Property of the Year Awards

Each year the Austin Apartment Association recognizes outstanding individuals and properties who achieved excellence and are leaders in their field. The Property of the Year winners will be announced at the 2024 APEX Awards, on December 6, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

View 2023 Property of the Year Winners

Properties Are Evaluated On These Categories

• Staff and staff designations
• Physical/visual inspection
• Blind shop of the property
• Online Reputation Assessment (ORA) Score

Judges for the staff and physical inspection categories are all members of the Austin Apartment Association. The blind shops are performed by an independent entity, and the ORA scores are provided by an independent research entity. Any property to be considered for an award must first be nominated during the annual call for nominations.  Nominations for 2024 are open from April 26 - June 9, 2024. 

$175 fee per submission.

No fee for the Community of the Year--Resident Experience (CARE Award) or the Rise Above Award.

Award Categories

Community of the Year--Built between 2017-2022

Any property built between 2017 and 2022 with 300+ units.

Any property built between 2017 and 2022 with 50-299+ units.

Community of the Year--Built between 2010-2016

Any property built between 2017 and 2022 with 300+ units.

Any property built between 2017 and 2022 with 50-299+ units.

Community of the Year--Built between 2000-2009

Any property built between 2017 and 2022 with 300+ units.

Any property built between 2017 and 2022 with 50-299+ units.

Community of the Year--Built between 1990-1999

Any property built between 2017 and 2022 with 300+ units.

Any property built between 2017 and 2022 with 50-299+ units.

Community of the Year--Built prior to 1999

Any property built between 2017 and 2022 with 300+ units.

Any property built between 2017 and 2022 with 50-299+ units.

Community of the Year--High-Rise

Any property that has 300+ units, 9+ residential floors, has interior corridors, elevators, and a parking garage.

Any property that has 50-299 units, 9+ residential floors, has interior corridors, elevators, and a parking garage.

Community of the Year--Mid-Rise

Any property that has 300+ units, 4-8 residential floors, has interior corridors, elevators, and a parking garage.

Any property that has 50-299 units, 4-8 residential floors, has interior corridors, elevators, and a parking garage.

Community of the Year--Lease Up

Affordable and mid/high-rise are not included in this category. Any property that is less than 12 months old, either at the time of nomination or within one year of 1st move-in at the time of nomination.

Community of the Year--Affordable Housing

Any affordable housing property. Must have income and rent restrictions on greater than 50% of the total number of units (e.g. HTC, AHDP, Bond, HOME, Housing Trust Fund, and COA Smart Housing)

Community of the Year--Student Housing

More than 50% of the units are student-occupied.

Community of the Year--50 Units and Under

A community must have 50 units and under.

Community of the Year--Renovation

Any property with renovations having started within the last three calendar years with at least 50% completed. The property must meet both interior and amenity renovations as identified.

Community of the Year--Active Adult/55+

Any property where 85% of the residents are a minimum age of 55+

Community of the Year--Resident Experience (CARE Award)

The CARE Award recognizes a community that has excelled at keeping its residents satisfied and engaged.  How have you worked on resident retention?  Maybe you held a DJ'd pool party, hosted an ice cream truck visit or resident happy hour.  Submit the fun and creative things you have done!

Rise Above Award

The Rise Above Award is open to owner/management AND supplier members.  This award recognizes a company that has given back to the community.  Have you and your employees banded together to distribute PPE, have you provided mental health support, collected food for food pantries, or contributed to rental assistance programs?  Tell us how you have contributed to the well-being of our community.