If you’re searching for a new Clear Lake rental home, you know touring rentals are a huge part of finding that perfect fit. Yet wanting to arrange showings with landlords can be a frustrating experience, especially in our busy lives. Advances in digital technology have given us listings with many photos and even virtual walk-throughs, but these tools are often not adequate to get a full sense of the property. Probably this is why 83% of renters claim that they prefer self-guided property tours over all other options. There are undoubtedly many advantages to self-guided rental home tours, but there are a lot of drawbacks as well. It’s imperative to consider both the pros and cons before choosing a self-guided tour during your Clear Lake rental home search.
Pros
Self-guided tours are preferable for many renters because of the benefits they offer people with busy schedules. Not similar to a traditional tour, where you will plan to arrange to meet a landlord or rental agent at the property, self-guided property tours are organized; therefore, you can access the property at your convenience. You request a convenient time slot, acquire an access code, and after that, proceed to the property when you’re ready. When you already have a time slot, one more advantage is that you don’t have to think about other applicants showing up while you’re there. Due to security reasons, self-guided tours are never double-booked, which means that you don’t have uncomfortable encounters with people against whom you might end up competing for the same rental house.
Once you are at the property, several renters enjoy the moment that you are free to explore the rental home without a landlord or rental agent looking over your shoulder. You don’t need to feel pressed for time or to hide your honest reaction to the property should you not like it. Furthermore, some renters prefer not getting someone there trying to ask revealing questions or making them feel that they are obliged to decide on the spot. Other individuals want to be rushed into decisions, especially not ones as big as where you will be living for the next few months or years.
Cons
Of course, self-guided property tours also include several disadvantages. Before you are given access to a property, there is a possibility that the leasing office will initially ask you to complete an application or a quick screening check. And for some reason that you don’t pass these checks, there’s little hope of ever stepping foot in the front door. They will not give any idea why you are denied unless the landlord or leasing agent is eager to negotiate this with you.
Another potential drawback to self-guided rental house tours is that you cannot ask questions while going through the property. Although you can often text or email someone in that regard, you may have questions during the tour that you forget to ask later. You may also miss out on learning a lot of helpful information about the neighborhood, nearby amenities, and so on. These are things that a professional landlord or leasing agent should be discussed with you when you view a property. If no one is there with you, you may not know about these things until much later in your search process, if at all.
In the end, it is up to you to decide which type of property tour works for you. While both traditional and self-guided tours each have their pros and cons, you can always use them to your advantage until you achieve your next Clear Lake rental home. If you’re on the search for a new place to live, contact us to see what properties we have available today.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
