The coronavirus has changed the world in many ways. With that said, people are working from home and are conducting their lives virtually. As a result, landlords have had to learn to deal with these changes for their property management strategies or risk falling behind. That is why scheduling software for property managers has played a vital role in helping landlords adjust to the Covid-19 outbreak.
When evaluating different real estate scheduling platforms, the following must be taken into consideration to run and maintain a property portfolio successfully:
- Tenants
- Leasing staff
- Property owners
- Maintenance personnel
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1. Propertyware
First up is Propertyware, which has embraced virtual tours and digital scheduling with their property management software for landlords.
The challenges landlords face are that they don’t have the support they need when it comes to scheduling during the initial leasing process. Propertyware’s solution is that they offer a leasing contact center, which is available 24/7 to respond to inquiries either by phone or email.
With that comes the added benefits of the following:
- Instant call reply services that will respond within minutes to off-hour inquiries
- Provides the ability to schedule safe property visits that work with property management schedules
- Frees up a landlord’s time to focus on renter satisfaction
Online Access For Property Management Scheduling Needs
Next, is their easy to use tenant online portal access, which provides rental residents the scheduling flexibility they need.
Tenants who don’t want to call-in or visit in-person can submit their inquiries at any time via the online portal. Also, this makes it much faster and easier for property managers to address any tenant issues.
How might that be beneficial to property managers when it comes to maintenance requests? With virtual access, tenants can request and schedule maintenance service requests during off-hours and avoid leaving a voicemail. Plus, this prevents residents from having to wait until the next day or longer for maintenance personnel to address their issues.
With their real estate scheduling software, renters can upload service requests with photos or short videos through their online portal. Also, it helps maintenance staff respond quickly to specific issues within a property by easily locating where they are needed.
Another added advantage is that property management and related personnel can stay up-to-date on their residents’ needs. Plus, they can gauge the level of required follow-up activity for future responses. In return, this helps landlords to better schedule for any upcoming and common tenant service requests.
Taking Advantage of Mobile Communication and V.R.
If the online desktop method isn’t fast enough, then Propertyware uses text messaging through their smartphone application. By using multimedia messages (MMS), property managers can help address renter issues and keep track of any ongoing scheduled maintenance problems.
Also, along with group messaging, their program comes with the ability to print texts for any necessary documentation and record-keeping.
Propertyware is a top choice as a scheduling software for property managers because they offer an immersive virtual reality tour experience. Landlords can save time with this technology because it delivers the touring experience safely without having to be there in-person.
It may just satisfy a more tech-savvy audience. However, Propertyware is thinking ahead and protecting property managers and renters alike from having to meet personally. By doing so, this helps reassure potential residents that their health and wellbeing are a top priority. In return, they will feel more compelled to move forward in the leasing process.
Analyze Your Property Tour Data
PropertyWare also enables landlords to monitor and measure the interest levels of viewed properties when using their V.R. technology. Their software can generate regularly scheduled reports to measure performance metrics to assess the needs of prospective residents. Having such info can help refine marketing strategies to help close more rental agreements.
2. Rently
Some scheduling software for property managers may entirely focus on using the virtual tour experience. However, Rently is different as they use self-touring technology.
Self Touring Technology That Works
Before the world pandemic, it was difficult enough to view a property during regular business hours. With Rently’s real estate scheduling software, tenants can see available properties during off-hours without having to come in contact with anyone.
In doing so, they meet the convenience factor as well as the health and safety of potential renters. Also, this helps property managers build a solid reputation that they care about having a safe multifamily community for both residents and non-residents alike.
But how can property managers be assured this is safe and secure for their property complex during off-hour visits? Rently has this covered with their security checkpoint feature, which includes:
- A self-identification check
- Credit card authentication processing
- A.I. fraud detection and screening system
Once a potential renter passes their security check, they will sign terms and conditions for acceptable onsite behavior. At which point, they will be ready to schedule their visit.
Property Touring With Comfort and Security
After the potential renter qualifies, they will receive a map to view directions to the requested property address sent to their phone via text. Once they arrive for their scheduled appointment, they can tour the unit and any amenities knowing they are safe, secure, and free to view what’s important to them.
