintouch, and when his mother moved into a new home, his first phone call for a paint job was Chad.
“Chad and I have worked together for years.” Zac said. “I knew from experience that satintouch is the company that I trust not only with my apartment community, but with my mother’s new house.”
Tools in hand, satintouch responded and was onsite at the new home in Maple Grove. Zac’s mother Dawn was delighted to have painters on site to help make their new house a home.
“The Detailers from satintouch arrived on time, they were courteous, polite.” Dawn said. “They cleaned up and very respectful of the space wherever they were working. I’m simply amazed at how quickly they did the job.”
It was a very vanilla space, but with the right accents, became something more grand. Through diligent and detail oriented work, the job was done in a matter of hours with a professional shine that is appreciated daily.
“I still look at it today and think, ‘This is amazing! This is beautiful!’” Dawn said. “It makes the house pop. It makes the house look distinguished.”
But the truly amazing part was saved for last.
After completing the job, cleaning up, and leaving the house, Dawn fully expected to be billed. She asked to be invoiced for the job, but she didn’t expect what would happen next.
She received no bill. Even after requesting an invoice, none came. The job was free of charge. satintouch would not bill nor accept payment for their work.
“We’re about building community. Whenever we can give back, we give back.” Founder Chad Lange said. “We’ve worked together for years. This give back helps us build stronger relationships and community.”
And from today onward, Dawn and Zac admire the work and thank satintouch for them.
“We can’t thank them enough. Extremely appreciated and grateful.” Dawn said. “All these good things keep happening, and this surprise was the icing on the cake.”

Not everyone takes every item they store, and not addressing the issue could cost you.
Spring is the season of high turnovers. And while some tenants are great at removing their footprint on the property, others tend to leave items in a most inconvenient space – the storage room.And, the inconvenience adds up quickly. Very quickly.
Having a clogged storage and locker space costs you money. Getting staff to clean the space may be an option, but given the rest of their duties, may lead to even more delay in freeing up that space. It would be worth your dollar to invest in a professional service to spring clean your entire locker and storage space with precision and speed.
Most locker and storage rooms are between $20-$50 a month to rent, and with space being taken by leftover items, that can cost your property upwards of $300 per year for each storage unit or garage — that’s $1,000s of dollars per year GONE
Hiring satintouch to clean and trash out the locker and storage space ensures that the job is done quickly and professionally, so that you can go back to earning money on that space instead of losing it.
And, by hiring satintouch to trash out your space, beyond benefitting your bottom line, you also help the needy in your area. We donate gently used items found during trash outs to people in need in our communities.

Spring is here! And with it, lots and lots of turnovers, and leftover junk from tenants.
It’s time to roll up our sleeves and get up to our elbows in lockers and apartment turnovers!
Find out what what’s new with us by reading the satintouch Quarterly Spring 2016!
Click here to read