Technology touches nearly every part of apartment living today, yet renters are rating tech as less important than ever.

According to the SatisFacts Biennial Online Renter Study, the 2025 response to: “How important is it that an apartment community uses new technologies to improve communication, service, and your resident experience?” averaged 3.81 out of 5.00—the lowest rating in ten years. This decline comes despite record adoption of AI, apps, automation, and digital tools across multifamily housing. And this trend is consistent across generations: Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers all rated technology importance within a narrow range.

The problem isn’t age. It’s experience.

The Peak and the Plunge: What Changed?

From 2015 to 2021, importance ratings for apartment technology climbed steadily, peaking at 4.24 during the pandemic. With leasing offices closed and onsite teams stretched thin, renters relied on tech for communication, service requests, and support. Operators responded with rapid innovation—rolling out AI leasing agents, property apps, virtual tours, and automated workflows.

But by 2023, the friction became impossible to ignore. The 2025 score of 3.81 signals more than “tech fatigue.” It highlights a fundamental disconnect: Renters don’t want more technology. They want technology that actually works.

Digital tools that feel impersonal, complicated, or disjointed aren’t value-adds—they’re frustrations. This downward trend isn’t renters rejecting innovation; they’re rejecting poor execution, inconsistent interfaces, and tools that don’t match their expectations.

The message is clear: Technology must enhance the resident experience—not just the operation.

The Myth of the Digital Native

It’s easy to assume low scores come from older renters. But the data tells a different story:

Today’s “digital natives” aren’t impressed by tech for tech’s sake—they expect intuitive, seamless experiences. They know what good technology feels like. When multifamily platforms fall short, they disengage immediately. Being digital-first doesn’t guarantee digital loyalty. User experience still wins.

Why Renters Are Tuning Out: The Top 3 Drivers of Tech Fatigue

1. Tech Overload Without Clarity

Too many platforms. Too many apps. Too many logins.
Renters feel like they’re managing software instead of living in a community. Onsite teams feel the same strain—fragmented systems drain time and create duplication.

2. Tools That Don’t Deliver on Expectations

AI leasing tools and CRM automations should feel like a concierge—not a gatekeeper.
When chatbots ask for personal information too early or can’t answer meaningful questions, renters feel blocked instead of supported.

3. Tech That Solves Operations, Not Resident Experience

Multifamily software often focuses on internal efficiency—but renters care about speed, empathy, clarity, and ease. If tech doesn’t improve those things, it becomes noise.

The Call to Action: Rethink, Refocus, Repartner

Rethink the Role of Technology

Tech should support onsite teams—not overwhelm them.
Consolidate platforms. Prioritize intuitive design. Ensure digital interactions feel personal and effortless.

Refocus on Customer Outcomes

The best tech elevates the resident experience and empowers teams.
When platforms streamline communication, automate the right steps, and surface actionable data, operators respond faster and smarter. Leadership gains visibility into performance, productivity, and service gaps. Resident satisfaction starts with operational insight.

Repartner with Purpose

There’s a difference between buying software and choosing a partner.
A product delivers features.
A partner delivers strategy, flexibility, and foresight—helping you reimagine workflows, not just digitize them.

In a market where expectations are rising and team capacity is stretched, the right partner becomes a competitive advantage.

The Spherexx Standard: Tech Without Tradeoffs

The most effective technology doesn’t force a choice between resident experience and operational efficiency—it delivers both. That’s the foundation Spherexx has built for 25 years: multifamily solutions that help operators move faster, work smarter, and deliver the intuitive, personalized service renters expect.

From AI-driven CRM automation to high-performance, conversion-ready websites, Spherexx unites every digital touchpoint into one powerful platform built for today’s multifamily leaders while making technology feel effortless for renters.

The result:
A better experience for renters.
A stronger operation for teams.
And a competitive edge for owners and operators in an increasingly digital marketplace.