As the luxury real estate market evolves, so too does the way it’s marketed, positioned, and experienced. Heading into 2026, traditional markers of prestige are giving way to more nuanced signals of value. From AI-driven discovery to experience-first storytelling, and a redefinition of what “luxury” actually means, marketing and communications teams are being asked to think more strategically than ever. To understand where the industry is headed, we spoke with leading real estate communications executives and agency leaders about the trends shaping the future of luxury real estate, and how brands can build relevance, trust, and long-term demand in an increasingly complex landscape.
Trend: Redefining Luxury in Real Estate
Suzanne Rosnowski, Founder & CEO, Relevance International
"I have been in the real estate and lifestyle PR space for almost 25 years, and I predict that many things you were tired of hearing about in 2025 will face a disruption. As an example, while there are stunning branded residences changing the ways we think about luxury, some are rote offerings in a packed ecosystem, with amenity packages destined to collect dust. I predict a subtler approach to branded residences and a rise in unbranded luxury buildings that focus on bespoke offerings to meet individual customer preferences."
"More than that, as an industry, we will move beyond the word ‘luxury' itself, which is starting to lose meaning. We’ll have a new North Star as luxury embraces tech and medicine, exploring paths that empower longevity, timesaving, smart tools, and concierge-like collaborations."
"2026 is also the year PR pros stop groaning about AI and accept that the realm of LLMs is where clients are most in need of counsel and strategy. Owning authority in generative AI platforms is the paradigm shift across marketing and communications for nearly all industries. We’ve in fact adapted to offer a new AI analytics service to meet the surging demand for GEO as part of an integrated PR strategy.”
Trend: AI’s Impact on Discovery
Chantel Cassar, Co-Founder, Category Communications
“A major real estate marketing communications trend in 2026 will be Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)—optimizing brand visibility for how people increasingly discover information through AI assistants, not just traditional search. As generative AI becomes a default starting point for research, discovery is increasingly shaped by what these tools answer and cite, raising the stakes for online corporate reputation.”
“In 2025, I shared the importance of real estate companies investing in their corporate brand to establish credibility and trust, so they remain the preferred choice when buyers return to the market. That remains true in 2026, and AEO makes it even more critical. The companies that invest in brand, not just short-term campaigns, will continue to see stronger returns in reputation, consideration, and ultimately transactions.”
“A key driver of what AI models reference is the quality of third-party sources: earned media in mainstream and trade publications, reputable directories and industry associations, and credible review platforms.”
“Practically, this means marketing communications teams need to “feed” AI systems consistent, verifiable facts. That looks like an always-on earned media strategy anchored by a strong spokesperson, up-to-date FAQs, and content marketing that stay consistent across channels, and proactive community management across third-party review sites—places potential buyers, homeowners, and AI tools are scanning, referencing, and using to make decisions.”
Adelaide Godwin, Associate Vice President, UpSpring
“The question on everyone's mind this year is, "How does AI choose what to include in a search summary or chatbot response?"
“Earned media makes up the largest proportion of AI response citations (~25% according to Muck Rack's latest report), which has energized the conversation around the value of PR, but owned content is still a sizable segment of the mix. The way that content is crawled and surfaced, however, has changed –– which has the potential to create a huge "missed opportunity" for CRE professionals that aren't keyed in and adapting in real time.”
“Traditional SEO relied more on target keywords and backlinks, so having a newsroom on the website where press coverage could aggregate was a good way to tick a few boxes. Blog posts didn't really need a designated author so long as they were buzzword-rich and relevant. AI models, on the other hand, look for trusted, authoritative sources that can be read in one complete citation. If there's no recognized expert to quote on a performance outlook or asset class-specific trend report, AI will look elsewhere.”
“When market intelligence platforms and AI-driven analytics are increasingly informing decision-making for everything from capital allocation to lease negotiation strategies, the CRE leaders that see the potential here for narrative control and growing share of voice are the ones that are going to succeed in 2026.”
Bianca Fabian, Senior Director, M18
“2026 brings a new world that calls for a new playbook. In an increasingly fragmented media and marketing landscape, the strongest real estate communications strategies will be rooted in collaboration across specialties and teams, with humans and AI alike.”
“That’s why what Orchestra is doing resonates so much. Success in an increasingly complex, fragmented landscape depends not only on delivering the integrated, flexible approaches clients are already asking for, but also on bringing the right expertise together - be it earned, paid, social, or owned media channels and in many cases all of the above - while remembering that real estate and communications are still fundamentally about people.”
“As tools multiply and expectations rise, the real value for real estate communications pros will be in being educators, first and foremost. That means helping clients navigate what to use, how to implement it meaningfully, and sometimes more importantly, what to avoid. Rather than reacting to prompts and delivering quick answers, providing thoughtful guidance and informed direction will win.”
Trend: Branded Residences are Evolving
Florence Quinn, President, Quinn PR
“Global branded residences now dominate the world stage for new developments. This shift mirrors the rise of a new class of global citizens - ultra-high-net-worth individuals who live fluidly across countries, seasons, and cultures. Their identities are shaped less by geography and more by experience, access, and alignment. As David Frame, new global head of J.P. Morgan Private Bank, recently told The Wall Street Journal: “The wealthier you get, the more you feel you’re a citizen of the world.”
“As a result, the bar for differentiation has changed. A respected brand name alone is no longer enough. Today’s most successful residential developments layer brand with meaning, offering curated lifestyles, cultural relevance, trusted stewardship, and a clear understanding of how global citizens actually live, travel, and invest.”
Tathiana Rosado, Founder, Ciao Studio
“Branded residences are no longer about placing a logo on a building. Today, they succeed when a brand can clearly explain why it belongs in residential, and how that brand actually shows up in daily life."
