5 Takeaways for Property Managers from Apartmentalize 2025

Apartmentalize 2025 brought together thousands of property management professionals, vendors, and tech innovators—and the conversations made one thing clear: access control is becoming a top priority for the modern property manager. 

Here are five key takeaways we walked away with after connecting with hundreds of attendees:

1. Vendor Access Remains a Daily Headache

Whether it’s maintenance, cleaning crews, or third-party vendors, coordinating access to unoccupied units continues to be a logistical nightmare for property managers. Physical key exchanges create bottlenecks, security risks, and extra work for already stretched teams. 

The good news? This is a solvable problem—with smart access solutions that eliminate the need for in-person key handoffs entirely.

2. Self-Touring is Picking Up Speed

More properties are exploring self-guided tours to meet the demands of today’s renters—especially those who value convenience and flexibility. At the show, we heard growing interest in tech that supports this model without compromising security. 

Lockboxes that enable secure, temporary access (without requiring someone onsite) are becoming an essential part of that toolkit.

3. Lockbox Quality Really Matters

We heard it loud and clear: not all lockboxes are created equal. Some competitors’ products have a reputation for being flimsy, easy to tamper with, or outright break into—which defeats the entire point of secure access control. 

That’s why quality and security are non-negotiable in our approach. Keynetics smart lockboxes are engineered for durability, with a proven track record in real estate access through our parent company, SentriLock.

4. Smart Locks Are on the Rise—Especially with Younger Renters

Student housing and younger tenants are driving demand for smart locks on unit doors. They want keyless access, mobile control, and digital convenience—and multifamily communities are starting to take notice. 

While adoption is still uneven across markets, it’s clear that smart access is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s quickly becoming expected.

5. Simplicity Wins: No IT Setup, No Hassles

If there’s one thing property managers want, it’s ease. We heard strong pushback against access control solutions that require hubs, routers, wiring, or complex installation. 

That’s where Keynetics stands out. Our smart lockboxes are completely offline, require no IT infrastructure, and can be deployed quickly—so you can spend less time managing tech, and more time managing your properties. 

Final Thoughts 

Apartmentalize 2025 was a powerful reminder that property managers are ready for modern, efficient, and secure solutions that actually solve the problems they deal with every day. 

If you're looking to simplify vendor access, enable self-tours, or just make your property operations a little smoother—we’d love to help. Get in touch with Logan Stewart, our resident smart access expert, today!