Rently understands that not all properties are created the same. So they developed a patented Smart-lockbox, Smart Bluetooth lock, and Smart IoT hub, which are compatible with almost any type of property setup.
After a tour is done, Rently can forward the potential resident’s information to any other type of property management software for landlords. With that information, a property manager can schedule any necessary follow-up to help close the deal.
Specialized Real Estate Scheduling Software
If property managers still want to incorporate regular onsite visits, then Rently has another useful program called Rently Agent Scheduler. For this to work, property operations and staff must meet the necessary criteria for Covid-19 health and safety regulations.
With that said, Rently Agent Scheduler will post a vacant property with a bunch of different high-profile listing websites. Then they will respond to all tenant inquiries to book an appointment for an in-person showing. However, to start the process, a potential renter will answer a series of relevant and qualifying questions.
If they need to make any edits before an appointment, they can with just one press of a button. Once they choose their timeslot, Rently will follow up with a call, text, or email to confirm it. If they don’t confirm for any reason, then the system will automatically notify the landlord, which helps eliminate no-show appointments.
After a property tour showing, Rently will send out a survey to gain feedback and assess their level of interest. With that, this should help increase the chances for a new lease to be signed. It’s quite evident that Rently’s focus is to manage the unique planning needs and wellbeing of its customers, making them an excellent fit as a scheduling software for property managers.
3. Realync
Next on the list is Realync, and their product makes the grade as a top real estate scheduling software in a pandemic world.
Scheduling Property Tours While Keeping Safety in Mind
Their approach incorporates virtual touring while being able to connect with prospective residents in real-time. In return, it keeps everyone involved safe, so potential residents don’t have to worry about social distancing.
With that in mind, their platform is more than photographs of an apartment complex in a 360-degree interactive tour. Instead, they use cloud-based videos to show a property’s value to potential renters. Landlords can also create voice-over recordings for any of their shared video clips, which makes it easy to share pre-recorded tours via social media, text, and email.
One of the best features of their software platform is its ability to host live video tours between leasing agents and prospective tenants. It works the same way as when someone can schedule a video conference. Thus, no one has to worry about in-person contact.
Plus, a leasing agent can quickly assist with answering questions via screen sharing as they view a unit in real-time.
Helping Fine Tune Leasing Conversion Strategy
Realync’s scheduling software for property managers provides visual analytics for property managers to source and measure video views and tours. With that, property managers can better assess how they’re scheduling their visits in comparison to their leasing conversion rates for new tenants.
They also understand that resident engagement is vital to keep happy tenants. That’s why it becomes essential that property management software for landlords includes events that promote community involvement. In return, this helps increase resident retention and community activity attendance.
Realync does this by enabling its users to make entertaining and creative videos to help promote upcoming activities for residents. Also, these same videos can be sent as scheduled updates to resident emails or placed on a property management website.
Reducing the Need for Maintenance Scheduling
Realynyc is a top pick for best scheduling software for property managers because they can address routine property maintenance needs via their online how-to videos.
These productions can also help reduce maintenance requests, and it saves maintenance staff time. Plus, it reduces the need for maintenance personnel to enter a resident’s home to fix minor issues. With no contact means less likelihood of endangering the health and welfare of residence and maintenance team members.
4. Buildium
Buildium has a long-standing reputation in the world of real estate because they’ve addressed all kinds of different property management challenges. So it comes as no surprise they lead the pack as a premier scheduling software for property managers.
With their program Showings Coordinator powered by Tenant Turner, they’ve been able to eliminate the difficulty of scheduling in-person showings. Their real estate scheduling software enables potential renters to book appointments while providing an easy user experience. Plus, it will allow landlords to sync their calendars for regular showings during off-hours.
Also, their scheduling software for property managers can be automated to make follow-up appointments for every aspect of the leasing process via texts and emails.
Self-Showing Attributes and Abilities
Buildium offers keyless lockbox technology. However, the Showing Coordinator program does require potential residents to undergo a security screening procedure before permitting an appointment.
