2020 has ushered in a new era where working from home has become the norm for renters across the country. And while many renters have traded in suits for sweatpants, it’s come at the expense of longer work weeks. A recent study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research looked at 3.1 million workers and found that the average workday increased in length by 48.5 minutes.

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So when are renters finding the time to shop for an apartment?‍

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We took a look at 700 communities using MeetElise, and analyzed over 800,000 leads to understand how today's propsect is apartment shopping. That data shows an emerging trend in renters searching and contacting communities after 5pm:

• 48% of the reviewed leads were submited
• 20% of all tour appointments were scheduled by prospects

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While community websites and online marketplaces like Zillow make finding an apartment after-hours painless, without the right technology in place, most prospective renters still have to wait 24 hours or longer before they're contacted by leasing staff.

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Our customers live in a world where buying a car or renting a vacation home can be done any time of day, in a quick series of clicks and emails. Leasing a new apartment home doesn’t need to be an exception. The data is clear – renters want to engage and take action after-hours, they just need the opportunity.

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MeetElise's AI Leasing Assistant works 24/7 on behalf of your community team, providing human-like engagement to prospects whenever they want, wherever they are.

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