Websites and video technology have significantly altered the apartment shopping process. Today, prospects are armed with lots of information about your community before they even set foot on the property— if they actually visit.
So is it necessary to stage model units? Are apartment companies changing the way they give tours? You’ll find the answers to these questions and more in the highlights from this week’s #AptChat. (Click on the links to jump straight to a specific question.)
- Q1: How important is it to stage a model apartment today? What do most prospects expect/want to see on a community tour?
- Q2: Do you have a property tour you follow every time, or do you modify the tour to cater to the prospect? Any tips here?
- Q3: Are you offering online tours? If so, what kind – live videos, pre-recorded videos, Matterport tours? How are they working?
- Q4: How are you adjusting your tours knowing that prospects are so highly informed before they walk in? What does that change?
How important is it to stage a model apartment today? What do most prospects expect/want to see on a community tour?
It is still important to stage a model, but I don’t know that it’s necessary to go *all out* and hire an expensive designer to accomplish it
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
Bed for proper perspective of how large the bedroom is; some kind of seating arrangement in the living space; a few cereal boxes in cabinets
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
You want to create perspective in rooms– otherwise the renter can be left with a cold feeling of the empty rooms, unknowing if stuff fits
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
This is my issue with photos of empty rooms on property websites. There’s no point of reference to see what you’re really getting. #AptChat
— Mike Whaling (@mwhaling) August 8, 2017
You can take a few cardboard boxes put together, throw a duvet over it with pillows and voila, you have a bed in a bedroom! pic.twitter.com/PixxeQ7w7p
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
A1: Corporate renters moving into furnished apts often want to see staged; others may want to see a blank canvas #aptchat
— Jordan Easley (@Uncle_Doodah) August 8, 2017
I agree with the blank canvas to a point– maybe with the style stuff. Renters still may want to see if the king/queen bed fits, though.
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
Right – every renter will be different! #aptchat
— Jordan Easley (@Uncle_Doodah) August 8, 2017
It’s not 💯 necessary anymore. Stage one in each floorplan for photos & videos, then show actual avail. unit whenever possible. #aptchat
— Stephanie Oehler (@stephanieoehler) August 8, 2017
Maybe mini-model available units but why take units off the market when so much research is done before the in person tour. #aptchat
— Stephanie Oehler (@stephanieoehler) August 8, 2017
Exactly– you need model stuff that can move quickly. Taking units off the market is insane if you can rent them.
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
It’s fun & if prospects stay online longer & convert- totally worth it. Having device avail 4 prospect in office to play works too. #aptchat
— Stephanie Oehler (@stephanieoehler) August 8, 2017
Need an A/B study on results. Personal pref. Is virtual reality one where you walk thru apt. & open doors, look in cabinets, etc. #aptchat
— Stephanie Oehler (@stephanieoehler) August 8, 2017
Research shows prospects want to see the apartment they’re going to live in more than a model. Importance of model has decreased. #AptChat
— Lawson Realty (@LawsonRealtyCo) August 8, 2017
Yes!! It’s another thing we are afraid of changing. Then, we’d really need to make sure our sales people are trained.. #aptchat
— Stephanie Oehler (@stephanieoehler) August 8, 2017
Some…Photos of the view from every unit window, videos of every floorplan staged. Move in guarantee. #aptchat
— Stephanie Oehler (@stephanieoehler) August 8, 2017
Pictures, virtual tours, 3D click-thru’s are important for floorplans. Model is great in case there’s nothing to physically show. #AptChat
— Lawson Realty (@LawsonRealtyCo) August 8, 2017
Move-In Guarantee is *HUGE* — I miss working with @EquityRes when they had it. Every lease signed unseen was sealed w/ this #HappyResidents
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
Do you have a property tour you follow every time, or do you modify the tour to cater to the prospect? Any tips here?
Q2 I teach salespeople to figure out what is important to prospect & personalize the tour. We are salespeople, not tour guides. #AptChat
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
Agree – start their visit by understanding what they’re looking for, then spend the majority of your time on what they car about #aptchat
— Jordan Easley (@Uncle_Doodah) August 8, 2017
Yup! If the pool is not important, I could fall asleep while you prattle on about how “sparkling” and “refreshing” it is. pic.twitter.com/msDWwW3Hog
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
Of course, it’s fine to have a backup tour route for a difficult prospect, but customers today want custom, personalized service. #AptChat
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
Agree – start their visit by understanding what they’re looking for, then spend the majority of your time on what they car about #aptchat
— Jordan Easley (@Uncle_Doodah) August 8, 2017
I wouldn’t say too high… low % for sure. I believe that virtual/ facetime/ skype tours may help prospects narrow results, but not full sale.
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
Are you offering online tours? If so, what kind – live videos, pre-recorded videos, Matterport tours? How are they working?
We’ve used VR for a few lease ups. The “cool factor” is definitely there, but it’s difficult to say whether it’s sped up the process.
— Sara S. Graham (@sarasgraham) August 8, 2017
Q3 | No, I doubt it fits *our* demog, but in market-rate, I used pre-recorded videos for almost 8 or 9 years now & live videos for 5 or so
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
I work with Concord, 90%+ of our units are “Affordable” or low-income based. And we have too few market-rate to justify new tech 🙁☹️🙁
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
(belated) A3: we have clients using video tours of staged units to lease corp apts in bulk, sight-unseen #aptchat
— Jordan Easley (@Uncle_Doodah) August 8, 2017
How are you adjusting your tours knowing that prospects are so highly informed before they walk in? What does that change?
Not making assumptions, still do needs analysis. But realizing certain objections are just negotiations as they are so informed. #aptchat
— Stephanie Oehler (@stephanieoehler) August 8, 2017
Q4 | It’s great for our team… we know they know the details, so less squabbling over price/discounts, more focus matching prospect to home
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
We can now tailor our tour to creating rapport, creating community, increasing engagement. We sell on the experience b/c they know the deets
— Jake Zachariah, ARM® (@jake_zachariah) August 8, 2017
Our next #AptChat is slated for Tuesday, August 15, 2017 at 12 pm Eastern, and we’ll be discussing effective social media contests for apartments. In the meantime, be sure to sign up for #AptChat updates to get these recaps and more delivered straight to your inbox!
