From Bleeding Edge to Leading Edge

 Why Scale Is the Real Innovation in Self-Guided Tours

There’s a big difference between being first—and being right.


At Pineapple, we didn’t race to be the bleeding edge of self-guided touring. That title belongs to the early solutions built for the single-family rental (SFR) market—smart locks, lockboxes, decentralized everything. At the time, it worked. It had to. Operators like Colony American were managing sprawling portfolios where traditional leasing offices weren’t an option.


Fast forward to today, and the question is no longer does self-touring work? That debate is over. The data is clear. The adoption is widespread. The consumer demand is undeniable.

Now the real question is: who can scale it?


Because that’s the difference between the bleeding edge and the leading edge. It’s not about novelty. It’s about sustainability. About building something that doesn’t just work—but works everywhere, for everyone, without draining teams or budgets.


At Pineapple, we skipped the “me too” phase. We studied the cracks forming in the first wave of self-tour systems and asked ourselves: what breaks when you actually try to scale this?


Turns out, it’s the same problems—over and over:


1. High Maintenance

Most legacy systems rely on moving locks or reprogramming devices from unit to unit. That work doesn’t fall on your leasing team—it falls on your maintenance team. And guess what? They weren’t hired to lease apartments! They’re supposed to be turning units, fixing issues, and keeping the property running profitably. Every minute they spend fiddling with tech is a minute they’re not doing their core job.


2. Restrictive Pricing

The early systems were built for A-class assets with high-margin rents and generous budgets that allow big risk taking. But the majority of the market is B and C class—and they’re the ones who need leasing efficiency the most. Pricing models that leave them behind aren’t just limiting—they’re short-sighted.


3. Half-Measures

Because of issues 1 and 2, most operators end up offering self-guided tours of just one or two units—or worse, a single model. That defeats the whole purpose. Prospects are forced back into the traditional leasing flow, bouncing between self-guided and in-person visits. That’s friction. And friction kills conversion.

So we built something different. Not a white-labeled SFR system. Not a retrofitted smart lock scheme. But a platform built for multifamily, by multifamily people. A FUBU approach to leasing automation.

Here’s what that looks like:


💡 Low Maintenance

No lock juggling. No reprogramming. One centralized leasing kiosk that is access agnostic and simple to manage. Leasing teams stay focused on leasing. Maintenance stays focused on maintenance. Everyone wins.

💡 Flexible Coverage

Whether you have two units available or twelve, Pineapple scales with you. Because we work with the locks and keys you already have, we make the math work at any occupancy level. 

💡 Real Tours of Real Units

Let’s be honest: if you’re asking someone to spend 40% of their income on rent, they deserve to see the actual unit they’re going to live in. Not a model. Not a sales pitch. The real deal. 


The Bottom Line: Scale Is the Innovation

The first wave of self-guided tours proved the concept. But they also hit a ceiling. Pineapple is breaking through that ceiling by making self-guided tours cheaper, easier, and—most importantly—centered on the renter. We’re not just innovating the technology. We’re innovating the business model, the user experience, and the path to mass adoption.


This isn’t about being flashy. It’s about being smart. Bleeding edge got us here. Leading edge takes us further.


Let’s go!


