Apartment Marketing in a World of Price Transparency
In a candid, fast-paced session, five industry and adjacent-market leaders tackled one of multifamily’s hottest issues: price transparency. As legislation, consumer demand, and technology rapidly converge, this panel addressed how operators, marketers, and tech vendors must adapt to deliver all-in pricing—base rent plus mandatory fees—clearly and consistently across every digital touchpoint.
Brent Steiner opened the session by framing the growing regulatory and consumer pressure for transparent, consistent pricing. He emphasized that as multifamily marketing gets more sophisticated—with renters doing more research and expecting less friction—the way operators present pricing is critical. Enter the concept of all-in pricing and fee calculators.
Stuart Richens cited internal surveys revealing that price is still the No. 1 factor for renters, and that 30-50% of deals fall apart when unexpected fees are revealed late in the leasing journey. His call to action was clear: multifamily is losing conversions by hiding the ball. Apartments.com is responding with price transparency tools and calculators that will soon be visible across its listings.
Jb Leach explained how other sectors—travel, lending, ecommerce—have already experienced this evolution. He highlighted that while regulation was a forcing function, user experience and business benefit were the ultimate reasons industries standardized. He warned multifamily doesn’t have a decade to get this right.
Xiyao Yang emphasized the internal lift it takes for operators to comply: standardizing hundreds of fee types across large portfolios, aligning data sources, and coordinating between multiple tech partners. For her, it’s not just a compliance issue but a brand opportunity. She encouraged operators to treat this as a cross-functional transformation and begin by identifying a “single source of truth” for fees.
Yuri Star stressed the technical realities of implementing this at scale. He advised operators to begin auditing and cleansing their data now and not to wait on legislation. He emphasized the role of website providers and widgets in delivering accurate, legal, and understandable pricing information, and the shift away from minimalist, text-light design in favor of rich disclosures and smart calculators.
Several panelists referenced the Greystar pilot with InGrain, which rolled out full pricing calculators across 3,300 properties. These calculators accommodate recurring fees, move-in costs, prorated rent, and soon—concessions. Every major ILS and PMS is expected to offer calculator integrations by the end of 2025.
The conversation turned tactical with discussion of UI design, data feeds, and marketing copywriting. The group advised that while consistency and legal compliance are crucial, so too is consumer clarity. Marketers were encouraged to frame “all-in pricing” as a selling point, not a liability, and create experiences where users can easily explore optional charges and specials.
The panel also called attention to how this transparency movement will disrupt traditional marketing KPIs. Expect lower lead volume, but higher lead quality. Consumers will self-qualify with fewer surprises. The shift will also affect how marketing, sales, and ops teams define success: no more chasing bulk leads; instead, it’s about conversions from educated renters who know what they’re signing up for.
One lingering challenge: transactional handoffs. Currently, most websites bounce users to separate online leasing platforms, disrupting user flow and confidence. JB Leach warned against this practice, urging the industry to address the full journey holistically and consider interstitial screens to ease those transitions.
In closing, Xiao Yang reiterated that this is an industry-wide change management initiative, not a plug-and-play feature. Operators should prepare for ongoing audits, A/B tests, and stakeholder training. But the end goal—a renter experience built on trust and clarity—is worth the heavy lift. The panel agreed that price transparency is both the ethical path forward and a massive opportunity to differentiate through service, not just price.
Here is the replay: