Technology is catching up with the Real Estate industry. Self-guided tour applications like Rently and ShowMojo are making it much easier to list and fill a vacant rental without ever showing the property yourself! And now upstarts like Caretaker are raising the bar even higher.
But the benefits go well beyond contactless showings. They can significantly streamline the leasing process. Freeing you up to do more of what matters, like finding more rentals to invest in or taking a vacation.
As a DIY landlord, you might be interested in this new self-showing technology if:
You are looking to grow your portfolio but can’t find the time
You want to automate and manage the leasing process long distance
You want to attract tenants who want to view properties on their schedule
These are just some of the reasons many landlords are starting to use self-guided tour and leasing automation software these days.
In this article I will show you:
The Pros and Cons of self-guided rental property tours
Compare the top self-showing platforms across several important areas
- Tell you which of the self-service rental touring platforms is best depending on your situation
Before we dive into the comparisons, let’s first talk about what self-guided tour software is and what it can do for your rental business.
What Is A Self-Guided Tour?
It’s called many things including self-showings, self-guided tours, contactless showings, and tenant lead scheduling software but they all do one thing: allow prospective tenants to access and tour a rental property without someone accompanying them.
There are many new and different providers of this technology, each with their own take on how best to handle self-guided rental tours. However, at their core, they all perform the following functions:
Capture potential tenant information
Verify their credentials and minimum requirements
Schedule a rental property tour automatically
Provide a unique code and secure access to the property
Solicit property feedback
Log potential applicants information for landlord follow up
Some self-service showing platforms just cover the basics while others go beyond to offer a full suite of property management functions.
Pros and Cons of Self-Guided Tour Tech
I know what you’re thinking. This sounds both good and terrible.
via MEME
While you probably love the idea of taking yourself out of the front end leasing process, you might be feeling hesitant at the thought of letting someone into your properties without watching over them.
Let’s explore both sides.
Pros of Self-Guided Rental Property Tours
Rently estimates that as much as 50% of renters prefer to view properties outside of normal business hours. Just check out their heat map of showing times below.
You can see that many showings are on Saturdays, Sundays and evenings. Missing these time slots limits your prospects. Self guided tour software gives you more chances to show your property. That’s a huge advantage in tight markets!
However, there are many more benefits of self-guided tours, including saving time, saving money, and having a more secure showing process.
Here are some of the benefits of automating your showings process with one of these services:
- Allow 24-7 showings on a tenant’s schedule to reach more would-be renters
- Gain access to a pool of pre-screened renters searching for properties on the websites of these showings services
- Eliminate No-Shows
- Manage multiple showings simultaneously (because you don’t have to be present)
- Minimize turnover time
- Automatically answer prospect’s questions
- Provide instant gratification to potential tenants who want to see the property right now
- Verify prospect identity before showing the property
- Prescreen tenants with custom questions automatically
- Avoid the back and forth of trying to schedule and reschedule showings
- Minimize applicant drop out rate
- Streamline your turnover process and minimize costs
- Get instant property feedback on property condition, price, etc.
- Contactless showings
- Better experience than virtual tours
All of these benefits translate into time and money savings for the landlord or property manager leaving you more time to do what matters, whether that’s finding more deals or relaxing.
Cons of Self-Guided Tour Technology for Rental Properties
However, self-showings are not without their cons. Here’s some important things to consider before signing up for a self-guided tour service:
- You lose the personal interaction to evaluate the prospect and “sell” the property
- Property must be vacant for some platforms (although some can coordinate occupied self showings or accompanied showings)
- May turn off less tech-savvy renters
- Costs more (starts around $12 to $30 per month)
- Safety risks including stolen keys, property damage, stolen appliances, etc.
- Technical issues can occur preventing the showing (most have back ups)
- Lack of personal customer service if renter encounters an issue (live customer service available in some apps)
- Potentially opens your property to more advertising scams (Rently warns applicants specifically about this)
- Applicant forgets to lock the house
- Squatters could set up shop
- Applicant’s could throw a party
As you can see, there are a ton of intriguing benefits of using self guided touring technology at your rentals but there are also a lot of potential problems. However, most of the potential problems have ways to mitigate the risk. For example, Rently and ShowMojo smart locks have a backup key in case something is wrong with the smart lock.
