The Benefits of Leasing Agents at Multifamily Communities

When it comes to leasing an apartment, technology is great. But don’t discount building a rapport!

Jessica Fiur, Editor-in-Chief

For employers, the job market is rough right now.

To quote the great scholar of our time, Kim Kardashian, “It seems like nobody wants to work these days.”

That’s not true, of course. (Shocker!) But between the pandemic and the Great Resignation, many industries, including multifamily, are finding it difficult to fill empty positions.

Though multifamily is infamous for being slow to adopt new technologies, it has risen to the challenge. Virtual tours, which were already being used, have now become a standard practice. As Jackson Chen reported for MHN, multifamily companies have started centralizing their operations, which allows for fewer employees on each property and for a more streamlined approach by incorporating tools such as interactive bots.

Technology is helpful. But while it’s useful to incorporate into an apartment leasing strategy, there are some things your leasing team can do that robots simply can’t. A good leasing agent can take initial interest and turn it to a yes. In reporter Gail Kalinoski’s story “Top Tips from Multifamily Leasing Professionals,” for example, Rebecca Fox of Morgan Properties reveals the personal touches she adds during her unit tours, including coloring pages for children or a water bowl for a visiting pet.

Not to mention how far a good rapport with a prospective resident will go—something that’s just not the same with a chat bot.

Of course, technology can—and should—assist in the leasing process. And in the hands of a top leasing agent, it makes for an unstoppable combo.

This month we get some leasing agents to spill their top strategies for lease-up success. I’d love to hear yours, as well! Let me know your thoughts at [email protected].