Potential applicants not showing up for apartment showings
New York, NY · Member since 2016 · 104 posts · 22 votes
Potential applicants not showing up for apartment showings
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Real Estate Broker · Temecula, CA · Member since 2014 · 994 posts · 783 votes
7yWe require them to actually confirm... which means responding to our text. We let them know , no response at least 1 hour prior means we cancel the showing.
54 Replies
- Rental Property Investor · Knoxville, TN · Member since 2017 · 147 posts · 65 votes7y
Yeah confirm about 30 mins prior. Tell them when you are talking to them that you will not go if they do not confirm
- 7yJay HinrichsBusiness MemberReal Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
Originally posted by @Ciro Affronti:
@Brady Boyer I have a few tips that I've found to help. I still struggle with this but I've been able to cut down from 50% no shows to about 25%.
1. Have an initial screening and send the screening criteria over to the potentially interested party. This way they know right off the bat if they don't qualify so hopefully they don't waste your time.
2. Confirm any showings 24 hours in advance, and then text or call to confirm 30 minutes before the appointment (or before you drive over there) that they are on their way and will be there. Typically if they don't answer they don't plan to show up so that can at least save you from driving to the property.
3. Try to schedule your appointments all in one block of time so if you get a no show hopefully there are more showings lined up that can salvage a trip out to your property. I typically try to line up 3-5 showings all in one block of time. So each showing gets scheduled for 30 minutes, with 15-minute breaks in between showings so there isn't that awkward overlap where your next appointment shows up before you finish.
Seems like best practice is to over book like the airlines.. also if there is multiple people at once there could be a sense of urgency
- Investor · CO/MD/NY/VA · Member since 2016 · 18 posts · 39 votes7y
I have done both open houses and individual showings. I definitely prefer the open house format since it is more efficient on my time, and because it creates a sense of urgency in potential applicants to fill out the application and turn it quickly (sometimes on the spot). But this doesn't always work as there are many qualified people that won't be able to make it due to work schedules and traveling to come visit from farther places.
Usually, my process is to respond to their initial inquiries which come in from Zillow or Craiglist with a standard set of screening questions, about a dozen, which are qualifiers that allow me to rule out those with not enough income, smokers, or types of pets. These also let them explain their needs and situation so I may know what to expect. If they meet these qualifications, I'll invite them to come to see the apartment. Usually I'll do individual showings, but I can direct them to two or three open house blocks during a week, often when I'm there reconditioning the unit for the next tenant.
For individual showings, it's a good practice to always confirm the appointment on the day of. I have read some people here suggesting 24 hrs, but I think that people tend to forget from one day to another. I would say to confirm with them on that day, probably 2-4 hours before the appointment. Many people simply do forget and they are not using calendars and organizers to remind them. Your call or text will be that reminder.
- Investor · Buffalo, NY · Member since 2016 · 74 posts · 29 votes7y
@Brandon Turner wrote The Book on Managing Rental Properties and it is a great read for questions like this.
Here's a section from page 105 on how to make applicant's confirm their appointment.
Hope this helps @Brady Boyer
- Real Estate Agent · Butler, PA · Member since 2012 · 6 posts · 7 votes7y
@Christine Kankowski Agreed! I do the same thing. No call or text to confirm and I’m not there.
@Brady Boyer We currently use Rently to set up in person showings. The system will send them a reminder/confirmation text 2 hours prior. If they don’t confirm, it will be cancelled.
To answer your question on how to increase percentage of people who show up, I would be co firming with phone call the morning of.
- Investor · Bayside, NY · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes7y
I do rentals in Queens and Long Island. Originally, I did individual showings, with 30% no shows. But with open house format, rent slightly below market, I've been getting an average of 20 applicants per open house, at times up to 40.
People come, take a look, and if interested, they fill in a paper application. I don't pre screen, I chat with them at times where I get a feel of the way they handle things. For instance, some applicants fill in their name and address, and leave the rest blank, gives it to me. On the other extreme, the application ask for bank account info, which they are not obligated to provide, but these applicants ask if they could go home, get the info and be right back. They also have W2 info with them. I get an idea who'll follow rules, and who won't. I don't get to see that when they do it on-line.
Yes, the crowd gives a sense of urgency, Once I got a top pick, wife makes $125K as VP of the local utility, and husband making $70K. It's available May 1, and I was showing it a day before, and I was disappointed they won't need it till July 1. The place was ready and I really want it rented by June 1. I pointed to the crowd, and said "I think it'll be rented by the end of the day". He looked, and said "you're right, I'll speak to my landlord". I took his application.
