The Leasing Loop
March 15, 2026 Issue 15
Lead with specials this spring
Spring is prime leasing season. Warmer weather, tax refunds, school transitions, and relocation season all combine to bring a surge of motivated prospects through your doors and into your inbox. That’s exactly why clearly communicating your property’s current specials isn’t optional — it’s essential.
First, spring prospects are often comparison shopping. They’re touring multiple communities in a short window of time, sometimes in a single weekend. If you don’t confidently and clearly share your special — whether it’s waived admin fees, a month free, reduced deposits, or a gift card incentive — you risk losing on perceived value alone. Even if your community offers superior amenities, the prospect may remember the property that felt like the “better deal.”
Second, urgency matters more in spring. Many renters are trying to lock in a home before summer move-in deadlines. A well-positioned special creates momentum. Instead of saying, “Let me know if you’re interested,” you can say, “This special is available on select homes right now — I’d love to help you secure it before it expires.” That shifts the conversation from passive browsing to active decision-making.
Third, specials create a positive emotional anchor. Moving is stressful. Budgets are tight. When you highlight a financial incentive, you’re not just talking numbers — you’re signaling partnership. You’re showing the prospect that your community wants their business and is willing to make the transition easier.
Finally, from a performance standpoint, not communicating specials leaves money — and leases — on the table. Marketing works hard to generate traffic. Ownership invests in concessions strategically. But those efforts only convert when leasing agents confidently present them. A special should never feel like a fine-print afterthought. It should feel like part of the value story.
This spring, challenge yourself and your team to lead with clarity:
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Know your specials.
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Mention them early in the tour.
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Reinforce them before the prospect leaves.
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Follow up with them in writing.
In peak season, information drives decisions. Make sure your prospects know exactly what they stand to gain.
Brighton Creek crowns leasing Queen
At Brighton Creek Apartments, Assistant Manager Barbee King proves that consistency, connection and care convert tours into leases. In February, Barbee toured four prospects—and secured applications from all four.
While she serves as assistant manager, Barbee remains deeply involved in leasing.
“I still find myself leasing quite a bit during the busy seasons and maybe as much as my leasing agent,” she said.
That hands-on involvement paid off in February. When asked what helped her achieve a 100% conversion rate, Barbee credits her approach to connection.
“I am always very personable on my tours and try to find any prospect what they are looking for,” she said.
She also understands how to highlight Brighton Creek’s competitive edge.
“Our biggest selling point would be the in-unit washer and dryers as most communities still do not offer this,” Barbee explained.
Her closing technique is simple but effective.
“I always ask if they have any questions that I may have missed or if they are ready to lease today,” she said. “I treat each tour as if they were family and I am finding them their home for the next year or years to come.”
She shared. Her advice to other leasing professionals: “Treat everyone as you would want to be treated when looking for a new home because this is the biggest decision someone has to make.”
Community Manager Laureen Woods says Barbee’s adaptability sets her apart.
“Barbee always goes above and beyond in any situation,” Laureen said. “She is very good at making special connections with vendors, prospects, residents and strangers in order to find that magical connection in order to secure the lease.”
Four tours. Four leases. And one standout example of what intentional leasing looks like.
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Brighton Creek Assistant Manager Barbee King had four tours in the month of February and got applications on all four.
Tour-to-lease ratio
Tips to help you get your occupancy up 93.5%.
1. Get to love your property. This is probably the most important thing that you can do to increase your lease conversion and renewal rates. When you love your property, that enthusiasm shows to your prospects and residents. All properties have challenges. Your job as a leasing agent is to identify the qualities that make your property stand out from the rest. Keep a list of the top five things that you love about your property on your desk.
2. Create a community where people want to live. Think about the kind of community where you would want to live, and create that community at your property. Host community events. Pick up any litter that you see. Be a smiling face to greet all residents and prospects. Essentially, be the change.
3. Show prospects what they will love about this property. Once you have identified what you love about the property, it’s easy to see what prospects will enjoy about the property after they tell you the qualities they want in their next home. Don’t simply tell them what they will love. Show them. Point out items during the tour and make the connection to what the prospect wants.
4. Emphasize your specials. Your specials help you turn prospects into residents. Those deals are intended to help you seal the deal. Use them. Lead with them. Close them. Don’t forget your specials. Repeat the special enough so that the prospect doesn’t forget them either.
5. Communicate and be available to prospects. Follow up with your prospects. Let them know you are available to answer any questions they have. Answer all the questions they have. And then follow up some more.
2026 First Quarter KPIs (Jan. 1- March 11)
Guest Card Completion Ratio >90%
Nobody has made this goal.
Occupancy at or above 93.5%
1. Brighton Creek, 95%
Prospect Response Time
within 2 hours >80% of the time
1. Lindsay Norman, 97.6%
2. Barbee King, 90.9%
3. KieErra Barfield, 84.4%
4. Monny Star, 83.9%
Role Play each Week
for 80% of the time
1. Monny Starr, 100%
2. Kimberly Espinoza, 100%
3. Lindsay Norman, 100%
4. Barbee King, 100%
5. KiErra Barfield, 88.9%
Prospect-to-Tour Ratio >=25%
1. Lindsay Norman, 60%
2. Guadalupe Camancho Santiago, 44%
3. KieErra Barfield, 40%
4. Barbee King, 38%
5. Araceli Lopez, 35%
Tour-to-Lease Ratio >=30%
1. Barbee King, 83%
2. Monny Starr, 36%
Lease Count
1. Araceli Lopez, 37
2. Kimberly Espinoza, 21
3. KieErra Barfield, 12
4. Guadalupa Camacho Santiago, 11
5. Robin Scaro, 8