Real estate marketing is shifting, with storytelling, authenticity, and innovation taking center stage. Industry leaders across PR and marketing share the key trends shaping the landscape in 2025—from thought leadership and AI-driven strategies to hyper-local branding and the rise of wellness-focused developments. These insights offer a glimpse into how brands, developers, and agents are cutting through the noise to build trust, create impact, and connect with audiences in new and meaningful ways.
Photo: Engel & Völkers courtesy Matte PR
“One trend Matte PR sees driving real estate marketing this year is thought leadership. Original insights — not just listings — are what cut through the noise and build lasting credibility. The most successful industry pros aren’t salespeople, they are true market experts who are trusted voices in their industry.
“A great example is Engel & Völkers' Canadian Luxury Real Estate Market Report, on which Matte PR collaborates. The report delivers data-driven insights into key real estate trends in major Canadian markets. This content leverages the knowledge of Engel & Völkers’ advisors to build long-term trust through creating a knowledge-hub based platform. Engel & Völkers also invests in thought leadership-driven education for its own advisors. Notably through its Engel & Völkers Real Estate Masterclass Series. The initiative provides real estate professionals with advanced insights into market trends, sales strategies and the ever-evolving consumer.
“Personal brand storytelling comes into play here, as thought-leadership content mixes nicely with lifestyle and behind-the-scenes content intended to humanize and foster deeper client relationships.”
"A major trend shaping real estate marketing and communications in 2025 is a full pivot back to in-person events and hands-on experiences. After years of digital and hybrid strategies, there’s a renewed emphasis on face-to-face connections, immersive property showcases and curated events that foster direct engagement. Developers and brokerages are investing in experiential marketing, think exclusive property tours, design workshops and neighborhood activations, to create lasting impressions and emotional connections with buyers and investors. In-person networking and relationship building are once again at the forefront, proving that physical experiences drive stronger trust and conversions in real estate."
"With nearly 100 million U.S. adults making health and fitness a priority in 2025 (REIT), real estate is experiencing a major shift towards wellness. Wellness isn’t just a buzzword anymore—it’s becoming an essential amenity, reshaping how homes are designed, marketed, and sold. Leading the charge are brands like THE WELL and The Estate, which have been ahead of the curve in integrating wellness into everyday living.
"THE WELL Bay Harbor Islands, the nation’s first THE WELL-branded condo and office development, exemplifies the seamless integration of wellness into real estate. Featuring 66 residences and over 22,000 square feet of wellness amenities, this project offers everything from Miami’s first caldarium, red light therapy and lymphatic-stimulating spa showers. They recently announced their second wellness residence in Coconut Grove as well.
"The Estate, built by four industry titans – Sam Nazarian, Tony Robbins, Marc Anthony and Richard Attias – will boast a global network of luxury resorts and residential projects, offering 360 wellness including the most comprehensive functional and preventive medicine powered by Fountain Life. The Estate will quickly become the largest hospitality-led ecosystem of preventative medicine and longevity in the world featuring 15 global Hotels & Residences and 10 urban preventative medicine and longevity centers by 2030.
"And the numbers back it up—wellness real estate is now the fastest-growing sector in the $6.3 trillion global wellness economy. Valued at $438.2 billion and growing annually by 18.1% (Global Wellness Institute), this trend highlights a seismic shift in buyer priorities—seeking not just luxury but homes that actively enhance health and happiness. That means shifting the conversation beyond just square footage and luxury finishes. Today’s buyers want homes that actively enhance their well-being, so marketing strategies need to highlight wellness tech, mindfulness spaces, and sustainability."
"In 2025, an elevated digital presence is essential for real estate brands looking to stay competitive. High-quality visual content—whether professional photography, virtual staging, or video—remains a cornerstone of compelling storytelling. AI is transforming how we collect and analyze data, refining audience targeting and optimizing engagement strategies. However, while AI enhances efficiency, it cannot replace the human expertise required to craft compelling narratives and secure earned media. The most effective marcomms strategies will integrate AI-driven insights with a holistic approach that entwines public relations and digital marketing, ensuring greater exposure and lasting brand impact."
Photo: Olly Olly Market @ the Starrett Lehigh Building in NYC
“One of the major trends driving real estate comms continues to be amenities, amenities, amenities. It is no longer just social clubs or wellness centers, but another major trend is the ’neighborhood as the amenity’ with well-placed food and beverage options either within a building or within close proximity to a property. Smart placemaking is always complete with great food and beverage!”
