How Multifamily Properties Get Better Online Leads

Before making a big decision like renting an apartment or townhome, consumers conduct research online. Give renters the information they seek online, while delivering detailed property management leads on each website visitor who interacts with the site.

For many multifamily property websites, a static “Contact Us” form is the only way a potential renter can request more information about available apartments, amenities and pricing. These forms force online visitors to either pick up the phone to speak to a leasing specialist or submit their name and phone number and then wait for a leasing office to call them.

Visitors who fail to reach out through the contact form leave property managers with no way of knowing who visited their website. That prospect likely moved on to a competitor’s site to do more research.

“Educating and engaging our consumers better on our website has streamlined our leasing process in ways I couldn’t have imagined”

— Casey Rusk

A more recent marketing strategy for property management companies is using AI technology so multifamily properties can gather more leads and higher quality lead information. With the help of interactive tools like a 24/7 textable AI chatbot, personal expense calculator or floor plan assessments, properties can also capture valuable lead data from website visitors.

“Educating and engaging our consumers better on our website has streamlined our leasing process in ways I couldn’t have imagined,” says Casey Rusk, regional manager at Watermark Residential. “The renter has much more information at their fingertips, so the leasing process is faster.”

Interactive Experiences Capture Quality Website Leads

Leasing specialists gather detailed lead information every time a website visitor interacts with an AI Leasing Assistant, which they can use to close the deal when the new renter tours the property. “There’s more information captured, so it’s a better lead,” says Mark Avis, president and CEO of Regency Multifamily, which features PERQ software on more than a dozen multifamily property sites.

For Watermark Residential, the interactive feature “What floor plan is right for you?” garners the most interest from prospective renters. Rusk says online visitors who engage with that planning tool and any other interactive experience on Watermark’s websites give the property managers valuable information in return, such as the renter’s preferred price range, pet information and desired features.  

“We’re getting a lot more information on leads, like what kind of floor plan they prefer, their price range, when they need to move, which is information we weren’t getting before.”

Sandy Carmin, director of property management at Englert Management Corporation, says the floor plan assessments are also really popular on their multifamily property websites. However, it’s pricing and special offers that get the most clicks.

“We’re getting a lot more information on leads, like what kind of floor plan they prefer, their price range, when they need to move, which is information we weren’t getting before,” Carmin says. “It’s very helpful.”

Website Leads Increase With Engagement

By capturing data from every online visitor, a multifamily property website can convert anonymous website traffic into high-quality leads. PERQ multifamily clients convert up to 200 percent more website traffic into known leads and see an average lead increase of 550 percent. Marketing for property management companies has never been easier with more information, quality leads, and smoother automation. This makes advertising property management much more effective too.

“We’ve seen an incredible increase in website leads since implementing PERQ in mid-December,” says Casey Rusk. In just over three months, Watermark Residential’s website leads jumped by more than 300 percent.   

Our research shows that if you help potential renters research and narrow down their choices, they’re likely to spend three times longer on a multifamily website, which builds trust and an increase in converted leads. The more guided online shopping experiences they engage with, the more likely they are to book a tour of a multifamily communities.

“Definitely, leads have increased a lot,” Sandy Carmin says. “After doing a lot of research on our websites, we find people are a lot more committed when they come in for a tour.”

“After doing a lot of research on our websites, we find people are a lot more committed when they come in for a tour.”

— Sandy Carmen

Englert Management’s five multifamily properties all experienced a lift in leads since installing the interactive leasing software for property management companies that guides people through the apartment shopping process. While most of the properties started with less than 10 website leads per month, they now receive an average of 30 leads a month.

Carmin points to the online tour scheduler as one of the biggest improvements in Englert Management’s leasing process. Every interactive website experience links to the tour scheduling tool, which allows visitors to set an appointment online and then automatically add the tour time to a leasing specialist’s calendar.

“Because they now have the option to schedule a tour on our site, we’ve also seen an increase in the number of people who actually make an appointment to tour the properties,” Carmin says. “There wasn’t an online option before — they had to call or email.”