Last summer I was shopping online for some new camping equipment when I visited a large Canadian retailer's website.  They had an expensive inventory of different types of coolers.  I'd have to say that I'm a bells and whistles kinda gal and I became interested in a refrigerated cooler that plugs into the car.  This cooler was on the pricey side so I wanted to know if it was worth the extra cash.  To my benefit there were product reviews offered right on that page.

I found out quickly how the product performed from customers who had recently purchased it.  Some were positive, some negative, but they all painted a realistic picture of what I could expect from the product.  I was able to see if the product met my expectations and if it warranted the price tag.

Those reviews made me feel more comfortable with my purchase decision and, although I did not purchase that particular cooler, I still bough a different brand from that same retailer. 

I believe that offering resident reviews on your website could be the newest form of customer testimonial and it could be more influential in a renters purchase decision.  It's been shown that the majority of renters use the internet to at least research your building before renting and statistically 8 out of 10 consumers that search online say that customer reviews directly influenced their purchase decisions. 

If you're a landlord who's doing things right, and you have satisfied renters, then customer reviews could set you apart from your competitors.  It could be the difference between capturing a lease or seeing it turned over to your competitor.  It's worth considering!