How to follow up after a rental showing
Follow up the same day as the showing with a short thank-you that repeats the key facts and gives one clear next step: the link to apply and the date by which you will decide. If you hear nothing, send one nudge the next day, and one last note a few days later. Send the same messages to everyone who toured, whatever you thought of them.
Why the follow-up decides more leases than the tour
A person who just toured has a clear picture of the unit, and that picture fades quickly. They have often seen several other places that same week. A message that arrives while they still remember yours turns a pleasant tour into an application. Most small landlords skip this step and then wonder why the tour did not lead anywhere.
The same-day message
Send it within a few hours. Keep it to four things: thanks, the facts, the next step and the date.
"Hi Dana, thanks for seeing 12 Oak Street today. As a reminder, the rent is $1,850, the deposit is $1,850 and it is available June 1. If you would like to apply, the link is below. I am deciding on applications received by Friday at 5 pm, in the order complete applications arrive."
That last line matters. Saying how you decide, such as "first complete application that meets the criteria", is clear and the same for everyone. Do not say who you "prefer".
The nudge and the close
- Next day, if no reply: "Hi Dana, any questions about 12 Oak Street? The application link is here, and I am glad to answer anything."
- Three days later: "Hi Dana, I have two other tours booked this week. I wanted to let you know the unit is still available through Friday. No pressure either way."
- After the decision date: "Hi Dana, the unit has been taken. Thank you for your time, and I will let you know if another one opens."
Closing the loop is polite and also protects you: it ends the lead cleanly and leaves a record that you treated everyone alike.
Take notes right after the tour
Write two lines while it is fresh: what they asked about and what you promised. Stick to facts, such as "asked about pets and parking, I promised the pet policy". Leave out guesses about the person.
- Do not note anything about family status, religion, national origin, disability, race or sex. The Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3604) protects them.
- Do note any request for an accommodation or modification, and respond to it as the law requires.
If they did not show up
A no-show is a different follow-up: one friendly message offering a new time, and then stop. The steps for reducing missed tours are in how to cut rental showing no-shows.
When several people toured the same day
If you hold back-to-back tours, send each person their own message that day, with the same wording and the same decision date. Do not hint that one tour went better than another. If two applications arrive close together, review them in the order complete applications arrived, against the same written criteria, and tell each applicant the date by which they will hear. Saying how you decide in advance is fair, and it keeps you from making a choice that is hard to explain later.
How DoorKeeping handles it
After a showing is marked done, DoorKeeping drafts the same-day thank-you with the unit's rent, deposit, date and the apply link, then queues the nudge for the next day. You approve each message before it goes. If the lead applies or replies no, the rest are cancelled. The listings page shows how showings are set up.
Sources
Questions
- How soon should I follow up after a rental showing?
- The same day, within a few hours. Then one nudge the next day and one final note a few days later if there is no reply.
- What should a post-showing message say?
- Thank the person, repeat the rent, deposit and date, give the apply link and say when you will decide. Keep it the same for everyone who toured.
- Should I tell people they were not chosen?
- Yes, once the unit is taken. A short, polite note closes the lead. If a decision rested on a consumer report, a formal adverse action notice may be required.