Marketing Apartment and Strata Property Sales.

Apartments appeal to many different buyers.

The likely audience may include:

• First-home buyers

• Downsizers

• Young professionals

• Investors

• Interstate buyers

• Parents buying for children

• Buyers seeking a low-maintenance home

• People wanting access to transport or employment

• Buyers moving from a house

• Owners wanting a city base

Each group may value different features.

A downsizer may care about lift access, storage, security and the ease of living. A professional may focus on transport, restaurants and travel time. An investor may want information about rental demand, likely tenant appeal and ongoing costs.

Identify the most likely buyers before planning the campaign.

Good apartment marketing requires knowledge of the building.

Before writing the advertisement, investigate:

• The building’s age

• Number of apartments

• Lift access

• Security and entry systems

• Visitor parking

• Shared facilities

• On-site management

• Building access

• Waste and recycling arrangements

• Storage areas

• General condition of common areas

• Recent building improvements

• Relevant pet arrangements

• Parking access and ownership

• Nearby development or planning activity

Confirm information rather than relying on old listings or what another owner has said.

Terms such as strata, body corporate and owners corporation may be used differently across Australia. Make sure the wording and documents used in the campaign suit the property’s location.

Apartment buyers often want detailed information before making an offer.

Work with the seller, strata manager and relevant legal professionals to gather available documents and confirm what can be provided.

Information may include:

• Current levies or contributions

• Administrative and capital works fund information

• Meeting records

• Registered by-laws or rules

• Building insurance information

• Planned works

• Special levies

• Strata or community title details

• Car space and storage details

• Approved property improvements

• Current tenancy information

• Available building reports

The exact information and disclosure requirements will depend on the property and the state or territory.

The agent should not interpret legal documents for the buyer. Make the information available through the proper process and encourage buyers to obtain suitable professional advice.

Apartments in the same building may look similar online. Small differences can have a large effect on buyer interest.

Look for features such as:

• Position within the building

• Floor level

• Natural light

• Aspect

• Cross ventilation

• Outlook or views

• Balcony size and usability

• Internal layout

• Separation between bedrooms

• Privacy from neighbouring properties

• Ceiling height

• Storage

• Car parking

• Renovated kitchen or bathrooms

• Direct lift access

• Distance from lifts or common areas

• Outdoor space

• Accessibility

• Low ongoing costs compared with similar buildings

Do not rely only on words such as “stunning,” “luxurious” or “rare.” Explain what makes the apartment practical, comfortable or difficult to replace.

The floor plan is one of the most important parts of an apartment campaign.

Buyers want to understand:

• Room sizes

• Internal flow

• Balcony connection

• Bedroom separation

• Storage

• Entry position

• Car space and storage location

• Internal stairs

• Window placement

• Total area

Make sure the floor plan is accurate and clearly labelled.

If separate areas are included in the advertised size, such as balconies, parking or storage, explain the breakdown where available. Buyers should not have to guess what the total figure includes.

Apartment photography needs careful planning.

Wide-angle images can help show a room, but excessive distortion may create disappointment at the inspection. The aim is to present the property well without making the space appear misleadingly large.

Plan photographs that show:

• The main living area

• The connection to the balcony

• The outlook from inside

• Natural light

• Kitchen layout

• Bedrooms

• Bathrooms

• Storage

• Parking where relevant

• Building entrance

• Shared facilities

• Nearby lifestyle features

Remove unnecessary furniture and clutter before the photography. In a smaller space, every item affects how the room feels.

If the outlook is a major feature, photograph it at a time when the light is suitable. If evening views are important, twilight photography may add value.

The building is part of what the buyer is purchasing.

Show features such as:

• A well-maintained entrance

• Secure access

• Lift facilities

• Gardens

• Swimming pool

• Gym

• Rooftop space

• Resident facilities

• Visitor parking

• Bicycle storage

• On-site management

Do not list facilities without explaining their value.

For example, a secure lift from the car park may be important to downsizers, while bicycle storage and nearby transport may appeal to professionals.

