5 Marketing Mistakes Costing You Leases And How to Fix Them Fast

by Caitlin Krumm October 29, 2025

Every day your property sits vacant, you're losing money. And while you might think it's just "the market" or "bad timing," the truth is often simpler—and more fixable.

After generating millions in lease revenue for residential and commercial properties, I've seen the same marketing mistakes cost property owners thousands of dollars in lost revenue. The good news? These aren't complicated problems requiring expensive solutions. They're strategic gaps you can fix starting today.

Here are the 5 marketing mistakes that are likely costing you leases right now—and exactly how to fix them.

Mistake #1: Relying on Third-Party Listing Sites as Your Primary Lead Source

The Problem:

Don't get me wrong—sites like Zillow, Apartments.com, Trulia, and LoopNet have their place. But if they're your only marketing strategy, you're making three critical errors:

You're paying premium prices for low-quality leads. These platforms charge hefty fees while delivering leads that are often shopping dozens of properties simultaneously. You're one of many, and price becomes the only differentiator.
You don't own the relationship. The platform controls the prospect, the data, and the experience. You can't retarget them, follow up strategically, or build a relationship until they contact you—if they ever do.
You have no competitive advantage. Every property on these sites looks the same: photo, price, specs. There's nothing to differentiate your property beyond being cheaper or having more square footage.

The Reality:

Third-party sites should be one channel in a diversified marketing strategy, not your entire strategy.

The Fix:

Build your own lead generation engine:

Create a property website or landing page where you control the experience and capture leads directly
Run targeted Facebook and Instagram ads to your ideal tenant demographic
Build an email list of prospects and past inquiries you can nurture over time
Use Google Ads to capture high-intent searchers looking for properties in your area
Develop broker/agent relationships for B2B commercial leasing

When someone finds your property through your own marketing channels, they're already more qualified, more engaged, and more likely to lease from you—not just whoever was cheapest on Zillow.

Quick Win: Set up a simple one-page website for your property this week using Wix, Squarespace, or Carrd. Drive traffic to it with a small Facebook ad budget ($5-10/day). Capture emails with a simple form. You now own those leads.

Mistake #2: You're Not Using Your Blog to Sell the Lifestyle (And Your Property Pages Are Just Boring Spec Sheets)

The Problem:

I see this constantly: property websites with individual listing pages that are basically digital spec sheets.

"3 bed, 2 bath, 1,200 sq ft, $1,800/month, washer/dryer included."

That's not marketing. That's data. And data doesn't make people feel anything—which means it doesn't make them lease.

But here's what most property owners miss: Your property pages should have strong descriptions that sell the lifestyle—AND your blog should be doing the heavy lifting to paint that picture even bigger.

People don't lease apartments or office spaces because of square footage. They lease them because of how they imagine their life (or business) will be better in that space. Your blog is where you create that vision. Your property pages are where you seal the deal with consistent, compelling descriptions.

The Reality:

Your entire website should work together. Blog posts sell the neighborhood, the lifestyle, the experience—then your property pages continue that same tone with descriptions that make people envision themselves there.

And here's the secret: This is where batch working comes into play. You can write multiple property descriptions and blog posts in one focused session, keeping the tone and style consistent across your entire site.

The Fix:

USE YOUR BLOG to sell the lifestyle:

Create blog posts that paint the picture:

"5 Reasons Elmwood Village Is Perfect for Young Professionals"
"A Day in the Life: Living Downtown in Buffalo"
"Why Our Office Spaces Are Where Buffalo Businesses Thrive"
"The Ultimate Guide to [Your Neighborhood] Living"

Then link those blog posts from your property pages! Your blog does the emotional storytelling, your property pages convert with strong lifestyle-focused descriptions.

BATCH WORK YOUR PROPERTY DESCRIPTIONS:

Set aside 2-3 hours and rewrite all your listings at once. Keep the tone, style, and energy consistent across your entire portfolio.

BEFORE (Feature-focused property page):

"2-bedroom apartment with updated kitchen, hardwood floors, and parking included. Close to downtown. $1,500/month."

AFTER (Lifestyle-focused property page that matches your site's tone):

"Imagine Sunday mornings in your sun-filled kitchen with gleaming hardwood floors—coffee brewing while you plan your day. You're steps from downtown's best coffee shops and restaurants, but your private parking spot means you're home in minutes after work. This is the balance you've been looking for."

Read more about why [Neighborhood] is perfect for you → [Link to blog post]

See the difference? One is data. One is a story someone can see themselves in—supported by blog content that expands on that lifestyle.

For commercial properties:

BEFORE:

"2,500 sq ft office space, Class A building, conference room included."

