![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/05\/Blog-v100-300x169.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRecent world events surrounding COVID-19 have led us all to adopt new consumer behaviors, and it\u2019s likely that many of these behaviors will stick. With that in mind, it might be time for us to revisit our approach to apartment tours.<\/p>\n
Did you know that 80% of renters seriously considered just four or fewer properties during their last apartment search, according to the\u00a0 2020 NMHC\/Kingsley Apartment Resident Preferences Report<\/a>? And 38% of renters only toured one or two communities before making their rental decision. That number is likely to grow now that we\u2019ve all grown accustomed to doing more online.<\/p>\n So how do you get your property on renters\u2019 short list \u2014 especially now that they\u2019re more likely to be influenced by online content than in-person experiences \u2014 and secure more tours?<\/p>\n Keep reading for three data-driven tips for getting more property tours, whether virtual, self-guided or led by an agent. Then, watch a video from our \u201cMoments of Genius with Drew Davis<\/a>\u201d series to learn how you can create a better virtual experience to attract renters who are actively searching for apartments.<\/p>\n Renters in the same survey were asked, \u201cWhat would you need to see online to rent an apartment without seeing it in person?\u201d The top three answers were:<\/p>\n That\u2019s right. Just like other online purchases, your prospects want to see exactly what they\u2019re getting for their money. To get them to tour (or lease online, sight unseen), you need to make sure that your property website is attractive, user friendly and full of pictures, including an accurate property map.<\/p>\n Unit-level photos and video tours create an experience that not only shows the unit but also builds a foundation of trust for your brand and leasing associates. Additionally, property maps with unit-specific locations help prospects envision life in their new home on your property. Are they close to the pool? Do they have a sunset view? The more supporting material you can provide, the quicker prospects will be able to mentally move-in.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you know that roughly 60% of searches are mobile? That means a lot of web visitors are viewing your site on their phones,\u201d said Catriona Orosco<\/a>, director for RENTCaf<\/em>\u00e9<\/em> Reach. \u201cBe sure to include vertical photos as well as horizontal ones to give them a better viewing experience.\u201d<\/p>\n 80% of renters said they would use online appointment scheduling in their next apartment search. Online appointment scheduling accommodates busy renters who don\u2019t have time or simply don\u2019t want to call during office hours. After all, consumers are used to booking everything from restaurant reservations to DMV appointments online.<\/p>\n Data shows that self-scheduled appointments convert at a high rate. In fact, QuadReal, a RENTCaf<\/em>\u00e9<\/em><\/a> client, found that 33% of its self-made appointments converted to leases.<\/p>\n Additionally, another 59% of surveyed renters said they wanted self-navigated virtual tours, and 26% wanted real-time video tours done through FaceTime or a similar service. Adding these options to your website or as part of your leasing agent follow-ups will help you meet the needs of a greater range of renters.<\/p>\n Of the 370,000 survey participants in the NMHC study, 16% of renters said they would prefer a self-guided tour, while another 15% indicated no preference between self-guided or community-staffed tours. That\u2019s almost 115,000 prospects who would happily tour your property unguided, expanding your tour offerings and giving your staff more time to assist guests and residents with urgent needs. And that study happened pre-pandemic.<\/p>\n A more recent survey of 4,974 apartment shoppers on RentCafe.com revealed that 70% would take a self-guided tour now.<\/p>\n Why do some prospects prefer self-guided tours? Their responses were almost equally divided between these four reasons:<\/p>\n How you choose to implement self-guided tours might differ depending on your market and the technology available to you. In some cases, you may feel safe having a lockbox on a show unit and limiting tours to office hours. In others, you may want to create a \u201csmart\u201d show unit that allows you to verify a guest\u2019s identity, adjust temperature and lighting, and issue a security code that\u2019s valid for a set time range. Sign up for a free self-guided tour webinar<\/a> to learn more about new options available through RENTCaf<\/em>\u00e9<\/em> Reach.<\/p>\n Done right, self-guided tours can be a boon to property leasing efforts. \u201cIt creates a great closing opportunity for when the prospect returns to the leasing office if the tour was conducted during office hours, or for a follow-up phone call or video meeting if the tour was taken after hours,\u201d said Ester Bonardi, vice president of marketing at Yardi.<\/p>\n Make the virtual experience more exciting<\/strong><\/p>\n It may seem surprising given the COVID-19 pandemic, but apartment search traffic is on the rise. In fact, traffic surpassed pre-crisis levels on RentCafe.com last month<\/a>, and 62% of renters say they are moving as soon as they find an apartment.<\/p>\n So how do you win over renters when social distancing is the new norm and your leasing office interactions are limited?<\/p>\n We\u2019re here to help you do that by sharing the second episode of our \u201cMoment of Genius with Drew Davis\u201d series, presented by RENTCaf<\/em>\u00e9<\/em> Reach<\/a>. Watch this short video to learn three things you can do to make the virtual experience more exciting. Learn how you can attract prospects and convert leads in this new, contactless (and increasingly competitive) market.<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n