10 Tips To Prepare For Peak Leasing Season

Ask yourself these 10 questions to get ahead of leasing season preparedness. These prompts will help you think about what’s needed to have the most successful leasing season yet:

1. Can prospective residents easily book tours of units?

Tip: Use a calendar booking app, like Calendly, for leads to book tours right into your calendar. Or explore proptech tools offering 3D virtual tours.

Apps like Calendly enable prospective residents to schedule tours on their time without delay and avoid the annoyance of back and forth emailing which can cause drop-off. You can block your calendar when you’re not available for tours, and automate email reminders with customized information. Virtual tours are a great solution to ease the resource strain of in-person tours on your team & also provide an option for younger, tech-savvy renters looking to evaluate & narrow their options online. Plus it offers a great perk to get into the consideration set of out of towners relocating to your area.

2. Are you properly staffed to handle an increase in leasing traffic?

Tip: Utilize property management staffing agencies

With an influx of activity, your staff will be stretched thin. Can your current team handle the workload? Or will you need to reprioritize management duties or risk essential services falling through the cracks? Consider hiring a property management staffing agency to help fill temporary gaps. Additionally, consider coordinating with nearby sister properties to assist with staffing needs.

3. Are your rates competitive to communities around you?

Tip: Complete your market surveys early in the week

By doing market surveys early you give your team and marketing department time to create an integrated marketing plan that will help you promote your offers, be more competitive and attract interest before the typically busy weekend.

4. How is your curb appeal?

Tip: Invest in landscaping

People look for more than just a unit, they are evaluating the features and appeal of your entire community…and first impressions count!  Beautiful landscaping evokes warmth and presents your building as serene and inviting. Before they step foot through the doors they’ll know you are committed to providing an attractive, well maintained property they’ll be proud to call home. 

5. Are you efficiently managing your make-ready apartments?

Tip: Schedule more frequent meetings with your maintenance team

Your make-ready apartments are of utmost importance to maintain. It is a critical component of putting your best foot forward. Make sure you are always connected to your maintenance staff, keeping them on task and confirming timelines for outstanding items.

6. Do you have a social media strategy ready?

Tip: Create videos and prepare new content

Younger generations prefer consuming video content. They primarily use apps like TikTok & Snapchat while traditional social channels like Facebook and Instagram are fading in popularity. Get comfortable with these apps & get creative! Make sure you are speaking to them where they are to drive results – not where they once were or where you’re comfortable.

Need content ideas? Drone footage is a great and easy want to leverage video content. You can show off your balconies and outdoor amenities. And it is easier than you think! Offer an incentive for residents to film a testimonial. Or compile an animated “Meet The Management Team” video to showcase the friendly faces new residents can expect interact with within the community.

7. Are you posting on every internet listing site possible?

Tip: Ask Around

Ask friend, family or colleagues where they look for rentals. There are always new rental sites and apps popping up, and trends shift as to where people are finding their next home. One other key is to ask prospective residents where they learned of your listing. You can focus efforts on the most effective lead drivers but will also learn about emerging trends or new sites/apps to test as well.

8. Are you reaching people who don’t follow you on social or receive your emails?

Tip: Digital Signage

Use digital signage to market vacancies, amenities, and leasing specials to guests of your buildings, without having their contact information or a following on social media. Also make sure you use digital signage – and all of your resident communication channels – to promote renewal incentives. Reward them for helping source leads and supporting your occupancy goals.

9. How are you communicating renewal notices?

Tip: Renewal Party

Paperwork can feel like a drag. Throwing a Renewal Party gives residents a fun and easy way to renew their lease, while having a cocktail or ice cream treat and socializing with their neighbors. Lean on digital signage to remind residents of renewal dates, early signing incentives, promote renewal parties & provide QR codes to RSVP easily.

10. Are you effectively communicating with current residents?

Tip: Captivate

The easiest way to maintain occupancy is through renewals, and communication is key to keeping current residents happy. Emails and text notifications are often missed or overlooked because like all of us, residents are inundated with outreach. With digital signage you can rest assured residents see your communication as they walk through your building. Use digital signage in creative ways to promote amenities and events, feature recent improvements to highlight your hard work and investment into your property to your most valued audience – current residents. Digital signage maintains an ongoing dialog with residents to build community, create connection and increase renewals. Make it fun too – some of our favorite ideas include pet spotlights, a children’s artwork contest & other ideas that generate goodwill through ongoing property-resident dialog.