Apartment Guide Survey Reveals Ratings & Reviews Service Influences the Apartment Search Process

Atlanta—Apartment Guide conducted a recent survey to determine the sentiment around user-generated reviews as it relates to the rental process and consumer behavior. According to SearchEngineLand.com, more than 79 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, proving that online feedback is more important than ever in decision making. In addition, Kingsley Associates found that more than half of renters consider online reviews a top factor in determining where to live, and this percentage continues to grow. With Apartment Guide’s Certified Resident Ratings & Reviews^SM service, the rental real estate industry joins closed loop review systems along with other innovators such as OpenTable, Amazon and Hotels.com.

For the more than 100 million renters in the United States, monthly rent represents the most significant monthly expenditure. The typical renter is searching for a home to live in that accommodates their desired lifestyle for an average of 18 months. Consequently, finding a home is as important a decision as finding a job; and more and more renters are using review platforms to aid in this decision-making process.

Apartment Guide’s findings further support the importance and influence of ratings and reviews in the apartment search process.  Insights include:

• Eighty-one percent of consumers looking to move turned to ratings and/or reviews to find out more information regarding particular apartment properties
• Eighty-six percent of customers trust reviews from certified residents more than from anonymous users
• Sixty-six percent of respondents feel that having access to apartment listings online is the most important component when looking for a new home