For Brad Korman, apartment living has always been personal. He grew up spending weekends at his family’s construction sites and apartment communities, mowing lawns, painting, and getting to know team members and residents. Today, as Co-CEO of Korman Communities, he leads the fifth-generation family company alongside his brothers. In a candid conversation with Multifamily Dive, he shares how that legacy shapes AVE and why more people than ever are choosing apartment living.

AVE is built on a simple understanding of what people want: convenience, genuine service, a sense of community, and the freedom to choose. Residents can select furnished or unfurnished apartments, with flexible-stay options for any season of life. The average stay at AVE is about seven months, giving people navigating a career move, short-term assignment, or other life transition a place that feels like home right away, without new furniture or a year-long lease. Whether a stay is short or long, Korman explains, the goal is for every resident to feel cared for.

Korman believes the American dream itself is evolving. Many young professionals value the freedom to move and grow, and they prefer to keep their savings working for them instead of tying it up in a down payment. Many empty nesters are ready to trade home repairs and snow shoveling for community, wellness, and convenience. In Korman’s view, today’s communities offer more than most homes ever could: fitness centers, resort-style pools, business centers, golf simulators, movie theaters, and inviting outdoor spaces, all paired with a true sense of belonging.

That vision guides where AVE grows. Korman Communities focuses on locations with strong job growth nearby, then looks at public transportation, amenities, and retail. The company is also highly selective, passing on dozens of opportunities for every project it pursues so that each new community is built to last. That approach has brought AVE to Santa Clara, Paradise Valley, and White Plains, with new communities underway in Denver and at Philadelphia’s Navy Yard.

For Korman, the most rewarding moments happen on site. When residents tell him they feel known by the team, that life feels simpler, and that they’re living better than ever, he knows AVE is fulfilling its purpose. It’s a fitting reflection of the promise behind every AVE community: Live Better®.