Every new technology brings questions and concerns and it will take time for landlords and property managers to get comfortable with the idea of allowing tenants conduct shelf showings, but on the whole, there are a lot of failsafe measures designed to address most concerns. Including the number one concern: safety.
Is Self-Guided Tour Technology Safe?
Let’s look closely at the common safety concerns most landlords have when initially considering a new technology like self-showings to see how they are addressed by the platforms.
Property Damage and Theft
The biggest objection most landlords will have to contactless showings is that someone can steal anything not nailed down or damage the property if left unattended. While this is true, it is also highly unlikely given the precautions these services take.
All of the self-touring platforms I reviewed create a time-stamped record of every access which includes the verified profile of the prospect. Prospective tenants also undergo an initial verification to ensure they are who they say they are. This will potentially weed out any fraud. Finally, most self-touring services require a prospect to provide a verified credit card and are notified they could be charged for any damage or theft.
Doors Left Unlocked
What if an applicant forgets to lock the door? Some of the self-guided tour services offer integrations with smart lock technology which can be locked remotely if that’s a major concern (for example, Rently offers a Smart Home option with wifi capabilities). In the worst case scenario where you are long distance, you could have a trusted crew member run out and lock the door.
Copied Keys or Re-used Codes
Some landlords might be concerned that a prospective tenant could copy the key or reuse the code to regain entry at a later time.
If this is a concern, you can opt for the keyless entry devices (instead of a lock box). The applicant will be given a one-time code that expires after a set time and/or after it has been used. There is no chance they can copy the key or re-use the code.
Forget to Return the Key to the Lock Box
The above scenarios require ill-intentions but the reality is most potential renters are good and are not looking to intentionally harm you. What if they simply forget to return the key to the lock box?
Even the lock box systems for self-showings offer a solution. Many are equipped with sensors and “know” if the key is not returned. It will notify the prospect and warn them of the fine if they do not return the key to the lock box. This is usually more than enough to ensure the key is returned and it happens without any effort on your part.
It’s Contactless!
There is one major safety advantage to contactless showings: you don’t have to be physically present. Whether you are concerned about catching a global virus or you just want to avoid showing a property by yourself at night, contactless rental property showings are a safe alternative.
Which Self-Guided Tour Platform is Right for You?
Every landlord has different needs when it comes to self-guided tour software. I’ve reviewed the three self-showing platforms that I think make the most sense for smaller landlords and property managers depending on what they are looking for.
Rently Blue
Rently’s self-guided tour platform is designed to scale and they offer a number of different packages for landlords managing multiple properties. In fact, they do not even recommend their Single-Family or Multi-Family plans unless you are managing at least 25 units. Otherwise, they say, the financials won’t make sense for you.
For us smaller landlords, they recommend the Rently Blue option. It’s simply a SmartLock that you can then use for self-showings through their system. You only pay the fee when you need to activate it but you get full access to the same platform as the larger plans.
Rently is best for landlords who are looking to automate the showing and leasing process but don’t want to pay significant fees.
ShowMojo Classic
ShowMojo is another self-touring option for rental properties with a lot of experience in this space. The full service software has over 10 plans and pricing is pretty complicated. It’s designed for bigger property managers who also want to automate the leasing process. However, they do offer a simplified inexpensive plan with many of the same features as the premium plans.
ShowMojo Classic was originally built for mom and pop landlords who just want an automated online showing service to lead prospective tenants through the showing process.
Caretaker
Caretaker is relatively new to the self-touring space but they bring a unique perspective. It was originally started by tenants as a subletting platform called Flip. Along the way they learned how to efficiently automate the showing and leasing process. Now rebranded as Caretaker, they’ve evolved into so much more.
Caretaker is designed for the landlord who wants true automation throughout the tenant turnover and property management process. You can use them just for self-showings and rent collection or to fully manage your property yourself from a long distance.
Self-Guided Tour Comparison Charts
The following charts breakdown all you need to know about the self-touring and prospect nurturing features of these services along with a lot of other details so you can find the one that’s right for you.
