In the past, property management seemed to be a fairly easy gig. You didn’t need any special technical skills outside of property maintenance and rent deposits. Recently, as with everything else, property management has become a far more digitized process. Landlords are finding themselves increasingly “tech-ified” and forced to change with a constantly evolving market.
The days of handwritten checks in the mailbox are no longer a sufficient method for paying rent. 40% of Americans don’t utilize checks at all anymore, and if you are renting to a young demographic, that number is even more significant. In order to appeal to the new generation of renters, it is critical that your company utilizes an appropriate property management website. Included here are a few requirements for your site to allow your business to stay ahead of the curve.
Online Rent Payment
89% of American households have internet. With all of this internet access, the days of paying bills on paper are dying out. Four out of five households bank online and millions of people pay bills exclusively on the computer. So what does this mean for a rental company?
For property management groups that want to stay relatable and at the top of their game in the market, online rent payments are the next step. It is crucial you have appropriate encryption on your site as well as all other security measures, but it can be a fairly easy process to set up. Online rental payments are especially appealing to parents who are paying for their college student’s apartment.
Video Tours of Rentals
A second tool that can be especially useful for property management groups can lie in video tours of prospective rentals. Looking for a new home can be an exceedingly frustrating task, especially if you realize at first glance the property is not right for you. Utilizing a video tour on your website can be just the way to help prospective tenants.
Additionally, taking a simple video tour can save your property manager, and potential tenants, a lot of time! Property managers will no longer have to open up the apartment for half as many viewings if you can weed out the unlikelies online. People who have seen the tour and agreed to the price will be more serious when they come to view the place and far more likely to sign a rental agreement.
24/7 Contact
One of the biggest differences between generations can be found in their preferred method of communication. While you may still speak with mothers and grandparents on the phone, most people under 30 prefer to text. This is not to say they don’t want access to communication, as they actually see constant availability as a requirement.
Offering a 24 hour contact link on your webpage can be a great way to draw in clients who have had brushes with inattentive landlords in the past. They want to know they can get ahold of you quickly when a pipe bursts or the furnace is not working. Creating a contact form on your page may be just the link they are looking for!