July 15, 2025
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By Steve Bonaventure January 27, 2025
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By Steve Bonaventure December 18, 2023
Pineapple Integrates with OpenVia to Improve Building Access for Multifamily Assets
By Steve Bonaventure December 18, 2023
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS - Today Pineapple, the first self-guided tour platform not reliant on smart-locks, announces a strategic integration and partnership with Luxer One, the apartment industry's leading parcel-locker supplier. The integration allows properties to offer Pineapple’s full suite of self-service technology utilizing their existing Luxer One parcel-lockers, eliminating the need to invest in expensive building-access technology. “The Luxer One - Pineapple partnership is a game changer for lowering the barrier-to-entry for self-guided touring. Like any new vertical, self-guided tours to date are expensive to implement. Now, the over 8,000 apartment buildings with Luxer One Locker installed, can partner with Pineapple to quickly, and very cost-effectively, offer self-guided tours for prospective residents.” said Steve Bonaventure, founder and CEO of Pineapple. “On top of the ROI implications, I think the best part of this partnership is that clients can use their existing Luxer One technology that they are already familiar with. It’s one less technology for on-site teams to learn.” With the Pineapple - Luxer One integration solution, future residents and suppliers can request temporary property access privileges and securely pick up their keys at the Luxer One location. After key pickup, Pineapple will guide the customer or supplier through the rest of their visit, ensuring they get the most out of their visit. “Luxer One is excited to expand our offerings to our long-term client partners. Our solution helped make it simple for residents to get their packages on their own schedule, and that’s the same underlying deliverable of Pineapple,” said Arik Levy, founder of Luxer One. “The modern customer wants to tour at a time that fits their schedule, not the office’s. This partnership is a natural fit, with the aligned goal of making it easier for on-site teams to get more done. ” For more information about how to generate and convert more leads with Pineapple, visit www.TourWithPineapple.com . About Luxer One Luxer One is a technology company specializing in contactless pick-up and drop-off solutions for packages and goods. The company's smart package lockers are utilized in multifamily residential, retail, commercial, and higher education settings. Luxer One has executed more locker deliveries through its advanced technology platform than any other smart locker company. Over 300 million U.S. packages have been delivered to Luxer One lockers. Learn more at: luxerone.com . About Pineapple Pineapple is the leading key-based, on-demand platform for self-guided apartment tours and maintenance centralization. Pineapple’s proprietary technology allows renters, suppliers, and other third parties to safely and simply reserve temporary access to any unit, amenity space, or non-resident location on your property, at their own convenience. Get your units turned and rented faster with Pineapple. Packages start at $199 per month. Learn more at www.TourWithPineapple.com.
July 11, 2023
Based on its popular self-guided touring platform, Pineapple is excited to introduce a remote vendor access solution as part of its suite of services. Pineapple's remote vendor access tool allows Property Managers and Maintenance Supervisors to grant approved vendors access to vacant apartments without having to spend time running around the community to let them in and out of the apartments. This tool immediately eliminates a burdensome task from maintenance teams while creating a pathway to potentially centralizing maintenance. All without the need for smart locks. Pineapple Founder, Steve Bonaventure, said: “Maintenance teams are the lifeblood of the apartment industry, and often the primary driver of resident satisfaction and renewal. This platform helps on-site maintenance teams work more efficiently with their limited time by helping teams automate simple but time-intensive vendor support tasks.” The process of granting a vendor access takes just a few minutes. Step 1: Create a vendor. Enter a vendor's name, email address, and phone number into the Pineapple dashboard. (This step only needs to be done once. Next time the painter needs to return, you can start at step 2.) Step 2: Select an access time. Select the apartment to be turned and the days and times for the vendor to access it. Access can be granted in increments of one to twenty-four hours to maximize efficiency. For example, a Manager can grant three different vendors access to the same apartment in the same day in a specific order or give one vendor access for the entire day. Step 3: Put keys and key trackers in the Pineapple key kiosk. Pineapple manages the rest of the process: Notifying the vendor of their appointment to access the apartment. Securely checking keys in and out. Taking a photo of the person retrieving and returning the keys. Navigating the vendor to the apartment with one-click web-based navigation. Notifying the on-site team when the vendor has arrived and left. Keeping a log of all access granted. This feature is already active for properties using Pineapple for their self-guided tours. If you're interested in learning more, contact Pineapple at hello@tourwithpineapple.com .
By Karissa Schminky November 30, 2022
PropTech start up, Pineapple, receives backing from Comeback Capital
October 5, 2022
How should you spend your 2023 apartment marketing dollars, and how can you be sure that they're being put to good use? We went straight to the industry pros to find the answers.
September 1, 2022
