Product Description

From telephone presentations to showing apartments to closing the deal—insider secrets to filling every apartment, every time

Vacant apartments mean income lost—for property management companies, investment property owners, landlords, and anyone else who relies on rental income to pay the bills. In 7 Secrets to Successful Apartment Leasing, Eric Cumley provides seven proven industry secrets to building the relationships that achieve and maintain high occupancy levels. From “Stop Qualifying Prospects and Start Interviewing Them,” to “Follow-Up is the Extra Mile,” Cumley provides examples, tips, to-do lists, sample scripts, and more that will help you responsible for filling vacancies do so, quickly and effectively.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1030617 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-06
• Format: Bargain Price
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Review
D. FITTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Let's take a look at how these new ideas - responding to the request for price, and the Magic Questions - might fit together in a real-life telephone scenario:

Lisa (with energy, enthusiasm): Thank you for calling Evergreen Village, this is Lisa.
Caller: How much are your one bedrooms?
Lisa: You know, it really depends on what you're looking for. Would it be okay if we started with just a couple of quick questions?
Caller (a bit impatient): I guess . . . .
Lisa: Great, thanks. First of all, what's your name?
Caller: Bill.
Lisa: Hi Bill. Again, I'm Lisa. Bill, what's your last name? (proceeds to write Bill's first and last name on a guest card.) Alright - you said you're looking for a one bedroom. Could you please describe for me some of the things you'd like to have in your new apartment? (Magic Question #1)
Bill: Well, let's see . . . I need a big bedroom. About two years ago when I started living by myself I bought a king-size bed (stops talking at this point.)
Lisa: Okay, you need room enough for a king-size bed (writes that down.) Got it. What else?
Bill: Another thing I want is a fireplace. I really like to unwind in front of a fire when I come home from work.
Lisa: Sounds great (writes some more.) What else?
Bill: Let me see . . . well, I'd also like to have covered parking. It's something I wish I had where I'm living now.
Lisa: Where is that?
Bill: The Pines, up on SE 36th St.
Lisa: I know right where it is. You were saying about covered parking . . . .
Bill: Yeah . . . I just bought a new truck, and I want to keep it out of the weather, you know?
Lisa: Absolutely (makes more notes.) Okay Bill, let me make sure I've got all this straight. You're looking for a one bedroom - a big one bedroom - with a fireplace and covered parking. What else can you think of?
Bill: Oh, I almost forgot. Two more things, actually. First, I need a good amount of storage - I've got my skis, a mountain bike, golf clubs, and a bunch of other stuff. And second, a washer and dryer would be nice.
Lisa: All right . . . so far so good (writes more notes.) Could you please tell me about where you're living now, and why you've decided to move? (Magic Question #2)
Bill: Oh boy - are you sure you want me to go into this?
Lisa: I'm sure. It will give me a better sense of the things that are most important to you.
Bill: Okay . . . see, there are these people that live downstairs from me, and they [Bill proceeds to tell Lisa about his experience at The Pines, explaining why he wants to move and how soon. Lisa adds more to her notes.]
Lisa: Wow. I'm sorry you had to put up with all of that. You know Bill, it looks like I might be able to help you out.
Bill: Good.
Lisa: How much are you planning to spend?
Bill: Up to about $600, I guess.
Lisa: Great - we definitely fit your budget. Do you have any pets?
Bill: No.
Lisa: Okay. Just a couple more questions, and then I promise I'll stop.
Bill (enjoying the attention): No problem, no problem.
Lisa: How did you find out about us?
Bill: I'm looking at your ad in this magazine I got at the store. It's called the . . . what does this say . . . Rental Magazine.
Lisa: Good. Make sure you circle that ad. Now, last question: Can you come out and see me today? I've got an apartment here that you definitely ought to check out.
Bill: Sounds like a good idea. Let's set it up. --

From the Back Cover

Sure-fire insider tips for maintaining high occupancy levels all year round

Clever marketing campaigns attract attention, but they don’t close deals. A surprising number of those in the apartment leasing business lack the communication skills to keep their prospective renters interested long enough to make a commitment. Focusing on crucial sales and interpersonal skills, this practical guide will help you build the relationships you need to keep your apartments filled and the checks coming in. Whether you own one apartment or a thousand, The 7 Secrets to Successful Apartment Leasing reveals proven industry secrets to:

• Hold dynamic telephone conversations
• Resolve objections and concerns effectively
• Get useful information through focused interviews
• Create exciting sales presentations
• Close the deal and create happy new residents

Building trust is the key to filling apartments. Complete with to-do lists, sample scripts, and a guide to nonverbal expressions, The 7 Secrets to Apartment Leasing is perfect for management companies, investors, landlords, and anyone else looking to fill a property with quality residents.

About the Author

Eric Cumley spent more than 10 years marketing and managing apartments, conducting leasing seminars, and designing apartment advertising campaigns with For Rent magazine. He currently works as a Certified Financial Planner ®.

Customer Reviews

A must read for all professionals in the apt. biz.
Need an edge on your competition? Read this book, use the techniques described and no one will say no to leasing an apartment from you! Whether you have an A plus or C property this book will help. This is a no nonsense, real approach to filling those vacancies and more importantly keeping them full. As a manager I keep this as a bible in my office and require all of my staff, including maintenance personell to read it. It is not just another sales book that teaches the hard close method. It gives you insight into how your customer thinks and once you know how they think, you can get them every time. I highly recommend it to all owners, managers, and leasing consultants.

Very good book
This book is great for new Leasing Professionals and as a refresher for seasoned Team members.

This book is amazing!
I started in the Multifamily industry over 13 years ago, as a leasing agent. My manager didn't have time to train me at our very busy, class A community in Austin, and so instead gave me this book.
Within the first 60 days, I was competing for the "top leaser" position not only at my own community, but in the entire Texas region.
This book is the most helpful, informative tool leasing professionals and their supervisors can own.
Now, as a Manager myself, I use this to help my leasing professionals who could use a few more skill sets in their repertoire, or could use a refresher to kick start their leasing.
It's the best thing you can buy, and you'll keep it with you for years!