The 90-Day Lease-Up Formula: How to Fill Units Before Opening Day
In multifamily development, there’s one number that defines success before your doors even open: occupancy velocity. How quickly you lease up doesn’t just determine your first quarter’s NOI—it shapes investor confidence, staff morale, and long-term brand equity.
And yet, too many teams start marketing too late. They wait until the paint dries, the photos are in, and the website’s “ready.” By then, they’ve already lost 60% of their potential renters.
The truth?
Your lease-up doesn’t start when you open your doors—it starts 90 days before.
That’s the window where awareness, anticipation, and qualified leads begin to compound. With the right system in place, you can open with a full pipeline, steady tour volume, and a waiting list instead of empty units.
This is your step-by-step 90-day lease-up formula — the proven roadmap Lease Ups uses to help developers hit stabilization faster, spend smarter, and avoid the hidden cost of vacancy.
90 Days Out: Build the Foundation for Momentum
At this stage, your building is still under construction. But your digital leasing machine should already be under way. Think of this as your brand ignition phase.
1. Define Your Brand Positioning
Before you launch a single ad, define what makes your community different. Are you luxury or lifestyle-focused? Pet-friendly or student-oriented? Near transit, shopping, or downtown nightlife?
Your brand’s voice, visuals, and message pillars should all stem from your audience profile. Create:
- A concise value statement: “Modern apartments with skyline views and short-term leases.”
- Three differentiators: design, convenience, community.
- Consistent CTAs across every channel.
Why it matters: Clarity beats creativity in lease-ups. Renters don’t need poetry—they need proof.
2. Build a Conversion-Ready Landing Page
You don’t need a full website yet, but you do need a page that converts.
Include:
- A hero headline that says exactly what you offer (“Now Leasing Luxury Apartments in [City]”)
- High-quality renderings or early photos
- Floor plan previews
- Pricing range
- “Join the Waitlist” or “Schedule a Tour” CTA
Use a single, mobile-first layout with fast load times. More than 70% of renters browse on phones—make it frictionless.
3. Launch Organic Visibility Early
Search engines and social algorithms reward age and consistency.
Start now:
- Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile
- Add accurate contact details and project name
- Post weekly construction or amenity updates
- Publish teaser blogs about the neighborhood or local events
These organic signals tell Google—and renters—that your property is real, relevant, and ready.
4. Set Up Tracking and Analytics
Install Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, and conversion tracking through Tag Manager.
Define:
- Lead form completions
- Click-to-call actions
- Tour scheduling events
This infrastructure lets you make data-driven decisions once ads go live. Without it, you’re flying blind.
60 Days Out: Build Awareness and Capture Leads
Now the fun begins. You’re entering the interest phase, where awareness turns into tangible leads.
1. Launch Paid Campaigns
At 60 days out, your paid ads should already be live.
Use a two-pronged approach:
Google Ads (PPC)
Target high-intent searches like:
- “1 bedroom apartments near me”
- “New apartments in [Neighborhood]”
- “Move-in specials [City]”
Use clear ad copy, local keywords, and extensions (call, location, lead form).
Meta Ads (Facebook + Instagram)
Renters don’t always know what they want—but they do respond to great visuals.
Run ads that show lifestyle imagery, video tours, and specials. Include CTAs like:
- “Tour Today”
- “Join Our Interest List”
- “Get 2 Weeks Free When You Pre-Lease”
Use audience targeting by radius and lookalike lists from prior renters.
When executed properly, these campaigns drive leads for under $100 each—sometimes as low as $40 in secondary markets.
2. Launch a Lead Nurture Email Sequence
Leads aren’t leases until they convert. That’s where automation comes in.
Set up a 5-part email sequence that rolls out automatically:
- Welcome Email – Thanks for your interest, here’s a property overview.
- Highlight Email – Showcase amenities or local attractions.
- Social Proof Email – Share early move-ins or testimonials.
- Urgency Email – Feature limited-time specials or unit availability.
- Final Call – Invite them to book a tour or apply.
Personalize messages by name, floor plan, or move-in date where possible. Lease Ups has seen nurture emails increase conversion rates by over 30% compared to one-off follow-ups.
3. Build Social Proof Early
Social proof isn’t just for residents—it’s for renters deciding where to apply.
Start collecting:
- Testimonials from pre-leased tenants
- Photos from soft-opening tours
- Behind-the-scenes stories with your leasing team
Repost across social, email, and even your ads. Authenticity converts.
