AIM 2025: Marketing What Renters Want Most!

Marketing What Renters Want Most! (based on survey data)

In the session “Marketing What Renters Want Most,” Esther Bonardi and Izzy Carunungan (CMO at LCP Media) delivered actionable insights drawn from a nationwide survey of over 5,000 renters. Their goal: to help marketers align their strategies with what renters actually care about, not just what the industry assumes.

The session kicked off with one clear message—marketers often overlook the simple, practical features renters value most. The survey asked renters to describe their ideal “happy place,” and the top three answers were clear: a comfortable suburban community with green spaces and amenities, a mixed-use development near shopping and dining, and an eco-friendly environment. These findings aren’t groundbreaking—but they underscore the need to showcase lifestyle through hyper-relevant visual media.

Bonardi emphasized that showcasing amenities isn’t enough anymore—where and how you share that content matters. With the rise of generative search engines, content must live beyond your website or ILS. Blogs, Google Business Profiles, and social media posts (especially in list format) all contribute to a richer content strategy. Marketers were encouraged to write articles like “5 Ways to Enjoy Outdoor Space in [Your City]” and strategically link to deeper content on their website.

Carunungan picked up on this by focusing on how virtual content has permanently shifted leasing behavior. The pandemic may have introduced the need for virtual tours, but renters’ expectations haven’t gone back. Today’s prospects expect to see, feel, and experience the space digitally—before ever stepping foot on the property. High-quality media isn’t just about showcasing beauty; it’s about helping renters envision themselves living there.

The data backs it up. In-unit laundry and closet space ranked as the most important apartment features—neither of which are glamorous to market, but both of which deserve prominent placement and detailed descriptions. It's not enough to say you offer a washer/dryer; you need to share the make, model, and benefits. Likewise, marketers can create content around closet dimensions and organization tips—delivering value even before move-in.

The speakers emphasized that trust and clarity create stronger leads. Parking, for example, was the top-ranked community amenity, even though it’s typically treated as an afterthought. Marketing teams should photograph covered parking (carefully blurring license plates), clearly disclose fees, and place these visuals within amenity-specific galleries. Even mundane visuals become powerful when paired with transparency.

Security was also a top renter concern, but Bonardi cautioned against ever saying “safe” or “secure”—terms that are legally risky and often unverifiable. Instead, marketers were urged to highlight tangible features such as Ring doorbells or gated access and, if appropriate, link to local crime stats while regularly verifying the data.

A sense of “home” and positive staff interactions also ranked highly. Carunungan encouraged attendees to use low-budget, high-impact strategies like short-form videos of the leasing team or event recaps. With just a smartphone, teams can generate Instagram and TikTok-style content that brings humanity and warmth to the leasing journey.

Location remains critical. The top priorities—safety, walkability, and proximity to shopping or dining—shouldn’t just be listed but brought to life. Google Business Profiles and Google Maps content should be optimized with photos, virtual tours, and even drone footage if budget allows. Bonardi highlighted an interactive map from Fogelman’s Memphis property as a model for how location pages can transform a basic listing into a dynamic leasing tool.

The final—and arguably most important—takeaway: unit-level media makes money. Multiple case studies showed that properties with unit-specific photos and virtual tours lease faster, generate more leads, and deliver stronger conversion rates. One Greystar case study revealed a $37,000 average annual vacancy savings and 20% higher effective rents at properties using this approach. Another example showed 40% more leads and 72% more net leases from buildings with unit-level content. Whether through photography, video, or virtual walkthroughs, unit-specific media drives results.

Even after the tour, media can be a closing tool. Carunungan shared a personal story where follow-up emails with unit-specific media could have significantly helped in remembering units and closing a decision faster. Creating animated GIFs or links to previously visited units in post-tour emails gives prospects another reason to re-engage.

The session closed with a broader call to action: renters are telling you what they want—it’s time to deliver it. Whether it’s optimizing your move-in experience, personalizing your follow-ups, or distributing content across more channels, this is the moment to embrace what the data clearly shows. The future of apartment marketing lies in hyper-relevant, human-first, media-rich experiences.