Best Amenities for New Apartment Buildings: A CapEx Planning Guide

Choosing the best amenities for new apartment buildings can make the difference between filling your units quickly or watching them sit vacant. But it's not always easy to predict what renters want. You might wonder if you should splurge on high-tech gym equipment or set up a cozy coworking space (or both).

Multifamily market data can help you understand what's trending and how to stand out from competitors. This guide compares the most important apartment amenities and shows you how to decide which ones to prioritize. That way, you can spend your capital expenditure (CapEx) where it matters most.

What Renters Expect From a New Apartment Building

Renters aren't just looking for a nice kitchen or a living room that's big enough for their sectional. They want amenities that make their lives easier and make paying rent feel worth it.

According to a 2026 survey by the National Apartment Association (NAA), in-demand apartment community amenities include:

• Communal working spaces
• EV charging areas
• Fitness centers with state-of-the-art equipment
• Golf simulators
• Movie rooms
• Secure package rooms
• Smart lockers

Of course, different types of residents will care about different amenities. For example, parents may look for apartment communities with family-friendly events and playgrounds. Meanwhile, busy young professionals may prioritize onsite fitness facilities and coworking spaces.

Before you start leasing units, research what amenities residents want in your area by looking at what your competitors offer. Pay attention to what they advertise and which amenities residents mention in their reviews. You should also look for gaps you could fill to help your property stand out. Maybe you could be the first to offer a pet washing station or apartment EV charging stations.

Separate Baseline Amenities From Differentiators

Apartment complexes can offer two types of amenities: basic and full.

Basic amenities are standard apartment features in most complexes. They’re typically included in the base rent and make apartments functional and safe.

By contrast, full or luxury amenities for apartments are additional features that go beyond the bare minimum. They make your residents’ lives more convenient, fun, and fulfilling and help foster a welcoming and pleasant community.

Here's a quick comparison:

As you plan your CapEx, focus on the baseline (or basic) amenities first. They protect your leasing by creating a comfortable tenant experience. After all, people expect to be able to cook and do laundry in their own apartments.

Once you've covered the essentials, consider adding full amenities that make your building stand out. These differentiators can help you earn a rent premium and attract new tenants. For instance, video doorbells might be a major perk for tech lovers.

Build Smart Tech and a Resident App into the Plan

Smart apartment features give residents more control over their homes. Many of these devices also improve security, giving your tenants peace of mind.

Popular smart home technology includes:

• Automated lights
• Keyless smart locks
• Security systems
• Smart appliances
• Smart package delivery
• Smart thermostats
• Video doorbells

As you're selecting lease-up amenities, consider adding some of these smart features. They may appeal to tenants who value safety, such as parents and people who love online shopping.

Plan ahead by wiring your new units for these amenities and high-speed internet. It's much easier to build this infrastructure at the beginning than to try to retrofit everything later. After all, you don't want to pay to finish your walls twice.

Be sure to invest in a resident experience platform, too. This app or portal lets tenants pay rent and submit maintenance requests from their phones. You can also use it to share notices and property updates with residents.

Design Community Spaces Residents Actually Use

Community spaces are some of the best new construction apartment amenities because they give people a place to socialize and relax.

Encourage gatherings by investing in cozy seating, game rooms, and a movie theater. You can also let residents reserve these spaces for private events, such as baby showers and birthdays.

You don't need to set aside a lot of square footage for these areas. According to the NAA survey, 83% of residents say furniture and equipment are the most important features in community spaces.

Make the most of your space by designing flexible floor plans with furniture that you can adapt for many different activities. For example, a large table on wheels could be covered with board game pieces one day and birthday presents the next. Likewise, a projector could do double duty for movie night and presentations.

Get people involved by experimenting with community engagement ideas for residents. Invite tenants to come to a scary movie night (popcorn included), or host a back-to-school party for kids in the community. Your resident app can help you spread the word about these fun events.

Add Onsite Convenience That Solves Daily Friction

The best apartment amenities get rid of everyday hassles, or at least make them easier to deal with. Some need specific infrastructure built into your community, so start planning early.

