Target More Tenants With a Walkability Score

By E-Renter Tenant Screening
Posted on June 7, 2013 under Housing Trends, Marketing for Landlords | Be the First to Comment

What is walkability, and why is it important to include in your advertising for rental properties? Walkability means that a home is within walking distance to shops, restaurants, public parks, libraries, schools and other places that people frequent.

People like to live in walkable communities, and demand for this feature is growing. Younger renters are particularly interested in areas developed under “New Urbanism” guidelines, which cluster living spaces around open spaces, shops and restaurants. These neighborhoods encourage walking and bicycling, while reducing the need for a car.

Cities that are walkable are growing, are more vibrant and have higher home values. They also typically have higher rents and lower vacancy rates. The ability to walk to the grocery store, their children’s schools, public transportation and coffee shops appeals to tenants who would like to avoid congestion, parking issues and fuel consumption associated with driving.

If you own or manage property in a walkable neighborhood, you should mention it in your advertising, right along with the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, types of appliances and location. In fact, you can plug the property’s address into WalkScore.com and receive a walkability rating. The higher the score, the more walkable the neighborhood. The site even provides maps to restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, schools and outdoor spaces.

WalkScore.com also provides links to apartments for rent. You can have a featured listing on their site, get maps to add to your website, or download a badge to that displays the walkability score. You can then add the badge to your site or Craigslist advertisements.

The WalkScore site is easy to navigate and use, and the FAQ page should provide answers to most of your questions. If you’re competing for the best tenants, adding walkability score to your advertisements can help boost your visibility and response!