He called me later that night, his landlord is letting him out of his lease that day, and he can rent from me right away. Told his landlord how crowded the open house was, and his landlord says "you got to go for it". His landlord is selling the house. So the crowd allowed me to rent up two months sooner. Oh, a word about tire kickers, I learn to love them, as the crowd had a few of them that day, though this gentlemen was not aware of who they are, or how many.
Strange thing was, he rented from me for 12 years, his kids graduated college and grad school, he moved on, renting another place with their $200,000 combined income. Apparently, as strange as it sounds, he doesn't like owning homes.
- Rental Property Investor · Moline, IL · Member since 2018 · 39 posts · 27 votes7y
@Brady Boyer
I always tell them to confirm an hour before the showing. If they don’t contact me then I don’t go. Most will shoot a text message to confirm. If they don’t then that kind of weeds out the tenants who either weren’t serious or are not responsible enough to keep an appointment and follow directions
- Rental Property Investor · Lowell, MA · Member since 2019 · 33 posts · 37 votes7y
@Timothy VanWingerden I use a very similar form I created on google forms. It’s my pre showing questionnaire. I have similar response numbers to you. About 50% of people who request information fill it out, and about 50% of those who fill it out are qualified. Of the qualified I don’t have too much of an issue of no call no show.
- I use open houses....schedule a couple of days....... weekend and one weekday evening. In my listing I have ALL of my criteria, so they know before they show up and a link to my online application. They only pay for the background fee once they are 100% interested, since there are no refunds. Occassionally I will accommodate an individual showing if I need to go over there anyway to finish something etc. The one big downside to the "confirm" before you go over..... you still have to allot that time in your day.....you have its schedule for 1 PM, but still don't know if you can do something else until 12 noon, so you still have to keep 1 PM open....... Id rather not have my day "up in the air" based on whether a tenant flakes on me or not. Saves the trip over but still jerks me around when I could have schedule something else during that time
- Real Estate Agent · Nashville, TN · Member since 2015 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes7y
So I had this exact issue when I started out. Anyone that called I scheduled a showing. I had maybe a 1/10 show up rate.
I read on BP on a blog about how if they don't answer the phone 30 mins before a showing that they won't meet them out there.
My property manager now does lock boxes. Once you pass a pre screening you get the code and can go look at it yourself. This helps get rid of tire kickers that won't bother doing the pre screening. It's not a full on background check, just checks basic things.
- Property Manager · Richmond, VA · Member since 2018 · 204 posts · 297 votes7y
@Brady Boyer Stack your showings 3-5 at a time and put a walk through video in your marketing material. Youtube Link is good enough. We've found that we eliminate many of the tire kickers and have more serious prospects schedule showings having watched the walk through video first.
- Investor · Biddeford, ME · Member since 2017 · 282 posts · 180 votes7y
Do the background check first at their cost before scheduling the appointment
- Rental Property Investor · Big Sandy, TN · Member since 2013 · 147 posts · 91 votes7y
I don't attend my own showings. I take applications online through website, quick phone interview, they send drivers license through a text, and I give them a lockbox code. I've done this at houses and apartments for about 2 years. Never had anyone move in or destroy anything whatsoever. My office is an hour and a half from apts and I spend about 1-2 hours a week checking the drop box for rent and managing remodels.
Take a lot of photos, post videos, post the requirements for credit, income, criminal, so people weed themselves out and the serious ones get through.
You could also require the application fee and an application with supporting docs, or any degree of information up to actually calling references and signing a lease. If you have someone commit that far, they are likely serious. If they don't like it, you give their money back and move on. First post all info and weed people out at the gate. Next, make them commit to a point so you know they are serious and are more likely to show
Here's my process that I've shared on here before:
It all starts with online ads, within which are several questions I request be answered in their response to my ad. Here they are:
1.) Your first and last name, email address and phone number
2.) Total number of people that would occupy the apartment
3.) Proposed pets (size/breeds)
4.) Monthly pre-tax income for household
5.) Date you wish to move in6.) Do you currently have enough funds to pay first month’s rent, last month’s rent, and a security deposit?
