On this page
- What goes into an apartment lease-up marketing plan?
- How do you choose an apartment lease-up marketing agency?
- Build the floor plan pages before the units exist
- When should pre-leasing marketing begin?
- What is apartment lease-up marketing, and what does Kihan Marketing do for it?
- What organic can and can't do on that schedule
- Paid ads cover the early weeks, but a new ad account has no data
- The profile comes before the website
- A new community has no reviews
- If you have a lease-up coming
- Sources
- Questions owners ask about lease-up
- What clients say
- Prices and plans
By Kiran Dasgupta.
Lease-up marketing for new communities
Apartment lease-up marketing fills a new community in its first months of leasing, and it runs on a fixed schedule. Kihan Marketing provides it by running the paid campaigns, building the floor plan pages and setting up the Google Business Profile for your new community. The building receives its certificate of occupancy on a set date, the first residents move in on another, and the owner's financial plan assumes a set number of units are leased by a set month. A missed date cannot be made up later.
A new community has no reviews and no search history. Its Google Business Profile either does not exist or sits unverified because a data aggregator created it from a permit filing, and its website has to sell floor plans nobody has walked through. Nearby communities have had years to collect reviews and search history, so a lease-up plan has to make up that gap quickly.
The property management marketing hub shows how this work fits into the wider plan. This page covers lease-up, where a deadline sets the pace.
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Apartment community marketing from Kihan Marketing costs $495, $1,095 or $2,295 a month per community. Five or more communities start at $395 each. The price table on this page lists what each plan includes. The full price list compares every plan side by side.
Want a second look first? Start with a free marketing audit.
What goes into an apartment lease-up marketing plan?
An apartment lease-up marketing plan is a dated sequence of five steps, and Kihan Marketing builds all five for new communities. In order, they are: a created and verified Google Business Profile, floor plan pages live about four months before the first move-in, paid campaigns ready for the first day there is something to tour, a way to ask the first residents for reviews at move-in, and an organic search foundation laid quietly underneath for the years after the building fills.
The profile and the floor plan pages come first because Google needs time to read them. The paid campaigns carry the early weeks because a new domain starts deep in search and a new community has no reviews. Targeting follows the housing ad rules, so the creative and keywords do most of the work. The week-by-week order is in the pre-leasing table further down this page.
How do you choose an apartment lease-up marketing agency?
Choose an apartment lease-up marketing agency by its plan for the months before opening: when floor plan pages go live, when the Google Business Profile is verified, and how paid campaigns start. Ask whether it reports leases rather than clicks, and whether paid starts inside the housing ad rules. Then ask for live community sites you can open.
| Ask the agency | What a good answer looks like |
|---|---|
When do the floor plan pages go live? | Months before the first move-in, so Google has read them by opening day |
When does the Google Business Profile get verified? | In the pre-opening schedule, next to the utilities, not at the marketing kickoff |
How do paid campaigns start? | Narrow keyword sets, creative that says new, targeting inside Google's housing policy and Meta's housing special ad category |
What gets reported? | Tours, applications and leases by source, not clicks alone |
What can I open? | Live community sites, not mockups or a theme gallery |
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Apply the same list to any agency you consider, including us. Note that the paid campaign described further down this page is a development, not an apartment lease-up.
Build the floor plan pages before the units exist
Put each floor plan page live about four months before the first move-in, so Google has read it by opening day. A renter comparing buildings on a phone wants the floor plan, the price, the move-in date and the pet policy. At lease-up, two of those are not final and the units do not exist yet, but the pages should be built anyway, because a page live that early is worth more than one published the week the doors open.
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The pattern on the community sites we build
The pages carrying individual floor plans and availability are the ones that earn renters. The gallery of those builds is on the multifamily website design page.
The structural decision at build time
Your availability and floor plan data may arrive as a listing widget from your management platform. If so, the code and styling are usually outside your control, and the listings live on the platform's domain, not yours.
Template sites, rebuilt
When a community runs on the website template its management platform ships, such as AppFolio's, we rebuild it so every property and floor plan gets a page of its own, with amenities, features and photos, and calls to action and lead forms that fit the site.
The search side of it is on the multifamily SEO page. Whatever platform you use, the question is the same: does each floor plan have a page Google can read, and can you control how the listing looks? A look at your current site answers that.
When should pre-leasing marketing begin?
Pre-leasing marketing should begin months before the first move-in. Create and verify the Google Business Profile in the pre-opening schedule, put floor plan pages live about four months ahead so Google has read them by opening day, and have paid campaigns ready for the first day there is something to tour.
