Lifestyle Elements to Leverage in Master-Planned Community Branding

Homebuyers are no longer seeking just a house; they’re looking for a lifestyle. There are many aspects that they consider as they’re choosing the right new home community for their family depending on the lifestyle they’re looking for. Those aspects could include a great location, desirable amenities, access to nature, award-winning schools and the list goes on.

If a master-planned community includes any of these elements, builders and real estate developers should always place these benefits at the forefront of their master-planned community marketing to successfully attract home buyer attention. Highlighting these lifestyle-informing components enhances your community’s appeal and helps bring your master-planned community to life for prospective homebuyers.

Below, we’ll discuss the lifestyle elements that are important to highlight within your master-planned community marketing and branding, with examples of how we successfully leveraged these factors for our clients!

What are Lifestyle Elements?

Lifestyle elements are any factors or details about your master-planned community that affect the way homeowners live – they’re the intangible qualities that make a community desirable. Every positive aspect of your community is more than just a perk, it’s a factor that plays a role in determining homebuyer lifestyles and routines. Just a few of these elements include:

• A great location may mean access to top-ranked schools, opportunities to regularly explore local attractions or quick access to shopping, dining and recreation.
• Outdoor activities mean homeowners can enjoy active, happy and healthy lifestyles.
• Amenities such as state-of-the-art clubhouses, coffee shops, fitness centers, athletic courts and pools enable homeowners to stay busy and enjoy a variety of activities and opportunities to gather with friends and neighbors. They can also play host to social opportunities such as community events, clubs and social groups.

Why Do Lifestyle Elements Matter in Master-Planned Community Marketing?

Leveraging lifestyle elements in your master-planned community marketing strategy helps home buyers envision what their life could be like if they choose to live within the development. If home buyers can’t imagine an enjoyable and fulfilling life in your community, they’ll be more likely to choose another new home development. When a master-planned community’s alluring lifestyle opportunities are clear, homebuyers are more likely to be drawn to the idea of what their life could become and how it may even improve.

Other reasons lifestyle elements matter in your master-planned community marketing include:

• Differentiation in the Market: By highlighting lifestyle elements, you can differentiate your community from competitors and attract a wide range of home buyers.
• Increased Property Values: Well-planned communities with strong lifestyle offerings tend to appreciate in value over time.
• Stronger Brand Identity: A clear and compelling brand story rooted in lifestyle elements can create a lasting impression.
• Improved Resident Satisfaction: Happy residents are more likely to refer friends and family, leading to increased sales and positive word-of-mouth.

How to Leverage Lifestyle Elements in Master-Planned Community Marketing

To effectively communicate the lifestyle benefits of your master-planned community, consider these strategies:

• Create a Strong Brand Story: Develop a narrative that resonates with your target audience. Use storytelling techniques to highlight the unique experiences your community offers.
• High-Quality Visual Content: Use stunning photography and videography to showcase the beauty of your community and its amenities. Original photography is always more compelling than stock imagery.
• Social Media Marketing: Engage with your audience on social media platforms, sharing visually appealing content and fostering a sense of community.
• Experiential Marketing: Organize community events and activities to create memorable experiences for potential buyers.
• Partnerships: Collaborate with local businesses and organizations to offer exclusive perks and benefits to residents. 

Real-World Examples of Lifestyle Elements in Marketing

Access to Outdoor Recreation and Nature

Today, master-planned communities with easy access to outdoor recreation are in high demand. From walking trails and parks to green spaces, lakes and more, there are a variety of ways master-planned communities seamlessly blend comfortable and healthy living with the beauty of natural surroundings. Homebuyers crave natural spaces where they can make time in the great outdoors part of their routine. Whether it's long walks, early morning swims or simply enjoying the fresh air, home builders and developers should make the most of any opportunity to share how their community connects homebuyers to nature.

For Crystal Valley in Castle Rock, Colorado, we heavily focused the community branding on its abundant access to hiking trails, 600 acres of open space, wildlife areas and other amenities. In this nature-filled community, homeowners enjoy endless ways to play, explore and soak up the joys of being in nature! This nature-inspired community leverages its proximity to open spaces and hiking trails to position itself as a haven for outdoor enthusiasts.

