Build to Rent is transforming the Australian property landscape. It is not just a new ownership model but a new mindset about what it means to live well. For Chris Laws, this shift represents one of the most exciting opportunities in brand strategy today.
Unlike traditional property developments that focus on sales, Build to Rent is about long-term experience. It demands brands that live, evolve and connect with people over years, not weeks. Success relies on creating a brand that people want to belong to and trust, not just transact with.
From Product to Experience
In Build to Rent, the brand is the experience. Where traditional property brands are designed to sell once, Build to Rent brands must deliver daily. Every interaction becomes part of a long-term relationship between operator and resident.
Chris Laws works with developers to help them think like hospitality brands. It is not enough to build a beautiful building; the value lies in the consistency of experience that follows. From the leasing journey to maintenance, events and community spaces, every touchpoint contributes to how residents perceive the brand.
Indi by Investa has emerged as one of the leading examples in Australia, delivering a considered, customer-first approach that redefines urban renting. Each building feels part of the same family, reflecting consistent design standards and tone of voice while allowing for the personality of its location to come through.
Internationally, Get Living in the United Kingdom has set the global benchmark for Build to Rent customer experience. With developments across London, Manchester and Glasgow, they have built a brand known for quality, service and trust. Much like a hotel group, residents know what to expect wherever they go, creating comfort and confidence through brand familiarity.
Designing for Consistency and Local Character
The most successful Build to Rent brands balance brand consistency with local relevance. Residents should recognise the brand’s signature quality and service standards while still feeling that each community reflects its neighbourhood.
Chris Laws helps clients design brand systems that achieve this balance. It means building a core identity that feels familiar but flexible. The goal is not identical experiences, but consistent ones that share a spirit, tone and promise.
Brands like Cortland in the United States and Chapter Living by Greystar in London exemplify this. They have created clear service frameworks and visual identities that scale across multiple cities while giving local teams permission to adapt tone, imagery and activation to suit each audience.
The result is a network effect where every building strengthens the overall brand, and the overall brand strengthens every building.
Experience as a Strategic Advantage
Build to Rent brands that invest in customer experience gain a significant edge. Service excellence drives retention, referrals and reputation, while poor experiences can quickly erode trust.
Chris Laws believes that experience design must be part of the brand strategy from the outset, not added later. The experience is the brand in motion. It shapes resident perception, operational efficiency and long-term asset value.
By mapping the full customer journey — from digital touchpoints to move-in rituals and ongoing communication — developers can design experiences that feel seamless, personal and reliable. The best Build to Rent operators treat residents the way leading hospitality brands treat guests, blending professionalism with empathy.
Hospitality Thinking in Property Development
Hospitality brands like The Hoxton and Ace Hotel have long understood how to make guests feel part of something bigger. They use design, service and storytelling to create emotional belonging. Build to Rent can achieve the same by using brand as the connective tissue between people and place.
When a resident walks into a new location, they should immediately sense the brand’s quality, tone and attitude, just as travellers recognise the standards of a trusted hotel group. That recognition builds trust and loyalty, creating long-term value for both resident and developer.
Chris Laws helps developers translate brand purpose into operational behaviours so that marketing, design and service all work together. It is about aligning the internal culture with the external promise, ensuring the brand feels lived, not just seen.
The Future of Living is a Branded Experience
As Build to Rent continues to expand in Australia, the brands that succeed will be those that master customer experience. They will see residents not as tenants but as members of a long-term brand relationship.
For Chris Laws, the lesson is clear. In Build to Rent, brand is no longer the final layer of polish; it is the framework that defines every interaction. Consistency, clarity and care are what build value — not only for the property but for the people who call it home.