30 Days Out: Turn Interest into Signed Leases
The last 30 days are your conversion sprint. At this point, you have visibility, engagement, and leads—it’s time to convert them into signed leases.
1. Deploy Retargeting Campaigns
Most visitors won’t apply the first time. Retargeting brings them back.
Run Google Display and Meta retargeting campaigns targeting anyone who:
- Visited your site or landing page
- Watched your videos
- Clicked an ad but didn’t schedule a tour
Your message should shift from awareness to urgency:
“Move-In Specials Ending Soon”
“Last 5 Units Available”
“Tour This Week — Get a Waived App Fee”
Lease-ups that implement retargeting typically see 30–40% more conversions than those that don’t.
2. Drive Tour Volume Aggressively
Tours close leases. Period.
To accelerate booking:
- Offer flexible tour options (self-guided, virtual, live video)
- Use text reminders and confirmations
- Incentivize visits: “Tour This Week and Get Free Parking for 3 Months”
Ensure your team responds within minutes—not hours. The faster the reply, the higher the close rate.
3. Audit Your Landing Page Again
At 30 days, your analytics tell a story:
- Where are users dropping off?
- Which CTA is performing best?
- Are mobile users converting?
Use tools like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity to identify friction points. Simplify the form, speed up images, and test CTA color or placement.
A single 1-second improvement in page speed can increase conversion rates by 20%.
4. Prepare for Launch Week
The goal is to hit the ground running—not scrambling.
Finalize:
- Leasing scripts and FAQs
- CRM automations
- Follow-up templates for post-tour emails
- A launch-day “special” for urgency
Celebrate early leases publicly. Nothing creates momentum like “90% Pre-Leased Before Opening.”
After Opening: Sustain and Scale the Momentum
Once the doors open, your work doesn’t end—it evolves. The transition from lease-up to stabilization is about optimization.
Keep running retargeting campaigns for 60–90 days.
Continue email sequences for post-tour follow-ups.
And track these five metrics weekly:
- Cost per Lead
- Tour-to-Lease Conversion Rate
- Website Conversion Rate
- Occupancy Velocity
- Marketing Cost per Lease
Use this data to reallocate budget and identify which floor plans or ad channels are driving ROI.
Remember, digital leasing is dynamic—what worked last month may shift next. Stay agile.
Case Study Snapshot: The Lease Ups Method in Action
When Lease Ups partnered with a California-based developer preparing to open a 250-unit Class A property, the community was still 90 days from receiving its TCO.
Instead of waiting, the team implemented this exact formula:
- Built a high-converting landing page within two weeks
- Launched paid and organic campaigns simultaneously
- Activated email and retargeting flows before doors opened
By opening day:
- 88% of units were pre-leased
- Cost per lead dropped to $62
- $4 ROI for every $1 spent on marketing
The secret wasn’t luck—it was timing, structure, and measurement.
As Lease Ups often says:
“Momentum isn’t magic. It’s math.”
Why the 90-Day Window Works
This 90-day system is grounded in renter psychology and marketing data:
- Renters begin searching 60–90 days before move-in
- Google and Meta algorithms need 2–4 weeks to optimize ad delivery
- Email sequences take multiple touchpoints to convert interest
When you align your marketing calendar with that cycle, you stop chasing demand—you meet it right on time.
It’s not just about filling units; it’s about creating predictable leasing velocity that investors, owners, and teams can rely on.
Final Takeaway: Build Your Own 90-Day Lease-Up Machine
Your property deserves more than a last-minute marketing scramble.
With a clear timeline, strong creative, and continuous optimization, you can transform your next opening from uncertain to unstoppable.
Remember the formula:
- 90 Days Out: Build your brand and foundation
- 60 Days Out: Capture and nurture leads
- 30 Days Out: Convert with urgency and precision
When executed well, this system becomes a repeatable framework that accelerates every future lease-up you run.
If you’re preparing to launch a new community—or struggling to hit pre-leasing goals—don’t guess. Start with a 90-day plan built for results.
Lease Ups has helped developers across the U.S. fill units faster, stabilize sooner, and spend less doing it. Because every day your units sit empty, you’re not just losing rent—you’re losing momentum.
Ready to build your 90-day lease-up engine?
Let’s make opening day your sold-out day.