Once potential tenants pass this process and are approved, they can then schedule a self-tour. When a prospective renter arrives for their onsite appointment, the software will notify the landlord of their arrival.
With that in mind, the advantages work out well for property managers for the following reasons:
- Less coordination time
- Elimination of no shows to appointments
- A reduction of how long the leasing cycle takes
The challenge with their system is with off-hour self-tours because it eliminates the ability to answer questions in real-time. However, once a potential tenant completes a property viewing, the software program will automatically send a follow-up feedback survey.
Another great feature is that their program can keep track of the status of property units. With their CRM system, a landlord could track and organize listings, showings, and what stage a potential resident is in.
Buildium doesn’t offer virtual tours, but a 3rd party virtual tour link can be added through their Tenant Turner partnership. Also, for an additional cost, they can offer 24/7 phone services to help with coordinating and sourcing potential tenant leads.
Property Repair Services for the Wellbeing of Tenants
Their scheduling software for property managers helps reduce in-person exposure between maintenance staff and residence by enabling tenants to attach and submit videos, documents, and images via online service requests. As a result, this helps speed up the process for maintenance personnel to do their job.
Also, their program can keep track of 3rd party vendors and contractors’ job orders. With that info, landlords can gauge their performance to evaluate how efficient contractors are working. Plus, they can measure vendor delivery times for any ongoing property projects.
5. Tour24
Tour24 is the next real estate scheduling software for multifamily properties that makes the roster. The goal of their technology is to make the property touring experience for renters fast and easy. Plus, this helps generate more signed leases for landlords while freeing up their bandwidth to take on more tasks.
Tailored for an Optimal Onsite Self-Tour Experience
Property managers can continue to provide photos and virtual tour experiences via their property management websites. Some potential residents may not be satisfied with those options. With that said, this is where Tour24 steps in.
The way it works is that prospective residents can download Tour24’s smartphone application, and by doing so will allow the following:
- Help schedule their self-guided onsite appointment.
- Verify themselves (self-identification, credit information, and other requested screening data).
- Get a one-time limited access code sent to their smartphone to gain access to a vacant unit before arrival.
- Participate in an interactive self-guided property tour.
- After the tour is done, the application will help close the leasing process.
Also, with Tour24’s program, property managers are alleviated from the stressful hassle of back and forth scheduling.
Getting an Interactive Tour With Your Mobile Device
Another huge highlight is their self-guided tour feature, which turns into a virtual property escort with pop-up info to address frequently asked questions.
Also, while the tour is taking place, the app will ping location data to landlords at all times. With that information, it’ll let property managers know when a tour is finished. From here, this can assist in determining, on average, how long property tours are taking. Also, if someone is taking too long, it can help indicate a more serious security issue that could be occurring.
Not only does their property management software for landlords take into consideration accessibility needs. But it also takes into account the safety and welfare of its potential residents. By eliminating the need to schedule in-person visits helps reduce the spread of Covid-19. As a result, it makes Tour24 a top choice as a scheduling software for property managers.
Deciding Which Scheduling Software for Property Managers Is the Best Option
Ultimately, these companies are each a terrific candidate for landlords in meeting many aspects of property management scheduling needs. But after careful review, it becomes clear it depends on an individual’s real estate portfolio makeup and their flexibility demands.
Tour24, Realync, and Rently are invested in using scheduling technology for self-guided tours while providing other supporting features. Whereas, PropertyWare couples their virtual touring with scheduling while supporting many different property management needs. Buildium falls in between as it embraces self-guided tours, but still offers a diverse platform that supports other landlord operational demands. Also, Buildium can serve much larger multifamily property group sizes that others cannot.
Regardless, these companies and their scheduling software for property managers address a world affected by Covid-19. They do this by maximizing virtualization and online capabilities to help relieve the scheduling burdens associated with property management.
The conventional methods of scheduling tours and coordinating maintenance requests haven’t disappeared, and may never go away entirely. But landlords should strongly consider that by adopting the use of real estate scheduling software can, in essence, save lives.
What are some other great property management scheduling platforms, and how can they be integrated into virtual needs for potential tenants during the pandemic?
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