Self-Showings vs. Agent-Led Tours: Which is Right for Your Rental?

Renters, are you tired of playing phone tag with real estate agents just to view a rental property?

Homeowners, do you wish a prospective tenant could view a property without you or an agent being present?

Solution: self-showings. Let’s explore why they offer a refreshing alternative to agent-led tours.

Self-Showings vs. Agent-Led Tours: What's the Difference?

Self-showings (sometimes called self-guided tours) put tenants in the driver's seat. They allow them to view properties independently, free of a real estate agent or property manager. Here's how it works:

1. Find a property offering self-showings.

2. Schedule an on-demand showing online, most often with flexible time slots.

3. Access the property using a provided code, keyless entry, or lockbox.

4. Explore the property at their own pace.

5. Follow up with the landlord or property manager.

And agent-led tours? It’s pretty self-explanatory: A real estate agent or property manager guides a prospective renter through the property. Here's how that often looks:

1. Contact an agent to inquire about available rentals.

2. Schedule a viewing, coordinating with the agent's availability.

3. Meet the agent at the property.

4. The agent leads a tour, highlighting features and answering questions.

5. Follow up with the agent.

Here’s a handy table that goes deep on the differences:

Feature	Self-Showing	Agent Showing
Experience	Independent exploration	Guided tour with an agent
Flexibility	View properties on your own time, often with more flexible scheduling options	Viewings are scheduled based on the agent's availability
Interaction	Independent exploration, no direct interaction with an agent	One-on-one interaction with an agent
Information	Rely on the provided materials and your observations	Receive information and insights directly from the agent
Additional Viewings	Easy to revisit the property	Requires another scheduled appointment
Control	You're in control of the schedule and pace	The agent sets the schedule and guides the tour
Screening	It may involve pre-screening questionnaires	An agent may handle initial screening and qualification
Privacy	Explore the property at your leisure without feeling rushed or pressured	The agent's presence might influence your perception or limit your freedom to explore

Pros of Self-Showings

Okay, now for the fun part! The pros vs. cons of self-showings. Let’s start with the pros and why they're becoming increasingly popular with renters AND landlords.

1. Convenience and Flexibility: Your Schedule, Your Way

Say goodbye to the limited Monday-Friday, 9-5 schedules of agent-led tours. With self-showings, prospective tenants are in control. Choose a time slot that fits your school or work schedule, and voilà—you're in!

The best part? If the timeslot allows, you can view the property multiple times. Great for vibing out multiple properties at once, revisiting, reflecting, and finding the place that genuinely feels like home.

2. Privacy and Freedom: No More Hovering Agents

Let's be honest: having someone follow you around can feel a bit... awkward, particularly when dealing with a pushy, time-poor agent. With self-guided tours, this experience is completely flipped on its head. You have the freedom to explore the property at your own pace without feeling rushed.

Take your time to envision yourself living in the space. Open the overhead kitchen cabinets, take a peek into the master bedroom closet, and do a little tap-dancing in the living room to test the acoustics. Really feel the place out, making absolutely sure the property is exactly what you’re looking for.

3. Efficiency and Time Savings: Skip the Back-and-Forth

Traditional showings often involve a lot of back-and-forth communication to find a time that works for both you and the agent—headache city.

None of that with self-showings, though. They streamline the process, allowing you to schedule a viewing with just a few thumb taps. Yup, no more waiting for agents to arrive on time. Just rock up and peruse at your leisure.

Landlords and property managers get to put the aspirin away, too.

Uh-huh, if you’re managing a property, automated rental showings save a heck of a lot of time—no more playing scheduling Tetris. Instead, focus on other more pressing tasks, and once a prospective renter has found a property they like, swoop in and seal the deal.

4. Increased Safety and Security: Safe Showings for Everyone

We get it—safety is a top priority, especially when you're meeting strangers in unfamiliar territory. That’s another big advantage of self-guided tours. Everyone can minimize face-to-face interactions.

For tenants, contactless showings mean less exposure to potentially risky situations. And let's be real, who wants to risk catching a nasty cold or flu (or even worse, COVID!) just to view a potential rental?

And for landlords, it means pre-screening potential renters and keeping a watchful eye on security cameras. Plus, let's face it, “mask-on or mask-off” conversations can get super awkward. Self-showings eliminate uncomfortable moments.

It's an all-round win-win for peace of mind.

5. Cost Savings: Showings That Don't Break the Bank

This one’s for the property owners: Being a landlord isn't cheap. Between mortgage payments, maintenance costs, and those surprise plumbing emergencies, your wallet can take a serious hit. But here's the good news: self-showings can actually save you money!

How? By ditching those pricey showing agents and putting the power in the tenants' hands. It's a smart move for savvy landlords who want to maximize their profits and keep those expenses in check.

6. Wider Reach: Attract Awesome Tenants from Everywhere

Want to find the perfect tenant for your property? Cast a wider net with self-showings. Offering flexible viewing times and an independent experience allows you to attract a diverse pool of potential renters—from busy professionals to those who are a touch on the introverted side.

More options mean more applications, a faster leasing process, and a higher chance of finding that dream tenant who pays rent on time and treats your property like it’s theirs.

Cons of Self-Showings

We’ve raved about the benefits of self-showings, but let's be real: no system is perfect. Here are a few potential drawbacks to consider:

1. Safety and Security: A Few Bumps in the Road

While there’s little doubt that self-showings increase safety in most ways, they also introduce a couple of new challenges. 

That's why security measures need to be locked and loaded—background checks, security cameras, and clear guidelines for tenant behavior. Don't allow one bad egg to turn this thing into an insurance job.

2. Limited Interaction: No Agent to Spill the Tea

One of the perks of agent-led tours is having an expert on hand to answer all your burning questions and dish out those juicy property details. With self-showings, renters are flying solo.

This means you'll need to rely on those property descriptions, photos, and virtual tours to get the full scoop. Some property managers do offer digital brochures or printable material that outlines key features of a property and answers frequently asked questions, but that’s not always the case.

If you have further burning questions or need more info, you'll have to contact the landlord or property manager. Nothing a quick email can’t fix, though.

Ziprent's Approach to Self-Showings

At Ziprent, we're committed to making property management or finding a new place to call home a breeze. Self-showings are a part of this commitment. But we also understand that safety and security are your top priority.

That's why our approach combines convenience with cutting-edge safeguards. Here's the safeguards we have in place:

• We go the extra mile to verify the identity of every prospective tenant before granting them access to a property. Everything from:

  • Live Selfie vs ID check

  • Geolocation

  • IP Address

• Our platform uses advanced technology to monitor activity and flag any suspicious behavior—we're always on the lookout for anything fishy.

• If something does go wrong (hey, even the best systems have hiccups!), we act fast. Our team is committed to resolving issues quickly and minimizing any disruptions for our landlords and tenants.

• We believe in empowering our clients with information. That's why we provide comprehensive resources (like this guide) to help you understand the ins and outs of self-showings.

We’re proud of our track record. Over 160,000 incident-free self-guided tours prove our commitment to safety while still offering the convenience you need.

Conclusion

Self-showings offer a refreshing alternative to traditional agent-led tours, especially for those who value convenience, flexibility, and independence. And with our procedures in place, you can rest assured everything will run smoothly with zero hiccups.

Ready to give this thing a crack?

👉 Tenants, head on over to our available listings.

👉 Homeowners, check out our property management services.