Coworking and Work-From-Home Spaces

Cater to professional residents with dedicated work amenities. A business center lets people print documents, make copies, and hop on a quick Zoom call with their boss.

Residents with remote jobs may also flock to apartment coworking spaces with small meeting rooms or private pods. Don't forget to set up a well-stocked coffee station.

The NAA survey found that connectivity is the most desirable feature for coworking areas. Be sure that residents can access fast, reliable internet throughout these spaces.

Package Handling

The last thing residents want to worry about is their packages getting lost or stolen. Avoid these issues by building a secure, access-controlled room with apartment package lockers.

This feature cuts down on your front desk's workload, especially if your community gets an avalanche of deliveries every day. It also reduces complaints because residents know exactly where to pick up their packages.

Design this space early in the building process. Otherwise, you might get stuck with a room that's too small for your occupancy or a layout that doesn't accommodate big packages.

Parking and EV Charging

Parking is a must for any residential amenities list. Make sure you have enough room for all your tenants and their visitors.

If your CapEx budget allows, consider investing in EV charging, too. It's more cost-effective to build the right electrical capacity into your buildings from the start than to retrofit them later. For instance, you might add Level 2 EV chargers to your parking garage or lot.

Pet Amenities

Simply accepting dogs and cats in your community doesn't cut it anymore. Appeal to animal lovers by offering pet-friendly apartment amenities.

Start by placing pet waste stations around your apartment buildings where people tend to walk their dogs. A fenced-in dog park will also give pets a dedicated space to play off-leash. Add agility equipment like jumps and tunnels to help them burn off energy.

A communal pet washing station saves owners a trip to the groomer and keeps Scooby smelling fresh. Set aside enough room for the station during the design process, and consider what plumbing you'll need to handle all the fur.

Use Outdoor and Shared Space To Stand Out

Beautiful green spaces make your community more inviting and encourage residents to get outside. Add appealing landscaping like flowerbeds and lush lawns. You can also create walking paths that wind through the property. That way, residents can get exercise and relax in nature without driving anywhere.

Outdoor social spaces can also help with differentiation when competition is high. Build a rooftop deck where people can sunbathe and grill on nice days. Fire pits and picnic areas are other great gathering spots.

If you want to attract families, a small playground is a natural kid magnet. For safety, any equipment should be installed over a soft surface, such as engineered wood fiber, poured rubber, or rubber tiles.

Solve the Square Footage Problem With Digital Fitness

No one wants to drive across town to the gym after a long day at work. A high-tech fitness center lets residents break a sweat without leaving the building.

For new construction projects, finding room for wellness amenities for multifamily properties isn't always easy. Residents want perks like yoga studios and saunas, but floor plans often get locked in early. If you don't set aside enough space for these amenities, it can be hard to squeeze them in later.

You don't necessarily need a lot of bulky equipment, though. The NAA survey found that residents ranked technology as the second most important feature in fitness centers.

Digital and on-demand content can help you get more out of a small footprint. For example, residents could participate in virtual yoga classes from a flex space in your gym or even their own apartments instead of using a dedicated studio space.

Rank Your Amenity Mix by Rent Premium and Leasing Speed

While offering unique apartment amenities may help you attract a new supply of tenants, they don't all return the same value.

As you consider what to add to your amenity mix, score each category based on these factors:

• Apartment amenity ROI (return on investment)
• Rent premium potential
• Lease-up impact
• Upfront CapEx
• Ongoing maintenance and staffing costs
• Whether you can add it after you finalize your floor plan

You should also consider how each feature affects your net operating income (NOI). For example, on-demand content is one of the amenities with the strongest NOI impact because it gives residents more value at an affordable cost.

Prioritize amenities that need special infrastructure during construction. You can always fence off some grass for a dog park later, but a sauna might be more expensive after the building is finished.

Make Your Amenity Budget Work Harder

A thoughtful amenity mix can make your new building more attractive to tenants without straining your bank account.

Fitness On Demand can help you add digital fitness and wellness amenities without requiring extra square footage. We offer premium fitness classes, on-demand content, and other convenient resources.

Contact us today to schedule a free demo and learn how we can help your multifamily property grow.