Leasing VR App – a painkiller for Domus with unexpected benefits

Under the leadership of Tara Brouwer and Ho Tek, Domus started with only 5 houses in one city and grew exponentially to 20 buildings with 80 houses (~3,500 units) from coast to coast in only 10 years. Dealing with growing pains became their daily routine.

Due to their hyper-growth as well as the high turnover rate in Student Housing Sector, these pains are amplified. Their Leasing Cycle were 4-5 hours on average, not including the ones that fail to close. With close to 2,000 units leased every year, that is a lot of hours.

1. 140 layouts captured in 2 months (30 shooting days).
2. Domus branded iOS / Android mobile apps – Cardboard and GearVR ready.
3. Web embedded tours.

1. Prospective tenants shortlist the units they want to see physically down to 1-2, instead of the 4-5 units.
2. Less physical viewings means less hassle coordinating with the current tenants.
3. Web tours increased prospective tenants who are out-of-province / state / country. An agent was able to close a deal with foreign students on the phone in 40 minutes via web tours.
4. Lowering the amount of time spent with potential tenants boosted agent morale and job satisfaction. With 40-50% less work while enjoying a higher chance of getting the closing bonus.

Together with the massive reduction in agents’ coordination overhead, Domus Student Housing experienced a 25% increase in the year-over-year monthly units rented.