AAOA debuts ApplyNow, a free digital marketing tool for landlords

In today’s highly competitive multifamily housing market, landlords need effective tools to promote their vacancies to as many prospective tenants as possible in a short amount of time. To accomplish this, most of today’s landlords use proven methods, such as signage, advertisements, email campaigns, social media and/or their own website to spread the word that a unit is available.

But once the renter is aware of the vacancy, how can they quickly and easily apply for the home?

The American Apartment Owners Association (AAOA) has addressed this question with the introduction of ApplyNow, a single shareable, reusable application link for each of their members’ properties. The unique link can be displayed in online ads, social media, the property owner’s web site and in email campaigns.

Completely free to AAOA members, the link can be used by potential tenants to begin the process of applying for the available rental property.

How does ApplyNow work?

ApplyNow is similar to the current identity verification process, but AAOA members no longer need to place a tenant screening order and waste time with data entry. Instead, you simply share the property’s unique ApplyNow link with the prospective tenant.

The tenant then completes a brief application and pays the application fee directly to AAOA. By AAOA collecting the fee, members no longer need to deal with application fees, receipts, or additional bookkeeping. Plus, it provides transparency for fair housing that all applicants are charged the same application fee.

Once the tenant completes the identity verification, you will receive an email notifying you there is a new report to review.

What does an ApplyNow report include?

An ApplyNow tenant screening report includes the Blue Package. Here’s a breakdown of AAOA’s most popular package:

• Credit Report
• Credit Score
• Previous Address Tenant History
• TeleCheck Verification
• Eviction (State Specific)
• Criminal (Nationwide)
• Sex Offender
• Terrorist
• Federal Search
• LeaseGuarantee Analyzer

Additionally, like all AAOA tenant screening reports, ApplyNow is a soft pull. This means there is no impact to the applicant’s credit score.

Does ApplyNow have any additional features new to AAOA?

Yes! By using ApplyNow, the tenant is able to voluntarily upload supporting documents related to their application, including their Social Security card, government issued identification, bank statements and pay stubs.

When viewing a completed tenant screening report, these documents will be found in the left column, under Search Details, and titled “Uploaded Documents”. Each document can then be downloaded as a PDF and saved in your files.

How much does ApplyNow cost?

ApplyNow is free for AAOA members! The cost of the report is paid for by the tenant. Pricing is dependent on your level of AAOA membership. The price you pay for the Blue Package is the price extended to the applicant.

How do I get started with ApplyNow?

The first step to utilizing this great new feature is to set up your properties.

1. On the Welcome page, click on “Create Screening Link” in the Quick Links column or choose “Tenant Screening > Manage Properties” in your account dashboard.
2. Be sure that each of your properties is listed. Add any that are missing.
3. Next to each address is the link icon and “ApplyNow.” Click on it and the link will appear.

Now that you’ve got your unique property ApplyNow link, you can utilize it in your digital advertising, social media, share it via email with an applicant, and more.

As always, our friendly and knowledgeable customer service team is available  to help you or your applicants with ApplyNow or any other AAOA features.

Who is AAOA?

The American Apartment Owners Association (AAOA) assists landlords, property managers, real estate owners and brokers across the country with managing their properties. AAOA offers a variety of services to assist with new applicants including a tenant background check or tenant screening and state-specific landlord forms such as a rental application or rental agreement.  The association also offers resources from educational webinars and landlord tenant law to approved providers for insurance and financing. Contact us today to learn more.

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