Since the community is so nature-centric, our team explored the benefits of living in nature and discovered that nature significantly impacts our physical and mental wellbeing. Thus, our brand positioning for the community became, “The Nature of Happiness.”

Convenient and Desirable Amenities

Do homeowners have access to various amenities within your master-planned community? These amenities could include pools, clubhouses, golf courses, fitness centers, pavilions, fire pit gathering areas, pickleball courts and so much more. Prospective homebuyers often seek out communities with particular amenities that suit their family’s lifestyle. Always take every opportunity to boast about the many activities homeowners will enjoy when they choose your master-planned community.

For The Farm, a lovely master-planned community with a wholesome family legacy, we aimed to portray the development as a truly special neighborhood with family values. This community boasts an incredible clubhouse – The Gathering Place – with a gorgeous swimming pool, fitness facility and indoor and outdoor entertainment space. This go-to community hub offers a daily refuge, as well as opportunities to recharge, meet neighborhood friends or stay active. The Gathering Place is one of the many lifestyle elements that make The Farm a great place to call home, which is why we chose the brand promise, “Live Abundantly.”

Landscape Maintenance

Does your master-planned community have regulated maintenance of common areas and individual residences? Does it have standards for acceptable appearance? Communities with stunning curb appeal and well-kept properties make for easier sales. Along with ensuring the community always looks beautiful, regular maintenance also indicates to potential buyers that the development is a nice place to live that any homeowner would be proud to call home.

Social Activities

It’s common for many master-planned communities to include built-in social opportunities. Homebuyers are often excited by the prospect of enjoying a bustling social life within the comfort of their neighborhood. Does your master-planned community offer events, groups or spaces where homeowners can mingle with their neighbors (open green areas, meeting spaces, coffee shops and more)? Leverage these elements within your marketing as part of what makes your community an exciting, welcoming place to live. Prospective home buyers will be pleased to know that when they live in your community, they will enjoy a beautiful home while finding opportunities to build relationships with neighbors and foster a sense of community.

When we worked with Solstice by Shea Homes, we knew the development delivered an undeniable sense of community that we wanted to capture through memorable branding. Located in Littleton, Colorado, Solstice is a smaller and thus more intimate master-planned community that sits along Colorado’s beloved High Line Canal. While a larger master-planned development may lack this intimately welcoming environment, Solstice enabled homeowners to feel part of a cherished community. We chose a tagline that combined Solstice’s incredible setting along the High Line Canal with the community’s comfortably intimate environment – “Home Sweet High Line.”

Safety Measures

When choosing a master-planned community, homebuyers want to find somewhere that is both comfortable and safe for their family. If your master-planned community has security measures in place such as gated entrances, this is something to promote within your marketing. Not only will homebuyers feel assured that the community offers safety, but gated entrances also provide an added level of exclusivity.

Location

If your master-planned community has a fantastic location, homebuyers should know about it! Living in a community with a well-placed location near conveniences, attractions, top-rated schools and work districts is typically a top priority for many growing families. Utilize your marketing strategy to highlight these benefits. Share with homeowners that your location is close to everything they need, which means short commutes to work or school, easy access to fun activities and daily errands will be easier than ever. Use marketing messages to paint the picture for prospective buyers that the community is not only a place where they can live but also work, shop and relax!

When we worked with Avion, we recognized that one of its prime selling points was its amazing location. Set between downtown Denver and Denver International Airport, Avion offers outstanding access to the attractions that make Denver an exciting city to call home. We chose to emphasize the community’s incredible location by drawing inspiration from the iconic Denver International Airport. For the tagline, we created a high-flying theme that speaks to the community’s sense of adventure and connected lifestyle – Where Life Takes Off.

Highlight your Lifestyle Elements with an Effective Master-Planned Community Marketing Strategy

Don’t leave home buyers guessing about the lifestyle opportunity your master-planned community provides. Instead, utilize your marketing strategy to place lifestyle-informing elements front and center to help homeowners envision what their new life could be within your outstanding master-planned community.

Need help forming a branding and marketing strategy that effectively communicates your master-planned community’s most desirable lifestyle elements and brand promise? Connect with our team today to learn how we can take your community From Land to Brand!