Real estate analytics and software company RealPage has launched a new virtual tour solution for apartments that includes on-demand tours with a live agent, the company told Inman.
As of Tuesday, RealPage’s “On-Call Live Tours” will be available in all the company’s markets through its Peak Performance (P2) Virtual Leasing Suite.
The integrated virtual touring solution will provide on-demand tours that allow potential renters to explore interactive content related to the property of interest, including aerial views, 3D walk-throughs, floorplans, amenities, interactive site maps and points of interest in the neighborhood.
In conjunction with this content, a live agent will be available on-demand to guide the potential renter through the property, answer any questions in real time and even start the leasing process. Property managers can either use their own leasing staff to conduct the On-Call Live Tours, or use RealPage Tour Guides designated to that region.
“At this point in time, RealPage Tour Guides are located regionally,” Nikhil Venkatesh, RealPage’s senior vice president of consumer solutions, told Inman in an email. “They receive extensive training of the properties they are supporting — including on-site training of the properties they are supporting so that the prospect has a seamless customer experience.”
In addition to the On-Call Live Tours, another feature of the integrated virtual tour solution will be scheduled video tours, whereby potential renters can use a self-scheduling calendar to book a virtual tour for a specific property guided by a property manager’s own leasing agent. When a potential renter schedules one of these tours, a “Guest Card” is automatically created for that prospect and synced with a property manager’s PMS and CRM systems.
The On-Call Live Tours software also integrates with a management company’s existing website and CRM, helping facilitate follow-ups with potential clients.
RealPage declined to specify exact amounts for how much the new touring solution would cost adopters, but noted, “the price of the On-Call Live Tour solution is affordably tailored to a property’s specific needs.”
“RealPage On-Call Live Tours responds to the call for more powerful remote leasing capabilities,” Venkatesh said in a statement. “Our industry is experiencing a tectonic shift in prospect behaviors, with more and more applicants willing to tour a property virtually and sign a lease without ever going on-site. The static website as conceived today is not cut out to deliver the kinds of experiences prospects now expect. With On-Call Live Tours, the prospect is in the driver’s seat and can tour your property online at their convenience with a rich, multimedia building walkthrough, transforming your existing website into an optimized touring experience designed just for the prospect.”
The aim of the software is to help property managers save time and money while providing a better leasing experience for renters during an era of social distancing and beyond.
“We expect that properties that are best prepared to present themselves in this new, virtual world will have higher lead to lease rates and outperform their peers,” Venkatesh added. “On-Call Live Tours gives you that advantage without losing the personal touch.”
RealPage was founded in 1998 and currently serves over 19 million units worldwide across North America, Europe and Asia. In December, the company announced its acquisition by private equity firm Thoma Bravo.