"As we move through 2025, we're witnessing a significant shift in luxury real estate marketing communications. Where editorial coverage was once the cornerstone of property promotion, we're now seeing developers increasingly prioritize strategic brand collaborations that offer more exclusive access to high-net-worth individuals. At TNA, Australia's leading PR agency for luxury real estate and consumer brands, we've found success by leveraging our carefully cultivated network of HNWIs, luxury brand partnerships, and relationships with private wealth managers. This network, built over many years, has become an invaluable asset in today's market.
“Our approach now centres on creating curated experiences—hosting sophisticated events in client display suites in collaboration with aligned luxury brands, private clubs, and wealth management firms. These environments allow potential buyers to experience properties in subtle, relaxed settings that respect their privacy while fostering genuine connections.
"What's particularly notable is the growing preference among developers to strategically reduce broad editorial coverage in favour of these targeted HNWI engagement strategies. This approach maintains the exclusivity that luxury buyers demand while creating more meaningful touchpoints with qualified prospects.
“With Australian real estate media increasingly dominated by paid content models, our role as communications partners has evolved beyond traditional earned media. We now function as strategic connectors, orchestrating exclusive partnerships and events that bring the right properties directly to the right buyers at the right moments. This evolution reflects a broader trend in luxury marketing: the move from broadcasting to precision targeting, from mass visibility to exclusive access, and from general awareness to curated experiences that resonate with the specific preferences of high-net-worth individuals."
“In 2025, real estate clients are calling AI the top trend to watch, but success depends on thoughtful implementation. While AI can streamline operations and enhance insights, overreliance risks producing generic, uninspiring content. For PR and marketing leaders, the opportunity lies in balancing innovation with authenticity, using AI to amplify creativity without losing the human touch that makes storytelling resonate.”
“The way we consume content has changed, especially in the residential real estate industry. Renters and buyers are increasingly engaging with short-form video content through platforms like Instagram and Tiktok. To meet this demand, in 2025 we will continue to see brokers and real estate developers experimenting with digital content and diversifying the ways they can reach potential tenants. This will look like virtual walk-throughs, candid interviews, neighborhood spotlights, influencer partnerships, and more.
“In the commercial real estate landscape today, it’s all about the amenities. To stay competitive, buildings now need to provide communal amenities such as cafes, gyms, and high-end lobbies for corporate tenants. Beyond this, a big trend we will see in 2025 is the activation of these amenity spaces. Building owners are bringing in musicians to play in their lobbies, hosting film screenings in their event spaces, and curating local art exhibitions. All of this ties back to the necessity of creating interactive, engaging content in today’s real estate landscape.”
“Canada’s real estate market has faced turbulent times over the past year, with properties lingering longer on the market and a slowdown in both preconstruction condo sales and new construction starts. We’ve been accustomed to a hot market where units sold rapidly. Now, in a more competitive landscape, developers must prioritize corporate branding to establish credibility and trust, ensuring they remain the preferred choice when buyers return to the market. At Category Communications, we help real estate companies establish authority and trust - whether through media relations, thought leadership, social media, or community engagement events - so they can stand out in an evolving market.
“On the technology front, proptech companies are emerging to solve some of the challenges of today’s real estate market through innovation. For example, Hyyve is disrupting the traditional selling process by offering monetization opportunities during the listing process, Zown is making homeownership more accessible with down payment assistance, and Pine is streamlining the home purchasing process, from finding a home to saving on a mortgage all in one place.
“As interest rates in Canada continue to be cut, the real estate brands that have invested in strong, trusted identities will be the ones to capture demand when buyers re-enter the market.”
Annex On The 12's Partnership with Thrasher's Rum courtesy The Brand Guild
“During lease-up, buildings with personality and hyper-local touches are essential. In multifamily residential, people crave connection—to their home, their community, and a larger sense of place. The most successful developments use hyper-local partnerships, immersive branding, and lifestyle-driven storytelling to bring that to life. Annex on 12, a nationally recognized adaptive reuse project, built deep community buy-in by collaborating with local businesses—like creating a custom rum with distiller Todd Thrasher, tying the building’s speakeasy-style amenity, The Vault, to the surrounding entertainment district. For Launch in Alameda, CA, we tapped into the area’s best—partnering with a local farmers market and brewery to introduce San Francisco audiences to this emerging waterfront enclave. In 2025, the most effective real estate marketing leans into hyper-local storytelling, sustainability, and community-driven branding to create real emotional resonance.
“Immersive brand storytelling is stronger than ever for all CRE – even office. Experiential marketing remains a key differentiator in commercial real estate, as seen with developments like Brookfield Place in NYC and The Wharf in DC. Large-scale and hyper-targeted events—festivals, interactive activations, and destination-driven branding—transform properties into lifestyle hubs, fostering deep community engagement. In 2025, AI-driven experiences and influencer partnerships are taking these activations to the next level. We’re also seeing this strategy drive lease-ups in mixed-use spaces, where office tenants play a crucial role in creating the kind of energy that attracts anchor tenants.
