Touring is an essential part of the leasing process for every arena of real estate, but it’s especially vital for multifamily. 

Since multifamily properties are a community of units and residents, the property’s ultimate success lies not in one lead-to-closing conversion, but in many conversions to keep vacancy low. Because of this, tours and property showings play an essential role in a healthy multifamily asset’s toolbox. When the tours stop, the sales funnel goes stagnant. Conducting tours is a requirement for filling vacancies and actualizing the asset’s full ROI potentials. 

However, the current global climate is putting a halt on traditional touring protocols and forcing industry professionals to find new alternatives that better align with the times. 

COVID-19, social distancing, and stay-at-home orders are sparking widespread concerns for the health and safety of the leasing staff, residents, and prospective residents. Needless to say, conducting tours is now a challenge… and one that needs to be conquered immediately if multifamily professionals want to keep up their momentum. 

Overcoming the Obstacles

Fortunately, it is possible for multifamily property managers to conduct tours safely while accommodating all of society’s ‘new normals’. 

By combining cutting-edge technologies with strategic best-practices, you’ll be able to conduct tours with confidence and provide an extraordinary customer experience for prospective residents. 

Explore Modern Touring Options

Optimize your multifamily tour procedures according to the moment with these 4 creative ideas: 

Pre-Made Video Tours

Being exactly what the name suggests, this tour option allows multifamily managers to compile a ready-made video tour for vacant units.

This is a remote touring method that gets embedded onto the property listing, making it perfect for a completely contact-less showing. It’s generally hassle-free as there only needs to be one file that can be cut-and-pasted into many different applications. 

Agent-Guided Video Tours

Similar in form to the pre-recorded video tour, this version comes with the added bonus of an agent’s first-hand expertise. Shot from the viewer’s point of view, the agent would take the prospect on a ‘walk through’ of the unit - giving it more of a realistic feel than the video unaccompanied by a guide. 

Having an agent digitally-present can be a great (and safe) way to share valuable information about the property and show off specific features, but it’s not always realistic for an agent to have the time (or tech-savvy) to create a guided video tour for each property or prospect. 

Virtual Tours

Take things to a tech-savvy level by giving virtual reality a whirl. Virtual tours have been spearheading the industry because of their stunning, interactive, and hyper-realistic elements. 

This option creates a digital model from the unit’s plans and allows users to take a more active role in the tour. Prospects can explore as they please, instead of being passively guided by a video recording - making it a highly appealing option for renters that want a ‘real’ tour.

Self-Guided Tours

While these ingenious alternatives do provide immense value in light of today’s circumstances, nothing beats a traditional physical tour — particularly before the prospect makes the final lease commitment Seeing something on a screen is different than actually being there, and many prospects will likely still want an in-person tour. 

That’s where self-guided tours are really shining in today’s arena. Touring is made safe and easy with this unprecedented tool. By choosing this innovative substitute, renters can replace the guiding agent with a seamless web of tech - allowing renters to tour the property on their own.

Self-guided tours are becoming a norm among prospects. Looking at our own data, we have seen a 39% increase in self-guided tours from 2019 to 2020. Even as areas start to re-open, we are seeing an 11% increase in self-guided tours in May 2020 compared to April. This holds true even in Georgia, one of the states that re-opened early, showing sustained interest among prospects in touring properties independently.

A large part of self-guided tours' appeal for the prospects may be the ability to tour properties in person on weekends and after hours, even when the leasing office is closed. The most popular times for apartment self-tours from March to May are Saturdays from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Mondays through Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. With a majority of employees working from home, weekends and after-hours self-tours remain strong even during COVID-19.

By incorporating detailed digital maps, prospects can even explore beyond the unit and check out the entire community including available floor plans, community perks, and other highlights This is a fantastic way to show off amenities that may be missing from other touring alternatives. 

Not only does this abide by social-distancing criteria, but it opens up the door to a ‘traditional’ tour experience, with all the luxuries but without the risks. 

These advanced touring methods will elevate your prospect experience while safeguarding everyone involved. But, there are still steps you can take to go above and beyond the competition and ‘wow’ potential leads. 

Above the Baseline

Enhance the self-touring process even further with these three rapid-fire strategies:

Schedule and Screen Tours Digitally

With some self-touring software platforms, property managers can securely schedule tours via the web while also collecting important screening information — such as driver’s license information. This allows managers to determine eligibility beforehand to mitigate the need for contact upon arrival.

Sanitize the Unit Between Showings

Stay ahead of the tour schedule and thoroughly sanitize the unit in between appointments. Tap into technology to know when potential renters enter and exit the unit so you can make your move at the right time.

Rethink Prospect Follow-Ups 

Keep leads engaged post-tour by following up digitally with automated emails and text messages.

Don’t let the repercussions of the pandemic get the best of your multifamily outlook. Keep things flowing smoothly and safely with these 7 touring best-practices fit for the COVID-19 era.