Why Small Multifamily Properties Don’t Sell
- John McDonald
- Jan 21
- 2 min read
Part 3: Marketing to Everyone Means Selling to No One
When a 2–10 unit multifamily property struggles to sell, owners often assume the issue is exposure.
“It just needs more eyeballs.”
In reality, more exposure is rarely the solution. In many cases, it is part of the problem.
Small multifamily properties don’t fail because too few people see them — they fail because the wrong people see them.
The Problem: Broad Marketing Creates Noise, Not Offers
Many small multifamily listings are marketed in a way that prioritizes visibility over relevance:
MLS-only exposure
Generic listing descriptions
Minimal financial detail
One-size-fits-all marketing language
This approach casts a wide net, but it rarely reaches the buyers who are actually positioned to transact.
Instead, it generates activity without progress.
Why Unfocused Exposure Hurts More Than It Helps
When a property is marketed to everyone:
Unqualified inquiries increase
Buyer confusion grows
Serious investors disengage
Qualified buyers quickly recognize when a listing is not tailored to them. If they cannot determine whether the asset fits their criteria within minutes, they move on.
Meanwhile, owners are left fielding questions from buyers who were never the right fit to begin with.
Different Buyers, Different Expectations
The 2–10 unit multifamily market is not a single buyer pool. It includes:
Local investors seeking stable income
1031 exchange buyers facing strict timelines
Value-add operators looking for inefficiencies
Owner-occupants balancing lifestyle and cash flow
Each group evaluates opportunities differently and responds to different messaging.
Marketing that fails to acknowledge these distinctions almost always underperforms.
The Commercial Broker Difference: Targeted Exposure
A commercial broker markets with intention — not volume.
This includes:
Identifying the most likely buyer profiles before launch
Creating materials that speak directly to those buyers
Distributing the opportunity through investor-specific channels
Communicating directly with active capital sources
Rather than hoping the right buyer stumbles across the listing, the broker brings the listing to them.
Why Targeted Marketing Drives Better Outcomes
When marketing is focused:
Fewer inquiries come in
Buyer quality improves
Conversations become more substantive
Offers are more realistic
This efficiency benefits everyone involved and often shortens the time to contract.
Final Thought
Exposure alone does not sell multifamily properties.
Relevance does.
When a listing clearly speaks to the right buyer, it cuts through the noise and creates momentum. When it doesn’t, even strong assets can stall.
Coming Next in This Series
Part 4: Buyers Don’t Buy Properties — They Buy a Strategy
Why investment intent matters more than property features.
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