TL;DR
- The amenities that generate the most excitement in a marketing meeting are not always the ones that actually move a renter's decision.
- Apartments.com's renter survey found that air conditioning tops the list of true necessities, with 76% of renters saying they would not rent without it, alongside in-unit washer and dryer access.
- Renters will pay real premiums for specific amenities: on-site childcare, on-site pet services, and pickleball courts each command monthly premiums renters have explicitly stated they would pay.
- NMHC's national rental survey found renters increasingly prioritize practical conveniences like reliable connectivity and package delivery infrastructure over flashier features.
- Amenity marketing works best when it distinguishes clearly between necessities — must be present or the property gets filtered out — and differentiators, which justify a premium or break a tie between similar properties.
Every lease-up marketing meeting eventually gets to amenities, and the conversation often gravitates toward whatever feels most photogenic: a rooftop pool, a dog spa, a pickleball court.
Those features are not wrong to market, but they are frequently not what actually decides whether a renter signs a lease. The data on what renters say they need versus want tells a more useful story.
The Gap Between “Impressive” and “Influential” Amenities
An amenity that photographs beautifully and an amenity that actually influences a leasing decision are not always the same thing. Some of the most photogenic features rank surprisingly low on renters' actual necessity lists, while unglamorous basics consistently top them.
That does not mean flashy amenities have no value. It means they play a different role in the marketing funnel than practical necessities do.
Treating every amenity the same way in marketing wastes effort on the wrong message for the wrong feature.
What Renters Actually Will Not Rent Without
Apartments.com's renter survey is direct about this: air conditioning ranks number one, with 76% of renters saying they would not rent an apartment without it. In-unit washer and dryer access sits close behind.
These are not differentiators. They are baseline expectations, and marketing that treats them as exciting selling points misreads what they actually do in a renter's decision process.
NMHC's national survey reinforces this with data on connectivity: 98% of renters say good cell reception is important, and a meaningful share consider it a dealbreaker if a community has known dead zones.
Package delivery infrastructure matters too, with communities now regularly receiving upwards of 100 packages a week.
Marketing for true necessities should focus on removing doubt. Confirm clearly and specifically that the feature is present and reliable, then move the renter toward the next leasing step.
Amenities Renters Will Pay a Premium For
A separate category of amenities does not function as a necessity, but genuinely moves willingness to pay.
Multifamily Dive's breakdown of NMHC survey data found renters who consider these amenities must-haves would pay real monthly premiums for them:
- On-site childcare.
- On-site pet services.
- Pickleball courts.
These are not amenities every renter needs, but for the renters who specifically value them, they are worth marketing prominently and specifically. They can justify pricing that a generic amenity list would not support.
Marketing Necessities vs. Marketing Differentiators
The practical implication for marketing content is simple: necessities and differentiators deserve different messaging entirely.
For necessities
For AC, in-unit laundry, reliable connectivity, package delivery, parking clarity, and other baseline expectations, the message is reassurance and specificity.
- Confirm the feature is present.
- Confirm it is reliable.
- Put it where renters are checking must-have boxes.
- Do not oversell it as if it were a standout luxury.
Overselling a basic amenity as a major differentiator can read as slightly out of touch with what renters are actually evaluating.
For differentiators
For pickleball courts, on-site childcare, premium pet services, distinctive shared spaces, coworking rooms, rooftop decks, and wellness features, the message can lean into lifestyle and aspiration.
These features earn their premium by appealing to a renter's specific priorities rather than clearing a baseline bar.
Where Amenity Marketing Actually Belongs
Necessities belong prominently on floor plan pages and listing descriptions, where a renter is actively checking boxes against their must-have list.
Differentiators earn more from lifestyle-oriented placements: social content, amenity-focused video, retargeting creative, and community pages that sell an experience rather than a checklist.
This distinction matters increasingly as multifamily marketing trends continue shifting toward tailored, segment-specific messaging rather than one generic amenity list applied identically across every channel and every renter persona.
Three Amenity Marketing Mistakes
- Treating every amenity as equally exciting. A checklist approach that gives a pickleball court and reliable AC the same tone and emphasis undersells both.
- Leading with differentiators and burying necessities. Renters filtering by must-haves need to find AC and laundry information quickly, not after scrolling past several lifestyle photos.
- Investing in amenities without confirming demand for the target renter. One of the more common mistakes multifamily developers make is building or marketing amenities that do not match what the property's actual target renter segment prioritizes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which apartment amenities do renters consider true necessities?
Air conditioning and in-unit washer and dryer access top the list, with a majority of renters saying they would not rent an apartment lacking either.
Are pickleball courts and dog spas worth marketing?
Yes, but as differentiators rather than necessities. They will not get an apartment onto every renter's shortlist, but for renters who specifically value them, they can justify a premium and break a tie between similar properties.
Should amenity marketing be the same for every renter segment?
No. Necessities should be confirmed clearly for every renter, while differentiators are more effective when tailored to the specific lifestyle priorities of the property's target renter segment.
How much will renters actually pay extra for premium amenities?
It varies by amenity and market, but NMHC survey data shows renters who consider specific amenities must-haves, such as on-site childcare, pet services, and pickleball courts, have stated real monthly premiums they would pay for access.
Does connectivity really matter as much as physical amenities?
Yes. Reliable cell reception and internet connectivity rank as consistently important to renters, and dead zones or poor coverage can function as a dealbreaker even when physical amenities are strong.
How should a lease-up decide which differentiators to invest in?
By researching what the target renter segment for that specific property and submarket actually prioritizes, rather than defaulting to whatever amenity is trending industry-wide.
The Bottom Line
The amenities that generate the most buzz in a planning meeting are not always the ones deciding whether a renter signs a lease.
Air conditioning and reliable laundry access will never be exciting marketing copy, but they are what gets a property onto a renter's shortlist in the first place.
Pickleball courts and premium pet services earn their keep differently: by turning a shortlisted renter into a signed lease at a stronger price.
Marketing both well means treating them as genuinely different jobs, not one undifferentiated amenity list.
Not sure if your amenity marketing matches what your target renters actually prioritize? Get a free Marketing Snapshot and find out.