7 Great Perks to Offer Potential College Residents

By Christine Ascher on July 29, 2017

If you’re looking to draw in more student residents, a surefire way to do so is by offering extra deals and perks. Even if it doesn’t seem like much to you, putting in a little bit of extra effort will make students feel like they’re getting a good deal — and, as a result, incentivize them to live in your property.

It will also make them feel more valued, and more likely to tell their friends to look into living in your building. Try out these seven perks to bring in more college residents and to turn your property into one of the most popular around campus.

Image via https://pixabay.com

1. Give away some freebies

To make life easier for college students, as well as provide them with an extra incentive to live in your building, try thinking of some freebies that you could include for the first few people to sign a lease with you. Giving away an item like a printer or a coffee maker, which a student will most likely want anyway, will save them some money and mean they have one less thing to buy when they move in.

On a day-to-day basis, you can also try offering some less expensive freebies to potential residents. For instance, set out a table with blue books, pencils, and Scantron sheets around finals time for students to easily grab after visiting the building. A gesture such as this will show students that you care about making sure they have a good college experience.

2. Offer parking deals

Paying a parking fee every month can add up, so a good benefit to offer students is free parking, whether it’s just for a month or for the entire duration of their lease. It probably won’t make a huge difference to you, but it will lessen the financial burden on your residents and help them feel like they’re getting a good deal overall.

This is a great idea if you’re trying to encourage students to renew their leases with you; for instance, you can offer free parking to the first five residents who renew. On top of showing your appreciation to students, you’ll be sure to secure continuing residents early on.

3. Give out free food from time to time

One perk that is almost unfailingly popular with college students is free food. Whether you just set out a table in the lobby or hold a big building event, students will always appreciate the chance to grab a free meal. If you’re hosting an event, try going with a theme; for instance, you can show a movie and serve food that somehow relates to it.

In addition to getting to know your potential residents, you’ll also give them an opportunity to get to know each other — and make sure they feel like your building is a fun place to live.

4. Cover utilities for a month

Throwing in free utilities for the first month of their lease will be a big benefit for students — especially those who are living in an apartment for the first time and need to get an idea of how much they can expect their utility costs to be before they start paying. Given that it’s one of the major costs of living in an apartment, lessening the burden of utility costs will bring you grateful, new residents.

5. Offer deals for anyone who refers a friend

If you want to bring in more residents, one of your greatest resources is the students currently living in your building. Chances are, they’ll have some friends who are looking for housing. Encourage them to recommend their friends to your property by offering a benefit to anyone who brings in a new resident.

For instance, offer students a slight reduction on their lease if they can refer a friend who ends up moving into your property. In addition to incentivizing current residents to bring in new ones, you’ll also ensure that your new residents know that you offer deals and that they might be able to benefit from them in the future as well.

6. Invest in nice furniture                                    

Most of the furniture in college apartments is nondescript, and it tends to be the same throughout the buildings in the area. If you want to stand out and attract more students, try including higher-quality furniture in your apartments. Whether you put it in every apartment or just select ones, having nice furniture as opposed to the lower-grade furnishings in most college buildings will be a great perk for residents, and will make a big difference in terms of the perceived value of your building.

7. Offer free tickets to University events

In order to demonstrate your involvement in the college community, offer the opportunity for potential residents to receive free tickets to events on campus. Whether it’s a football game, a theater performance, or a concert, you’ll save students some money and emphasize the fact that your building is primarily intended for college residents.

You can offer them when a new student signs their lease, or when they’re just coming to tour the property. In addition, you can give them out at any events that you hold, which is a great tactic for encouraging more people to come and check out the building.

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