Typically, at some point during the prospect leasing process, you’ll sit down with prospects and interview them. They’ve learned about your community, they’ve toured your residences, and they’ve gotten to know you – so now it’s your turn. This interview process can go very well, but it can also go very poorly, and you want to make sure you get all the information you need without turning off prospects and sending them off to another community.

A few tips can help to make the interview process a confident experience on all fronts. 4 tips for asking the right prospective resident questions include:

  1. Ask open ended questions – Yes or no questions might get quick to the point answers, but open ended questions really give you a feel of your prospective resident or residents and what they can bring to your community atmosphere. Not just that, it can even provide you with answers that leave you more confident. Rather than asking detailed yes or no questions that may be easy for them to determine the “right” answer you’re looking for, open ended questions allow them to answer creatively and honestly.
  2. Ask them what they want out of your community – Asking prospective residents what they want or what they’re drawn to about your community will provide insight into how they’ll fit in with the atmosphere you’ve built. If you’ve developed a family-friendly and supportive community, and they feel the community is a good place to raise their family, you’ve likely found a great fit.
  3. Ask specifics – Regarding pets especially, asking specific questions is a great way to get down to the answers you really want. Prospective residents will appreciate that their time isn’t being wasted with questions they don’t fully understand, and you’ll get a great picture of their move-in plans.
  4. Don’t be afraid to ask about background check specifics – If background checks are performed, you may catch a slight blip on the radar here and there. Rather than immediately disqualifying a candidate, it could be beneficial to ask them to elaborate if they wish, and you might learn there has been a mix-up or circumstances are far more benign than they sound.

At OccupancySolutions.com we understand the importance of a great prospective resident interview. If you’re wondering how to ace your end of the interview, or you’d like to learn more about finding the perfect prospective residents, contact us at OccupancySolutions.com today!