New Yorkers aren’t the only ones requesting floorplans now a days. In today’s rental market, a good floorplan is key to securing quality leads. A floorplan can make or break a unit in the prospect’s eyes. They can actually unveil more about a property than an image can by allowing tenants to visualize their physical space. Through the advancement of technology over the years, floorplans have evolved from just a simple contractor’s drawing to three-dimensional, interactive plans that allow prospects increased customization options through furniture placements and more. Some real estate developers, especially in larger cities, are now drafting unique floorplans that differentiate their properties from the competitors; thus, making them valuable marketing tools within themselves.
Considering the first time a prospective renters will interact with a property it will most likely be on the property website, it becomes increasingly important to lock them in while they’re already there. Visuals are imperative when it comes to marketing a property effectively, and prospects want to see more than just the average property photo and video tour. Next to amenities, pricing and location information, renters want to see floor plans. According to a recent Rightmove study, buyers are less likely to inquire about a property without a floor plan. The same study also found that floor plans are actually more important than the main image or the summary description and increase tenant inquiry levels by as much as 52%. Who can argue that value?
Save time
Floorplans aren’t just great marketing tools, but they help save property managers and leasing agents time as well. We have already established that some buyers won’t even take a chance on a property without seeing its floorplan, but in the case that they do, the leasing agent or property manager showing the unit risks the chance of the prospect disliking the layout, which can ultimately be a deal breaker. With floorplans displayed online for each available unit, leasing agents are property managers are no longer wasting their time performing countless prospect tours that will not transition to leads. And we all know in leasing, time is money.
What to Include
Before placing a floorplan on the property website, you’ll want to ensure it includes dimensions, square footage, room labels, doors, closets and is as detailed as possible. You can also take the floorplan to the next level by offering architectural two- or three-dimensional plans or virtual floor plan tours, which are great for new developments, luxury apartments and pre-leasing. There are also several software programs and free online tools on the market that allow you to design a custom floorplan that is both easy to understand and visually appealing.
Give Rentbot a Try
Rentbot allows you to incorporate your property floorplans right onto your custom website. Considering that every Rentbot site is also mobile optimized, prospects can view the floorplans on the go and on any device—be it phone, laptop or tablet. Paired with Rentbot’s other site offerings like professional layouts, photo galleries, online maintenance, rent payments and SEO, property managers are guaranteed to raise renter retention, increase traffic, and, ultimately, attract more leads.
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.