AFTER:

"Your team deserves a workspace that impresses clients the moment they walk in. This Class A office puts you in the heart of the business district with a professional conference room that closes deals. Grow your business in a space that reflects your success."

Discover why Buffalo businesses are choosing downtown office space → [Link to blog post]

The Batch Working Strategy:

Block out 2-3 hours for writing
Write all property descriptions at once in the same session (keeps tone consistent)
Create 3-4 supporting blog posts about the neighborhoods, lifestyle, or tenant type
Link property pages to relevant blog posts for deeper storytelling
Maintain the same voice and energy across every page on your site

When your blog sells the dream and your property pages continue that same compelling tone—with strong descriptions that match the rest of your site's voice—your entire website becomes a conversion machine.

Quick Win: Write one neighborhood lifestyle blog post this week. Then batch rewrite your top 3 property listings with lifestyle-focused descriptions that match that same tone and energy. Link them together. Test it for two weeks and watch your inquiry quality improve.

Mistake #3: Bad Photos Are Killing Your Leads Before They Even Inquire

The Problem:

You could have the best property at the best price with the best location—but if your photos are dark, blurry, poorly angled, or make the space look smaller than it is, you've already lost the lead.

Here's the harsh truth: People scroll past bad photos in 0.3 seconds.

They don't give you a chance. They don't read your description. They don't inquire to "see it in person." They just scroll to the next property with better photos—even if that property is objectively worse than yours.

In real estate marketing, your photos are doing 80% of the heavy lifting. Bad photos = invisible property.

The Reality:

Professional photography isn't an expense—it's an investment that pays for itself in reduced vacancy time. One extra month of vacancy costs you far more than hiring a photographer.

The Fix:

Minimum Standard (DIY with smartphone):

Shoot during daylight hours (natural light is everything)
Clean and stage every room first (remove clutter, make beds, clear counters)
Shoot from corners to make rooms look spacious
Use a wide-angle lens or panorama mode
Edit for brightness and color correction (Lightroom mobile is free)
Take 15-20 photos minimum per property

Professional Standard (Hire a real estate photographer):

Cost: $150-300 for most properties
They bring proper equipment, lighting, and editing
Turnaround: Usually 24-48 hours
ROI: Fills your vacancy weeks faster

What to photograph:

Every room from multiple angles
Key features (updated kitchen, spa bathroom, great views)
Common areas and amenities
Exterior and curb appeal
Neighborhood highlights (nearby parks, dining, etc.)

Pro tip: Video tours and 3D walkthroughs (Matterport) are becoming table stakes, especially for higher-end properties. They increase engagement and reduce unqualified showings.

Quick Win: Retake photos of your currently vacant properties this weekend. Just improving your photos can cut vacancy time by 30-40%.

Mistake #4: You Have a Different Website for Every Property (Or No Centralized Brand)

The Problem:

I see property owners creating separate websites for each property they manage:

Maplewood-Apartments.com
Downtownoffice123.com
Elmstreetrentals.com

On the surface, this seems logical—each property gets its own dedicated site. But here's what's actually happening:

You're fragmenting your marketing efforts. Every site needs its own SEO work, content, maintenance, and traffic generation. You're starting from zero with each property.
You have no brand equity. Prospects don't remember you—they remember that one property. When it's leased, that relationship is over. You can't cross-sell, upsell, or nurture them for future opportunities.
You can't leverage your portfolio. A prospect interested in Property A might be a better fit for Property B, but they'll never know Property B exists.
It looks less professional. Multiple disconnected sites make you look like a hobbyist, not a professional management company or serious property owner.

The Reality:

One central brand website with property pages is far more powerful than scattered individual sites.

The Fix:

Build one main website for your company/brand:

Structure:

Homepage: Your brand, your portfolio overview, why lease with you
Properties Page: Filterable list of available properties
Individual Property Pages: Dedicated page for each property with photos, details, and inquiry forms
About/Contact: Who you are, your story, how to reach you

Benefits:

✅ All SEO efforts build one domain's authority
✅ Visitors can browse your entire portfolio
✅ You can retarget site visitors across all properties
✅ You build brand recognition and trust
✅ Much easier to maintain and update
✅ Looks professional and established

What about property-specific domains?

Keep them! Just redirect them to the property page on your main site. Someone typing "Maplewood-Apartments.com" gets redirected to "YourCompany.com/properties/maplewood-apartments"—best of both worlds.

Examples of this done right:

One main site: "BuffaloPropertyGroup.com"
Property pages: "BuffaloPropertyGroup.com/elmwood-apartments"
Easy to add new properties, maintain one brand, cross-promote

Quick Win: If you already have scattered sites, start planning your central hub. In the meantime, add links between your property sites so visitors can discover your other properties.

