Leasing Lessons: The Best & Worst Practices from 101 Apartment Tours | Rooms with Ronald
Curious about what really goes on during apartment tours?
After visiting 101 communities across 28 cities, I’m revealing the highs, lows, and shocking surprises in the leasing experience.
This is the episode every property manager and leasing agent needs to hear!
Welcome back to Rooms with Ronald!
I'm Ronald Harrington, and today we're diving into the data from my journey of shopping 101 apartment communities across the nation in 2023.
From smiles (or lack thereof) at the door to how many leasing agents actually ask for the sale, I've gathered invaluable insights that could transform your leasing strategy.
* The Cities and Companies: Discover the 13 states and 28 cities where I shopped, including Texas, California, New York, and more.
* Tour Types: Learn about the differences in experiences between agent-led tours, self-guided tours, and virtual tours.
* Critical Findings: From the shocking number of agents who never introduced themselves to the communities that failed to ask me to apply—this data will surprise you.
* Practical Tips: Quick, actionable steps you can take to improve your leasing experience, from first impressions to follow-ups.
Key Statistics:
* 101 shops completed across 13 states and 28 cities
* 88 different property management companies evaluated
* Only 11 leasing agents asked me to apply for an apartment
* 56% of properties followed up after the tour, but only 32% used the phone
If you missed my presentation at NAA’s Apartmentalize, or want a deeper dive into the data, this episode is for you.
Plus, stay tuned as I kick off a new secret shopping project, focusing on telephone and virtual tours across all 50 states!
Download the eBook I co-authored with Grace Hill and Real Link, and don't forget to check out MultifamilyMediaNetwork.com for more insightful content.
Timestamps:
00:01 - Introduction to Rooms with Ronald
02:28 - Overview of the Cities and Companies Shopped
06:47 - Key Tour Types: Agent-led, Self-guided, and Virtual
09:32 - First Impressions: Smiles, Greetings, and Standing Up
11:16 - The Death of the Handshake? Shocking Data Revealed
13:26 - Are Leasing Agents Making Positive Impressions?
15:10 - The Importance of Asking the Right Questions
17:34 - Pet Policies: What Leasing Agents are Getting Wrong
19:33 - Identifying Needs: How Many Agents are Asking?
22:19 - Building Connections: Rapport and Relationship Building
24:03 - The Importance of Discussing the Service Team
26:08 - Apartment Condition: Made Ready or Not?
28:28 - Enthusiasm and Descriptive Language During Tours
30:49 - Closing the Deal: How Many Agents Asked for the Sale?
33:13 - Marketing Collateral: Paper vs. Digital Preferences
35:32 - Follow-up Calls: Who's Actually Making Them?
If you found this episode insightful, please like, comment, and subscribe to our channel!
Share this episode with your colleagues and start implementing these leasing best practices today.
Visit MultifamilyMediaNetwork.com for more expert content, and stay tuned for my upcoming secret shopping series focusing on telephone and virtual tours across all 50 states.
apartment leasing, property management, leasing tips, secret shopping, apartment tours, leasing best practices, multifamily industry, customer experience, leasing agent, apartment hunting, virtual tours, leasing strategies
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#PropertyManagement #ApartmentLeasing #CustomerExperience #LeasingTips #MultifamilyIndustry #RoomsWithRonald #SecretShopping