Before the website launches
What should be live
A created and verified Google Business Profile
Why
An unverified profile doesn't show in the map pack
About four months before the first move-in
What should be live
Floor plan pages with real dimensions, and honest rents or a note that the rent isn't final
Why
Google has read them by opening day
The first day there's something to tour
What should be live
Paid campaigns with narrow keyword sets
Why
A new domain starts deep in search
At move-in
What should be live
A way to ask the first residents for reviews
Why
The community starts with none
Once the pages are indexed and reviews arrive
What should be live
The first organic results
Why
Google gives no timetable; it depends on indexing and competition
Later in the lease-up
What should be live
Organic carrying more of the leasing
Why
That is what the organic foundation is for
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We found no standard start date. The longest advice we read in November 2026 starts research more than 18 months before opening and branding more than 12 months before, and it cites no study for those dates. Those are planning stages, not public pages. Four months is our working number for floor plan pages, not a Google rule. It leaves room for what Google says about timing: some changes take effect in a few hours and others could take several months.
What is apartment lease-up marketing, and what does Kihan Marketing do for it?
Apartment lease-up marketing is the marketing that fills a new apartment community from empty to the occupancy its owner's plan assumes. Kihan Marketing provides it for new communities and for the management companies that lease them. We build a page for every floor plan on the community's own domain months before the first move-in, so Google has read them by opening day. We create and verify the Google Business Profile in the pre-opening schedule, since an unverified profile does not show in the map pack.
We run Google Ads and Meta ads from the first day there is something to tour, inside Google's housing ad policy and Meta's housing special ad category, with narrow keyword sets and creative that leads with the fact that the building is new. We also help set up a way to ask the first residents for reviews at move-in, and we report tours, applications and leases by source rather than clicks alone.
What organic can and can't do on that schedule
A new domain cannot rank on the timeline a lease-up runs on.
A new domain starts deep
It has no history, so its first positions in Google are too far down for almost anyone to see, and climbing out of there takes months, not weeks.
What that means on a twelve-month lease-up
Organic search is what you are building for the later months of the lease-up and the years after the building fills, not for the opening weeks.
Laying the organic foundation during lease-up is still worthwhile, as long as you do not expect it to produce the first quarter's leases. How the two channels split the work is compared in multifamily SEO vs Google Ads.
Paid ads cover the early weeks, but a new ad account has no data
Paid ads carry a lease-up's early weeks because a new domain starts deep in search, but a new ad account starts without data as well. Our closest comparison is a development we ran Meta ads for, on behalf of a real estate agent. It had one asset and no search history, so demand had to be created before there was any organic search to harvest. The campaign ran on Meta from its launch in December 2025.
A new ad account also does not perform at its best on day one, and instant paid results come only from accounts that already hold data. Our longest tuning run is a cryotherapy studio near Seattle, a Renton med spa rather than an apartment community.
In Google Ads, its click-through rate, the share of people who see an ad and click it, moved from 0.13 percent in Q4 2023, the account's first quarter, to 4.64 percent in Q3 2026. That took years of search data, and a lease-up has only weeks, which changes how you start.
Targeting follows the housing ad rules
In the US, apartment ads run under Meta's housing special ad category and Google's housing ad policy. On Meta, ages are fixed at 18 to 65+, all genders are included, the minimum location radius is 15 miles with no ZIP code targeting, and lookalike audiences and Special Ad Audiences are not available. Google's policy bars targeting housing ads by age, gender, parental status, marital status and ZIP code. So the creative and the keywords do more of the work.
Keyword sets start narrow
Broad match, Google's loosest keyword setting, is kept off so it does not spend your budget while it learns.
The creative leads with the building being new
Being new is the one thing a brand-new building has that older ones do not.
Targeting is also simpler than for the rest of a portfolio's marketing, which is the one structural advantage a lease-up has. A property manager's marketing, whether in Tacoma or any other city, usually splits three ways between vendors, owners and residents. A lease-up has one building, one date and one audience.
The profile comes before the website
The Google Business Profile has to be created and verified before much of the rest works.
Verification is not instant
Google chooses the method, so the task belongs in the pre-opening schedule next to the utilities, not in the marketing kickoff.
Unverified means invisible on Maps
An unverified profile does not show up in the map pack, the short list of places Google shows on a map, which is where renters searching on a phone find nearby communities.