NOTE: Scroll to the right to see all 3 self-guided tour options.
| Rently | ShowMojo | Caretaker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | $30/month per active unit | $29/month for up to 3 active units | • Owner Plan $12/mo/unit • Entrepreneur Plan $34/mo/unit • Mogul Plan (Call for Price) |
| Device Cost | • $149 Rently Blue Smart Lock • Available Smart Devices: Security Sensors Smoke Alarms Smart Home hub Smart Thermostat | • $55 Codebox • $89 Vault eLockbox • $79 MojoLock Deadbolt | • $139 or $9/month IglooHome Smart KeyBox |
| Other Costs | • Listing syndication to Zillow paid by LL | • Additional ShowMojo PHONE numbers (1st one included) • $25/mo per additional user | • Boost listings for min $10/day |
Costs
Let’s face it. If you want to add the convenience of rental property self-guided tours and automated leasing, it will cost you a little bit. However, when you consider the time saved and how you can open up your rentals to more potential tenants, it’s a small investment. Here’s how the costs break down for these self-showing services.
Rently Blue
The best thing about Rently’s service is that you only pay when you need to use it. They charge $30 per month per active unit and then $2/month to use the Rently Blue SmartLock in Tenant mode (i.e., as a smart lock for your tenant to use). If you upgrade to the SmartHome option, then you will pay $8/month. This is in addition to the devices themselves which is $149 for the smart lock.
However, all the features in the comparison chart above are included with those fees. The only additional fee you may encounter is when you want to syndicate a listing to Zillow or other sites which will charge you directly. But you would be paying for that either way.
ShowMojo Classic
ShowMojo Classic offers 2 prices. $29/month for Accompanied Showings and $32/month if you want contactless self-showings. You will also need to purchase a lockbox starting around $55 for the self-guided tour option.
These prices include up to 3 active listings (more boxes are necessary for more rentals though) and a dedicated phone line. You still need to pay the monthly fee even if you don’t have any active units. If you need to add another unit or another user or another phone line, it will cost extra.
You can change your plan during the first month with ShowMojo.
Caretaker
With 3 simple plans to choose from, Caretaker makes choosing the plan that’s best for you easy.
The Owner plan is $12 per month per unit. It not only includes self-guided tours, but also rent collection and lease creation. You can either rent for $9/month or buy for $139 the required smart lockbox. It’s best for landlords with just a few rentals.
The Entrepreneur plan is $36 per month per unit. It includes everything in the Owner plan plus Repairs & Maintenance management, Security Deposit management, and Smart Lock management. The smart lockbox is included in this plan.
Caretaker also offers a full automation option called the Mogul plan which will customize a team to meet your personal needs. Pricing is custom but they estimate it will cost about 6% of rent per month. Not too bad considering the alternative is hiring a so-so property manager for almost twice that amount.
You can cancel any time if you find Caretaker isn’t right for you.
Self-Service Showings Access
These self-touring SaaS companies are all about contactless property access but they each have different ways of handling self-guided tours.
| Rently | ShowMojo | Caretaker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supported Access Methods | • Rently Blue Smartlock (Bluetooth access with FOB and back up Key) • Rently Keyless Smart Home Hub • Any Z-Wave enabled device (Yale, Kwikset, Oaks) | • CodeBox Lockbox • Vault eLockbox • MojoLock Deadbolt | • IglooHome Smart KeyBox with pin code • Coming Soon: IglooHome Smart Deadbolt |
| Wifi Required? | No (Except for Smart Home) | No | No |
| Battery | • Rently Blue • 4 AA Batteries • 9V emergency charging | • CodeBox - Lithium • Vault eLockBox - 4AA (Key Backup) • MojoLock - 4AA (Key & USB-C Backup) | • 4 AAA Batteries • USB-C Emergency Charge |
| Showings per Day | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Support for Renters | • Chat, email and AI support | • ShowMojo PHONE (automated) | • Email (9-5P, M-F) |
| Occupied Self Showings | No | Yes | Yes |
| Accompanied Showings | Yes • Coordinate tours with agents • Bypasses verification process | Yes • Restrict showings to pre-agreed dates / times • Notifies current occupant • Requires confirmation to show property (3 attempts) | Yes • Offers a system for guided tours |
Rently Blue
Lock Options
Rently access requires a smart lock. You can purchase the Rently Blue lock pictured above or you can set it up using any Z-wave enabled smart lock. The Rently Blue lock works via Bluetooth but also works with a unique code and physical backup key if necessary. It runs off 4 AA batteries but can also be charged via 9V in an emergency. It doesn’t require wifi to operate so it’s ideal for vacant self-showings.
