Thomas Wynne Apartments happens to be a rare point where luxury blends with convenience. Situated in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania they prove to be the best choice for upscale living. Their thoughtfully designed apartments provide the complete blend of style, functionality and recreation. Thomas Wynne Apartments offer a tranquil separation from the hustle of the city and yet is located right in proximity to all the necessary services. Innovative lifestyle combined with a friendly neighborhood offered by Thomas Wynne Apartments thus proves to be the best choice for residents to experience an unparalleled living experience.

The Founding Story of Thomas Wynne Apartments

In 1952, Jack Merriam, the step-grandfather of current President Cathy Lockyer Moulton, constructed Thomas Wynne Apartments with the vision that each bedroom be one square foot larger than the original work up. While Jack was responsible for overseeing construction, it was Cathy’s grandmother, Betty Lockyer, who gave the first hard hat tours to lease the building. After Jack Merriam’s passing in 1994, Cathy Lockyer Moulton was enrolled to work at the US Embassy in Moscow, her dream since she was a child, but she turned down the job opportunity to work part-time for her father and grandmother at Thomas Wynne. Starting as her father’s secretary, Cathy freely admits that it is hard to imagine, two years ago, she crafted a plan to begin buying out her father’s and brother’s shares from the business left by Jack Merriam and Betty Lockyer. Their lengthy negotiations came to a mutual agreement in 2022, Cathy Lockyer Moulton is the majority shareholder and proudly serves as the President of Thomas Wynne, LP.

Fostering a Culture of Customer Service and Community

Thomas Wynne’s company culture is what sets it apart from similar property providers. The team has made intentional efforts to focus on customer service and resident retention by building genuine relationships with residents, vendors, and the local neighborhood. With friendly neighbors, resident clubs, and events like potluck suppers in the lobby and children playing in the courtyard, this approach has created a strong sense of community,

This mission began before Cathy became President, and having been trained as a diplomat ready to serve in Moscow, she asked her team to identify what they do best. While her team of maintenance, leasing and custodial staff listed clear pricing, great repair-ticket response times, and package delivery, the two key areas they agreed on were Easy Living and Friendly Service. These values have become the hallmark of Thomas Wynne’s approach; guiding their decision-making to ensure that life is easier for residents and the team.

Cathy emphasizes that treating residents like family is essential to Thomas Wynne’s approach and success. This means listening to their residents’ needs and finding solutions that work, even if it means deviating from the terms of the lease. To address this, Thomas Wynne Apartments has instituted a lease break policy that eases the burden on residents when life throws them a curveball. This approach has generated tremendous loyalty from residents and has even improved the company’s net operating income.

Moreover, Cathy notes that this approach has a profound impact on the team’s morale. Knowing that they have made a positive difference in someone’s life gives the team a sense of fulfillment and allows them to go to sleep easily, confident that they have done their best for others.

The Picturesque Setting of Thomas Wynne Apartments

Thomas Wynne Apartments is set on ten beautifully wooded acres right outside of Philadelphia. The property features a small pond where ducks are often seen and a shady courtyard in the back of the property. They have even built raised garden beds for the residents that enjoy gardening. Next door, there is another apartment community and some heavily wooded land that is dedicated open space. Residents can enjoy wonderful paths that stretch from the property to the adjacent open space.

In addition to its natural beauty, the location is convenient, with a train station in one corner that can whisk residents into Center City Philadelphia in just 15 minutes. Across the street from the playground and ballpark, residents especially love that there are restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and grocery shops within a block of the community. This unique blend of natural surroundings, modern convenience, and small-town charm creates a desirable living environment that feels like Main Street USA.

The Heart of the Community: Friendly and Responsible Staff

Cathy Lockyer Moulton, President of Thomas Wynne Apartments, emphasizes that her team is everything! They are the family she chooses, and they all genuinely care about helping residents and one another. Most of them stay until they retire, and some of the team members who retired continue to work part-time. It makes her so proud that residents are consistently happy to write positive reviews about how great the team is. The running joke among residents that they share when someone moves in is, “If you call for maintenance, you had better be dressed because someone will be at your door in five minutes.” It’s said in jest, and yet, it happens to be very true.

If the team didn’t care so much, residents wouldn’t stay as long as they do. The industry standard for apartment-leasing turnover is 50%, meaning that half of residents are expected to move out each year. Her colleagues and competitors’ goal is to reduce turnover to 40%. However, Thomas Wynne’s turnover holds steady year over year at 25-26%. That’s unheard of in the industry. The bank has even encouraged Cathy to shake things up and increase turnover, thinking they would make more money. However, she disagrees with this approach. More importantly, it does not fit her business philosophy. Residents want to know they are secure in their home. The pressure of high rent increases is paralyzing for some. Cathy likes to keep rent increases more manageable, for as long as she is able, so that residents feel safe knowing they’re not going to be forced out for economic reasons.

