Mobile Access Control vs. Key Fob: A Guide for Property Managers

Leasing in student housing moves at lightning speed. Between class schedules, move-in deadlines, and a flood of prospective residents during peak season, property managers need efficient ways to keep up. That’s why self-guided tours are quickly becoming a go-to strategy. They give students and families the freedom to explore apartments on their own, while freeing up staff to focus on closing leases.

But are they the right choice of access control technology for your student housing property? Like any leasing tool, self-guided tours come with both advantages and challenges. In this guide, you’ll learn the biggest pros and cons of self-guided tours in student housing and how the right technology can make them a win for your community.

Navigate this post:

• What is a self-guided tour in student housing?
• Pros of self-guided tours in student housing
• Cons of self-guided tours in student housing
• Are self-guided apartment tours worth it?
• How ButterflyMX powers secure self-guided tours
• FAQs about self-guided tours in student housing

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What is a self-guided tour in student housing?

A self-guided tour, also called a rental self-guided tour or a self-touring apartment, allows prospective residents to explore a unit on their own without a leasing agent present. Instead of relying on staff to walk them through, prospects gain temporary access to the property through a secure system like a keypad, video intercom, or QR code intercom.

Here’s how a self-guided tour typically works:

• Schedule a time. A student or parent selects a tour slot online.
• Get secure access. The system sends a unique, time-sensitive code or QR pass to the prospect.
• Tour independently. The prospect uses that code to enter the building, explore the apartment, and get a feel for the community.
• Follow-up. After the tour, the system automatically locks up and logs the visit, while leasing staff follow up digitally or by phone.

This model is especially well-suited for student housing, where leasing teams face tight timeframes and high demand during move-in season. With hundreds of students and families often seeking tours in just a few weeks, self-guided tours help properties scale without overwhelming staff.

They also cater to students’ preferences for flexibility and independence, making the touring experience more aligned with their lifestyle.

Pros of self-guided tours in student housing

Self-guided tours have quickly become one of the most effective ways to attract and convert prospective student renters. For property managers, the benefits extend beyond convenience; they help scale operations, save staff time, and enhance the touring experience for students and their families. Here are some of the biggest advantages of offering self-guided tours in student housing.

Pros include:

• Flexible scheduling for students and families
• Increased staff efficiency
• More comfortable and pressure-free experience
• Ability to handle peak leasing demand

Flexible scheduling for students and families

Students and parents often juggle packed schedules filled with classes, exams, work, and travel. Self-guided tours remove the limitations of leasing office hours by letting prospects tour when it’s convenient for them, including evenings or weekends.

This flexibility increases the likelihood of more tours, which can translate into faster leasing decisions and fewer missed opportunities.

Increased staff efficiency

During peak leasing season, it’s common for leasing teams to handle dozens of tour requests per day. By offering self-guided options, staff don’t have to personally walk every prospect through a unit.

Instead, they can focus on high-value tasks like application processing, lease signing, and managing resident needs. This efficiency helps the office run smoothly, even when demand is at its highest.

More comfortable and pressure-free experience

For many prospects — especially first-time renters — having a leasing agent hovering nearby can feel intimidating. Self-guided tours give students and their families the freedom to explore at their own pace, open closets, and ask candid questions among themselves.

This relaxed environment often makes prospects feel more comfortable envisioning themselves in the space, leading to stronger connections with the property.

Ability to handle peak leasing demand

Student housing operates on a unique cycle, with the majority of leasing activity happening in a compressed window before the school year starts. Traditional guided tours can bottleneck operations when dozens of students are trying to book tours simultaneously.

Self-guided tours allow properties to scale quickly, offering multiple tours at once without overextending staff — ensuring no interested prospect slips through the cracks.

Cons of self-guided tours in student housing

While the benefits are clear, self-guided tours aren’t without challenges. From security concerns to missed opportunities for personal connection, there are important factors to consider before adopting this approach. Below are the key drawbacks of self-guided tours in student housing that property managers should weigh against the advantages.

Cons include:

• Limited personal connection with prospects
• Security considerations
• Reliance on technology
• Missed sales opportunities if features aren’t highlighted

Limited personal connection with prospects

When students or parents tour on their own, there’s less opportunity to build rapport. Leasing agents often use guided tours to answer questions in real time, highlight amenities, and create a personal connection that helps close leases.

Without that interaction, prospects may leave with unanswered questions or miss the sense of community your property offers.

Security considerations

Allowing unsupervised access always raises security concerns, especially in student housing where protecting residents is a top priority. Without proper safeguards, there’s a risk of unauthorized visitors entering the property.

That’s why secure access methods, like temporary PINs, video intercom verification, or QR code passes, are essential for keeping tours safe.

