How to Get the Most Out of a Virtual Tour of an Apartment

As the world gets increasingly digital, wouldn’t it be nice to take a virtual tour of an apartment you were looking at? You could tour from anywhere with a wifi or cellular connection, which means you don’t have to worry about commute time or getting stuck in traffic. Plus, a virtual apartment tour means you won’t have to come in contact with anyone outside your household.

While not available at all apartment complexes, the option to tour from your smart phone, without giving up a real-time conversation with a leasing agent, can be pretty incredible.

Why Take a Virtual Tour?

There are a lot of reasons to take a virtual apartment tour. Maybe you’re moving from another state. Or you might be worried about coming into contact with people right now. Some people take a virtual tour after they’ve already seen the apartment in person – either from a traditional tour or by taking a self-guided tour. Regardless, a virtual tour is a nice option when you want to see an apartment’s features and benefits without having to physically be there.

How Does the Process Work?

It’s easy! You just need to contact the apartment community’s leasing team to set up a time. Most places that offer virtual tours will send you to a contact form on their website to do this, or you’re welcome to call or email the team. From there, you’ll just need a smartphone, tablet or computer with video capabilities. At the time of your tour, the leasing agent will video call you and walk you through the apartment, just like they would if you came to see the apartment in person!

How to Get the Most Out of Your Virtual Apartment Tour

In many ways, a virtual tour is a lot like taking a standard tour with a leasing professional. You’ll be on video with them as they enter the apartment and show you what the apartment can offer. You’ll be able to ask questions about the apartment, find out about the neighborhood as a whole, and really get a feel for what it’s like to live at this apartment neighborhood.

The biggest difference when you’re taking a virtual apartment tour is that you won’t be able to get the physical feeling of walking into a new place. There’s something about walking into an apartment and really opening up all the cabinets and looking around that can’t quite be replaced on video. But don’t worry! There are a few things you can do to maximize your experience taking a virtual apartment tour.

Take a look at these tips for getting the most out of your virtual tour:

1. Have a list of your must-haves handy. Do you need a lot of storage for your kitchen items? What about closet space – do you need a lot or are you okay with just a little? Try to write down everything you could want in an apartment and separate them into the “nice-to-haves” versus the “must-haves” so you know what’s vital to your living experience. Make sure to have the leasing agent go over these things while you’re on the call with them.
2. Have the leasing agent show you all of the spaces in the apartment. They can give you the feeling of being in the apartment by really taking you everywhere. Have them open doors, walk into closets, open the garage door, check out the kitchen cabinet space. Really get the feel for the space and envision living there.
3. Have the leasing agent provide dimensions for the apartment. There’s nothing worse than realizing that your couch isn’t going to fit in the space or your car is a little too big to fit in the garage. The leasing agent can give you an idea of what will work in the space by either providing measurements while they’re on the call with you, or send floor plan dimensions after they hang up with you.
4. Ask for pictures to be sent to you after the tour. It’s hard to remember everything about an apartment with just one tour, and it’s nice to be able to refer back to pictures while you’re making a decision.
5. Take notes. Write down your favorite things about the apartment, and your least favorite. You can compare that list to your “must-haves” list to see if this home will be a good fit.
6. Take your time. The beauty of a virtual tour? You can spend as much time as you need with the leasing agent! Ask questions, have them spend extra times on your “must-have” topics, and don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions!
7. See if the leasing agent will walk you around the neighborhood’s exterior. You’ll be amazed at what you can get a feel for as you “walk” the neighborhood with the leasing agent. Does it have lots of green space? Are there neighbors out enjoying the area or does the outdoor space leave a bit to be desired?
8. Ask for a write up of your need-to-know information. Get the pricing, availability, and any other need-to-know information in an email or a form you can refer back to when you’re making your decision.

Taking a virtual tour is a great way to get around the difficulties surrounding physically going to an apartment to tour. But if you need more information after, or you find that you want to walk through the apartment in person, the leasing office can help you make that happen. The beauty of the digital age is that you have a lot of options for how you see a prospective apartment!

Discover Virtual Apartment Touring Options Near You

Redwood Neighborhoods offer virtual tours at all locations, so people can truly envision how the Redwood Advantage can enhance their lifestyle without having to physically visit the neighborhood. Want more information about taking a virtual tour at Redwood? Just click here.