Are you marketing the property you have, or the home people actually want?

Property marketing often starts with the building: its location, amenities, design and target demographic. But what if we're starting in the wrong place? 

Across the shared living sector, resident expectations are changing. People are looking for more than somewhere to sleep. They want affordability, flexibility, a sense of belonging and a home that works for their individual circumstances. 

Yet it's easy to fall into the trap of designing a product around assumptions about who will live there, then building a marketing campaign around its features. 

The opportunity is there to reverse that process. By understanding what motivates people to choose a home, property businesses can develop stronger propositions, communicate their value more effectively and create experiences that meet residents' expectations. 

Conversations at this year's Coliving Conference reinforced an important point: successful property marketing starts with understanding people, not simply promoting property. 

Stop defining your audience by age 

For years, shared living has often been marketed towards a relatively narrow audience, particularly young professionals. But people's housing needs aren't determined by age alone. 

Someone relocating for work may have very different priorities from someone downsizing, moving to a new city, separating from a partner or looking for a more connected way of living. Two people of the same age can have entirely different expectations of their home. 

The same applies to older residents. Later life living isn't simply about providing a smaller home with shared facilities. It may involve opportunities for social connection, a manageable living environment and support that enables residents to maintain their independence. 

For property marketers, this creates an opportunity to look beyond broad demographic categories and understand the motivations behind people's housing decisions. 

What does this mean in practice? 

Start by asking who your prospective residents really are, what circumstances bring them to the market and what they need from their next home. Use resident surveys, focus groups, customer data and conversations with prospective residents to test your assumptions. 

The answers may reveal audiences you hadn't considered, opportunities to reposition your proposition or messages that resonate more strongly than those you're currently using. 

Market the experience, not just the amenities 

Gyms, coworking spaces, communal lounges and shared kitchens have become familiar features of shared living. But having these facilities doesn't automatically mean residents will use them or feel part of a community. 

A communal lounge is a feature. The opportunity to meet people and build relationships is a benefit. 

That distinction matters because prospective residents aren't simply comparing lists of amenities. They're deciding whether a property offers the lifestyle, convenience and experience they're looking for, and whether the price feels justified. 

Community is a good example. Operators can invest significantly in shared spaces, but genuine connection also depends on how those spaces are designed, how staff engage with residents and whether people feel comfortable participating. 

Equally, not everyone wants the same level of interaction. Some residents value organised activities and social opportunities; others want privacy with the option to connect when they choose. 

Marketing that promises a strong sense of community needs to reflect the experience residents will actually receive. 

What does this mean in practice? 

Move beyond simply listing facilities. Explain how they benefit residents and why they matter to your particular audience. Use real resident feedback and examples to demonstrate the experience, rather than relying on generic claims about community and lifestyle. 

And make sure the marketing promise matches the reality. If the proposition is built around connection, flexibility or convenience, the resident experience needs to deliver on those promises. 

Is your proposition delivering value? 

Affordability remains a significant consideration across the rental market, yet shared living can still be associated with premium pricing and extensive amenities. 

This presents a challenge for operators. Additional facilities may help differentiate a building, but they can also increase operating costs and, ultimately, the rent residents pay. 

More isn't always better. The important question is whether the features you're investing in are genuinely valued by the people you're trying to attract. 

Some residents may prioritise an affordable room with bills included. Others may be prepared to pay more for coworking facilities, wellness amenities, flexible rental arrangements or opportunities to socialise. 

The right proposition depends on the market, the audience and the reasons people choose to live there. 

What does this mean in practice? 

Understand what prospective residents value most and where they're willing to compromise. Research can help identify which features influence their decisions, which are simply nice to have and which may not justify the additional cost. 

This insight can inform more than marketing messages. It can influence product development, amenity provision, pricing and how the overall value of a property is communicated. 

When operators understand what matters to residents, they can make more informed commercial decisions rather than adding features because they appear to be expected. 

Design for people, not assumptions 

Understanding your audience should influence the product itself, not just the campaign used to promote it. 

If a property is designed around a standardised idea of its target resident, it risks overlooking the different needs, circumstances and preferences of the people who might actually live there. 

Inclusive design is part of this conversation. Disability, neurodiversity and different sensory needs should be considered from the outset, alongside practical questions about privacy, storage, shared facilities and the way people use their homes. 

The resident experience also extends beyond the physical building. Staff, communication, technology and day-to-day services all influence how people feel about where they live. 

This is particularly important as technology changes how residents discover and interact with properties. AI tools are increasingly part of the property search conversation, making it important for operators to explain clearly what their buildings offer, who they're suited to and what makes them different. 

But technology should support the human experience, not replace it. 

What does this mean in practice? 

Bring marketing, operations, development and customer insight together earlier in the process. Share what you know about prospective residents and existing customers, and use that evidence to inform decisions about the product and the experience. 

The more closely the proposition reflects people's real needs, the easier it becomes to communicate its value clearly and consistently. 

Make insight part of your marketing strategy 

Understanding residents shouldn't be a one-off exercise or something that happens only when a new building is being launched. 

Expectations change, local markets evolve and the reasons people choose one property over another can shift. What worked for one scheme may not work for another, even within the same city or portfolio. 

Ongoing research can help operators understand changing priorities, identify unmet needs and spot opportunities before they become obvious in occupancy figures or customer feedback. 

It can also help answer important commercial questions. Are you attracting the audience you intended to? Do prospective residents understand your proposition? Are you losing enquiries because of price, a lack of relevant information or a mismatch between what you're offering and what people want? 

Without insight, it's easy to respond to these challenges with more marketing activity. But more advertising won't necessarily solve a problem with the product, positioning or resident experience. 

Sometimes, the most effective marketing decision is to rethink the proposition itself. 

So, are you marketing the property you have, or the home people actually want? 

The shared living sector has significant opportunities to reach new audiences, respond to changing expectations and create more meaningful resident experiences. But doing so requires a shift in perspective. 

Rather than starting with the building and deciding how best to promote it, start with the people you want to attract. Understand their motivations, what they value and the role their home plays in their lives. Then build a proposition that responds to those needs and communicate it in a way that makes the benefits clear. 

For property marketers, this means moving beyond features and demographics to focus on insight, differentiation and value. It also means recognising that marketing doesn't sit in isolation: the strongest propositions are built when customer understanding informs decisions across the business. 

At TPMS, we help shared living businesses turn customer insight into stronger marketing strategies, clearer propositions and better-informed commercial decisions. 

Our resident insight work can help you understand what your audiences want and how their expectations are changing. Our mystery shopping service can show you how your property performs throughout the prospective resident journey, while our Strategic Marketing Coaching helps shared living professionals strengthen their strategic and commercial marketing skills. 

Because the starting point for effective property marketing isn't simply what you have to sell. It's understanding why someone would choose to live there.