Cutting Vacancy Times in Half with Smart Touring Technology

In multifamily and affordable housing, every empty unit is lost revenue. Depending on your market, a single vacant apartment can cost $2,500–$3,000 per month in lost rent. For a property with multiple units, these costs quickly add up into the tens of thousands each month. That’s why reducing vacancy days isn’t just important, it’s essential. 

Leasing is a numbers game: the more qualified leads you get through the door, the faster a unit rents. Even a small improvement, like renting a unit just three days sooner, can recoup hundreds of dollars, easily covering the cost of smart touring technology or professional leasing services.

Why Leasing is a Numbers Game

Not every prospect who expresses interest becomes a tenant. Some tour and don’t apply, others change their minds, and some choose a competitor. Increasing the volume of leads significantly increases the likelihood of converting interest into a signed lease.

For example:

• A unit renting for $2,800 per month loses about $93 per day in vacancy.
  
• Rent just three days faster = $280 recouped
  
• Rent one week faster = $650 saved
  

Multiplying that across a portfolio of 50 units, and filling them a week faster could save $32,500 in lost rent, more than enough to justify an investment in smart leasing tools or additional support.

How Smart Touring Technology Helps

Smart touring technology accelerates leasing by giving prospects convenient, safe, and secure ways to tour properties while easing the burden on your team.

1. Instant, Secure Access

Smart locks and digital access codes allow prospects to tour units on their own schedule. Each code is unique, time-limited, and tied to a verified lead, preventing fraud while maximizing tour capacity.

2. More Tours = Faster Lease-Ups

Fewer scheduling bottlenecks mean leasing teams can host more tours per day. For example:

• Traditionally: 5 tours per week
  
• With smart touring: 15–20 tours per week
  

More tours lead directly to more applications, cutting vacancy days dramatically. Filling even one additional unit per week per property can save thousands in lost rent annually.

3. Automated Follow-Ups Keep Leads Engaged

After a tour, prospects may hesitate or forget to submit applications. Automated follow-ups, including reminders, application links, and curated property suggestions, keep leads moving toward signing, ensuring no potential renter falls through the cracks.

4. Data Driven Insights

Dashboards provide real-time insights into which units generate the most interest, who is touring, and how prospects engage. Leasing teams can prioritize high-potential leads, optimize marketing spend, and focus efforts where the financial return is highest.

Cutting Vacancy Times in Half

Leasing isn’t just about showing apartments, it’s about maximizing the flow of qualified leads and converting them efficiently. Smart touring technology and professional leasing follow-ups increase your team’s capacity without additional staff, ensuring units spend far less time vacant.

Consider the financial impact:

• Rent just three days faster per unit = $280 saved
  
• Rent one week faster per unit = $650 saved
  
• Rent two weeks faster across 50 units = $65,000 in recovered rent
  

These numbers show how even modest improvements can have a dramatic effect on a property’s bottom line.

The Bottom Line

Leasing is a numbers game, but with the right technology and support, the numbers work in your favor. Smart touring solutions increase tours, automate follow-ups, and streamline access, helping you fill units faster, reduce vacancies, and boost revenue.

Investing in smart touring or full-service leasing isn’t just an expense, it’s a proven way to pay for itself in days, not months. Faster lease-ups, higher occupancy, and stronger, thriving communities are the results when every lead counts.

Ready to cut your vacancy times in half and start filling units faster? Visit www.delet.com or contact our team today to see how smart touring technology can transform your leasing process.