Occupied Showings
Rently does not recommend allowing self-guided tour as an option for occupied properties for liability reasons. Instead, they offer an accompanied showing feature. Through the Rently Dashboard you can schedule the time and date of the showing.
However, this does disable all the normal verification process. Rently figures the onus is on you to pre-qualify the applicant if you are going through the trouble of showing them the property yourself.
ShowMojo Classic
ShowMojo Classic is primarily designed for accompanied showings but works well for self-showings too.
Lock Options
ShowMojo offers very affordable lockbox options. It works with the CodeBox or Vault eLock brands of lockboxes. The major difference between the two is that the CodeBox has day-long codes that expire 2 hours after use while the Vault eLockbox codes are assignable by the hour. The CodeBox also has a static agent/vendor code whereas the Vault eLockbox has a 7-day code giving you more flexibility to manage agents and vendors.
ShowMojo also offers their own smart deadbolt called the MojoLock. It’s relatively inexpensive starting at $79 and features a key back up. It runs off 4AA batteries and has an emergency charging option if the batteries die.
Occupied Showings
ShowMojo’s basic package is designed for accompanied showings. If you want to allow self showings, you need to purchase one of the lockboxes or the MojoLock and pay an extra $3 per month per active box and $1.50 per month when not active.
Because it was originally designed for accompanied showings, it has a built in agent scheduler feature where you can configure the dates/times to allow for occupied showings. It will notify the current occupant of upcoming showings. It will also attempt to confirm the showing up to 3 times to avoid no-shows and unnecessary tenant disturbances.
Caretaker
Lock Options
Caretaker works with the Igloo Keybox3 lockbox. It’s accessible via a pin code or bluetooth. It’s a unique lock in that it doesn’t require wifi and your applicants do not need to download an app to access the lock. Pin codes can be shared via text. It runs off AAA batteries which should last about a year depending on your usage.
The lockbox can even be returned by your tenant when not in use. Perfect for the long distance landlord.
If you were hoping for a smart deadbolt option, you are in luck! They are in the process of integrating the Igloo Smart Deadbolt which is available upon request. It includes a physical backup key and emergency 9V charging. Pricing isn’t available yet but they will likely have a similar rent or buy option.
Unfortunately, you cannot bring your own lock to the Caretaker system because they want to make sure you won’t have any issues with access. They can only guarantee the Igloo locks will work with their system.
Occupied Showings
Caretaker does allow for occupied self-showings. Your tenant will choose whitelisted days and times when self showings are allowed. Your tenant will receive the appropriate notices to confirm the day/time of the showing.
Alternatively, you can use the agent scheduling feature to set up an accompanied showing with a trusted agent or team member. It works pretty much in the same way but the only difference is that your agent will need to be there to let them in.
Security Features
| Rently | ShowMojo | Caretaker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Code Duration | 60 minutes from appointment time | CodeBox - 24 hours Vault eLockbox - 48 hours MojoLock - 1 hour | 60 minutes from appointment time |
| Code Expiry | 60 minutes after use | CodeBox - unknown Vault eLockbox - after use MojoLock - 1 hour | 60 minutes after appointment, even if not used |
| CC Authorization | Yes • $0.99 Fee (one time) | No • Only authenticates CC | No |
| Identity Verification | Yes (likely via Authorize.net) • Government ID • Selfie • AI and Manual Review | No • Only verifies name of person requesting access is same as on valid credit card | Yes (via Stripe) • Picture of Government ID (Passport, DL, State ID, etc.) |
| Security Review | Yes • Majority are AI reviewed • Manual review if flagged | No | No |
| Cellular Triangulation | Yes | No | No |
| Require Payment Method | Yes | No | No |
| Damage / Theft Protection | No • 3rd Party Insurance available • Work with LL to resolve any issues | No • 3rd Party Insurance available | Yes • Includes insurance up to $10k in losses during Caretaker-enabled access |
These self-touring platforms have been built with multiple security features in place. They understand the concerns that landlords and property managers have when it comes to allowing someone to show themselves around a rental unaccompanied.
Each system comes with it’s own way of addressing those concerns. While no self-showing system can be totally failsafe, they all boast very few issues after having run hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of self tours.
Rently Blue
Rently Blue offers the most comprehensive package of security features of the three contactless showing platforms reviewed.
Verification
Rently has a 6-point verification process to ensure the person you allow into your rental is who they say they are and is trustworthy.
