Once upon a time, the branded residence buyer would have been happy to part with their cash in exchange for just having an exclusive address, a view and a logo on the front of the building. In 2026, that feels almost quaint. Today’s buyer has evolved and has become more selective. They aren’t just chasing the material but also a feeling. And cracking the code to achieving that feeling is a challenge many seeking to appeal to that clientele can struggle with.
Privacy and exclusivity
But success in this area doesn’t need to feel so elusive. While the formula isn’t so cut and dry, experts note there are certain areas that require attention in order to appeal to the luxury branded resi buyer of 2026 and beyond, one of the most important being that of exclusivity. However, exclusivity and privacy must be balanced with community and not feel like isolation.
“That air of exclusivity, privacy in our branded resi and not having too many units in a development is important,” says corporate director of global business development at Nobu Hospitality Diane Daudin-Clavaud, adding “people want that lifestyle, community and to be with people who are like them.”
Alexandra Yao, vice-president of global branded residences development at IHG Hotels & Resorts agrees, telling The Financial Times “Buyers want to live among like-minded people. Everyone is so busy, and they move around, so it is nice to have a community.”
Critical to achieving that balancing of act of privacy and community is clarity of intent at the outset, Jeff Tisdall, chief business officer - Accor One Living & global head of mixed-use at Accor advises.
“In urban high rises, particularly in ultra-luxury, you’ll very frequently see one or two homes per floor or private elevator access to each home. In villa developments, generous plot sizes, carefully managed sight lines and privacy-first design are paramount.”
He adds: “One thing that's very important in these projects is to understand right at the beginning who the targeted home buyer is, what needs they're looking to be served by it, and how they plan to use the home.”
In other words, branded residences are not a one-size-fits-all sort of luxury product. Within ultra-luxury, luxury, lifestyle or premium segments, the buyer profiles diverge significantly. Unit mix, amenity strategy, service offering and even recognition programmes must logically follow from those initial consumer insights. Getting that wrong at the outset is often what separates long-term winners from short-lived stories, Tisdall warns.
Trust in the long-term
The evolution of the product means branded residences function not just like trophy assets but also homes for families, some of them multi-generational. This evolution has also changed buyer mindset, resulting in buyers who are looking more long term and seeking to buy trust that the lifestyle promise sold actually exists day-to-day, that service standards won’t slip and that the brand/product will still matter in ten years’ time.
“We probably saw more of a focus on investment five to 10 years ago. That’s still part of the equation but increasingly you see a focus on amenities, on services and facilities -those lifestyle enablers,” Tisdall notes, adding that buyers are not only evaluating the product at handover but interrogating how that prestige will be maintained over decades, referencing projects such as Fairmont Residences Pacific Rim in Vancouver, where resale premiums have strengthened over time.
And while investment considerations aren’t the sole driver for many of these buyers, they still have an expectation that that long-term value will be protected. The belief that a brand will be carefully stewarded over time plays a huge role in decision-making.
“They want quality and consistency in that quality. They need to know that their asset won’t suffer depreciation. They need to have faith in the maintenance of the brand and the residence,” Daudin-Clavaud advises.
“But how do we engender and communicate that trust that Daudin-Clavaud and Tisdall reference?”, you may ask.
Many of today’s buyers are long-standing luxury consumers who first engaged with brands through restaurants or hotels. Over time, that engagement has deepened. They didn’t set out looking for a branded residence but rather arrived there naturally because the brand already sat comfortably within their lives. This was certainly the case for Nobu. What began with affluent diners seeking a standout culinary experience extended into hotel stays, with that loyalty and trust then extending into the residential space. Where once Nobu was perceived primarily as a destination for finance and private equity dinners, the brand’s story across its restaurants and hotels has built buyers’ trust, allowing them to buy into its branded residences.
And this is where Daudin-Clavaud makes a point, noting that branded residences work best when they’re a logical continuation of an emotional relationship that already exists.
“They buy a brand because of the emotion the brand makes them feel. For us, it’s the emotion we create when they visit our restaurants that leads to repeat visits. We try to expand that emotion and storytelling to the hotels and branded resi and I’m convinced that the reason we have been successful where some others haven’t,” she says.
That consistency is crucial for buyers when weighing purchasing decisions. They want to be entirely assured that the quality they experience in one location (or hotel) that bears the brand name will translate to the branded residence. They want the comfort of knowing their experience will be as good in for example, Lisbon as it is in New York. That consistency reduces perceived risk.
But that trust isn’t based on emotion alone. Tisdall stresses that today’s buyer, particularly in mature and core markets, is highly sophisticated. They want assurance that the development has been properly structured legally and operationally, that reserve studies are in place, and that there is a credible long-term plan for maintenance, refurbishment and service delivery.
“They want to know that both the developer and the operator have thought very deeply about how it’s going to be maintained, serviced and refurbished over time. It’s really that commitment… that protects both the prestige of the hotel asset and the co-located homeowner community.”
Zero disjointment
Important to note, Daudin-Clavaud adds, is that branded residences need to operate as joined up, integrated ecosystems where there is no discernible disjointment between the branded residences, the hotel itself if it’s co-located and the dining offerings. Daudin-Clavaud stresses authenticity, operational control and seamless integration across all touchpoints are essential, making it clear that fragmentation is the enemy of consistency and that fragmented models involving third-party operations or disconnected residential services risk eroding both service quality and emotional cohesion.
Put simply, branded residences where the hotel, residences and restaurants are operated by different parties or where brand control is diluted through leasing and third-party management risk feeling disjointed. In contrast, brands that retain operational control and align closely with their investment partners are better positioned to deliver the joined-up experience well-heeled buyers expect. It's clear that buyers are less tolerant of developments where the branding feels superficial, with a logo alone no longer carrying weight.
Special access to services and amenities is also an important factor, for example Daudin-Clavaud says. “When you buy a Nobu branded resi, you can actually have the chef coming to your living room, cooking in the kitchen, and then you have your own Nobu restaurant in your living room. Buyers like the access.”
However, that integration mustn’t be at the expense of privacy. Yao notes: “We always think about ways to integrate and to bring services for them while recognising that privacy and security is key. For example, we have two separate profiles of users and separate entrances allows someone coming back home to not have to experience a busy hotel lobby.”
Beyond privacy and predictability, themes such as wellness, sustainability and technology are now central to decision-making. Tisdall notes that technology, particularly as it relates to security and service delivery, is increasingly rivalling investment attributes as a purchase driver.
Meanwhile, a generational shift is influencing location dynamics. Remote and hybrid working have expanded viable branded residence markets beyond traditional gateways. At the same time, generational wealth transfer is ushering in younger buyers who prioritise lifestyle, sustainability and experience more heavily than their predecessors. Tisdall also notes that tax efficiency is also playing a more pronounced role in driving demand in markets - from Austin and Miami to Singapore, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Decrypting the code
Strip away the marketing language and the priorities of today’s branded resi buyer is laid bare. Emotion is the differentiator, and what persuades buyers to commit capital is how a brand makes them feel. Community also matters more than ever, with buyers want to live among people who share similar values and lifestyles, and the choice of brand matters here as it acts as a filter in itself. Privacy, exclusivity and access are also key areas of consideration.
Daudin-Clavaud distils it perfectly: “Authenticity. Consistency. Emotional bond. Lifestyle in terms of culture. Trust in terms of service. Value. Community.”
The brands that truly understand and get all of these right will be laughing happily to the bank. And those that don’t? Well, you don’t need anyone to tell you it won’t end well.