The biggest Rentals Unlock ever: 5 key takeaways

At this year’s Rentals Unlock, industry changemakers, from those in the multifamily sector to hospitality, entertainment and beyond, came together with Zillow executives to explore what’s shaping the next era of rental housing. Covering topics such as AI, consumer psychology, culture and customer experience, the conversations centered on a single theme: The future of multifamily housing belongs to those who build trust, understand their renters and deliver exceptional experiences.

Here are five takeaways that stood out, along with actionable insights for multifamily-housing professionals across the country.

1. Brand strength is your ultimate advantage

The conversations, featuring a variety of leaders that included Zillow Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Wacksman, Zillow Vice President of Rental Sales Jami Thomas, University of Texas Athletic Director Chris Del Conte and Emmy Award–winning host Andy Cohen, all underscored a single message: Trusted brands win. These brands drive growth, spark innovation and deliver ROI because they alleviate doubt for both renters and partners.

Del Conte’s Texas story underscored the point that bold, consistent brand choices attract talent, elevate perception and compound advantages over time. Brand isn’t fluff, it’s leverage.

“When alignment isn’t happening leadership-wise within an organization, it’s hard to sell something,” said Del Conte. “You can’t go out and convince others if your own house doesn’t believe in itself. I had to fix my house first.”

Cohen’s fireside talk about loyalty showed how personality, storytelling and community turn attention into advocacy. He stressed the importance of authenticity and how less promotion leads to more connection.

Key insight: Audit where your brand promise meets (or misses) the lived experience across marketing, leasing and resident touchpoints. Consistency builds preference, and preference accelerates absorption.

2. Understanding renters means winning renters

Zillow’s home trends expert Amanda Pendleton gave us a first look at data from the 2025 Consumer Housing Trends Report (CHTR) and explained what’s going on in the minds of renters. 

• Family ties: Today’s typical renter is 41, and more households include partners and kids. Those in the industry need to plan inventory, messaging and amenities accordingly.
• Budget rules decisions: More than 90% of renters say staying within budget is essential. This means transparent value beats vague positioning.
• Digital media is now the front door: Of those looking to rent, 81% search on mobile, 73% use an app and 77% apply online. Screen appeal and frictionless flows matter to prospective tenants.
• Transparency is trust: Ninety-four percent of renters want all fees disclosed up front. Grouping fees into one clear total monthly number resonates with potential renters.

“Understanding all these little things that make renters tick is more important than ever, because renters have more choices, more options. They’ve got more bargaining power,” said Pendleton. “The better you can understand what they want and what they need, the better position you’re going to be to win new renters and to retain your existing tenants.”

Key insight: Multifamily-housing professionals who use data to understand renter intent — and meet them with value-driven, transparent marketing — will win in 2026 and beyond.

3. Culture and care drive retention

Perks don’t keep people — culture, clarity and care do. Del Conte framed it through a competitive lens, pointing out that people stay where purpose and belonging are genuine.

Zillow Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Engagement & Belonging Roz Harris translated this takeaway into practices that multifamily-housing teams can deploy now. She recommends setting clear expectations, stage intentional onboarding, coach growth and reinforce belonging in everyday moments.

Key insight: Treat property and site managers as culture carriers. Equip them to coach, recognize and connect. Doing so stabilizes teams — and the resident experience — faster than any onetime incentive can.

4. Experience is the new differentiator

From Rentals Unlock’s sessions on influencer marketing to discussions about fee transparency and hospitality-inspired service, one point really hit home: Experience is strategy.

Modern renters expect the same ease, personalization and joy from their housing journey that they get from e-commerce or hospitality. Every interaction, from scrolling listings to paying rent, builds — or breaks down — loyalty.

Here are a few ways that you can improve the experience for your renters:

• Make costs clear. More states are moving toward “total monthly price,” and you should consider doing so, too. In her panel session, Zillow Senior Manager of Product Management Lily Ferguson revealed that Zillow listings that advertise the total monthly price see a 12% increase in page views and a 5.5% increase in leads — while also improving qualification and confidence.
• Meet renters where they scroll. Influencer and resident-creator content can build demand and trust before searching begins, with practical frameworks to start small and measure beyond vanity metrics.
• Use AI for speed and service. Zillow AI Assist gives renters instant answers and tour scheduling, freeing teams to focus on high-value conversations. The Zillow App in ChatGPT — the only real estate app on the platform — opens a new “front door” to your multifamily listings.

Zillow Senior Vice President of Rentals Michael Sherman summed it up: “Renters today don’t compare their experience to other apartments — they compare it to everything else in their lives that just works. When they can get a ride, food or answers instantly, they expect the same from us.”

Key insight: Experience doesn’t stop once a tenant moves in. Multifamily-housing operators who treat every click, call and conversation as a brand moment will outperform competitors who rely solely on price or promotion.

5. Connection is powerful

If Rentals Unlock proved anything, it’s that there’s still nothing like being in the room together. From packed breakout sessions to spontaneous Hub conversations, the event reinforced the fact that in-person connection fuels innovation and resilience.

Key insight: Relationships are the ultimate “unlock.” The more connected our industry becomes across operators, partners and platforms, the stronger the multifamily-housing ecosystem will be.

Shaping what’s next for multifamily housing

Rentals Unlock 2025 was more than a conference; it was a call to action. The multifamily-housing industry is evolving quickly, shaped by shifting demographics, economic uncertainty, and renter expectations that demand innovation and empathy in equal measure.

Zillow’s commitment is clear: to empower operators with trusted data, smarter tools and meaningful connections that help them win not just leases, but long-term loyalty.