Top Mistakes Landlords Make with Self-Guided Tours (and How to Avoid Them)

Year one of running self-guided tours I lost $23,000 across three properties due to avoidable mistakes. Wrong locks for $1,800, unverified leads causing property damage for $4,200, no follow-up losing qualified tenants (47 extra vacancy days = $7,050) and poor instructions leading to Fair Housing complaints for $10,000 settlement.

After three years and 2800 plus self-guided tours, I have identified the 10 mistakes that cost landlords money and the fixes that actually work.

1. WiFi Locks on Vacant Properties

The mistake: Installing WiFi smart locks that won't work without internet on vacant properties.

Real cost: Denver landlord spent $450 on three locks and then $600 on mobile hotspots for 6 months. Total wasted was $1,050.

The fix: Use Z-Wave or Bluetooth locks. According to Rently's property management analysis, "Wi-Fi smart locks are not recommended for rental properties" during vacancy.

Our data: Z-Wave locks show 97% successful tour completion and 12% for WiFi only systems.

2. No Prospect Screening

The mistake: Giving codes to anyone who requests a tour.

Real cost: Unverified prospect vandalized Phoenix property ($2,400 damage). Another shared codes with 5 friends who all toured separately.

The fix: Require ID verification, contact info and tour agreement signature before granting access. Per FTC guidance on rental scams verification protects both parties.

Our data: Pre-screening reduces no-shows by 34% and creates accountability.

3. Zero Follow-Up

The mistake: Tenant tours Friday, landlord follows up Wednesday. Tenant already applied elsewhere.

Real cost: Lost qualified applicants = longer vacancy. On $1,500/month property, 15 extra days = $750 lost.

The fix: Automated follow-up within 5 minutes of tour completion. According to our data immediate contact is 64% response rate vs. 31% next-day contact.

4. Furnished Property Self-Tours

The mistake: Allowing unaccompanied tours of furnished units with valuable items.

Reality: Higher theft/damage risk. Consider hybrid approach: self-tour for initial viewing, scheduled walkthrough before application.

5. No Identity Verification

The mistake: Accepting any name/email without verification.

Real cost: Columbus landlord had 4 Saturday tours scheduled. All four were fake/no-shows from same person using different emails.

The fix: ID scanning, biometric verification or phone number confirmation. EFF privacy research shows proper verification protects everyone while respecting privacy.

6. Vague Tour Instructions

The mistake: "Code will be texted. Let yourself in."

Better: "Your access code [####] works from 2:00-4:00 PM only. Use side entrance (see photo). Lock all doors when leaving. Call [number] with questions."

Cost of confusion: Lost touring prospects who couldn't figure out access = lost applications.

7. "Set It and Forget It" Mentality

The mistake: Not monitoring who actually tours vs. who scheduled.

Our data: 22% of scheduled tours do not happen. Following up with no-shows often reveals issues like could not find property or code did not work and that can be fixed for other prospects.

8. Inconsistent Screening Standards

The mistake: Giving immediate access to some prospects, requiring extensive info from others.

Fair Housing risk: HUD's Fair Housing Act requires consistent treatment. Different tour access standards can create discrimination claims.

The fix: Same requirements for all prospects. Document your process.

9. Ignoring Prospect Questions

The mistake: Tenant tours, texts question about parking, waits 3 days for response, moves on.

Our data: Response time under 2 hours = 73% application rate. Response over 24 hours = 31% application rate.

10. Manual Everything

The mistake: Manually generating codes, tracking tours, sending instructions.

Real cost: 45 minutes per showing × 12 showings = 9 hours of landlord time.

The fix: Platforms like Hemlane automate code generation, tour tracking, follow-up, and logging—saving 85% of administrative time.

Lessons from 2,800 Tours:

✓ Right technology (Z-Wave locks): 97% success rate
✓ Pre-screening: 34% fewer no-shows
✓ Immediate follow-up: 2x application rate
✓ Clear instructions: 81% fewer issues
✓ Automation: 85% time savings

Cost of mistakes: $23,000 (year one)
Savings after fixes: $31,000 annually (faster placement, fewer issues, less time)

About: Jennifer Park manages self-tour operations at Hemlane, overseeing 2,800+ tours across 340 properties. Not security advice—consult professionals.

Hemlane: Automated self-tour system with screening, smart lock integration, follow-up, Fair Housing compliance. Try free.