When it comes to renting out apartments, there are many things that effect a prospective residents’ experience throughout their visit within the community. The sights, sounds and smells within an apartment community can all have a huge impact on the outcome of whether or not you get the prospective resident to apply and ultimately sign a lease.
What You See is What You Get
One of the first things a person notices when touring an apartment is the visual appearance of the outer grounds and the buildings. This is the first impression that visitors will take away from entering or driving by the community. As a property manager, it is important to ensure your grounds provide a welcoming look as prospective residents drive by or into your community.
For example, if your property is undergoing a renovation and/or looks like a “battleground”, it could become difficult to bring prospects into the office. The more well kept the outside of a property, the more positive ones’ assumption will be of what the inside will look like.
Once you bring these prospective residents inside the community, it is important to continue to impress them with the upkeep of the apartments. What they see within the building will then have just as must effect on their decision-making process. Making sure those carpets are clean, holes are patched and walls are touched up will all be essential to making sure the sights your visitors see have a positive lasting effect.
Hearing is Believing
Potential residents will probably ask you what the neighbors are like. Of course, you are going to give them an answer they want to hear. As someone who is looking to lease the unit, you may explain them as someone who keeps to themselves, is respectful and quiet. Without having actually shared a wall yourself, you may have no idea how loud the neighbors to this unit are. As a property manager, you can better control the sounds potential residents hear as they visit the community.
As a property manager, you can better control the sounds potential residents hear as they visit the community. You have a better chance of hitting quiet hours within the community during the weekdays. This is a time that most of your current residents are at work and won’t be home to blast music or add any additional noise to your showing. Weekends can be the busiest time within the community when it comes to showings and residents who are currently home. It would be best to try and avoid these times. Just remember, a loud neighbor could be a deciding factor in the residents’ decision-making.
Scent-O-Meter
As a property manager, you may not notice the smells anymore as you enter each building. Even though you may not notice a smell, potential residents who haven’t spent much, if any, time within the building will definitely notice a scent. Ranging from wet dog to burnt food, this is something you have complete control over and should use to your advantage. Before showing a unit, make sure to put some air fresheners throughout the building. This will help to control the smell as a resident is visiting. You could even go a step further and provide a smell such as fresh baked cookies as the prospect enters the apartment. This scent will help the visitor to envision it becoming home.
Taylor Julsen 