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Did you know over 97 percent of renters say that online ratings and reviews matter when they’re searching for a place to rent? That’s according to the latest renter survey by Apartments.com.
It’s not just restaurants and consumer products where reviews make a difference in the buying decision. To help prospective residents find — and choose — your property, Apartments.com has introduced a clear rating score that appears on your listing.
This standalone rating is based exclusively on resident feedback, showing how your community stacks up against the competition.
Effective as of late April, this new approach to ratings gives prospective residents greater transparency. It also offers more reputation control for multifamily owners and operators.
I thought my listing already had a rating. What’s changed?
The current rating is an average score based solely on resident feedback. In contrast, Apartments.com listings previously featured a blended score. The blended score reflected a combination of resident reviews and the property’s CoStar building rating.
With the new standalone rating, prospective residents can easily understand how current residents feel about your community, avoiding the potential confusion of the blended score. This added clarity about your online reputation helps boost prospects’ trust and confidence when selecting your community.
And renters have been taking note. Since the new rating was released, more renters have been choosing to filter their search results by rating. These searches have increased by 37 percent.
The new score helps you take charge of your reputation management strategy. Your property’s building score was determined by CoStar researchers based on certain criteria. In contrast, your online reputation is an asset that your community can actively manage by promoting resident satisfaction, soliciting reviews, and addressing resident feedback.
What if my community doesn’t have any ratings?
If your property hasn’t received any ratings, your listing will not show a score. Instead, your listing will include a link encouraging residents to leave a review.
Asking your residents to leave a review is one of the best ways to improve your online reputation. Your Apartments.com representative can provide you with additional materials to help you solicit residents reviews.
These ratings can help prospects choose you over the competition.
Within the first week of the new score launching, the number of communities per day receiving their first reviews jumped by 47 percent.
How can I help my property stand out?
Follow these best practices to improve your online reputation:
- Actively solicit reviews from your residents
- Share a customized flyer to help residents leave a rating on your property’s Apartments.com listing
- Respond to residents’ reviews in a thoughtful, timely manner
- Use feedback to address resident concerns and boost satisfaction
With a strong reputation management strategy, you can help prospects find your community — and feel confident about moving in.
And you don’t need a five-star rating to earn prospects’ trust.
“I’m obviously not expecting perfection,” said one respondent in the Apartments.com renter survey, “but having more good reviews than bad definitely calms my nervous system.”
Explore more reputation resources
Check out these guides for more strategies to give your online reputation a boost:
- Are You Soliciting Resident Reviews? 3 Steps to Improve Your Strategy
- Renters Want to See Reviews on Your Listing
- Improve Your Property Reviews: A Crash Course
- How to Respond to Online Reviews: Do’s and Don’ts
Looking for professional help with your review management? Apartments.com’s Social & Reputation Suite offers personalized, expert support.
What is Apartmentology?
Your source for multifamily insights, Apartmentology brings you the latest data and analysis from industry experts.
