Case Study: When the property isn’t the problem, the presentation might be.

Not every property struggles because of price.

Sometimes the biggest obstacle is presentation.

When 158/15 Coranderrk Street came to market, the apartment had plenty of attributes, an excellent City location, modern finishes and appeal for professionals relocating to Canberra. However, the marketing wasn’t showcasing those strengths.

The campaign relied solely on owner-supplied photography, resulting in lower engagement than expected.

After eight weeks on the market, interest had slowed despite consistent inspections and a price adjustment.

Rather than accepting the result as a reflection of market conditions, we decided to test a different marketing strategy.

Campaign Snapshot

Our Hypothesis

Would investing in professional presentation increase engagement without making further changes to the property itself?

To test this, we introduced:

• Professional real estate photography
• Virtual staging to help prospective tenants visualise the apartment
• Updated online advertising using the refreshed imagery

No other changes were made.

The property remained the same.

The asking rent remained unchanged.

Only the marketing improved.

The Results

The response following the marketing refresh was immediate.

Campaign Outcome

The successful applicants hadn’t attended a traditional open home.

Instead, they first discovered the property online through the updated marketing before arranging a FaceTime inspection while still interstate.

Without stronger photography, they may never have shortlisted the property.

Why It Worked

Today’s tenants often decide whether to inspect a property before they ever step inside.

For interstate renters especially, the online listing isn’t simply advertising.

It’s the inspection.

Professional photography allowed the apartment’s layout, natural light and finishes to be accurately represented.

Virtual staging helped prospective tenants understand how the spaces could be used and created a stronger emotional connection than empty rooms alone.

Combined, these improvements significantly increased the property’s appeal without changing the property itself.

Marketing Timeline

Week 1

Property launches online using owner-supplied photography.

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Weeks 1–8

• 16 open homes
• 11 registered attendees
• One price adjustment
• Limited application activity

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Week 8

Professional photography undertaken.

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Virtual staging completed.

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Listing updated across all marketing platforms.

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Weekend Opens

New enquiries generated.

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Two interstate applicants inspect via FaceTime.

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Lease secured.

Before vs After

Before

After

Key Takeaways

This campaign reinforced several important lessons.

Presentation influences perception.

High-quality photography remains one of the strongest investments in any leasing campaign.

Digital inspections are now the norm.

Many prospective tenants, particularly interstate relocators, make decisions based almost entirely on what they see online.

Marketing should evolve.

Rather than relying on traditional approaches, we’re continually testing new ways to improve outcomes for our clients. In this instance, a relatively small investment in presentation delivered measurable results.

Final Thought

The property didn’t change.

The market didn’t suddenly improve.

The way we presented the property did.

At Hayman Partners, we’re always looking for practical ways to maximise every campaign, because great marketing isn’t about making a property look different.

It’s about helping the right people see its true potential.