Next, here's a canned email response I use for everyone who answers my ad with the aforementioned questions answered. If they don't answer my questions, I know they have not read the ad and are just clicking and "tire kicking" or they lack the intellectual focus for me to have any business relationship with them. If they use that annoying "one click response" on Zillow, I merely cut/paste the ad questions and send it to them. Here is the email response:
Thank you for your interest. We have a minimum income requirement to qualify for this unit (3 times monthly rent); based on your email, it appears you meet those qualifications.
Regarding pets, we allow cats and most dog breeds except for the following:
- -any breeds/mixes known under common parlance as “Pit Bull”
- -Rottweiler
- -Doberman Pinscher
- -German Shepherd
- -Alaskan Malamute a.k.a “Husky”
- -Chow Chow
- -Great Dane
- -St. Bernard
- -Akita
- -Wolf hybrids
Unfortunately, these are prohibited for insurance reasons. We require a one-time nonrefundable pet fee of $200 (per pet) that is good for your entire length of residency. We do not charge any “pet rent” beyond this initial fee. We typically like to meet your pets at some point in the process, too.
Our tenants’ safety and the peaceful enjoyment of their home is important to us, so we do a credit/criminal background check on all applicants aged 18+. Big concerns are bankruptcies/repossessions/evictions and crimes against people/property. If you don't foresee any major stumbling blocks (or, if you do, and would like to discuss confidentially - we can certainly do that), I'd be happy to set up a showing for you. Let me know what you think.
As a matter of information, smoking is prohibited inside our rental units.
If you decide that the apartment would meet your needs and wish to proceed with the application process, a “deposit to hold” binder equal to a month’s rent would need to be collected at that time. This holds the unit for 5 to 7 days until the lease signing, and once the rental agreement is signed this becomes the first month's rent. At the lease signing, you will need to put down another $1650, which will be the security deposit ($825) and last month's rent ($825). So, the total move-in costs (not including pet fees, if applicable) would be $2475, all paid prior to lease signing.
Also, we would need copies of the two most recent pay stubs and photo ID for all applicants aged 18+ (I can scan at the showing) to begin the verification process, which only takes a few days.
Since choosing a place to live is a very personal decision, please feel free to do a “drive by” of the property, located at 123 Main St, so you can get a “feel” for the neighborhood. (I will ask that, out of respect for our current tenants’ security and privacy, to please wait until your showing appointment before walking the property.)
If everything above is agreeable to you, let me know your availability and I'd be happy to take you through the apartment.
Thank you, and I look forward to meeting you at the showing!
Note how I reiterate the qualifying criteria as well as itemizing what the move-in costs will be. I also suggest a drive-by so they are not unpleasantly surprised by the neighborhood when they to the showing, and just keep on driving by anonymously as I wait outside. This email gives people yet another opportunity to self-select out of the application process based on my expectations and criteria before an actual showing in scheduled.
If they do request a showing, I send them this email:
Hi Sally,
How about Thursday at 7 pm? If that works for you, please reply to this email to confirm and I will add you to my showing appointment book.
Also, as a means of courtesy to both our busy schedules, please confirm via text or phone call at least 2 hours prior on the day of the showing to my cell phone (area code and number).
I’ve also attached our rental application. I will have hard copies at the showing, but if you print and fill them out prior to the showing, this would save us both some time should you want to expedite your application in the process.
I look forward to meeting you on Thursday!
If they have not confirmed an hour prior to their appointment, I send this text to their phone (which was required as part of their contact information I required in the response to my ad):
As I had requested in my email, you have not yet confirmed your apartment showing for this evening, scheduled for 7:00pm. If I don’t hear from you in the next 10 minutes, I will assume you aren’t attending and I will move on to my next appointment.
Using this system as dramatically reduced any wasted time I used to endure as part of the showing process as well as giving me data about their timeliness/responsiveness/respect for others' time.
At the showing, I collect their completed application (sent via PDF prior or filled out on premises), scan their photo ID and last 2 pay stubs.
Then, I do some digging around online (social media, court records, Google) and if it looks like they are representing themselves to me accurately, I contact them to set up a "contract to hold" meeting - usually the day after the showing since qualified applicants need to be "closed" ASAP. (During this whole time I continue to market/show the unit. I continue to funnel people into my process until a lease is signed.) Note that I do not put a lot of time into due diligence until the "contract to hold" meeting, when they put some skin in the game.
At the "contract to hold" meeting, I collect an amount equal to one month's rent. I ONLY accept cash or a check drawn on a local bank (so I can walk it in and get cash that same day). We sign an agreement that commits their non-refundable payment for a brief period (usually 5 days), during which time I call landlords, employers, and run background checks. If there is anything untoward, I have a 7 day right of rescission and I give the money back. I absorb the background check fee as it is a small price to pay for dodging the bullet.
