Shafiq Hirani CCIMReal Estate Advisor, REMAX Distinctive · Real Estate Advisor at RE/MAX Distinctive Commercial | Washington, DC | Your Guide To Profitable Real Estate Ventures

Boost Your Building's NOI: Smart Moves, Not Just Rent Hikes! #shorts

17 Jul 2026 · 2 min

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1:33

In this short, Shafiq Hirani CCIM advises small multifamily owners on improving net operating income (NOI) when rent growth stalls. He illustrates the approach with a case study of a 12‑unit owner, Marcus, whose rents were flat for two years. Rather than chasing higher rents, Hirani focused on three operational levers: (1) analyzing the sub‑market’s occupancy and rent trends instead of national averages, (2) conducting an "NOI leak audit" to identify five expense‑side value‑creation opportunities such as tighter unit turn times and better vendor pricing, and (3) offering a free 15‑minute diagnostic for owners 6‑24 months from refinance or sale. He provides a downloadable checklist and urges owners to act now to strengthen their position for refinancing or sale despite flat rents.

Chapters

This is not the time to panic about a flat national number. This is the time to get ready. Let me give you an example. I worked with an owner named Marcus who has a 12-unit building. His rents had been flat for 2 years because the local market felt soft. Instead of just accepting it, we looked at his renewal timing, his unit condition, and his operating costs. We found ways to strengthen his NOI without aggressive rent increases. Tighter turns, better vendor pricing, and renewals timed to capture small increases as competing supply thinned out. His building is now in a meaningfully better position for his next refinance, not because rents boomed, but because the operations improved. Here is what I would do with this report. 3 things. 1, know your local market. Stop looking at national rent averages and start looking at your submarket. What is the occupancy rate and rent trend in the specific area where your building sits? That is the number that matters, not the national average. Download my free NOI leak audit checklist. When rent growth is flat, the expense side is where value is created. This walks you through the 5 places income slips out. Link in the description. If you are 6 to 24 months from a refinance or sale, Book a free 15-minute NOI diagnostic with me. Let's look at your specific building and find the income that is available right now, regardless of where rents are headed.