By now, most multifamily leasing professionals know how important virtual touring is to their business. However, one thing leasing teams might not yet know is that virtual leasing can also be the key to closing remote apartment leases efficiently with happy, satisfied parties on both ends.
The world of sight unseen remote leasing has grown exponentially in 2020. That’s partly due to COVID-19 and shelter in place orders, plus leasing offices closing through the pandemic.
However, it’s also due to changing consumer preferences. Perhaps, a prospect doesn’t feel completely safe traveling to the property. Or they just don’t have the time to visit in-person. Or they might simply want to stay home and not venture outside in the cold weather. Regardless of the reason, it’s up to leasing teams to figure out how to get from lead-to-lease if the prospective resident can’t or doesn’t want to set foot on the property before move-in day.
So, being able, and equipped with the right virtual tour technology, to close leases remotely is integral for leasing teams today and moving forward. These consumer preferences aren’t likely to change in the near future. Here’s where virtual apartment tours come in. As part of a virtual leasing strategy, it’s important to produce quality apartment video tours. These are the best way to go from a lead to a signed lease completely remotely. But, apartment virtual touring must be done correctly for this to work.
The number one aspect to closing remote apartment leases with virtual touring is using those tours to instill trust and transparency with your prospects.
Personalization is Key
With physical, in-person tours, leasing agents are able to cater the experience to an individual prospect. For virtual apartment tours, the same thing needs to happen. Using apartment virtual tour software, leasing agents can work to instill the necessary trust and transparency in the leasing process while also crafting a personalized experience.
Sending personalized, pre-recorded videos is a great way to do just that. Do so efficiently by creating a catered video playlist that includes video walkthroughs of the exact unit or units the prospect might be interested in along with relevant amenities. Focus on what’s most important to them, be it the chef’s kitchen or the amazing view. Make these pre-recorded virtual tours transparent and personalized to the prospect’s needs and desires to show that you are listening and are in tune with their goals.
Another great way to learn about a prospect’s needs and provide a catered virtual tour experience is through hosting a live virtual tour. Live virtual tours allow agents to walk prospects through the community and answer any and all questions in real-time. And guess what – there’s no photoshopping a live tour, so your prospect can expect it to be as real as possible. The prospect sees exactly what they are going to get before signing the lease. That is a big factor in building trust into the leasing process.
Human-to-Human Element
Just as much as prospective residents rely on the personalized experience, they also need the human-to-human element. That crucial piece of the puzzle is the foundation for a trusting, transparent relationship with their leasing agent. Why would you need to create a meaningful relationship with a prospect? It’s a must if they are going to move from lead to signed lease, especially in a remote setting. Prospects need to trust you and trust that what you are saying / showing off your community is the authentic experience they will receive upon moving in.
360 virtual tours and 3D virtual tours for real estate are a great tool to get someone interested in the property – a top of the funnel tactic. However, no matter how good that 360 apartment tour or what magic the 3D virtual tour camera can do, these lack that human element, and the ability to show unit-specific realness.
Prospects want to trust that what they see is what they’ll get. The human element is one of the biggest factors in building that relationship with a prospect in order to instill that trust and transparency. That’s why the live virtual touring aspect is so important. Leasing agents are there, in real-time, interacting with the prospect and answering their questions and building the relationship.
Those conversations give agents the chance to connect with the prospect, to show empathy and understanding, to share joy and excitement. And that is priceless for prospects. The agent and the prospective resident have the chance to get to know each other. And, for the prospect, they can become comfortable with their agent, the team and property.
Virtual touring, when done correctly and with the right virtual leasing technology, helps instill the trust and transparency needed to sign a lease remotely, and sight unseen. Today’s prospects want to trust their leasing agent. They need to trust what they are seeing is real, and they need to have confidence that they are making the right decision. Using personalized pre-recorded videos or hosting live virtual tours are two of the best ways to make that happen.
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Close more leases, market more effectively, engage with residents and, as always, keep it real. Do you have a question or suggestion? Or want to learn more about what you read? Email us at contact@realync.com. We’d love to hear from you!
