The apartment leasing industry has changed dramatically throughout the years—so much so that managers and agents have had to alter communication styles, upgrade features and, of course, enhance customer service initiatives. One’s website has proven no different. Renters today want convenience, flexibility, accessibility and freedom when it comes to their community’s apartment website. But, what does all of that mean exactly?

Kinglsey Associates conducted a 2015 Renter Preference survey which detailed which features renters wanted to have at their fingertips. Here’s what they said:

1. Maintenance Requests

As we all know, maintenance can pretty much make or break a property in a resident’s eyes. Not only do residents now a days want superb maintenance, but they want the freedom and convenience of placing their requests from anywhere at any time—be it the resident portal or property website. Online maintenance request systems not only allow residents the ability to track their personal requests and work orders, but they reduce errors on behalf of the renter and maintenance team. They also help streamline the overall maintenance process for you so that you can prioritize accordingly and always assign the right person to the job.

2. Online Rent Payment

Long gone are the days of mailing in your rental payment. The ability to accept rental payments online has not only become a trend in the leasing industry, but an expectation. And it doesn’t just save your tenants time, but you as well. By accepting payments online, you’ll be able to cut down on delinquencies, save money, and most importantly, improve customer service. With the amount of time you’ll save skipping the check collection and processing, you and your team can focus on other key efforts like advertising or social media.

3. Lease Renewal

No need to complicate the lease renewal process. Today’s residents really do want to renew, and they prefer to complete this action online. By giving your residents the freedom to renew their lease on your website or resident portal, you’ll save much needed time and effort by speeding up the renewal process and decreasing overall processing time, which will significantly impact your retention rates.

4. Mobile Accessibility

Now a days, you can’t just stop at a basic website. Your site must be optimized for mobile as well. Not only do more than half of all mobile searches lead to a purchase, but 91% of residents are more inclined to use a mobile device to search for an apartment. Having a strong mobile presence not only ensures that prospects can find you first, but is extremely important to the success of your property.

5. Lease Application

So, you want more leases, right? Is your rental application available online? According to the Renter Preference survey, renters want to be able to apply to your property right where they view it first—online. So why not let them? Hosting your app online simplifies the leasing process for all parties involved and gets your prospective tenants front and center—right where you want them to be.

Renbot has you covered.

Give your renters exactly whey want—a modern, optimized website with user-friendly features. Rentbot was designed with both property managers and tenants in mind. We offer exactly what you need to set your property apart from the competition—gorgeous custom designs, mobile-friendly pages, SEO, and online rent payments, maintenance requests, applications and more. And with Rentbot’s affordable payment plans, you won’t have to sacrifice on quality to reap the benefits of a fully functional, responsive website. Give Rentbot a try today!

About the Author

Jonsette Calloway joined the Rentbot team in 2015. With a background in public relations, advertising and copywriting, she has helped a multitude of clients achieve their marketing and communications goals within various fields, but she particularly enjoys working with the apartment industry.