Featured in Multifamily Dive: Melanie French Shares RR Living’s Strategic Approach to 2027 Budgeting
RR Living CEO Melanie French, CPM, SPHR, was featured in Multifamily Dive's October 12, 2026 report on how apartment operators are rethinking their 2027 budgets. Her message: build budgets on realistic assumptions, and let strong execution create the upside.
The article, written by Keith Loria, gathered perspectives from leaders at Bell Partners, The Bainbridge Cos., CAPREIT, The Michaels Organization and RMK Management Corp. Melanie represented RR Living's approach to marketing spend, expense discipline and revenue planning across our portfolio.
Budgets built for reality
RR Living plans 2027 around revenue we can count on, not rent growth we hope for.
"Our budgets need to be achievable rather than aspirational. We would rather build realistic revenue assumptions and create upside through strong execution than depend on aggressive rent growth to make a budget work." — Melanie French, CEO, RR Living
That philosophy matches the wider market outlook in the article. Operators expect rent performance in 2027 to vary widely by market, leaving little room to count on a broad rebound to cover inefficiencies.
Marketing spend that moves with the market
At RR Living, advertising is not a fixed annual line item. Spend is managed community by community, based on what each property needs right now.
"Rather than treating advertising as a static annual expense, we increasingly manage spend dynamically based on inventory, traffic, conversion and market conditions. When a community needs additional demand, we can accelerate investment and when occupancy and traffic are strong, we can pull back." — Melanie French, CEO, RR Living
The result is marketing dollars that go where they will move the needle, and stay in the budget where they won't.
Every expense earns its place
RR Living applies one test to marketing, automation and legacy expenses alike. Does it improve revenue, retention, efficiency or satisfaction at a particular property?
If the answer is yes, the investment stays. If not, it gets a hard look. That property-level lens keeps spending tied to results our owners and residents can see.
Where the industry is heading
The operators in the article share a common direction for 2027. Most are budgeting property by property instead of relying on national assumptions. Many are challenging line items that have rolled forward year after year, while protecting spend on maintenance and resident retention.
Technology is facing the same test. Leaders across the industry want tools that make onsite teams' jobs easier and prove their value, rather than adding another platform to manage. RR Living's approach fits squarely within that shift toward disciplined, results-driven operations.
What this means for our communities
For owners, it means budgets that hold up and a clear line between every dollar spent and the result it delivers. For residents, it means investment directed to the communities and services where it makes the biggest difference.
Read the full article, How multifamily firms are rethinking 2027 budgets, on Multifamily Dive.
