Touring a model apartment, whether furnished or unfurnished, often is the difference-maker before someone signs a lease, according to the 2024 Build-to-Rent Tenant Survey.

Conducted for New Home Trends Institute by John Burns Research & Consulting, the survey includes responses provided by 7,625 tenants nationwide.

It found touring an apartment home, whether self-guided or with a property representative, was a primary factor that influenced a rental decision.

Seventy-seven percent of respondents toured before deciding on their next home, versus 10 percent who relied solely on photos or video tours.

“At Redwood, we offer in-person and virtual tours as well as self-guided options, understanding that people’s locations and schedules drive a need for flexibility,” said Steve Kimmelman, Founder and CEO at Redwood. “Our goal is to provide the same comprehensive experience no matter how you choose to tour our neighborhoods.”

Other initial factors also influence rental decisions. Nearly four in 10 survey respondents said seeing photos or videos of the apartment community online had an impact on where they decided to rent, speaking to the importance of featuring high-quality photos and videos online.

Nearly half said touring a furnished apartment influenced their decision, while 47 percent were influenced by a non-furnished one.

Self-guided tours have gained popularity in recent years across the industry. Prospective residents can enjoy touring on their own and at their own pace at a time that works for them—even outside normal office hours—helping them gain a better understanding for their design and layout options.

“We want a resident to be able to picture themselves living in one of our neighborhoods,” Kimmelman said. “It’s why we encourage anyone touring on their own to take their timeand truly envision their daily lives if they lived in a Redwood home. We tell people to explore the appliances and storage in the kitchen, consider how each floor plan can accommodate any work-from-home needs or their hobbies, and see the neighborhood outside of the model home.

Redwood’s self-guided touring strategy, in place across the portfolio for years, has always been to provide prospective residents with an additional way to get a feel for life at Redwood, while increasing the hours each day it’s possible to tour. By offering self-guided tours even outside office hours, there is additional opportunity for people to tour, without the restrictions of when on-site teams can meet with them.

If a prospective resident prefers to tour with a team member, Redwood is more than happy to work one-on-one to show the options.

“Our on-site teams love getting to learn about a prospective resident’s lifestyle and their needs for their home, so they can help explain the advantages of living in a Redwood Neighborhood,” Kimmelman said. “It’s easy to schedule an in-person tour online or by phone at any of our neighborhoods.”

And if a prospect’s apartment search is happening from afar, Redwood teams can even provide a fully personalized virtual tour, in addition to the photos and videos available to browse online. 

“Our virtual tours are easy to schedule and done using the platform of choice, from FaceTime to WhatsApp or Google Duo,” Kimmelman said. “Our teams can walk prospects through the apartment in real time and answer any questions along the way.”

The entire application process also can be completed online for added convenience.

And while a tour is important, other factors matter greatly once residents move in. Click here to see what survey respondents had to say about on-site maintenance.