Reducing Waste & Promoting Sustainability

Thomas Wynne Apartments has implemented various environmental initiatives to reduce waste and promote sustainability. The community is proud of its expanded recycling program, which includes on-site collection for battery, wrapper, and bottle cap recycling bins. The program has been successful, with a significant amount of batteries, wrappers, and caps collected from the 218 apartments. These items are boxed up and shipped at the community’s expense to a facility that handles their recycling.

The community’s Property Manager took initiative when learning that plastic bottle caps are not recyclable, finding a local facility that turns them into plastic lumber. So far, approximately 1500 pounds of plastic caps have been transformed into park benches, picnic tables, and bike racks, enhancing the outdoor living spaces while keeping waste out of landfills. Residents see the benefit of their environmental efforts and continue to actively participate in these programs.

In a recent effort to reduce waste, Thomas Wynne Apartments replaced the carpet throughout the building with a new one made entirely from recycled materials. The manufacturer guarantees that the carpet will be recycled when it’s time to replace it again. By being intentional about reducing waste, the community is making a positive impact on the environment.

Overcoming Challenges in a Changing Market

Cathy Lockyer Moulton, President of Thomas Wynne Apartments, notes that the local market has experienced significant growth, with the number of apartment communities doubling in recent years. This surge in new construction has presented challenges for her 75-year-old building, making it difficult to compete with newer properties.

To address this challenge, Cathy engaged her entire team in discussions about what makes Thomas Wynne Apartments special and unique. She also sought feedback from residents, who appreciate the building’s solid construction. Unlike newer buildings made from less expensive materials, Thomas Wynne Apartments’ soundproofing ensures that residents can enjoy their privacy.

The building’s larger floor plans and more affordable rent are also major advantages. While newer properties may offer more amenities, Thomas Wynne Apartments’ spacious rooms and quiet environment make it an attractive option for residents seeking value. By combining these benefits with exceptional service, Cathy feels confident that Thomas Wynne Apartments has a unique selling proposition that sets it apart from the competition.

New Ventures & Exciting Initiatives

Cathy Lockyer Moulton is excited about the future of the company and its team. Having successfully created a cohesive and caring community that also generates a profit, she plans to launch a new venture: CLM Property Management Coaching. This coaching business aims to help other property management companies improve their culture, resident retention, and bottom line.

The entire team at Thomas Wynne Apartments is passionate about changing the culture of multifamily housing for the better. They believe that their approach, which focuses on building strong relationships and prioritizing resident satisfaction, can have a positive impact on the industry as a whole. By sharing their expertise and experience with other companies, they hope to create a ripple effect that benefits residents, employees, and the bottom line.

Thomas Wynne Apartments is already working with its first client, and Cathy Lockyer Moulton looks forward to collaborating with other property management companies to help them improve their operations and achieve greater success.

Balancing Luxury and Convenience

For several years, Thomas Wynne Apartments’ President, Cathy Lockyer Moulton, has managed their spending carefully to avoid overcharging their residents with high renewal rates, striking a balance between luxury and affordability. When their residents ask for more amenities, they gently remind them that they are careful to balance the items on their wish list with the impact on the rent.

When it comes to motivating the team, Cathy has learned that transparency, communication, and rewards/recognition are the key factors. The Leadership Team strives for transparency with the entire team about what drives the numbers for the organization so they understand how their role impacts the business. It’s been rewarding to see that the team genuinely cares about making a difference in the organization.

For them, it all boils down to “heads in beds,” meaning that when their bedrooms are filled up with residents living in them, they will achieve their goals. The Leadership Team meets weekly to discuss their short and long-term goals, and they now have a retreat at the beginning of the year to plan their strategic goals together. The members of the Leadership Team volunteer to head projects, and they check in weekly to see how they’re doing. It’s their responsibility to work with the rest of the Team on a daily basis to ensure that they’re accomplishing the tactics needed to reach the strategic goals.

About every quarter, the entire Team has a meeting or lunch to celebrate wins and share a status report about what’s working. At the end of the year, Cathy Lockyer Moulton gives a performance bonus to the entire team; an amount based on meeting financial goals and goals related to Resident surveys that are posted online. She’s been so impressed by how seriously the Team plays a role in meeting their goals. It helps that they feel a great sense of control around their Resident surveys, especially when there are forces outside of their control, such as a pandemic or other economic pressures that may influence the financial metrics.

Cathy Lockyer Moulton has been in property management for 26 years now, but it’s only been in the last five years that she’s felt everyone on the Team was invested in the success of the business. They’ve developed a winning formula.

Thomas Wynne Apartments stands out as an outstanding example of a community that has successfully balanced luxury, convenience, and affordability. Under the leadership of Cathy Lockyer Moulton, the company has prioritized resident satisfaction, employee engagement, and environmental sustainability. By focusing on what truly matters – people, community, and relationships – Thomas Wynne Apartments has created a unique and desirable living experience that sets it apart from other apartment communities. As the company continues to grow and evolve, its commitment to the mission of Easy Living, Friendly Service will undoubtedly remain at the forefront, ensuring a bright future for its residents, employees, and the community it serves.

Company Name: Thomas Wynne LP
President: Cathy Lockyer Moulton
Website: www.thomaswynneapts.com