12 Leasing Agent Tips (With Examples)

Updated June 24, 2022

Working as a leasing agent can often mean finding creative solutions to unique challenges or problems. Whether you're looking for the perfect space for a client, or working hard to lease an expensive location, knowing certain tips and tricks can be very helpful to your leasing agent profession. In this article, we discuss why techniques for leasing agents are important, and give you 12 helpful leasing agent tips you can use in your career.

Why are tips and tricks for leasing agents important?

Helpful tips and tricks are important for leasing agents because they can help them do their job more efficiently while improving their skills in communication, selling and time management. Whether it's listening to helpful feedback or continuing to develop a network of professional contacts, using different leasing agent techniques can help you close on leasing agreements and develop in your career.

12 helpful leasing agent tips

Here is a list of 12 tips you can follow to improve your leasing agent skills:

Stay organized

Staying organized is important for leasing agents because it can help them meet residential demands and assist potential clients in questions or concerns about their living area. One great way to stay organized is by keeping a contact list of prospective clients and different local companies in your area of business. When keeping a list of potential residents, it can be beneficial to make a note of specific personal details or home attributes they were seeking. This can help you find a reason to contact them again in the future.

For example, if you know a client was looking for an apartment or home that allowed dogs, when you contact them, be sure to include any properties you found that were pet friendly. Keeping a list of local businesses can also be helpful when assisting clients because you can provide them with locations and contact information of services they may require. For example, if a potential resident was looking for good restaurant recommendations in your area, you could provide them with a list of helpful options.

Be honest

Being honest with clients can help them see you as trustworthy and helpful to their questions and needs. As a leasing agent, potential residents might ask you tough questions from time-to-time. If this occurs, it's important to answer honestly and offer a solution or tip your clients can use.

For example, if a client asks about the crime rate in your area, an honest and helpful answer could be, "There aren't a lot of reported crimes in this area, however, it can always be good to purchase an extra lock for the door, or if you'd like, we can look at other apartment units on the second and third levels."

Continue to network

Networking with potential residents and other leasing agents can help you gain new clients and helpful insight for developing your career. A few ways to boost your professional network of contacts include:

Creating and handing out business cards
Attending leasing agent conferences
Creating a website or social media profile
Engaging with a community in your area of business

If you're looking for other ways to build relationships and continue improving your leasing knowledge, consider joining your local apartment association. This can help you meet other builders, developers and property managers to connect with and also help you learn invaluable skills for your career.

Dress for success

When working as a leasing agent, a self-assigned dress code can help you appeal to certain clients and residents, as well as help you feel more prepared for the business day. When selling to older generations, dressing in proper business attire can exhibit professionalism. If you're selling to younger generations, consider dressing more casually to help you demonstrate a more relaxed demeanor. Matching your outfit to the needs of your clientele can help you feel confident and successful in your leasing endeavors.

Learn to solve problems

Whether you're working at a leasing firm, or you're helping fulfill the needs of clients, learning problem-solving skills can help you be successful in your leasing agent career. If you ever need to lease a challenging property to residents, consider finding different selling strategies. For example, if individuals aren't interested in a large expensive apartment, try finding a group of residents or individuals who are looking to live together. Living with roommates could cut down on individual rent and increase their interest in the property.

If you're having trouble finding a property or apartment that meets certain client criteria, consider talking with colleagues or other residents in your area of business. They might have helpful ideas for where you can look, or it's possible some current residents might be moving and their apartment could offer the perfect solution.

Follow up

Following up with potential residents is important because it can help show them you're dedicated to your profession and might reignite their interest in a certain property or apartment. After showing a client a potential living space, consider calling or emailing them the next day to see how they feel about the property after having some time to think about it. If they say they're no longer interested, it can be helpful to follow up with, "I might have some other apartments that could match your criteria. What did you not like about the last apartment?"

If a client tells you they've decided to go with a different apartment or property, consider saving the client's criteria and contact them again in 12 months. When you reconnect, be sure to ask them how they're enjoying their space and send some links or pictures of other properties that matched their criteria from your last meeting. If they're not a fan of their current living situation, they might be inclined to respond and possibly visit your recommendations.

Make time for phone calls and emails

Responding to phone calls and emails is important for you as a leasing agent because it can be the primary source of communication between you and potential clients. Setting aside an hour or two every day to respond to phone calls and emails is a great way to manage your time efficiently and maintain a positive reputation with your residents. If you choose to read your emails in the morning, it can also be a great way to manage the rest of your day by scheduling property visits and client meetings or phone calls.

Make a checklist

Keeping a checklist or to-do list is important because it can keep you organized and help you fulfill your daily and weekly job responsibilities. At the start of every week, it can be helpful to write out your deadlines, meetings and property showings and organize them into a checklist. Working through the checklist can help ensure that you're not missing duties and can make time for other career-building activities, such as client outreach and networking.

Keep developing and training

Continuing to train and develop your skills as a leasing agent is important because it can help you improve your knowledge of leasing and your selling techniques. Whether you take classes online, read books or find other training through an apartment association, seeking additional job education can help you develop as a leasing agent and position you for success.

Another great way to practice your skills is to write a training manual for your specific area of leasing. Not only can it help you keep track of important area information, such as local businesses and accommodations, but it can also help you write down the skills you've learned to help retain the information and put it to practice in your daily responsibilities.

Learn closing techniques

Closing techniques are tips you can follow to help you finalize leasing agreements and gain new residents. A few of these techniques include:

Personalized messages

Sometimes working as a leasing agent can involve a lot of similar messages being sent to prospective clients and residents. Taking the time to tailor these messages to be more personalized to each individual can help increase the receptiveness and appeal of the e-mail, possibly improving your chance of receiving a response. When writing emails or notifications, consider including at least one personal detail about the recipient.

Informative one-sheets

When trying to lease an apartment or property, different clients might ask very similar questions. If this occurs, it can be helpful to create a single document that addresses each one of these questions proactively. Then when sending out emails or letters about the potential properties, clients and residents already have all the information they need. This can save you and the resident time and hopefully reach their final answer on the property sooner.

Find solutions

As you're pitching apartments or properties to clients, it can be helpful to highlight how the space provides a solution to their personalized problem. For example, if someone is looking for a new place to live because their current neighborhood is too noisy, emphasizing the quiet area of the property you're showing them can help them feel heard and understood and also help find exactly what they're looking for.

Ask for feedback

When working on apartment presentations or viewings, consider asking a colleague to hear the pitch first, then ask them for feedback. Feedback can be incredibly helpful in learning how to improve your communication and selling skills, as well as adjusting your sales pitch to be more focused and directed towards your client. For example, if you give your pitch to a more seasoned leasing agent, they might tell you that a more effective approach when talking with residents, is to tell the resident less information and instead ask them more questions on how they feel about the space.