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The Pros and Cons of Self-Guided Property Tours

A couple stands together smiling in an empty room while touring a potential rental home.When searching for a new rental home, touring different units is an essential part of finding the perfect match. However, setting up showings with property managers can take up a lot of time, especially when life is busy.

Thanks to digital technology, we now have listings with numerous photos and virtual tours, but these tools don’t always give the full picture of the property. This likely explains why 83% of renters prefer self-guided property tours to other options.

While self-guided rental home tours have many advantages, they come with a few disadvantages as well. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons before opting for a self-guided tour in your rental home search.

Pros

  • Convenient for those with busy schedules. In contrast to a traditional tour, where you must arrange to meet a landlord or agent, self-guided tours allow you to explore the property on your schedule. You choose a convenient time, receive an access code, and then head to the property when you’re ready.
  • For security purposes, self-guided tours are never double-booked so you won’t have uncomfortable meetings with people who could be competing for the same rental property.
  • Freedom to explore the rental home without a landlord or rental agent looking over your shoulder. There’s no pressure to rush or mask your true feelings if you’re not impressed with the property. Moreover, some renters enjoy the absence of someone asking revealing questions or pressuring them to decide on the spot. Hardly anyone wants to be rushed into decisions, particularly when it comes to choosing where they’ll live for the next several months or years.

Cons

  • Occupied rentals won’t be available for self-guided tours. This ensures the protection of the current tenant’s interests. Self-showings are appropriate only for leasing vacant properties. For a rental that’s not yet vacant, you’ll need to be accompanied by the landlord or property manager during the tour.
  • Questions will need to wait until after the self-guided tour. Even though you can text or email questions later, you might forget to ask some during the tour.
  • Potential to miss out on learning a lot of helpful information about the area. A landlord or leasing agent should be able to share this information with you when you view the property. Without someone there, you might not learn about these details until later in your search.

If you’re looking for a new home to rent in Indianapolis or nearby, Real Property Management Faith offers flexible touring options for great homes near you. Feel free to check out our available rentals for more information and to schedule a viewing.

 

Originally Published on Aug 19, 2022

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