How do y'all deal with "lookie-loos” coming in for information 4,6,9 months in advance, "just to see"?

Serious inquiry...how do y'all deal with "lookie-loos"? People coming in for information 4,6,9 months in advance, "just to see"?

My answer will be in the comments, but I am really curious how other people deal with this.

Just like someone who wants to move in tomorrow

With welcome arms and the best sales pitch ever so they remember you!

Same question for both of you Matthew Youngerman and Monica Fincham, do you ever get a lease from those?

Matthew Drew Bear yes, it’s not uncommon that they come back for a re-tour and application! Follow-up is critical though, especially at the 60 day mark (for me that’s when I know inventory pricing etc)

Matthew Drew Bear I have! People remember how they're treated and the vibe they get from the office.

I have and regardless if you don't they may reccomend you to someone else. I always want to be toured by an enthusiastic leasing agent no matter when i am looking.

You have to treat it the same. The experience they have isn’t just about that one lease. It’s also about how they felt about how they were treated and what they saw. People talk. Friends ask for recommendations. You should always give your best tour.

Everyone e is treated the same. I had a lady I showed about 6 times last summer, she moved in this fall.

actually they can turn into your best referrals even if they don't lease they will know someone looking....if they are treated right

I once had a couple come in to look at our community. When I asked where they lived currently, they said “oh we just moved to X property (1 mile away) yesterday and already want to move out at the end of our lease (13 months)”. I said okay! Let me show you our community”
6 months later, they broke their lease there and moved into our property.
You never know what they’re going thru!
Plus, fair housing ???? Same tour process for everyone!!

It’s important to give the very same consideration to these folks as you do those who want to move in right away. If they are genuinely looking to move in, in the future, they will remember your efforts or tell someone about your community. And yes, we get leases from these early people. Also, from a fair housing perspective, treat them all the same and you’ll be in good shape.

Great answers! Love it! Trying to convince my leasing staff of this has been challenging, great to get some other viewpoints.

Sounds like your team needs a refresher on fair housing imo

To be fair, they don't refuse to show them or anything like that. They just aren't as enthusiastic.

Trust, me too! I had an assistant that got us sued over telling a potential renter that we would not accept their dog breed, despite it being a service animal!! It was a shame I wasn't there to catch it!

Also, the prospects that look the greatest time in advance end up staying the longest. They are the most valuable potential residents.

Sometimes those Lookie loos are actually looking and just don’t want the pressure. Treat every client as if they are a VIP!

Rise above the other properties that will do the eyerolls, follow up and set yourself apart! So easy and free!

We get them all time even 2 years out, but many have come back and leased! So we roll out the red carpet for all!

Us as well. A lot of people selling their family home and thinking about a new lifestyle. They plan and research!

ou never know, they also can spread word-of-mouth. Hey I just looked at this property and it was really great you should check it out if you’re looking to move...

I totally agree with all these comments. I find the reason they are not as enthusiastic about them is that they want a leasing commission NOW not maybe in 3 to 9 months. Sometimes staff sees prospects as just a $ sign, at that point, it is some times good to send them off to a new area to do secret shops on communities outside your normal area to see how they get treated as a prospect looking for this month or in 3 to 9 months. Kind of eye opening

We get them frequently and typically do lease! Longest one for us toured 139 days prior to move in. They toured at least 10 times but they just signed another renewal with us! We push waitlist at time of tour as well.

I have followed up with a prospect for a YEAR... literally took them a year but they leased and have been a tenant going on three years now.
You just never know, don’t rush them out the door, don’t make them feel like they’re an inconvenience. You also never know who they will refer.

"People will not remember what you say but they will remember how you made them feel" ( Maya Angelou) Make them feel at home and someday they will be at home.

Marianne King this is my favorite reply. And it's going to be the theme for our weekly meeting. Thank you!

You are very welcome Matthew, Property Management is a personal care industry, dealing with people in the most intimate of circumstances... their homes. It is not our job to take care of our Residents it is our privilege.

I treat it like a hot lead. People looking that far out are normally deciding right away. They are the planners, the OCD like me that make a plan months before the actual move. We'll need the lease just as bad in 6 months as we do today. And this is what we try to instill into our sales teams.

The planners normally reside in the community 1-5 years where someone that doesn’t plan will move in 6-12 months.

If I were in charge I would pay an extra small bonus for anyone to that toured 90 day or so ahead of move in date as long as the leasing staff can show that they regularly followed up with documented text/email/phone.

everyone who walks in our door, gets the same consideration and awesome tour. they may actually be ready now and if they are not, they may love the community so much they will put a wait list deposit down and fill your future apts when you receive a 30 day notice, or they can refer someone who is ready to move. So many win situations can happen when you give your best to everyone who walks in your door!

I think it's great to tour them that far ahead as if they are going to move, sometimes people like what they see and don't bother to look anywhere else. They just plan to come back in. And some folks have actually changed their move plans to move in sooner.

We need leases in 4,6 and 9 months from now right?

love the lookie loos - they are why we have people apply to the waitlist! can apply now to find out if approved and they like getting priority option when an apartment is about to go on notice for the time frame they want.

Bank for 4, 6, 9 months in advance. Set follow ups for every 30 days to keep a temperature. You’ll be glad you stayed in communication with them and treated them as though they were leasing tomorrow!

I wonder if that time frame is true and ask if their moving plans are flexible? Maybe that date range is simply to prevent the conversation of will you lease today? How many people anticipate a moving change that far in advance that they invest their very valuable time for a tour?

Sometimes they are more flexible than they say so i asked them if they would like me to go ahead and put them on our waiting list. Then call them back and follow up with them.

treat them the same way as someone that is looking to move in ASAP! They might know someone needing to move in right away and may refer them.

I agree with Lori Hammond. They may be holding you at arm's length with the move-in date. If they are truly looking that far in advance, have a method for closing with a waitlist option that will have them thinking "Oh thank God, someone gets me." Because they will be hearing "We don't know what we're going to have then..." and are rushed on their way by the competition.

I have a website for my building that has lots of pictures, application instructions, a downloadable application, and a virtual tour. I don't show units until I have an application and have verified that they qualify. Then I will go there and show it to them. If they are still interested, which they should be because I have some of the most updated apartments in the area, I'll send them the link to do the background/credit checks. Otherwise I'd be there showing it every day. Plus it's always the people who know they don't qualify that want to see it and then plead their case of why I should make exceptions for them. My 2 bedrooms rent for only $500 per month. If they can't afford that then they can't afford anything.

I've actually had prospective residents return months later and tell my team that they came back because we were the only ones that acted like they were important even though they weren't leasing right away. Perception becomes reality so aside from Fair Housing principles, be the one they remember because of how you made them feel.

That's a great idea

I manage a 55+ location and this happens a lot. Sometimes it's several years later rather than months later that they return to lease.

The only thing that irks me about it is that their first question is usually "what do you have available?". If they're not moving now it surely doesn't matter what I have available now. Then when they find out that we're full and there is a wait list they want to know how long they'll have to wait. A crystal ball would really be helpful but I don't have one. I usually just say that move outside usually have to do with people's health and that is unpredictable. Sometimes they then realize that they're waiting for someone to die or go to a nursing home

I had a couple that called every month (out of state) for 7-years to inquire about renting before they actually committed. No lie!