Work we do directly
We set up and manage the Google Business Profile, and the Yelp page too, alongside the site.
A new community has no reviews
An established community has years of reviews, and a new one has none. Ad spend does not close that gap, and reviews cannot be manufactured. What you can do is make the site carry the weight the reviews would.
Photographs of the actual building
Construction progress included, rather than renderings out of the architect's deck.
Named leasing staff with faces
The people a prospect will actually meet.
Floor plans with real dimensions and honest rents
Where the rent isn't final yet, say so.
Specific answers to a first resident's concerns
At a new building, a first resident usually wants to know what is finished and what is not, and the site should answer that plainly.
Then set up a way to ask every first resident for a review at move-in, while the move is fresh. The organic work you build now shows up as Google indexes the pages and the reviews arrive.
If you have a lease-up coming
The order that works depends on starting early:
Profile created and verified
In the pre-opening schedule, next to the utilities.
Site and floor plan pages live and indexed
Months ahead of occupancy.
Paid running from the first day there's something to tour
Targeting inside the housing ad rules, narrow keyword sets, creative that says new.
The organic foundation laid quietly underneath all of it
Organic search is built during the lease-up for the years after the building fills.
To see what you have and where the gaps are, ask for an audit. If you are weighing the wider question of how a portfolio's marketing should be structured, start at property management marketing instead.
Sources
About audiences for housing, employment or financial products and services campaigns, Meta Business Help Center
Update to personalized advertising policies: housing, employment, and credit (October 2020), Google Advertising Policies Help
SEO Starter Guide, Google Search Central
Questions owners ask about lease-up
What is the best marketing agency for an apartment lease-up?
The right lease-up agency has a dated plan for the months before opening and live community sites you can open. Rankings tell you little here, because each lease-up has its own market and deadline. Ask for reporting on tours, applications and leases by source, not clicks alone. Listing sites such as Apartments.com and Zillow can bring renters, but they are channels, not agencies. The questions above work for any agency, including Kihan Marketing.
What does lease-up mean?
Lease-up is the period when a new apartment community signs its first leases and fills from empty. It starts around the certificate of occupancy and the first move-ins. The owner's plan expects a set number of units leased by a set month. Lease-up ends when the building reaches the occupancy that plan assumes.
What is the difference between lease-up and stabilized?
A lease-up building is filling from empty toward the occupancy its owner's plan assumes. A stabilized building has reached that occupancy and is replacing move-outs. Lease-up marketing creates demand for a building nobody knows yet, mostly through paid ads. Stabilized marketing protects occupancy with search, reviews and renewals, so the plan changes with the stage.
What is lease-up in property management?
In property management, lease-up is the job of filling a new building before the owner's deadline. The leasing team runs tours and move-ins while marketing creates demand from nothing. The building has no reviews, no search history and often an unverified Google profile. Paid ads carry the early weeks while organic search is built.
How long is a lease-up period?
A lease-up period has no fixed length: it runs until the building reaches the occupancy in the owner's plan. The unit count, the local market and how early the marketing starts all shape it. Starting the profile and floor plan pages months early means Google has read them by opening day.
Should you hire a lease-up marketing agency?
Hire a lease-up marketing agency when your team cannot cover the months before opening on its own, which means building and indexing floor plan pages, getting the Google Business Profile verified early, and running paid campaigns inside the housing ad rules from the first day there is something to tour. If your team already does those well, keep the work in-house.
What is lease-up risk?
Lease-up risk is the chance a new building fills more slowly than the owner's plan assumes. A shortfall is not made up later but carried forward. On the marketing side, the risk grows with a late Google profile, floor plan pages published too late, and ads that start cold. A sound apartment lease-up strategy starts each of these early.
The glossary has a short definition of lease-up, with the housing ad rules that apply to it.
Client reviews
What clients say
Nicholas
Google review
Kiran and his team are simply fantastic! I've worked with 16 different third party marketing teams and they are by far the best. They are incredibly smart, responsive and an overall pleasure to work with. Since working with them over the last 2 months my ask of them constantly changes and their ability to quickly adapt and figure out new ways to quickly add value is incredibly impressive. I can't recommend Kiran and his team enough and will continue to work with them for the foreseeable future!
Wei
Real estate agent, Sint Maarten
I can't recommend Kihan Marketing highly enough. Kiran and his team truly went above and beyond in helping me with both my social media and my website, and the results speak for themselves.