Self-guided touring has become one of the fastest adopted leasing solutions in the apartment industry. While COVID may have spurred the momentum, renter demand and high tour conversions have confirmed that self-guided apartment tours are here to stay. While many case studies validate the benefits of self-guided tours and many industry insiders support them, there are still a lot of questions and some misconceptions about this new touring technique. Here, we’ll break down what self-guided tours are and the benefits for Property Managers and renters alike. What’s the difference between self-guided tours and virtual tours? Before the industry began offering self-guided apartment tours, it introduced renters to virtual tours. Virtual apartment tours allowed potential renters the experience of seeing the apartment and amenities from the convenience of their computer. Properties typically offer virtual tours using video, 360-degree viewers, or a Facetime-style walk-through with an agent. While virtual tours give renters a good sense of the community from a distance, self-guided tours take the experience one step further. With a self-guided tour, the renter gets to actually experience the community- when and how it’s best for them. What is a self-guided tour? Self-guided tours allow potential renters to experience the community- including the amenities and the apartment(s)- without a Leasing Agent escorting them. It’s an option that offers a lot of flexibility and value for both renters and management teams. There are various ways to offer self-guided tours, and each supplier has unique features. Before you begin to evaluate solutions, consider your goals with self-guided touring. Below are the four primary functions of a self-guided touring solution and things to consider when researching options: Pre-Screening : All potential renters who will access your building should complete a screening process before being granted access. This process can include confirming their ID, taking a credit card, and signing a terms and conditions agreement. Things to consider : What are the steps involved in the screening? Is the process simple for renters? Can it be conveniently done from their phone? What protections will this process offer you as a Property Manager? Tour Scheduling : Renters should be able to schedule a self-guided tour online before arriving at the property. To accommodate walk-by/drive-by traffic, consider a solution that allows renters to screen and access upon showing up. Things to consider : Do you want the tour to have a set start and stop time? As a Manager, will you have the flexibility to set your self-guided touring schedule? Will the self-guided tour schedule integrate with the calendar that you’re already using? Access : Renters will need secure access to the amenities and any apartments they want to see- vacant apartments and models. Most self-guided solutions require smart locks. Others opt for lock boxes on apartment doors. Pineapple uses the metal keys and key fobs that most apartment communities already utilize. A key-kiosk at the entry checks keys in and out and tracks their location. Things to consider : What type of locks are you currently using? Do you need to change keys or locks? If so, what is the cost associated with new locks? What maintenance, such as security updates or battery replacement, is required with each solution? If opting for a smart lock solution, what type of smart locks will you use, and will they work on vacant apartments? Will the solution you select allow residents to see the actual apartment or floor plan they will rent or just the model apartment? Navigation : Once in the community, potential renters will need to be able to find their way around. You’ll want to know that they don’t miss any of the value-add features of your community. Navigation can vary from a paper map to turn-by-turn directions on their phone. Things to consider : Will you offer an app that renters need to download or web-based navigation? Does any hardware need to be installed in your building to provide navigation? Why do renters love self-guided tours? Convenient touring times : As the “on-demand economy” grows, people become growingly accustomed to having things when and how they want them. Apartment hunting is no different. Self-guided tours further build on this on-demand trend by offering renters the flexibility to tour when convenient. Did you know that 20% of self-guided tours happen outside traditional leasing office hours ? Most Property Managers offer self-guided tours that cover a couple of hours before and after work and on the weekends and holidays. These extended hours give potential renters more options and the sense that management respects their time. Flexible tour experience : In addition to the flexibility to tour when they want, with self-guided apartment tours, renters also enjoy touring how they want. Depending on the self-guided touring solution and the parameters set by management, renters can see the amenities and apartments they want at their preferred pace. Personalized Support : While some renters are happy to walk through the community for their self-guided tour unaided, others may prefer a more guided and supported approach. Self-guided tours make sure every renter gets their ideal level of support. Why do Property Managers love self-guided tours? Broader market reach : For Property Managers looking to drive more leasing traffic, one of the most straightforward solutions is offering more leasing hours, specifically hours that best accommodate renters. By offering self-guided tours, you’ll attract prospects that prefer self-guided tours and those unavailable during your traditional office hours. Increased tour conversions : ​​According to NMHC’s OpTech Conference & Exposition data, lease conversions increase by 86 percent when prospects take self-guided tours. That’s a significant increase in the conversion rate for traditional tours, making self-guided tours a more effective leasing solution. Competitive advantage : Self-guided tours aren’t just an effective leasing solution but an amenity. As renters compare the pros and cons of the properties in a market, the property that offers customer-centric, convenient self-guided tours have a leg up  . Quick inquiry to tour conversion : By offering renters more tour time options, leasing teams improve their likelihood of getting a quick turnaround from initial call or DM to tour. Improve staff work/life balance : Increasingly, employees are prioritizing work/life balance when selecting an employer and choosing to stay put. In a 2022 KeyBank Financial Stability Survey , 62% of employees ranked work-life balance as the most important thing to them- even more than a high-paying salary (22%). They also indicated that their highest priority was “spending time with family and friends.” Self-Guided touring allows leasing teams to enjoy a good work/life balance and time with family without affecting the number of tours given or negatively affecting occupancy. Stable and expanded leasing hours : With self-guided tours, properties offer expanded, dependable leasing hours regardless of unexpected staffing shortages or unforeseen circumstances. Self-guided tours are gaining significant traction with management companies and renters alike. Now is a great time to evaluate the self-guided options and see how they can help you achieve your property’s goals. At Pineapple, we’ve designed our platform to provide Property Managers with all the tools they need to create an engaging renter experience while maximizing ROI. Schedule a demo today if you’re interested in learning more about how you can offer self-guided tours without using smart locks.
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