Key facts
- Bilt acquired Livly's property-operations platform, integrating access control, package management, and smart-home features.
- Bilt will operate resident experiences at Collective Residential communities via its platform.
- Livly was developed in-house by Collective Residential's operator, FLATS, to address operational challenges.
- The combined Bilt platform aims to drive demand from the neighborhood economy and engage residents year-round.
- Bilt's model connects residents to neighborhood merchants, dining, fitness, and local services.
- The Bilt Alliance includes over 7 million homes across the United States.
Bilt has expanded its multifamily offerings through the acquisition of Livly's property-operations platform and a new resident-experience partnership with Collective Residential. The move aims to deepen Bilt's "hospitality for housing" model by integrating Livly's access control, package management, and smart-home capabilities with Bilt's existing leasing, payments, and resident-engagement tools.
The acquisition of Livly, which was originally developed in-house by Chicago-based operator FLATS (part of Collective Residential) to solve operational issues, creates a unified system designed to manage properties from initial tours through renewals and into neighborhood commerce. Bilt will also manage the resident experience at Collective Residential communities, further extending its reach in the multifamily sector.
Ankur Jain, founder and CEO of Bilt, stated that the combined platform is intended for operators seeking more than traditional property management software, positioning it as a "merchant network" that drives demand and revenue through neighborhood economies. This approach aims to increase resident engagement and retention throughout the year.
The transaction reflects trends in multifamily technology, including the consolidation of point solutions into integrated ecosystems and the shift from viewing property operations as a cost center to a revenue-generating platform. A unified platform provides operators with a more comprehensive view of resident behavior, potentially informing pricing, renewal strategies, and asset management plans.
Collective Residential, which acquires and partners with local operators, will align its portfolio's resident experience with Bilt, serving as a strategic distribution channel for Bilt's services in various markets. This partnership will provide a large-scale test environment for the integrated system across different asset types and resident demographics.
Bilt's broader strategy, termed "neighborhood hospitality," connects residents with local merchants, services, and travel partners through its rewards program. By managing customer identity, payments, loyalty, and bookings, Bilt aims to enable operators to treat properties as part of a larger commerce network, potentially boosting engagement and revenue.
For existing Livly customers, Bilt has outlined a transition plan to maintain continuity while adding Bilt's features, including integrated payments, AI-powered concierge services, neighborhood offers, and the Bilt Rewards loyalty program. Livly's co-founders, Alex Samoylovich, Brian Duggan, and Adam McCombs, view the acquisition as an extension of their original vision for a unified operating platform that enhances both property management and resident living.
Bilt, launched in 2021, currently operates across more than 7 million homes in the United States through its Bilt Alliance with large residential owners and operators. The company's pitch to multifamily owners combines resident-facing benefits with back-end tools for payments, engagement, and operations, now enhanced by Livly's smart-building infrastructure.