- CC Authentication – Each prospect is charged a one-time fee of $0.99 to ensure they have a valid and authentic credit card. The credit card may also be charged if there is an issue with the self-showing but this is on a case by case basis.
- Government ID – Prospects must upload a valid government ID which is then checked against a database for authenticity
- Selfie – Taking a picture of themselves at the property ensures you are letting in the person who uploaded the verification documents
- Cellular Triangulation ensures the applicant requesting the access is located near the property
- AI Review – An intelligent system reviews the verification documents to match the person and uncover any issues.
- Manual Review – A person will review the request if the AI review detects an issue that requires further investigation. A common example is when an applicant has changed their hair color from the one in the government ID.
Code Security
Rently devices use what they call “rotating codes.” Don’t worry. This simply means there are millions of codes that the devices cycle through over time so the chance of duplicate is virtually nil. The codes last 60 minutes from the scheduled appointment time and are automatically deactivated after that.
Damage & Theft Protection
Rently does not offer any direct protection for any damages or losses caused by self showings because it is so rare. Instead, they will work with individual landlords and property managers to make things right if there is an issue. They do suggest using a 3rd party insurance specifically for damages during self showings if a landlord or property owner wanted to insure they were covered for losses.
ShowMojo Classic
Verification
ShowMojo has the fewest verification features of the three self-guided tour apps I reviewed. This makes sense given that it was designed for accompanied showings. ShowMojo will verify that the person requesting viewing access is the same person with the credit card. But that’s it for verification.
Code Security
As you can see from the comparison chart in the “lock options” section above, ShowMojo lockbox options come with different code durations from 1 specific hour for Vault to all day access codes that expire 2 hours after they are used for CodeBox. Vault also offers more flexibility with vendor codes.
MojoLock codes last one hour and expire after the time is up.
Damage & Theft Protection
ShowMojo offers landlords and property managers the option of insuring against any damage or theft during an unoccupied showing. Insurance runs $12/mo per active lockbox and comes with $5,000 coverage and a $500 deductible. It’s only available for the lockboxes currently. This somewhat makes up for the lackluster verification process.
Caretaker
Verification
Every Caretaker applicant is required to do two things: (1) Verify their identity with acceptable government IDs and (2) Place a credit card on file. This ensures the applicant is who they say they are, rules out possible fraud, AND ensures there is possible financial recourse in case any issues during an unaccompanied self-tour. Caretaker uses Onfido for identity verification and Stripe to securely hold the applicant’s payment information.
Code Security
Similar to the other self-touring platforms, Caretaker codes last 60 minutes from the start of the scheduled appointment time. Caretaker describes the codes as “bank-level” security and are never reusable. The codes also expire even if not used.
Damage & Theft Protection
Caretaker does not authorize the applicant’s credit card like other self showing services will do. Instead, they rely on the validated identification and the credit card details on file as a deterrent to theft or damage. If there is an issue, they can charge the applicant’s credit card to cover the costs.
However, Caretaker goes one step further than the other self-showing tech companies. They include insurance coverage of up to $10k in losses during Caretaker-enabled access at no extra cost to the landlord!
Leasing & Marketing
This section describes how each of the three self-showing applications help you advertise your rental and guide applicants through the showing and leasing process.
| Rently | ShowMojo | Caretaker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listing Generator | Yes • Integrates with your website • Can add listing link to other sites | Yes • Easy to import listings from other sites • Can add listing link to other sites | Yes |
| Syndication | Yes • 30+ sites including Zillow, Hotpads and Trulia • Not customizable (coming soon) | Yes • 50+ sites including Zillow, Trulia, Hotpads, and Realtor.com. • Customizable | Yes ($10/day) • Facebook / Instagram • Zillow Group Sites (Zillow Trulia, HotPads) • Customizable |
| Self Guided Tour Scheduling | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Post Showing Follow Up | Yes • Via Auto Emails • All lead info available in Dashboard | Yes • Via Auto Emails | Yes • Via Auto Emails • Not Customizable |
| Applicant Feedback | Yes • Customizable questions | Yes | Yes • Not customizable (coming soon) |
Rently Blue
Rently has its own rental listings site where they showcase all Rently-enabled apartments. When you set up a Rently listing it will be listed on this site which gets approximately 2.5K organic visits per month. Rently also syndicates your listing to over 30 websites to ensure you reach your target renter. Unfortunately, the syndication feature is not customizable but they tell me they are working on that.
