An access point for use with one or more neighboring access points and a client, said access point comprising: a receiving component operable to receive a first neighbor report request from the client; a transmitting component operable to transmit a second neighbor report request to the one or more neighboring access points and to transmit a soft resource request to the one or more neighboring access points; and a report generating component operable to generate a neighbor report; wherein said receiving component is further operable to receive resource response data of the one or more neighboring access points associated with the second neighbor report request and to receive soft resource response data of the one or more neighboring access points associated with the soft resource request, wherein said report generating component is operable to generate the neighbor report based on (i) the resource response data of the one or more neighboring access points (ii) the soft resource response data of the one or more neighboring access points, (iii) resource response data of said access point, and (iv) soft resource response data of said access point, such that the neighbor report includes at least one of a candidate list indicating a ranking or preference of each of said access point and the one or more neighboring access points according to soft resource utilization, a modified access delay signaling that at least one of said access point or the one or more neighboring access points has an unfavorable access delay, and a null report signaling that at least one of said access point or the one or more neighboring access points is about to become unavailable due to pending soft resource constraints, and wherein said transmitting component is further operable to transmit the neighbor report to the client. a receiving component operable to receive a first neighbor report request from the client; a transmitting component operable to transmit a second neighbor report request to the one or more neighboring access points and to transmit a soft resource request to the one or more neighboring access points; and a report generating component operable to generate a neighbor report; wherein said receiving component is further operable to receive resource response data of the one or more neighboring access points associated with the second neighbor report request and to receive soft resource response data of the one or more neighboring access points associated with the soft resource request, wherein said report generating component is operable to generate the neighbor report based on (i) the resource response data of the one or more neighboring access points (ii) the soft resource response data of the one or more neighboring access points, (iii) resource response data of said access point, and (iv) soft resource response data of said access point, such that the neighbor report includes at least one of a candidate list indicating a ranking or preference of each of said access point and the one or more neighboring access points according to soft resource utilization, a modified access delay signaling that at least one of said access point or the one or more neighboring access points has an unfavorable access delay, and a null report signaling that at least one of said access point or the one or more neighboring access points is about to become unavailable due to pending soft resource constraints, and a candidate list indicating a ranking or preference of each of said access point and the one or more neighboring access points according to soft resource utilization, a modified access delay signaling that at least one of said access point or the one or more neighboring access points has an unfavorable access delay, and a null report signaling that at least one of said access point or the one or more neighboring access points is about to become unavailable due to pending soft resource constraints, and wherein said transmitting component is further operable to transmit the neighbor report to the client.