Homebody RXP in Action: Key Insights from Industry Leaders

Multifamily is a multifaceted, complex industry. But when you think about it, success in the sector comes down to a fairly simple dynamic: operators have to provide the living experience that renters are seeking.

In the Homebody RXP in Action: Key Insights from Industry Leaders session at the 2025 Entrata Summit, panelists detailed the immense importance of technology to the modern renter. 

“The resident’s expectation for convenience and service is becoming more and more prevalent,” said Lisa Newton, Principal of Newton Consulting Services. “They want everything on demand. They want it frictionless. They want their living experience to be as easy as Uber or Door Dash or Amazon. Properties that don’t have tech-enabled systems right from the beginning are losing residents, losing prospects.”

Ginger Mathews, Business Systems Manager at Yugo, a student housing operator, echoed similar sentiments. “Our renters want everything to be like Amazon,” she said. “They want access to it at two in the morning and to have a response at two in the morning.”

According to Entrata research detailed during the session, 63% of Gen Z renters prioritize a technology-first experience, including digital leasing and app-based communication, when choosing where to live. Additionally, 40% ranked “text and AI communication” as their top desired change in their rental experience, while 25% prioritized “improved technology."

Today’s students aren’t hesitant to engage with AI agents and appreciate the convenience that they provide, the panelists said. “Many of us remember the early days of the AI bot, where you were like, ‘Just get me a human,’” Mathews said. “The development of AI has accelerated so much that our residents are completely comfortable talking to AI.”

Chase Harrington, President of Entrata, noted that the need for a technology-rich living isn’t limited to younger residents. “Outside of Gen Z, this expectation has gone up exponentially,” he said.

The panelists noted that Entrata’s Homebody RXP—an app that allows residents to manage everything from lease signing, move-in/move-out checklists, rent payments, maintenance requests and amenity booking, to communicating with property staff, managing vehicles and documents and participating in community events—is one way that operators can offer renters a tech-powered, seamless living experience. 

“Homebody was so easy to roll out to our teams,” Mathews said. “It was really seamless and with so much benefit.”

While operators need to embrace resident-facing technology, they can’t forget about the importance of the human touch, the panelists said.

“Where you put the human in the loop is what’s going to be your differentiator,” Harrington said. “While there’s a focus on implementation and adoption of AI, there also needs to be a conversation about how do we change the experience with the human in the loop? When do your associates and residents interact? Where do they interact? When those interactions are meaningful and purposeful, that becomes a super-heightened experience for me as a consumer onsite, and that’s a real differentiator.”

Newton also emphasized the importance of human associates in the current environment. “AI is for efficiency, but the human side of it is still needed for the empathy and compassion that residents need,” she said. “Associates’ roles are going to shift. They’re not going to go away, but they’re going to shift. It’s less about reporting, less about the computer work and what you’re doing behind there. And it’s more about creating events and everything that has to do with the human connection that the residents still do want.”