You can also copy and paste the listing link to your own marketing materials. Rently even has an API that allows you to integrate Rently listings onto your own website. This is a great feature for property managers with several properties they manage via a central website.
After a potential renter has been through a Rently apartment, they will be led to the application process via a series of automated emails. All of this information is captured for you in the dashboard, including their feedback, which you can customize via a series of simple questions.
ShowMojo Classic
ShowMojo’s strength is in its automated leasing and marketing process. It is designed to take the busy work out of the leasing process by automatically responding to interested renters via phone, email, text, etc. It can nurture your prospective tenants all the way through to the application process.
The ShowMojo listing site isn’t designed for organic traffic from apartment hunters but you can use it to search for ShowMojo enabled apartments anywhere. Instead, ShowMojo lets you customize which of the over 50 sites to syndicate your listing to get a wider reach. Many of them are free, but like the other self guided tour applications, you will need to pay if you want to syndicate to Zillow Group or Rentals.com. This makes it the largest network of the three self-showing software applications reviewed.
Some additional benefits of ShowMojo’s marketing tool include:
- Craigslist-friendly HTML code for your listings
- Automatically imports and continues to update your listings from popular sites
- Activity Reports capture page views, email inquiries, incoming calls and scheduled showings on each listing.
- Can encourage each prospect to schedule additional showings at your other properties
I’ve used ShowMojo before to show occupied properties through my realtor. She would work with the tenant to set “showing” days/times and then I would get notified before and after a showing. Showing feedback would help me understand how my unit stood versus the others on the market. The only real challenge was finding the times that worked for the current tenant.
Caretaker
Caretaker was originally designed with tenants in mind so they take pride in making the leasing experience a good one for the tenant. They operate the Apartment.app site and that’s where all of their listings can be found. It receives less than 1k visitors per month because it is so new. For an additional $10 a day you syndicate your listing to a customizable list of larger rental listing sites including Zillow and other big sites.
However, you don’t really need to spend the extra money. Instead, Caretaker provides everyone with a custom email for their listing. You can put that email anywhere you want. When someone expresses interest in one of your properties (via email) they’ll get the same automated messages designed to get them to take action and book a showing on the Apartment.app site.
Application & Screening
The application process starts with pre-screening and each of these self showing services offers their own version. But that’s where the similarities end. Only one of these apartment showing services has a fully integrated tenant application process.
| Rently | ShowMojo | Caretaker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Screening Questions | Yes • Customizable | Yes • Up to 5 customizable for Classic plan | Yes • Customizable • Minimum requirements on listing page (Apartment App Only) |
| Minimum Requirements Verified | Self Reported | Can restrict access based on answers • Notifies if someone changes answers but will not stop them | Yes. During Application Process. • Automatic verification via Credit Report, Income Documents / Bank Records or manual review if requested / necessary |
| Tenant Application | No | No | Yes • Customizable |
| Credit Report | No | No | Yes • Transunion • $30 Combined • Tenant Paid • Can turn On or Off |
| Background Check | No | No | Yes • Transunion • $30 Combined • Tenant Paid • Can turn On or Off |
Rently Blue
Pre Screening & Verification
Rently allows you to customize your pre screening questions. It can even steer qualified renters to your listings via its Iqual feature. Apartment hunters can pay $8 (per month) to get pre screened and pre qualified with a credit report. Then Rently will show them all the apartments they qualify for. This is great for landlords because they only get qualified renters viewing their listings.
However, unless your applicant happens to use Iqual, their pre screening questions are not verified. It’s only self-reported. There is no automatic verification of the pre-screening qualifications outside of the Iqual system. It’s not clear what percentage of applicants sign up for the Iqual service but it’s less than 100% so there is some risk of unqualified viewers as with the other self-guided tour apps.
Application & Background Check
Rently doesn’t offer an integrated application process. If you decide to move forward with a prospective tenant, then you need to transfer them over to your normal application and background check process via a property management system like Avail (affiliate).
ShowMojo Classic
Pre Screening & Verification
ShowMojo allows you to customize up to 5 screening questions under the Classic plan. It also allows you to restrict showings based on answers to your pre-screening questions. None of the other services does that. I should note, however, that while you can restrict showings, it will not stop someone from changing their answers to gain access. It will notify you if that happens though.
