A good brand tells a story that connects consumers and viewers to a product. In the multifamily space, a good brand connects its residents—and potential residents—to a property they want to live in and enjoy.
Because resident satisfaction is vital to a property’s success, strong branding is often the basis of leasing up a multifamily community.
“The branding and messaging of a community is its foundation and acts as the legs to marching a community’s success across the finish line, especially during a lease-up,” says Seth Kaplan, senior vice president of marketing and communications at 29th Street Living, formerly Haven Residential that rebranded last year.
Kaplan and Katie Nelson, vice president of marketing at CAPREIT, agree that branding a multifamily community begins with telling a story. When asked her tips for branding a new community, Nelson says, “Define the brand story and core values by articulating the narrative and principles that represent the brand’s essence.”
Shaping a Story
To brand a new ground-up property, Kaplan recommends focusing on three key points: location, target demographic, and its story. “Keeping location in mind for branding a new property is key because the brand must make sense based on geography and the history of the local area. The brand must connect with the target demographic—is it younger, college-aged students or is it more family-oriented? Is it an older, empty nester demographic? All these elements must be considered,” Kaplan explains. “Lastly, the brand of a new property must tell a story. This story can be used by leasing agents as a closing tool and to build an overall sense of community, which is crucial during a lease-up process.”
Once the location is understood, Nelson creates an “ideal client profile” to identify and describe the characteristics of the target audience.
For Tim Peterson, chief strategy officer of Altman Living, an operating platform of Altman, the physical location and its amenities are intertwined to form the Altman Living brand and its Altis communities. He says, “Beyond location, there should be a strategic approach as the Altis name is built on the consistent delivery of a superior living experience. From thoughtful layouts to resort-style amenities like world-class gyms, spa treatment rooms, and Fetch package services, every detail is curated to ensure residents feel confident they’ve chosen a community designed for their comfort and convenience. The result is a brand that makes decision-making easier for our residents and becomes a benchmark of quality.”
As Peterson mentions, physically instilling the expected features and quality living experience within a new community is only half of the branding ratio. The other half is carrying it through with marketing and determining what makes the property different from its competitors. Nelson says highlighting what sets the brand apart is a step that also helps to develop the brand’s personality and voice. She says, “It’s important to establish a consistent tone and style that reflects the brand’s identity and resonates with the audience.”
What’s Trending?
As for strategies, Kaplan says he noticed three trends in branding last year, which were “content-driven websites with very little text, landing pages customized to prospective residents for a fully unique user experience, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) throughout the resident journey—from the first time a prospect is driven to the property website all throughout the tenure of the resident’s time living at the community. Giving prospects and residents these options allow for property branding to shine through all key checkpoints along a resident’s lifespan in a community.”
On a larger scale, Nelson says aligning property brands with the overarching company brand was a notable trend in 2024.
“While not entirely new, this approach gained significant traction in 2024. For instance, we have successfully implemented this strategy by integrating elements from our corporate brand into our community rebrand, resulting in a more cohesive voice for the company and our communities,” says Nelson.
Peterson says he took note of an even greater shift toward multifamily technology and convenience in 2024, as well as companies embracing wellness aspects throughout their communities and branding to embrace what residents are valuing today.
In recent years, Nelson says CAPREIT has dedicated significant effort to branding and rebranding aspects of the corporate brand by introducing new textures and additional colors. “The gradient feature, in particular, has become a favorite element, and I incorporate it extensively,” she says. “Recently, we completed our community rebrand initiative, successfully unifying our corporate and community brands into a cohesive voice. While the brands are still separated, the community allows additional colors and shapes from our corporate brand, making it engaging and inviting for prospects and residents. I am excited to start using the refreshed branding this year.”
Tackling a Rebrand
There is a wide range of reasons that a property needs to undergo a rebrand. From a brand feeling a little dated to new ownership, rebranding can be subtle or extensive. “Often, during a management change, a rebrand is legally required. This is typically when a property not only should be rebranded but must be rebranded. A property should not be rebranded just for the sake of trying to clear up old reputation issues with a name change. This alone does not solve the real issues going on at the property,” Kaplan says.
“Another time when a rebrand should be considered is when a community is trying to modernize its look and feel to connect with the resident base and target demographic. One thing to always keep in mind when undergoing a property rebrand is that from an online search perspective, a name change will result in diminished SEO relevancy, which will need to be built back up expeditiously post-rebrand.”
Peterson continues Kaplan’s thought: “A brand serves as a mental shortcut for the consumer, so if a property surpasses or falls short of the existing brand’s standards, rebranding becomes a necessary step to communicate its value. If the experience no longer matches a brand’s promise, a refresh is critical to ensure relevance, competitiveness, and trustworthiness in the market.”
While rebranding can sometimes be easier than creating an initial brand, Nelson says to approach a rebrand with the same thoroughness as a new branding initiative. She adds, “This includes involving leaders to contribute their ideas, forming a focus group, and hosting a discovery meeting. I want the group to experience and appreciate the entire branding process.”
Kaplan outlines three rebranding suggestions that he follows at 29th Street:
- Is the rebrand in line with the current residents and/or change in target demographic moving forward?
- Is the rebrand being done thoughtfully—not just to slap a Band-Aid over the community’s current issues with reputation and resident experience—and are the actual community problems being addressed appropriately?
- Is communicating and explaining the rebrand to the current resident base at the community clear, do they know why it is happening, and how it will benefit the residents at the community moving forward?
Driving these pointers home, Kaplan says it’s important to make sure the rebrand is thoughtful and connects with the resident base while telling a refreshed story moving forward. Kaplan plans to use these principles as 29th Street Living recently expanded into third-party property management and is planning to ramp up acquisitions this year.
Peterson adds, “A successful rebrand starts by evaluating how a property’s current identity aligns with the expectations of its residents. It’s a bottom-up process that involves identifying areas for improvement and ensuring the refreshed brand reflects the same level of quality, service, and consistency that builds trust over time. The key is aligning the new brand with the values of your team and residents to maintain and protect your reputation.”
However, Nelson finds that some aren’t always in with the new. “One challenge I’ve observed is that people often cling to the old brand, which can hinder introducing new elements,” she says. “A clear thought process and strong leadership are crucial to guide the team in embracing the new aspects of the rebrand. Once you secure buy-in, rebranding can be highly enjoyable and rewarding.”
On the Horizon for 2025
As the new year carries over continued needs of the industry, like affordable housing, Peterson says Altman Living is exploring the possibility of launching a second brand to meet the demand. “While Altman Living has traditionally focused on the luxury market, we recognize the need to cater to residents who seek modern, efficient apartments without the expense of luxury amenities,” Peterson shares. “This initiative will meet the growing demand for workforce housing and balance affordability and quality.”
Following a year of market competitiveness and a dire need to differentiate properties, Nelson thinks there will be an increased emphasis on brand character and culture. “Beyond aligning company and property brands, showcasing a brand’s unique personality and culture is increasingly important. Moving away from a strictly professional approach allows the audience to fully appreciate the brand’s comprehensive value,” Nelson notes.
This emphasis on character and culture will likely be enhanced through AI, Kaplan says. “I’m curious to see further enhancements in the AI space to continue giving as customized a brand experience as possible to prospects and residents alike,” Kaplan says. “Over time, outperforming your property comp set in each submarket has largely become a game of speed and efficiency. The better, more customized, and adaptable AI experiences will continue to reign supreme in 2025 and beyond.”