Once background checks are complete, we meet again for a lease signing, at which point I collect the rest of the move-in fees. I only give them a short time (about 5 days) to meet for the lease signing before they lose their exclusive rights to the unit, so this prevents someone from dragging their feet after they've signed the contract to hold.
Once the lease is signed, I take down the ads and send out emails to people in mid-marketing flow letting them know that the apartment has been rented but I will reach out if something falls through.
It's a marketing funnel, essentially. Since this is your first time through, you need to adapt away from things that don't work for you, and revise your process for more efficiency and success.
It's all an educational process. I always give myself permission to make each mistake only once. Here is your opportunity to improve your system.
Good luck to you!
- Real Estate Agent · Phila, PA · Member since 2017 · 69 posts · 19 votes7y
@Brady Boyer i would hit up craigslist, Zillow which will put it out to Redfin Andy trulia (this is free), and Facebook community groups. I usually get 30+ responses. Maybe 10 showings. Schedule them all for the same day in case some don’t show.
- 7yMartin NealPro MemberRental Property Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2017 · 293 posts · 383 votes
@Brady Boyer I find it very common that potential tenants don’t show up for showings as well. I handle this two ways:
1. I require them to confirm the appointment the day before and an hour or so the day of. I also only do showings once a week and all on one day. That they I’m not making blank trips to the property and showing to multiple people.
2. I take it as a very important sign when they don’t show up about the type of future tenant they will be. If they are a no call, no show, I do not allow them to reschedule. If you can’t respond or give me the courtesy of letting me know you can’t make it, it speaks on the potential communication problems we will have in the future.
Overall, you can’t make them show up. It’s the human element you can’t control. They may not have been qualified or just window shopping. People change their mind and don’t tell you for one reason or another.
- Investor · USA · Member since 2015 · 325 posts · 447 votes7y
@Brady Boyer
My process after doing prescreening over the phone is to send them a text message that looks exactly like this;
Tom,
Thanks for your interest in my home at 123 Main Street in Everett. I look forward to seeing you at 7pm tomorrow. Let me know if something comes up between now and then.
Thanks,
Kai Van Leuven.
I do this for a few reasons.
1. I’ll have all their info without writing anything down
2. They can go back and look at the time.
3. People cancel more through text.
I have about 80% show up. For the ones that don’t I see it as them disqualifying themselves.
- Real Estate Investor · Central New Jersey · Member since 2015 · 67 posts · 29 votes7y
Hey;
I get to my open house at lease 15 minutes before public viewing and once I'm there I start to text applicants and let them know I'm there. So far it's been working great.
It's a quick reminder to them that I'm on site and if you're interested you need to get here. My open houses are only 30 minutes and it's usually right after work. I put on upbeat music and usually have a candle burning.
Wishing you all the best.
- New York, NY · Member since 2016 · 104 posts · 22 votes7y
@Luka Milicevic have you ever had trouble with the lock box? I.e. people damaging the apartment while touring or coming back after an stealing or vandalizing stuff?
Also what class of market are you in? My property is definitely D class.
- Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2013 · 555 posts · 261 votes7y
open houses are good for safety. safety in numbers.
..if you're afraid of getting mugged with individual showings.
I just did a showing a couple weeks ago, and I crammed everyone in the same hour. Out of 4, only 1 showed up.
If I'm only doing the occasional individual showing, I will text to confirm. Some applicants just don't have the urgency.
- New York, NY · Member since 2016 · 104 posts · 22 votes7y
@Wesley W. Thanks thats a very helpful and comprehensive process.
- Real Estate Broker · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2016 · 146 posts · 110 votes7y
@Brady Boyer
The showing request form as mentioned below is a great way to weed out unqualified & uninterested candidates. Also, consider a scheduling program such as schedulista.com or Visibook.com. Both schedule appointments, also allow potential clients/tenants to schedule appointments through the app or website. It sets appointment reminders, and allow texting through both the app and website. This has helped tremendously with my businesses. Hope this help you as well!
- Real Estate Broker · Watertown, NY · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes7y
@Brady BoyerI normally set up as many as possible for the same time, and then text them an hour before to confirm. Half of them don't show up typically, but at least I'm not sitting around the property waiting for the next 30 min time slot to come.
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