(This guest column by Wendy Waters, a widely followed research specialist, provides insights on young professionals’ rental–apartment preferences.)

By Wendy Waters, Real Estate Research Specialist

What will attract young professionals to a new rental-apartment building?

The design process at leading apartment-development firms starts with this question.

Many developers immediately plan for a lounge, rooftop deck, or golf simulator.  These sometimes matter.  But if you ask renters, other items are usually more important, such as a large (primary) bedroom, pet friendliness, and uninterrupted cellular and high-speed WIFI throughout the building.

These insights come from the 2025 Canadian Multi-Residential Satisfaction Study from simplydbs. The survey contains responses from over 25,000 Canadian renters to a range of questions about what they value and their renting experience.  Using their dashboard, I filtered for two-adult households (i.e. couples) earning over $100,000 per year, and between 25 and 35 years old–a typical profile for those who move into new rental housing. To succeed, new apartment buildings must attract this cohort.

At their life stage, 25-to-35-year-olds are forming new households and often have recently seen their incomes grow, enabling them to afford an upgraded living experience.  Here’s what they want that is often overlooked by developers:

• A large (primary) bedroom – Big enough to accommodate a king-size bed.  Residents may not necessarily own a king bed. This response likely suggests they value a spacious bedroom over the cramped spaces often found in investor-owned rental condo units and in some newer purpose-built rental housing.  They may want or need the option of a queen bed, along with dressers and/or a desk for home-based work.   They want a big bedroom and a big living space—maximum flexibility.

• A pet-friendly building.  New apartment buildings today often have more dogs in residence than children.  Welcoming pets and having features such as dog runs and washing stations will be essential for attracting these renters. Allowing pets is not enough; pets need amenities, too. 

• Connectivity. This fits with the hyper-connected world.  Not dropping video calls or other cloud connections is important for gig workers and those working some of the time remotely.  Developers can investigate adding cellular repeaters and ensure high-speed Wi-Fi flows throughout the building’s common areas (which can also cover for a cellular dead-spot).  Many buildings already have this; the marketing and leasing teams should highlight it.

These three features above are important and yet often overlooked.  As the chart shows, they are among a short list of important features. In-suite laundry ranks highest as essential, and no credible developer would build without it. 

(Data: Canadian Multi-Residential Satisfaction Study 2025 – simplydbs)

By contrast, the three features highlighted in this article are more valuable to renters than some attributes that developers champion, like a production studio or a sky lounge. The chart below demonstrates how essential certain features are to prospective tenants.

To learn more about the study and full results, contact [email protected].  

(Wendy Waters is an independent research analyst based in Vancouver, specializing in the rental-housing sector. From 2006 until 2025, she led the research services and strategy team at GWL Realty Advisors, providing unique analysis and proprietary research to support GWLRA and its clients’ Canadian and global real estate goals. She also spent five years leading Avison Young’s research efforts in Vancouver. Waters is a widely followed commercial real estate research expert. She volunteers with the Urban Land Institute’s B.C. chapter and previously co-chaired Realpac’s research committee.)

Data: Canadian Multi-Residential Satisfaction Study 2025 – simplydbs

Pictured: (Inset) Wendy Waters, Canadian apartment building.

Images: Courtesy of simplydbs/Wendy Waters