Keep in mind, 25 years ago, a tour of an apartment home took all of 15 minutes. And amenities? That may have included a swing set. Maybe a pool. Maybe.
Our leasing consultants are now hosting hour long tours, planning and hosting resident events, cultivating in-person resident and prospect relationships, completing full background screenings, meeting all local, state and national fair housing laws, staying up to date on Grace Hill requirements, walking the tour path and the exterior of buildings to ensure cleanliness and sometimes going as far as baking fresh baked cookies and serving fresh fruit infused water each day. Add in other basic functions like handling the administrative side of entering maintenance work orders, closing them out, completing daily reporting for upper management/asset management or the ownership group, etc.
While we lose a little bit on service, our residents gain a TON on an actual living experience. In my market, occupancy has hit a 20 year high. Until the market demands that the phone be answered on the third ring by an actual person (something I was taught, too, when I started), then there isn’t a big incentive for property owners to make that change.