Marketing a Gold Coast or Streeterville condominium

A condominium on the Gold Coast or in Streeterville is sold on two things at once: the unit and the building. The buyer is looking at the rooms, the finishes and the view, and also at the lobby, the staff, the amenities, the location and the rules of the association. A brochure that describes only the unit tells half the story. A brochure that describes only the building tells the wrong half.

Chicago is dozens of markets, as our Chicago market page notes, and the lakefront towers and vintage co-ops downtown are a distinct one. Housing here includes high-rise condominiums, full-floor residences and older lakefront buildings, and the buyer is often comparing several buildings as well as several units. This article describes how to market a unit so that both halves of the argument are made clearly.

Building first, unit second

Open with the building. A single strong exterior photograph on the cover, perhaps from across the street or from the lake path, establishes what kind of address this is. The opening spread then gives the reader the building's essentials, as the association and the record support:

The building's name and address, as the seller and association allow.
Its form and approximate age, with the year only if you have a source.
The architect, only if documented. See our note on architecturally significant homes for how to handle attribution.
The services: doorman or front desk, concierge, parking, storage, fitness and pool, roof deck, guest suites, as the association describes them.
The location: the nearest park, lakefront path, transit and shopping, checked on a map.

Then turn to the unit. The sequence from building to floor to residence mirrors what a visitor experiences. The building, association and amenity pages are covered in marketing a condominium.

Respect the building's rules

Condominium and co-op buildings often have rules about marketing, photography and signage. These vary widely, and they are enforced by the association or management. Before you plan the launch, ask the management office:

Photography. Whether interior and common-area photography is permitted, and when. Some buildings restrict photographs of lobbies and amenities.
Signage. Whether lobby cards, window cards or door signs are allowed, and in what form. Many buildings prohibit them.
Open houses and showings. Whether public opens are permitted, what the check-in procedure is and what hours apply.
Common-area use. Whether images of amenities may be used in marketing, and any approvals needed.
Sale process. For co-ops especially, whether a board application or approval is part of a sale. Describe this process only as the building supplies it; do not summarize from impression.

Build the plan around the answers. It is much easier to design for the rules than to withdraw a piece after it has gone out. Marketing materials cannot make up for a missing permission.

The view is the product

In the lakefront buildings, the view is often the first thing a buyer asks about, and it is the one thing a photograph can easily get wrong. Plan accordingly.

Shoot at several times of day. Morning light, midday and dusk give very different views, and the dusk image is often the most memorable. For a lakefront unit, an early morning shot over the water can be striking.
Show orientation. A small diagram or line of text that states which way the unit faces helps buyers understand which part of the skyline or lake they will see.
Expose for both room and view. Interior images that include the window should show detail outside as well as inside; this typically requires careful lighting or compositing by the photographer.
Be accurate. Do not use a photograph taken from a higher floor or a different unit to represent a view the unit does not have. Use photographs from the actual unit. If a view is partly obstructed or may change, do not claim it is protected.
Do not promise permanence. Write about the view as it is today and avoid guarantees about what will or will not be built nearby.

Floor plans do the heavy lifting

In a condominium, the floor plan carries more weight than in a house. Buyers compare layouts, and downtown units often lack much outdoor space to photograph. A clean, redrawn floor plan, consistent in style, with room names and dimensions as supplied, is essential. The one-page version is covered in the feature sheet buyers' agents read.

Add a small orientation marker and a note that dimensions are approximate. Where a unit has been reconfigured from the original building plan, show the current layout and, if useful, the original for reference.

Place the floor plan opposite the opening photograph of the residence. Buyers will study it against the images.

Present the unit as a sequence

The photographic sequence follows the same logic as any good launch: arrival, principal rooms, private rooms, details, views. In a condo, arrival means the building lobby or elevator landing, then the entry. Do not skip the entry: the way a unit opens to a foyer, a gallery or a living room is part of its character. See also how to sequence listing photos.

Detail images help: millwork, hardware, a built-in, the quality of a surface. Keep staging simple, and make sure the copy says what is included. Furnishings are not included unless stated.

Write the facts accurately

Condominium listings carry specific facts that buyers and agents expect. Gather them from the seller and the association:

Bedrooms, baths, approximate square footage as supplied.
Parking: whether a space is deeded, assigned or leased, as the documents state. If parking is included, say so clearly.
Storage: whether a locker or storage unit is included.
Assessments and what they cover, as published by the association, with the date.
Taxes as published, with the year.
Pet and rental policies, only if the association supplies them and you quote them accurately.

Place these on the facts page. Check them against the documents before printing, and again if the brochure is reprinted. Association assessments and policies change, so do not let an outdated brochure linger on the showing table.

Avoid describing the kind of person the unit suits. See Fair Housing-safe listing copy.

Design for a vertical city

Downtown condominium marketing is often influenced by hospitality branding. Resist the temptation. A clean, architectural design suits the setting.

Typography. A refined serif or a quiet sans, with generous spacing.
Palette. Neutral grounds, with a single accent drawn from the building or the view.
Layout. Strong grid, large images, consistent margins. Let the skyline provide the drama.
Restraint. No decorative skyline silhouettes. The photograph is already the view.

A listing brochure of four to eight pages is usually enough for a unit. A full-floor residence or an important vintage apartment may justify a longer piece.

The launch set

A typical set for a Gold Coast or Streeterville condominium:

A brochure and a digital edition.
A one-page feature sheet.
A short social carousel and a small number of posts, using the building and the view.
An email announcement.
Showing materials appropriate to the building, including any permitted lobby or window cards.
Private preview materials, if the plan calls for them. See our note on private previews.

All carry your licensed name and the sponsoring brokerage identification, as described in our note on Illinois advertising rules.

A checklist

Building rules on photography, signage and showings confirmed with management.
Cover and opening spread present the building before the unit.
Photographs taken in the actual unit, with the view shown accurately.
A clean floor plan with orientation.
Parking, storage, assessments and taxes verified and dated.
Copy describes the residence, not the buyer.
Brokerage identification on every piece.

A good condominium brochure answers both questions a buyer is asking: what is this building, and what is this home. Doing it clearly, with respect for the rules of the building, is most of the work.