Mistake #5: You're Invisible in Google Search (And Don't Even Know It)

The Problem:

Quick test: Open an incognito browser window and Google:

"[Your city] apartments for rent"
"Office space for lease [your city]"
"[Neighborhood] rentals"

Where do you show up? Page one? Page three? Not at all?

If you're not on page one of Google for the search terms your ideal tenants are using, you're invisible. And "invisible" means empty units.

Most property owners have no idea how they appear in search results—or if they appear at all. Meanwhile, thousands of qualified prospects are searching every month and finding your competitors instead of you.

The Reality:

Google is where high-intent prospects start their search. These are people actively looking to lease RIGHT NOW. If you're not showing up, you're leaving money on the table every single day.

The Fix:

Immediate actions to improve your search visibility:

1. Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)

Claim your listing for each property
Add accurate hours, address, phone, website
Upload high-quality photos (15-20 minimum)
Write a compelling description with keywords
Choose correct categories
Get reviews from current/past tenants

2. Optimize your website for local SEO

Include your city/neighborhood in page titles and headings
Create location-specific content (neighborhood guides, local amenities)
Use proper schema markup for rental properties
Ensure your site is mobile-friendly (most searches happen on phones)
Add your address and phone number to every page footer

3. Create content that answers searcher questions

Write blog posts or pages about:

"[City] Apartment Hunting Guide"
"Best Neighborhoods for [target tenant] in [City]"
"What to Know Before Leasing Office Space in [Area]"
"[Neighborhood] Living: Everything You Need to Know"

This isn't just SEO—it's genuinely helpful content that positions you as the local expert.

4. Build local citations and backlinks

Get listed in local business directories
Get featured in local news or business publications
Partner with local businesses for cross-promotion
Ask happy tenants for online reviews

5. Run Google Ads for immediate visibility

While you wait for organic SEO to kick in (takes 3-6 months), run Google Ads targeting:

"apartments for rent [your city]"
"office space [your area]"
"[neighborhood] rentals"

You'll show up at the top immediately and capture high-intent searchers.

What NOT to do:

❌ Ignore mobile optimization (60%+ of searches are mobile)
❌ Stuff keywords unnaturally into your content
❌ Buy fake reviews or sketchy backlinks
❌ Forget to track which keywords and pages drive actual leads

Quick Win: Claim and fully optimize your Google Business Profile this week. Add photos, write a compelling description, and get 3-5 reviews. This alone can boost your local visibility significantly.

Bonus Mistake: You're Not Tracking Where Your Leads Come From

The Problem:

I ask property owners: "Which marketing channel brings you the most qualified leads?"

The answer is usually: "Uh... I think Facebook? Or maybe Zillow? I'm not really sure."

If you don't know which channels drive leases, you can't optimize your marketing. You're flying blind, spending money on channels that might not work while neglecting channels that could be gold mines.

The Fix:

Set up simple lead tracking:

Ask every prospect: "How did you hear about us?"
Use unique phone numbers for different channels (Google Voice is free)
Use UTM parameters in your online ads to track digital sources
Create separate landing pages for different campaigns
Track it in a spreadsheet: Lead source → Quality → Did they lease?

After 3 months, you'll have clear data on which channels deliver the best ROI—and you can double down on what works.

The Bottom Line: Small Fixes, Big Results

Here's the truth: You don't need a massive marketing budget or a complicated strategy to fill your vacancies faster.

You need to:

✅ Own your leads (don't rely solely on third-party sites)
✅ Sell the lifestyle (not just list features)
✅ Invest in great photos (they do 80% of the work)
✅ Build one strong brand (not scattered property sites)
✅ Show up in Google search (where high-intent prospects are looking)

Fix even two or three of these mistakes, and you'll see shorter vacancy times, higher-quality leads, and more leases.

Ready to Stop Leaving Money on the Table?

If you're tired of vacancies and inconsistent leads, let's talk.

I'm offering free 30-minute marketing audits where I'll review your current strategy and show you exactly what's costing you leases—plus my top 3 recommendations for immediate improvement.

[Book Your Free Marketing Audit →]

Or download my free resources:

📥 The Lead Generation Checklist
📥 5 Marketing Mistakes Costing You Leases (PDF version)

[Download Free Resources →]

About the Author:

Caitlin Krumm is a Director of Marketing for Real Estate and Development with over 15 years of experience generating consistent, high-quality leads for residential and commercial properties. Her proven strategies have delivered millions in annual lease revenue. Based in Buffalo, NY, she helps property owners across the country fill their pipelines with qualified prospects.