00:00 – T. Tran
Welcome back to the Multifamily Manager Pro podcast. Today we’re talking about self-guided tours—what they are, the technology involved, pros and cons, and whether or not they make sense for your community.
00:15 – Chris Foti
Self-guided tours are becoming a really big thing in the industry. Some communities are using them full-time. Some are offering them part-time. Some are staying away from them altogether.
00:30 – Skyler Vanderwell
Yeah, and it’s important to understand what a self-guided tour is. It’s basically when a prospect can book a tour online, verify their ID, and tour a unit by themselves without a leasing agent present.
00:45 – T. Tran
There are some great benefits to that. People can tour when it’s convenient for them—after hours, weekends, holidays. It creates flexibility for both the prospect and the management team.
01:00 – Chris Foti
And the technology has made it a lot easier. Things like smart locks, keyless entry systems, scheduling software, ID verification apps—they all work together to create a seamless experience.
01:18 – Skyler Vanderwell
But it’s not just the technology. You really have to think about how it fits into your sales process. Because even though the prospect is alone, you still need a plan for follow-up and engagement.
01:32 – T. Tran
Exactly. It’s not a set-it-and-forget-it solution. If you aren’t properly managing the leads coming in from self-guided tours, you’re just letting hot prospects walk away without closing them.
01:45 – Chris Foti
Let’s talk a little about the pros first. The biggest advantage is convenience. Prospects can come when they want, and you’re not bottlenecked by leasing office hours or staff availability.
02:00 – Skyler Vanderwell
Another big pro is volume. You can have more tours happening without having to schedule an agent for every single one. It frees up your team’s time to work on other priorities.
02:15 – T. Tran
On the flip side, there are definitely cons. You’re giving access to your property without a team member physically present. That comes with risk—you need solid security systems in place.
02:30 – Chris Foti
Another con is that not everyone is comfortable touring alone. Some people want that personal interaction. They have questions. They want to feel connected to the community.
02:45 – Skyler Vanderwell
And you also lose some of the sales control. In a guided tour, your leasing agent can highlight features, build rapport, overcome objections. In a self-guided tour, the unit has to sell itself.
03:00 – T. Tran
That’s why having great staging, signage, even a quick video tour link sent to their phone can help make the experience more informative without being intrusive.
03:15 – Chris Foti
Let’s talk about the tech really quick. You’re going to need a smart lock or keyless entry system. Some vendors offer full packages—lock, app, scheduler, ID verification.
03:30 – Skyler Vanderwell
Yeah, and the ID verification piece is super important. You want to verify who they are before giving out access codes. There are platforms that handle this really well and even integrate with your CRM.
03:45 – T. Tran
Another thing to consider: how does it work if the unit they’re touring isn’t move-in ready? Is your system smart enough to block certain units from being scheduled? That’s something to think about.
04:00 – Chris Foti
Exactly. Not every available unit should necessarily be available for self-guided tours. You might want to limit it to show units or premium ready units that you know look perfect.
04:15 – Skyler Vanderwell
One thing that gets overlooked a lot is different prospect personalities. Some people thrive in a self-guided setup. Others need a human connection to feel confident leasing.
04:30 – T. Tran
And that’s okay. You don’t have to offer self-guided tours to everyone. You can offer both. Give prospects the option to choose between a self-guided tour or a traditional agent-led tour.
04:45 – Chris Foti
It really comes down to knowing your market and your customer base. In some communities, self-guided tours will thrive. In others, not so much. It’s not one-size-fits-all.
05:00 – Skyler Vanderwell
Another tip: Make sure your CRM and follow-up processes are tight. Just because they toured alone doesn’t mean they should get less attention afterward.
05:15 – T. Tran
Absolutely. Have automated follow-ups ready—texts, emails, maybe even a quick phone call. Keep the momentum going while they’re still excited.
05:30 – Chris Foti
Let’s shift gears a little. When does it make the most sense to offer self-guided tours? New lease-ups, for sure. You have more units available and you need volume fast.
05:45 – Skyler Vanderwell
Also for stabilized properties where you don’t have enough leasing agents to handle every tour request during peak hours. It helps expand your capacity without adding headcount.
06:00 – T. Tran
Even if you only use it during evenings and weekends, it’s still adding value by making your community more accessible when other properties are closed.
06:15 – Chris Foti
Let’s also be real though: it’s not going to completely replace human leasing agents. It’s a tool. It should work *with* your team, not *instead* of your team.
06:30 – Skyler Vanderwell
Exactly. You still need a sales process. You still need personal touches. You still need to close the deal. Self-guided tours are just another way to get more people through the door.
06:45 – T. Tran
And remember, just because a prospect doesn’t meet an agent right away doesn’t mean they should feel ignored. Automation and smart follow-up make all the difference.
07:00 – Chris Foti
Quick example: One of our communities added self-guided tours and saw a 30% increase in tour volume, but closing rates stayed consistent because we had strong follow-up processes.
07:15 – Skyler Vanderwell
That’s the key. Volume alone doesn’t mean success. You still have to be intentional about converting those leads into leases.
07:30 – T. Tran
Alright, let’s wrap this one up. Self-guided tours can absolutely be a great tool, but they’re not a perfect fit for every property.
07:45 – Chris Foti
It depends on your market, your staffing, your technology, and your willingness to adapt your leasing process.
08:00 – Skyler Vanderwell
And don’t be afraid to test it out. Start small, track the data, and adjust based on what you learn.
08:15 – T. Tran
Inside the Multifamily Manager Pro community, we dive even deeper into this topic. We have side-by-side comparisons of platforms, real case studies, and implementation tips.
08:30 – Chris Foti
If you’re serious about modernizing your leasing process, check out the community. You’ll find tons of real-world advice and tools there.
08:45 – Skyler Vanderwell
Alright, that’s it for today. Thanks for listening to Multifamily Manager Pro. We’ll see you in the next episode!
