The tastes, priorities, and desires of renters change from year to year. Preferences come and go, but the most important element to achieving the objectives of your website never changes: delivering what the renters are looking for. So, what is it that renters want in their apartments? To answer this, we will look at various studies that show what various renters prioritize when looking for apartments. The results are quite interesting. There are several persuasive value adds you should highlight. Whether it is a case of more is less, where the primary driver for the renters is fewer bells and whistles for lower rent, or you want to attract more tenants, increase your positioning or have a competitive advantage over other property websites.
Are Value Adds Important?
Value adds play a huge role in the selection of apartments. According to a 2020 survey on United States renters, 49% of renters consider value adds as a key factor when looking for apartments. 42% will take it into consideration, though not as a key factor. Only 9% do not consider them.
That said, more than half of renters search for apartments based on the value adds they have to offer. With that, for your website to generate more leads and rank higher on the search results page, your content needs to focus on the value adds that are deemed more important by a majority of renters. These are discussed below.
Community Amenities
1. Gym/Recreational Sport Facilities
The most common barrier to going to the gym is convenience. Waking up in the morning knowing you have to drive to the gym and back compared to a gym that is 30 seconds away can make a world of difference to renters. In fact, the fitness industry has been growing and the trend is set to continue.
This is why gyms and recreational sports facilities are widely preferred by renters as per the study mentioned above. 29% of the respondents consider it the most important consideration in the search for an apartment.
2. Pet Services
Data from the survey by NMHC reveals that a renter’s decision can be heavily influenced by the policies of an apartment. The data shows that 59% of renters consider pet policies as an important factor in searching for an apartment. 33% do not consider it their most important factor but still consider it. The study also showed that 89,000 renters admitted to having pets.
That said, highlighting the availability and uniqueness of the pet policies in the apartments will increase leads and boost your online presence.
3. Swimming Pool
According to the NMHC Renter Preferences Report, 82% of renters are interested in apartments with swimming pools while 60% won’t lease. Swimming pools are a necessity to most renters because they improve social life. They can also improve their fitness levels and can hold functions in and around the pool.
The content that covers swimming pools in the apartments should focus on the value that the swimming pool adds to the renters, to increase your click-through rate.
Other community amenities include:
- Reliable cell reception – 94% are interested in an apartment with a reliable reception, while 92% won’t rent/lease an apartment without it.
- Secure resident parking – 88% of renters are interested in a secure parking spot, while 71% cannot lease an apartment without it.
Apartment Features
4. Smart Home Devices (home automation devices)
According to a survey on 2000 renters in the United States, smart home devices are the most important feature for 37% of the respondents. Some of the most popular smart home requests include digital locks, temperature control, interactive doorbells, smart lighting, and virtual assistants such as Google Home and Alexa.
Smart homes allow renters to have more control of their energy use and automate tasks such as temperature adjustment, light control, closing, and opening windows and doors and adjusting irrigation among others. These, among the remote access of their homes, are some of the reasons why 37% of the respondents consider smart devices as an important feature.
5. High-Speed Internet Access
If your website does not mention the type and speed of internet connection in the apartments, you are definitely missing out. 93% of adults use the internet in the US. 63% of renters cannot lease an apartment without a strong internet connection.
6. Air Conditioning
This is a must-have in areas that experience hot climates. While mentioning the air conditioning, you can focus on whether the conditioners are in-wall or in windows, or the more preferred central air conditioning. 94% of renters consider air conditioning while looking for an apartment. However, 92% of those cannot lease an apartment without proper air conditioning.
Other apartment features that you need to discuss/mention on your website are:
7. Washer/Dryer
89% of renters consider it alongside other factors while 77% cannot lease without it.
8. Dishwasher
88% are interested in apartments with a dishwasher while 86% cannot lease an apartment without a dishwasher.
While highlighting the amenities above, keep in mind that not all amenities are popular among all age groups. For instance, the need for smart homes is 12% for the youngest renters and is about 5% for the other respondents. So, not everything that renters want according to the studies should be included on your website.
The best approach is? Keep your target demographic in mind to achieve the goals of your website. You should start with what most renters are looking for, then narrow down on what your target demographic is looking for. This is an important step as some property types, demographics, and locations do not need some of the value adds discussed below, or they are so low-priority to the renters that they would not search, or click on them if they show up on the results page.
Grow Your Apartment Complex with LeasePlacer
When tenants go to research new apartments, the first place that they look is the internet. So, it’s crucial that your apartment website is the first to catch their attention. The fastest way to grow your apartment complex and start increasing your tenants is to liaise with a digital marketing agency.
At LeasePlacer, we provide data-driven digital marketing for apartments to help property managers, independent owners, and decision-makers for multi-family units or apartment complexes get more leads. Let us help you attract more tenants to your apartment website, increase your occupancy, and get ahead of your competitors.
Contact us today to ask for a quote and more information about our services.
