Customer Support
"Stabilization isn’t the finish line. It’s the perfect time to double down on video. From amenity overviews to move-in guides, Realync helps us stay proactive and polished. The world has gone virtual, and Realync isn’t just a nice-to-have at Porte — it’s essential."
Gerda Varkuleviciute
Former Leasing Director
Setting the Scene
Porte, a 586-unit community in Chicago’s West Loop, opened in 2020 as the neighborhood’s largest new development. Just as hard hat tours were set to begin in March 2020, the pandemic abruptly halted all in-person leasing activity, including tours.
And when that happened, former Leasing Director Gerda Varkuleviciute quickly pivoted. She turned to Realync, Grace Hill’s Virtual Leasing and Video Tools solution, to keep leasing momentum strong. What began as a crisis response soon became a long-term strategy for attracting, engaging, and converting prospects.
Company Profile
Industry: Multifamily Real Estate Development and Management
Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois
Assets Under Management: Not publicly disclosed
Years in Business: 5+ years
The Challenge
Gerda needed a fast, flexible solution to virtually showcase Porte, especially during pre-leasing, which launched at the peak of the pandemic. However, Gersa wasn’t just looking for a short-term fix. She wanted a long-term tool her team could rely on through lease-up, stabilization, and beyond.
That’s where Realync came in. Their solution was easy to use and allowed her teams to create impactful, engaging videos to showcase their property not only during the height of the pandemic but also during “new normals” and into the present.
The Solution
Porte’s team used Realync during the pandemic to connect with prospects virtually. However, when Porte’s team returned onsite in June 2020, they resumed in-person tours and began capturing pre-recorded videos of units and amenities. These videos helped prospects narrow down their options ahead of time, making each tour more focused and efficient.
Building a video library of evergreen content with such a large building was key. The team relied on these videos throughout the lease-up phase and continued to use them in new ways once the property reached stabilization.
“Realync has been an incredible tool to utilize for virtual leasing. Currently, it has aided with qualifying prospect traffic and closing sight-unseen deals. It’s just a great tool for any property at any stage of the leasing phase. I highly recommend it!"
- Ashton Irby, Leasing Specialist
The Outcome
Porte leased nearly 100 units in its early months with the help of Realync’s video tours. Even now, with occupancy consistently high, the team continues to use Realync to stay ahead. They’ve been building a robust library of ready-to-go video content for when units become available. They captured pre-recorded tours of nearly every unit, making it easy to engage prospects quickly and efficiently.
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