The New Renter Search

The way renters search for apartments continues to evolve, even more so in the past two years. An average of 27 million unique visitors search for new apartments each month on Apartments.com We attract a tremendously diverse audience in many ways. For one, 21 percent who search are under 24 years old while 18 percent are over age 55.

Check with your Apartments.com representative, and they can give you a deeper idea of who is searching and what they’re searching for in your market.

We know that nationally 38 percent of apartment seekers are looking for a new home outside of their market.

Therefore, marketers need to take a national approach to their listings, not just a local one.

Use most-clickable images

The way to win the click battle for prospective residents is to display the types of images people click on the most.

Apartments.com finds that kitchens, living rooms, and livable spaces are most popular, pools and amenities are the next best, and third are exterior shots of the property.

Listings feature a scroll-down menu with more section options. The most often visited is the one displaying amenities, so use sparkling photos that highlight your offerings.

Pricing is huge, and we recommend showing rents and fees as renters are looking for an ‘all in’ number that captures the full cost of renting in your community.

The “about us” section is important and sometimes not taken advantage of by marketers. Use this section to describe more details about what it is like to live in your community – do not limit yourself to just one sentence. Write creatively in this section because prospects truly want to know.

What it’s like to live there

Reviews are incredibly important to consumers today, and marketers should prioritize them. Have your residents be your best ambassadors by encouraging them to write reviews. Afterwards, make sure you respond to those reviews.

Prospective residents will want to know more about your location and neighborhood, so it is important to give information about schools, shopping, transit, and restaurants. These are the elements that really matter to renters.

Apartments.com listings allow visitors to filter their searches, particularly for amenities. Nationally, we are finding that pet-friendly, in-unit washer/dryer, smart appliances, and parking are most frequently chosen. Adding details such as fees or rules will improve your listings as well.

Answering prospects’ most common questions through your Apartments.com listing will help save time for your onsite team and prospects, as you’ll receive higher-quality, better-informed leads.

Answer most common questions ahead of time

Apartments.com generates well over 100 million leads per year for our advertisers, and we see that the most often asked questions confirm availability and specifics such as the number of bedrooms and on which floor.

Many also ask if utilities are included and what fees are charged aside from rent. Furthermore, they inquire when touring can be scheduled and by what method, such as virtual, in-person, etc.

If you can answer these questions through your listing, you have added a level of convenience and knowledge that today’s consumers crave.

The session’s top takeaways

Capture them with content. Make sure it is current, relevant, and showcases how special your community is.

Drill down on information about individual units through interior photos and views from the balcony. Prospective residents want to envision what it will be like to live in that apartment.

Answering renters’ most common questions through your listing will help you gain higher-quality leads and convert them to residents more efficiently, getting your community off to a great start with your newest residents.