You’re here because you want to know the benefits of hiring creative leasing agents—those who use their personality to stand out and succeed. You’re looking to give them the trust, guidance, and freedom to come up with new ways to close leases.

Sound like what you’re after? If so, keep reading to learn how creative leasing agents can make a big impact, where to find them, and some top examples of creative professionals who excel at closing leases.

Why Hire Creative Leasing Agents

Creative leasing agents can mean many things, but for us, they’re the ones who bring fresh ideas, find solutions to problems, stay current with trends, and show their vibrant personalities both online and in person.

When you hire creative leasing agents, you get problem-solvers who achieve results and close deals. And that translates to more revenue for your property.

Are you convinced it’s a good thing to hire creative leasing professionals? Great! But now the question is: How do you identify creative leasing agents during a job interview? Kristi Fickert, Vice President of Enterprise Growth and a multifamily marketing expert, has the answer.

How to find Creative Leasing Agents

Kristi has long championed the value of hiring creative leasing agents. As a prominent speaker in the multifamily industry, she advises leasing agents to be creative and strategic in closing deals quickly. She recommends leasing agents use tech tools, like video technology, to connect with prospects and residents. Kristi suggests that asking the right questions in an interview will help you find creative leasing agents.

In the following example, Kristi shares five interview questions to ask job candidates to see if they’ve recorded creative real estate videos or are willing to. These questions help gauge their readiness and confidence in using video strategies to tackle common challenges, along with the purpose behind each question.

Comfort with video communication

  • Question: Can you describe a time when you used video communication (like Zoom, Facetime, or social media) to connect with someone? How did you feel about being on camera, and what was the outcome
  • Purpose: To gauge their comfort level and past experience with video communication.

Creativity and initiative

  • Question: Imagine you need to create a short video to introduce yourself to prospective residents. How would you plan and execute this video, and what key points would you include to make it engaging?
  • Purpose: To assess their creativity, planning skills, and ability to engage an audience.

Adaptability and learning

  • Question: How do you stay updated with new tools and trends in digital communication? Can you give an example of a new technology or tool you learned recently and how you applied it?
  • Purpose: To understand their willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies.

Passion for Community Representation

  • Question: Why do you think it’s important for a leasing consultant to be the ‘face’ of the apartment community? How would you embody and promote our community’s brand through video content?
  • Purpose: To see if they value and understand the importance of representing the community brand.

Problem-Solving and Engagement

  • Question: How would you handle a situation where a prospective resident is unable to visit the property in person? Describe how you would use video tools to give them a comprehensive and engaging virtual tour.
  • Purpose: To evaluate their problem-solving skills and ability to use video tools effectively to engage prospects.

Examples of Creative Leasing Agents

Carla Young, a Realync user and former leasing professional, is a prime example of thinking outside the box.

When overseas prospects were hesitant to send their proof of identification through email, Carla came up with a smart solution. She used a Realync Live Video Tour to verify their IDs in real time and introduce herself. The result? Those prospects ended up leasing with Carla soon after.

Drew Hudson, a Realync user and Training and Development Specialist, is known for his vibrant personality. On his first day at the office, he was handed a camera stabilizer and was encouraged to use Realync’s video app to show prospective residents available units virtually.

Determined to use the new tool, Drew got up to speed quickly. In days, Drew closed leases on his first two attempts with Realync.

Hiring creative leasing agents is a decision you won’t regret. With the right amount of trust, training, and autonomy, you’ll be surprised by the results. Curious about equipping your leasing teams with a do-it-yourself video solution? Find us here.