Real estate agency, Sint Maarten
Google review
Kihan Marketing Organization is friendly, professional, and very responsive. Kiran and his team move quickly, communicate clearly, and deliver high-quality work in both website development and social media marketing. They stay organized, pay attention to detail, and make the whole process smooth and efficient. Highly recommended for anyone looking to grow your online presence!
Watcharaponne
Real estate agency, Thailand
I highly recommend Kihan Marketing. Kiran is an incredibly talented, skilled, and thoughtful web designer. What impressed us most was that he didn't simply build a website, he took the time to truly understand our business, our vision, and the local Koh Samui real estate market. Throughout the process, Kiran provided valuable advice and creative ideas that helped shape the brand and support the growth of our business. His attention to detail and understanding of what makes a business unique resulted in a website that feels truly personal to our brand. He created the beautiful website for [a real estate agency in Thailand]. It represents the elegance, professionalism, and identity of our business beautifully. Thank you, Kiran and Kihan Marketing, for bringing our vision to life. Highly recommended!
Shelley
Cryotherapy studio near Seattle
I recently worked with Kihan Marketing to design my new website, and I couldn't be more thrilled with the experience. From start to finish, they were incredibly responsive, communicative, and attentive to every detail.
Reika
Google review
Kihan Marketing is a fantastic team to work with, friendly, professional, and highly responsive. They are highly responsive and quick to take action, ensuring projects move forward efficiently. Despite working in a fast-paced environment, they remain professional, organized, and attentive to detail. Their dedication really show in the quality of their work, and they consistently deliver results while maintaining clear communication. Highly recommended!
Listya
Google review
Working together felt very collaborative and aligned. Communication flowed easily, tasks were well-organized, and we shared the same attention to detail throughout the process. It genuinely felt like working as one team.
Business client
Google review
Kihan Marketing Organization has been great to work with. The team is professional, responsive, and focused on delivering real results. I'm very satisfied with their service and would highly recommend them.
vittoria
Google review
Very fast and professional. I love working with Kihan Marketing. Definitely recommended
Jessica
Apartment community
We needed a modern website for one of our apartment communities, and Kihan Marketing delivered exactly what we were looking for. The design was clean, easy to navigate, and made our property look much more professional online. Communication was great throughout the project.
Michael
Property management company
Our property management website needed better visibility on Google. Kihan Marketing helped us improve our SEO, organize our website content, and target the right searches. What I appreciate most is that they understand the property management industry, not just marketing.
Sarah
Apartment community
We had an outdated apartment website that wasn’t doing a good job showcasing our community. The Kihan team completely transformed it. Everything from the floor plans to the photo galleries looks better, and the website is much easier for prospective residents to use.
David
Apartment community
Finding a marketing agency that understands apartment leasing isn’t easy. Kihan Marketing knew what we needed from the beginning. Their recommendations for our website and local SEO were practical and focused on helping renters find our property.
Rachel
Apartment communities
We worked with Kihan Marketing on websites for several apartment communities. They were organized, responsive, and willing to make adjustments whenever needed. Managing multiple properties can get complicated, but their team made the website process much easier.
Daniel
Apartment community
Kihan Marketing helped us improve our online presence, including our website and Google Business Profile. They paid attention to details that our previous agency overlooked. It’s refreshing to work with a team that understands how prospective renters actually search for apartments.
Amanda
Property management company
We wanted a professional website that represented our company and the communities we manage. Kihan Marketing understood our vision and created something that feels modern without being complicated. The team was easy to work with and always open to feedback.
Brian
Roofing company
We hired Kihan Marketing to help improve our roofing company’s website and search visibility. They understood how important local searches are for our business and helped us build a stronger online foundation. Very professional team and easy to communicate with.
Emily
Med spa
I wanted our med spa website to look elegant and professional while making it easier for clients to explore our services. Kihan Marketing understood the style we were going for. They also gave us helpful recommendations for improving our visibility online.
Chris
Client testimonial
We needed a marketing team that could help with our website and Google Ads without making everything overly complicated. Kihan Marketing explained their strategy clearly, answered our questions, and stayed focused on generating meaningful inquiries.
Olivia
Real estate
What stood out about Kihan Marketing was their understanding of real estate websites. They knew how to present property information clearly while keeping SEO in mind. The entire experience felt collaborative, and they paid attention to the small details.
James
Client testimonial
We’ve worked with Kihan Marketing on website updates and ongoing SEO support. They’re responsive, straightforward, and genuinely invested in improving our online presence. It’s been a positive experience having one team handle both the technical and marketing sides of our website.