Show Units and Fill Vacancies while Social Distancing
The property management industry has had to quickly adapt to the challenges COVID-19 presents when trying to fill vacancies. With social distancing requirements, stay-at-home orders, and the public’s general desire to stay safe, the industry reached a tipping point, leading to the expanded role technology now plays in carrying out leasing processes safely and efficiently.
A recent industry-wide survey found that leasing was reported as one of the most challenging workflows to complete remotely. And though some markets have noticed a gradual uptick in business since March, demand is still lower than previous years, which means it’s more important than ever for property managers to capitalize on any opportunity granted them. The good news is that technology is here to help optimize leasing. Here’s how.
Fill vacancies—Enhance your listing
Most renters are no longer scheduling tours casually. Instead, tours are only booked when a renter is serious about a location. This is an opportunity for you to really make your listing shine. Add as much detail about the property as you can, and make the listing look as attractive as possible. You can achieve that with high-quality photos, video footage, and by writing specific and detailed descriptions to entice your audience as much as possible. That, with an appropriately priced listing, will get your property noticed—and leased!
Property Management—Get virtual
As COVID-19 continues to disrupt our day-to-day, finding a way to show available units while maintaining social distancing is of the utmost importance. We recommend virtual showings, as they will enable property managers to complete live video walkthroughs of available units with prospective residents. Making the time to offer potential renters a virtual walk-through will not only give them an opportunity to check out the space, it will also show them you’re dedicated to your property and their safety.
As video chatting continues to become more and more commonplace, embracing it in your property management style will go a long way in ensuring you stand out from the crowd. After all, virtual showings are likely going to stick around, so why not get in from the bottom up?
Property Management—Self-guided tours
Now that you’ve hooked a prospective renter with an enhanced listing and a virtual tour, it’s time to reel them in with the offer of a self-guided tour. If the potential renter is serious about renting, offer them a self-guided tour as a final step before the lease signing. This way prospective renters can take an in-person look at the space while limiting in-person interaction with others. Of course, be sure to clean and disinfect the unit before and after each self-guided showing, and if possible, provide them with face coverings and gloves for safety.
Fill Vacancies—Online lease signing
Now that your prospects have seen the space virtually, it only makes sense to offer remote lease signing as well. Provide them with the option to fill out an application and pay the application fee online. With the right technology, you can have them e-sign their lease from anywhere, on any device. This will optimize your lease flow, provide unparalleled customer experiences, all while keeping prospective residents and employees safe. We believe that property managers who embrace online leasing early on will be able to generate and convert leads far more successfully than those who don’t.
Though COVID-19 has presented obstacles in almost every industry, we’re lucky to have technology to help navigate some of its challenges. We believe that if you invest in mobile technology now, you’ll have the tools you need to face whatever difficulty we experience next. Better yet, reach out to us for help in filling vacancies and property management—we do it all!