From booking a property tour to submitting their application, renters overwhelmingly choose digital options throughout the search and leasing process. That’s according to a recent Apartments.com survey of over 20,000 U.S. adults planning a rental search.
We’ll dive into the latest data about what prospective renters want, along with the best practices your leasing team can implement to make the process smoother for renters and onsite staff alike.
Email tops the list
When prospects have questions about your property or leasing process, how do they want to contact you? The most popular approach is email. Seventy-one percent of prospective renters are interested in this option, according to the recent survey.
What about the old-fashioned phone call? Still popular with 64 percent of prospective renters, the majority of renters are willing to pick up the phone to get their questions answered. And in-person communication ranked third, with 56 percent of respondents interested in talking face to face.
At the same time, texting and instant messaging are on the rise. Nearly half of prospective renters — 46 percent — are interested in texting with a leasing agent to get their questions answered, and 33 percent are interested in using chat or instant messaging with a leasing agent. But the human element is key — far fewer respondents were interested in using chat or text to communicate with a virtual agent or automated service.
To meet renters’ needs, offer multiple ways to contact you. Over 80 percent of respondents are interested in more than one way to communicate. Include your email address, phone number, and address prominently in your online listing and on your property website. Give your leasing agents different channels to stay in contact with prospects and address their questions.
Most expect to hear back within 2 days
Timeliness matters. After contacting a property, 84 percent of prospective renters expect to get a reply no later than the end of the following day. And about a third expect a same-day response.
To reduce the burden on your leasing team, provide detailed information on your listings, and include photos and floor plans of the individual units available. This helps renters determine whether your units meet their needs and expectations. The more detailed the information in your listings, the more serious the inquiries from potential residents.
“I don’t want to have to schedule a tour to find out that the apartment is too small,” a renter in Ann Arbor explained, “because I would have known that if I would have got the proper floor plan.”
When your listings include comprehensive information, like unit-specific floor plans and photos, renters are less likely to reach out with questions that can be easily addressed online. This can free up your team to focus on following up on the high-quality leads that do come in. Aim to reply to all leads within two days.
Touring isn’t just in person
Renters expect to research an average of eight properties and then narrow down their list to three serious contenders. As one renter in Nevada explained, “The more information I can get online, the fewer places I have to go see in person.”
In-person tours with a leasing agent remain popular, with 97 percent of renters interested in this option. But it’s not the only way that renters want to tour.
Two-thirds of renters (67 percent) are interested in taking a self-guided tour in person.
And for renters who can’t make it onsite for an in-person tour, the virtual equivalent is rising in popularity. Over eight in 10 prospective renters are interested in taking a virtual tour: 82 percent are interested in a guided tour with a leasing agent, such as through a video call. And 80 percent are interested in a self-guided virtual tour, such as a 3D tour.
While virtual tours appeal to all kinds of renters, they can be especially helpful to those who are moving from out of town or have scheduling or mobility limitations.
“I am partially disabled and don’t drive, so I can’t always be available [for an in-person tour],” said one respondent living in Las Vegas.
If your community relies solely on the classic in-person tour, consider adding in other options, like virtual touring, to broaden your appeal to renters who can’t visit in person.
A respondent in Colorado Springs explained: “For military families like us who are changing duty stations, we are not able to view the property beforehand, as it’s usually across the country or even overseas. Online tours, pictures and videos are crucial.”
And whatever touring options you offer, make it easy for renters to set up a tour. Nearly half of renters (46 percent) prefer to book their property tour online, rather than calling, emailing, or texting to schedule a time.
What’s more, online tour scheduling can save crucial time for your busy leasing teams. Apartments.com makes it easy to sync your listing to your property management software so that renters can easily select a time when your team is available.
The days of the paper application are (mostly) over
You’ve almost closed the deal. Your prospect is interested in the property and just needs to apply and be approved. How do renters prefer to submit their application?
A whopping 70 percent want to do it online. In contrast, only 24 percent prefer to submit their application in person, and only 6 percent would like to send their application by email or fax.
Does your community already support online applications through your leasing portal? Great! To streamline the process further, you can let renters start their application directly from Apartments.com. This can reduce friction and boost your conversion rate.
Just sync your property management software to your Apartments.com listing and enable Apply Now buttons for your individual available units. This way, renters can go directly from your listing straight into your leasing portal. See how to get started.
Explore more renter insights
What else can you do to attract your next residents? Check out the latest findings from the recent survey.
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