“In this market/economy, emphasize a project’s flexibility and adaptive reuse messaging. We are increasingly positioning commercial spaces as dynamic, flexible, or multi-use environments that can evolve alongside market demands. The shift toward flexible work environments, hospitality-inspired office spaces, and wellness-driven amenities is also being emphasized in messaging that showcases adaptability and work-life integration.
"This is especially relevant as media interest grows around the adaptive reuse of federal and office buildings. With increased demand for converting outdated office properties into mixed-use developments, residential units, or experiential spaces, marketing strategies are shifting to highlight the flexibility of these transformations. By reframing commercial properties as versatile assets in our marketing materials we are not only capturing media eyes but supporting our clients in capturing investor and tenant interest in a challenging market.”
“When it comes to social media and residential real estate, high-producing agents and even developers are moving towards a more complex content creator role, crafting relevant content while focusing on high-level video production with great sound quality and dynamic shots. At the center of it all, it is not just the high-end properties that are for sale or rent but the agents and developers themselves, showcasing the neighborhoods, the amenities, the lifestyle, and ultimately the vision.
“In 2025, social media for luxury real estate continues to demand intricate and carefully designed posts where agents and developers are not only part of the narrative that is being conveyed, but they are an extension of the brand. Therefore, generating behind-the-scenes content, as well as sneak peeks, previews and exclusive footage with a personal touch become as important as featuring the proper music selection and lighting. In terms of new residential development, social media posts are about selling a feeling of what it would be like living in that residential building. Using hyper-realistic renderings, developers and agents showcase all those special details that make a building truly distinctive. However, content should go beyond the images, incorporating strategic community relations that foster deeper local connections by working with influencers and engaging with local charities, businesses, or other organizations. All this ensures the content reaches maximum exposure while fostering goodwill. In the end, it all comes down to delivering a unique visual experience that tells a story that resonates with a target audience while selling millions.”
NYC-based DJ Flash Gea has built a career at the intersection of music, fashion, and brand culture, spinning for top names like Audemars Piguet, Saks, and more. In a new interview, he shares how he keeps brand collaborations authentic, the impact of social media on his career, and what truly makes an event unforgettable.
Photo: BFA
You’ve worked with brands like Audemars Piguet, KAWS, Saks, and Savage X Fenty. What do you look for in a brand collab? What makes it feel authentic to you?
I really just work with what I like! I’ve found that keeping it authentic to my own taste and style makes the collaboration process much more beneficial for me and the companies I work with.
How do brands typically approach you for partnerships—do they let you take creative control, or is it more structured?
Typically they find me through my socials. TikTok (87k followers) and Instagram (21k followers) are the leading ones currently and as far as creative control I’m typically given the freedom to do what I want. Most brands like the aesthetic/vibe for the content I put out (music, fashion, brands, lifestyle, etc) so they make it a point to keep it aligned with that.
How has social media impacted your career? Do you see it more as a creative outlet or a business tool?
Social media is probably the most important part of being a creative and anyone who says otherwise is in denial. For me it’s 100% a business tool and a main outlet for getting “Flash Gea” in front of as many eyes as possible. Before I had 87 thousand followers on TikTok clubs/venues would never respond to my messages. Now they reach out to me!
Your music and videos have racked up over 100 million views. What do you think draws people in and keeps them engaged?
I honestly can’t give an exact answer to that. It’s all trial and error. There’s a few certain elements that are consistent across viral videos/songs of mine but one day I’ll follow what I think is a “viral” formula and get 5000 views vs the next day I’ll post something that seems silly and I wake up to it having over a million views. Just got to keep posting!
You’ve performed everywhere from underground clubs to high-end private events. How does the vibe change, and how do you adapt?
As an artist I dj/create super high energy techno that isn’t so digestible to the everyday person so when I get a call to DJ something like the Next Gen Awards I’ll go through my library and try to curate a set that’ll fit specifically for the room whilst I can still enjoy it.
Having played at some of the biggest venues and events, what do you think makes a party unforgettable?
The crowd. Lights are cool, sound is cool, but music and dance comes from the soul. 10 people with beautiful energy can start a party no matter where they’re at, what’s being played, and who’s playing it.
What’s been one of your most memorable gigs so far? Any wild or unexpected moments?
To this day when I was a junior in high school I DJ’d the senior’s prom and that was when I discovered how much I really loved it. It was my first time playing to a crowd of about 150 people and I remember just sitting in my bed after smiling from ear to ear pinching myself wondering if what I just did really happened. Almost 8 years later now I still get that feeling after a great gig.
