The multifamily industry has always been about people. It’s more important than ever to focus on how your residents experience their daily lives while residing in your community. Instead of asking, “What amenities should we add?” a more effective question for owners and managers could be “What resident frustrations can we alleviate?”
One strategy can help address a wide range of investor challenges. Reliable, high-speed connectivity removes one of the most common frustrations in modern life. By attracting and retaining residents, investors can boost margins, grow asset value, and plan for a positive ROI.
The challenges multifamily investors face (and why they’re getting harder to solve)
The multifamily sector is attempting to hold steady, but it is at a difficult crossroads. Many markets find that supply dramatically outstrips demand. According to MMCG, the national vacancy rate rose to 8.6%in early 2026, the highest since the post-financial crisis. Driving this is the fact that nearly 1.8 million units have come onto the market since 2023.
The question investors now care about is how to reduce churn with residents and leasing staff. According to the 2025 Zego Resident Experience Management Report, the national average cost of turnover for multifamily communities is at least $4,000 per unit. That adds up, and can cause your property’s NOI to deteriorate and appear less enticing to investors.
Moving to better experiences
Multifamily owners seeking to boost overall financial returns may focus on retaining residents with attention-grabbing amenities. What differentiates a property today is often less visible, but perhaps even more important: ultra-reliable internet, low-latency, and secure Wi-Fi connectivity.
The quality of symmetrical multi-gig internet access is now a top concern for renters who work, learn, and entertain themselves at home. When it works perfectly, no one notices. But when it doesn’t, it drives enormous frustration throughout your multifamily community.
That makes it a powerful but frequently underestimated lever of overall resident satisfaction. According to a survey by NMHC and Grace Hill, 90% wouldn’t rent without high-speed internet, and 54% require having internet service immediately upon moving in. These residents declared in no uncertain terms that high-quality connectivity is essential to signing a lease.
Yet at the same time, the survey found that only 66% of renters were satisfied with the quality of their current internet service.
A different way to think about fiber internet costs: reduce risk, not just cost
For owners who see fiber internet installation as a big capital hurdle, Matthew Stevenson, Connected Communities Senior Account Manager with Quantum Fiber® from AT&T, suggests reframing the decision around one outcome: reduce risk—from capex uncertainty today, to churn and service headaches during lease-up, to friction during a future sale. Depending on the provider and deal structure, you can often minimize upfront costs through a custom installation approach with the right ISP. “You never want to buy a Ferrari with a golf cart engine”, Stevenson jokes.
When upfront expense drops, that preserved budget can go toward other priorities—unit turns, common-area upgrades, or with better internet, smart-amenities that help leasing compete in crowded markets.
Matthew Stevenson, Senior Account Manager, Quantum Fiber
“The property could gain additional revenue by having a premium Wi-Fi amenity,” he says—revenue that can strengthen the story you tell lenders and buyers. Stevenson adds that a fiber overbuilding to an existing apartment community, many with aging copper, can also improve operations by enabling smart-building systems that reduce costs, supporting the NOI equation from both sides.
Increase exit value for investors
Many investors’ portfolio strategies rely on successful exits. That’s why investors love future-proof technologies. Multifamily properties with fiber-to-the-unit infrastructure shows a buyer your community is technologically on the leading edge, can support future services and applications.
“A custom solution and fiber installation may be more affordable than owners think,” says Stevenson. When evaluating an ISP agreement, he recommends confirming it can be transferred if the asset changes hands—so today’s decision doesn’t complicate tomorrow’s sale.
These things bolster a higher perceived quality of a multifamily asset when time to divest and can positively affect valuation. In short, fiber is the advantage that can delight residents and can help give investors a clearer path to higher value.
Check out these related resources:
- The Top 3 Internet Features Modern Multifamily Properties Need for a Premium Internet Amenity
- Why Fiber Can Help Sweeten a Multifamily Property for Transaction
- Multifamily market: The intersection of renter lifestyles and broadband solutions in 2026
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