If the building has few shared facilities and lower ongoing costs, that may also be an advantage for the right buyer.

Apartment buyers often choose a location as much as a property.

Provide useful information about:

• Walking distance to shops

• Public transport

• Cafes and restaurants

• Parks and recreation

• Employment areas

• Universities or hospitals

• Local services

• Entertainment

• Waterfront or beach access

• Travel times to important destinations

Be specific.

“Close to everything” tells the buyer very little. “Approximately 400 metres from the train station and a short walk from the local shopping centre” is more useful.

Check distances and avoid describing something as walkable if most buyers would need to drive.

The property description should connect features with everyday use.

Instead of listing:

“Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, balcony and secure parking,”

you might explain:

“The bedrooms are separated by the central living area, providing useful privacy for couples, guests or people working from home. The covered balcony extends the living space and can be used throughout much of the year.”

This gives the features meaning.

Keep the description accurate. Do not claim a room is a bedroom, study or car space unless that description is supported.

If you regularly sell within a particular complex, create marketing that demonstrates genuine building knowledge.

This may include:

• A useful building profile

• Recent sales information

• A guide to the immediate area

• Articles about apartment buyer demand

• Short videos explaining the location

• Updates for owners within the building

• Case studies from previous campaigns

• A database of interested buyers

Avoid publishing confidential strata information or making claims that cannot be verified.

Building-level marketing can help owners recognise you as an agent who understands their property type, not simply an agent who happened to list one apartment.

Apartment buyers may come from a wider area than house buyers.

The campaign may include:

• Major property portals

• Social media advertising

• Email alerts to matched buyers

• Contact with buyers agents

• Database marketing

• Building and neighbourhood letterbox marketing

• Retargeting previous website visitors

• Interstate buyer marketing

• Local lifestyle content

• Direct contact with buyers who inspected similar properties

Targeting should reflect the likely buyer.

A city apartment suited to professionals may require different creative and advertising from a large coastal apartment aimed at downsizers.

Apartment buyers may ask about:

• Strata levies

• Special levies

• Pet rules

• Short-term letting

• Renovation approvals

• Parking and storage ownership

• Building defects

• Planned works

• Visitor parking

• Noise

• Lift access

• Rental history

• Building management

• Settlement timing

Prepare accurate answers where possible and know which questions must be directed to the seller, strata manager or legal representative.

Prompt access to information helps serious buyers complete their enquiries within the campaign timeframe.

If investors are part of the likely audience, provide useful property information without giving financial advice.

You may include:

• Current rent

• Lease expiry date

• General local rental demand

• Property management information

• Likely tenant groups

• Recent comparable rentals

• Included furniture or appliances

• Inspection arrangements for a tenanted property

Any rental estimate should have a reasonable basis and be clearly presented as an estimate rather than a guaranteed return.

Avoid:

• Marketing only the rooms inside the apartment

• Ignoring the building and common areas

• Using inaccurate area figures

• Hiding important ongoing costs

• Making assumptions about by-laws

• Using distorted photography

• Describing every apartment as luxurious

• Failing to identify the likely buyer

• Providing vague location claims

• Waiting until late in the campaign to gather documents

• Answering legal questions outside the agent’s role

• Sending the listing to buyers with unsuitable briefs

Before launching the campaign, check that you have:

• Identified the likely buyer groups

• Researched the building

• Confirmed important property details

• Gathered available strata information

• Identified clear points of difference

• Prepared an accurate floor plan

• Planned honest and professional photography

• Included relevant building facilities

• Explained the local lifestyle

• Written for the likely buyer

• Prepared answers to common questions

• Contacted matched buyers and buyers agents

• Checked every claim in the advertisement

• Created a clear process for document requests

Apartment marketing works best when it answers more than, “What does the property look like?”

It should help buyers understand the space, the building, the location and the practical details of ownership. When those parts are presented clearly, buyers can assess the opportunity with greater confidence.