"Pagani Residences is a good example. Rather than relying on name recognition alone, the project brings Pagani’s design philosophy, precision, craftsmanship, and personalization into the way the homes look, feel, and function. For buyers, the appeal is consistency: the same values they associate with the brand, translated into where they live. They get to work directly with the visionary behind the brand."
"We’re seeing more lifestyle and performance brands follow this path. A brand like Equinox, for instance, already shapes how people think about wellness and routine, making a move into residential wouldn’t be a surprise, in fact, it would feel like a natural extension rather than a stretch."
"As this category grows, communication matters more than ever. PR has shifted from promotion to explanation, helping buyers understand how a brand’s point of view becomes a lived experience. In a crowded market, clear, credible storytelling is what turns a branded residence from a concept into a place people genuinely want to call home.”
Trend: Relationship and Community Building
Durée Ross, President & CEO, Durée & Company
“In 2026, the most effective real estate PR strategies are rooted in authentic community engagement. At Durée & Company, we help developers, real estate professionals, and brands secure media coverage that goes far beyond traditional property/transaction announcements and construction milestones by building narratives around how new construction projects and real estate professionals contribute to and enhance the communities they are serving.”
“From the early stages of a new development project, often well before formal approvals are in place, we work behind the scenes to lay the groundwork for strong community relationships through early outreach, listening, and strategic planning. As a project moves closer to approval and public engagement begins, those efforts evolve into community dinners, partnerships with neighborhood organizations, and strategic sponsorships with local charities. These customized community relations initiatives are designed to create awareness, build goodwill, and ultimately drive traffic into a sales gallery.”
“This approach positions our clients as invested community partners. When media outlets see a brand with an established and positive presence in the neighborhood, coverage naturally shifts from transactional project news to more meaningful and values-driven storytelling.”
“We also spotlight the sales teams and leadership behind these projects and transactions. Securing bylined articles, speaking opportunities, and media interviews for agents and developers establishes them as thought leaders in their markets. This builds trust with buyers who want to work with experts.”
“On the social side, we lean heavily into influencer partnerships and lifestyle-driven content that sells the vision and the lifestyle, not just renderings. We work with local influencers to highlight the coffee shops, parks, and small businesses that define a neighborhood. The goal is to complement earned media with social buzz that reflects real community connection and buyer appeal.”
“When brands combine strategic public relations with intentionally designed community relations programs, they are not simply launching a building or selling a home. They are building long-term value, credibility, and demand, which is what drives sales in 2026.”
Trish Varker Miles, Director, Trish Nicol Agency (TNA)
“In Australia, as values in some instances push beyond the $100 million mark (AUD), traditional editorial coverage alone is no longer an effective or appropriate lead-generation tool. Ultra-prime buyers cannot be “reached” at scale, nor should they be. In 2026, luxury real estate PR is shifting from visibility to access.”
“Developers are increasingly turning to us not just for profile, but for private networks of high-net-worth individuals and trusted intermediaries. The objective is no longer mass awareness, but precision: maintaining a controlled public presence while discreetly engaging qualified buyers through highly curated channels.”
“This has given rise to a new model of communications, one that favours brand collaborations over broad media, authentic philanthropic alignments over sponsorships, bespoke publishing over mass advertising, and intimate, invitation-only experiences over large-scale launches. These strategies allow properties to remain intentionally understated in the public eye, while creating meaningful, values-led points of connection behind the scenes.”
Brianne Hadley, Co-Founder, a-b-agency
“In luxury markets, agents are partnering with architects, designers, artists, and local institutions to create experiences that extend beyond the open house. For home seekers, agents become more than salespeople; they serve as curators of access, taste, and community. Increasingly, these experiences take the form of design- and culture-driven programming—studio visits, exhibitions, talks, pop-ups, and curated gatherings that invite participants to engage directly with the people and places shaping a neighborhood. Through this lens, lifestyle and cultural programming becomes a powerful tool for elevating how we experience, understand, and ultimately value the environments we choose to call home.”
Trend: Experience-First Positioning
Tara Anderson, Account Director, Faulhaber Agency
“We know that the luxury segment operates by a different set of rules than the general market, and that reality is reshaping how properties are marketed and positioned. Amenities, construction quality, and strong design are baseline. What truly captures audience attention, driving engagement and demand, is successfully sharing lifestyle narratives that extend far beyond square footage and features. Luxury buyers are drawn to highly curated, personalized experiences that reflect a broader sense of community, culture, and belonging. Cultural cachet and brand credibility play a significant role in decision-making and the reason why brand trust and the credibility of spokespeople are now more important than ever.”
“We’re also seeing a marked shift toward experiential, invitation-only moments, a trend we expect to accelerate through 2026 as creating a brand and lifestyle universe becomes increasingly essential. These immersive touchpoints have become critical, not only for connecting directly with buyers, but also for enabling brokers to seamlessly introduce their own clients to the brand and its lifestyle promise.”
Nyah Chapman, CEO, LUXE AI Concierge & LUXE LIST MEDIA
"In mixed-use real estate, marketing is evolving from promoting features and amenities to lifestyle-first, concierge-led storytelling, where lifestyle technology quietly powers more intelligent, personalized experiences. Residents are increasingly choosing environments that support effortless live, work, play lifestyles, prioritizing curated, concierge engagement over generic promotions. This shift blends the traditional human touch of hospitality with technology that makes daily life more intuitive and enables ongoing, personalized service at scale. In 2026, the real estate properties that win, from residential and mixed-use to hotels, will be those that market intelligent, multi-faceted experiences to deliver a seamless way of living, not just beautifully designed space."