Application & Background Check
ShowMojo does not have an integrated application and background check service. You will need to move a prospect over to your existing process to proceed.
Caretaker
Pre Screening & Verification
Caretaker has a unique approach to the screening process. The minimum requirements are visible on each listing. You set your customized pre screening qualifications and would-be renters can screen themselves in or out.
Similar to the other self-guided tour apps, a prospective tenant doesn’t need to verify they meet the minimum requirements. It’s self reported. But the system is designed to discourage people from viewing apartments for which they are obviously not qualified.
Application & Background Check
However, Caretaker takes the verification process one step further by verifying applicant responses. A prospective tenant who wants to apply to a listing will need to upload certain documents depending on the minimum qualifications required. Caretaker will then validate the applicant meets the minimum requirements for you. Brilliant!
Also, Caretaker is the only self-showing service that has a fully integrated credit and background check as part of their application process. No need to switch over to another system. Caretaker uses TransUnion to perform the credit and background check which will cost your tenant $30.
Other Property Management Services
Here is where Caretaker pulls away from the pack. It is really a full DIY property management solution for the long distance landlord.
| Rently | ShowMojo | Caretaker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leases | No | No | Yes • Standard lease available or upload your own • e-signatures |
| Rent Collection | No | No | Yes • Free ACH via Stripe • Tenant pays 2.95% if paid via CC |
| Security Deposits | No | No | Available in Entrepreneur Plan • Hold SD in escrow • Interim deductions where allowed |
| Maintenance Tracking | No | No | Available in Entrepreneur Plan |
| Accounting | No | No | Available in Entrepreneur Plan (Maintenance Expenses) |
| Tenant Communication | No | No | Yes • Via email during business hours • Full support available in Entrepreneur Plan |
| Maintenance Self Service | No | No | Yes |
Rently Blue
Rently’s services end once the applicant has toured the property and they’ve expressed an interest in filling out an application. It’s up to you to then guide them to your application process in another property management software.
ShowMojo Classic
ShowMojo is very much the same as Rently. You will need to steer interested renters to your property management processes outside of ShowMojo once you’ve found a quality tenant.
Caretaker
After the background and credit check are complete, Caretaker will take care of the rest of the process of installing your new tenant. Check out the Caretaker demo site to get a feel for how it works and all of its property management features.
Lease Agreements
Caretaker provides you with access to a standard, non-customizable lease or you can upload your own (which I highly recommend – check out my guide to writing great leases to learn more). It even offers an integrated e-signature via HelloSign at no extra cost.
Rent Collection
Caretaker will also help you set up online rent collection. Tenants can pay manually or set up autopay. ACH transfer is free or they can pay a fee if they want to use a credit card. Your tenant will be alerted when rent is due and when it’s late.
Legal Notices
Caretaker will even help you start the eviction process if necessary by sending state-specific* notices to your tenant. They can even hook you up with a lawyer in their network if the issue escalates.
* Note that certain compliance benefits (legal notices, assistance with eviction processes, localized lease preparation) don’t apply to all states.
Security Deposits
Another unique feature of Caretaker is that they will manage your tenant’s security deposit for you. They will hold it in escrow and allow you to deduct during the tenancy (if allowed in your state). This feature is included in the Entrepreneur Plan or higher.
Maintenance
Also available in the Entrepreneur plan is the ability to manage maintenance remotely. Tenant repair requests get triaged and routed to the right contractor and handled within your provided budget. You can have maintenance inspections and check-ups happen at regular intervals too. All maintenance requests will be tracked and expenses are recorded.
If you want to totally manage on autopilot, you can upgrade to the Mogul Plan and Caretaker will build your local property management team for you.
Conclusion
Self-guided tour technology can be a game changer if you are a landlord looking to be more efficient, open up your prospects, and reclaim your time from your rental business. These services help you reduce the tediousness of turning over rentals and have found smart ways to mitigate the risks of self -showings.
There are several good options to choose from:
- Rently Blue – An inexpensive way to automate the showing process with extra security
- ShowMojo Classic – Great for just automating the showing and nurturing process
- Caretaker – Perfect for landlords who want a fully automated DIY system
If you think automating your leasing process can help you grow your rental business then take the next steps and click on one of the above and check out their services.
Are you using a self-guided tour service for your rentals? How do you like it? Leave a comment below.