Reliance on technology

Self-guided tours depend entirely on reliable access technology. If a keypad malfunctions, a QR code doesn’t scan, or a prospect struggles to use the system, it can create frustration and lead to a poor first impression of your property. Consistent system performance is critical to ensuring every tour feels seamless.

Missed sales opportunities if features aren’t highlighted

Leasing agents know how to tailor tours, pointing out the study lounges, fitness centers, or shuttle services that matter most to students.

Without that guidance, prospects might miss these features entirely. This can reduce your property’s competitive edge, especially if nearby student housing options highlight similar amenities more effectively.

Are self-guided apartment tours worth it?

When weighing the pros and cons, most property managers find that self-guided tours are worth it, especially in student housing. The flexibility they provide appeals to students and families who may only have limited time to visit, while the efficiency they create helps leasing teams handle heavy traffic during the busiest parts of the year.

That said, the drawbacks are real. Without staff involvement, it’s harder to create personal connections or highlight unique amenities. And without the right safeguards, self-guided tours could introduce security risks.

In student housing, where leasing activity often spikes in a short window before the school year, the ability to scale quickly is a major advantage. But success depends on pairing self-guided tours with the right access control technology.

Tools like keypads, video intercoms, and QR code entry ensure that only authorized prospects can enter, while giving property managers visibility into every tour. With the right systems in place, self-guided tours become not only safe and convenient but also a powerful leasing tool.

How ButterflyMX powers secure self-guided tours

The biggest hesitation property managers have with self-guided tours is ensuring safety, reliability, and visibility. ButterflyMX solves these challenges with a suite of access control tools designed specifically for multifamily and student housing communities.

ButterflyMX solves these challenges with these products and services:

• Self-Guided Tours platform: Scheduling, access, visibility
• Keypads: Secure PIN-based entry
• QR Code Intercoms: Scannable passes for modern touring
• Video Intercom System: Two-way video verification

Discover how ButterflyMX Self Guided Tours work: 

Self-Guided Tours platform: Scheduling, access, visibility

ButterflyMX’s Self-Guided Touring platform makes it easy to set up, monitor, and follow up on every tour. Prospects schedule their visit online, receive time-sensitive credentials, and their activity is logged automatically. Leasing staff maintain full visibility into who entered, when, and for how long, addressing security concerns while streamlining the leasing process.

Keypads: Secure PIN-based entry

ButterflyMX Keypads make it easy to grant temporary, secure access for Self-Guided Tours. Prospects receive a unique, single-use PIN that only works for their scheduled time slot. Once the tour ends, the code automatically expires, ensuring no one can reuse it.

For property managers, this eliminates the hassle of handing out physical keys or fobs, while giving full control over who enters and when. Plus, the Keypad’s cloud-based management allows staff to issue or revoke codes instantly from anywhere.

QR Code Intercoms: Scannable passes for modern touring

The ButterflyMX QR Code Intercom takes convenience a step further by giving prospects a digital QR pass they can scan directly at the intercom. This contactless entry method is fast, secure, and designed for today’s smartphone-reliant students.

For prospects, it’s a seamless experience that feels modern and intuitive. For managers, it’s a scalable solution that supports high tour volume without additional staff effort.

Video Intercom System: Two-way video verification

For added peace of mind, ButterflyMX Video Intercoms allow staff to verify visitors through live video calls. Leasing teams can confirm a prospect’s identity remotely, answer quick questions, or provide guidance all without needing to be physically present.

How ButterflyMX addresses the common cons of self-guided touring software

• Security concerns? Temporary, expiring credentials keep your property safe.
• Technology failures? ButterflyMX’s cloud-based system is proven reliable at thousands of properties nationwide.
• Missed sales opportunities? Leasing staff can still engage with prospects via video, phone, or follow-up messaging to ensure no questions go unanswered.

By combining these solutions, ButterflyMX turns the drawbacks of self-guided touring into strengths, helping student housing communities offer the convenience prospects want while maintaining the control and security managers need.

FAQs about self-guided tours in student housing

• What are the disadvantages of self-guided tours?
• Are self-guided apartment tours safe?
• Are self-guided tours worth it in student housing?

What are the disadvantages of self-guided tours?

The main disadvantages include reduced face-to-face interaction, potential security risks if access isn’t properly managed, and reliance on technology that must work seamlessly. Without a leasing agent present, prospects may also miss out on learning about key amenities.

Are self-guided apartment tours safe?

They are safe when supported by the right access control systems. Tools like keypads, QR code intercoms, and video intercoms ensure only authorized visitors enter, while giving managers full visibility into each tour.

Are self-guided tours worth it in student housing?

Absolutely. Student housing communities face unique challenges like peak leasing demand and busy student schedules. Self-guided tours make the process faster and easier for prospects while giving property managers the scalability they need to keep up.

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