Renters don’t just want to tour your community in person. Nearly two-thirds of renters also want to explore virtually on their own, according to a recent survey from Apartments.com. As 3D touring grows in popularity among renters and onsite staff, here’s how the trend can support your marketing goals.
3D tours help renters get to know your community
Renters are looking to get as much information as possible from online listings. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a 3D tour can be even more valuable by giving renters a comprehensive look at your community.
“I want to see photos or a tour of the exact apartment that’s available,” said one renter in the survey.
The information that renters gain from online listings helps them make a decision before they even step foot on the property.
In fact, a whopping 37 percent of renters say they’re likely to rent an apartment sight unseen, according to the Apartments.com survey.
Virtual touring is especially valuable to renters who live outside your local market and can’t easily travel to your property for an onsite tour. 3D tours can also appeal to renters with mobility issues, busy schedules, or health concerns that limit their ability to come on site for an in-person tour. They can also expand your reach outside business hours to renters near and far who are interested in your property.
How 3D tours work
A 3D tour is an interactive tool that is available through your listing. This means renters can view the property on their own time, before they even reach out to your leasing team.
How are 3D tours created? This virtual experience is typically recorded through Matterport technology to simulate the experience of a person walking through the space. Renters can click or tap to move around and explore different rooms and angles.
See an example of a virtual tour:
Does your listing have 3D tours?
Adding 3D tours to your online media can help your listing stand out from the competition. Did you know that only 85 percent of eligible listings on Apartments.com actually feature at least one 3D tour?
Talk to your Apartments.com sales rep to make sure you’re taking advantage of 3D tours. This option is available for advertising packages Gold and up, but the number of virtual tours available to you can vary by your ad package level.
And unlike other internet listing services, Apartments.com offers professional 3D tours produced by CoStar. Our experts handle the details for you, providing high-quality Matterport tours to help attract renters to your community.
Learn how these virtual tours have helped apartment communities across the country:
When you showcase virtual technology, you demonstrate to future residents that your community is forward-thinking and technologically savvy. 3D tours can also help you attract younger renters, such as Gen Z and millennial digital natives.
3D tours make it easier for your onsite team
The idea of a 3D tour might sound intimidating, but the payoff can be huge for your property team.
Receive more leads. 3D tours generate an average of 10 times the number of leads compared to listings without them, according to Apartments.com data.
Spend less time answering renters’ questions. Renters can “look around” your property and available units online before they reach out to your leasing team. This can help address frequent questions about your apartments’ layout, finishes, and amenities.
Get higher quality leads. Renters who view 3D tours have more information to help them decide whether they want to move in. As a result, the renters who end up contacting your leasing team are more likely to sign a lease.
Work more effectively. 3D tours can limit the number of in-person tours your leasing agents need to conduct for uninformed renters. This can free up your team’s time to focus on converting high-quality leads.
Explore more resources about virtual touring
3D tours aren’t the only kind of virtual tour that renters want. You can also offer real-time guided tours with a leasing agent through a videoconferencing tool like Zoom or Teams. Understand the difference between these two virtual touring options.
Touring is one part of making your digital curb appeal more attractive. Learn what else you can do to appeal to renters searching online.
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