BRESI Overview: Branded Residences Development: Why working with branded residences advisors is more critical than ever in 2026.
- The market has exploded and competition is fierce – The branded residences sector grew 20% in 2025 and now has 900+ completed projects and 950 or more in the pipeline. Property developers can no longer rely on just being “branded” to stand out from the crowd.
- Branded residences are complex – These developments require multiple legal agreements covering licensing fees, sales royalties, technical standards, marketing rights, brand usage restrictions, and ongoing management services. Each agreement can take months (or even years) to negotiate.
- Choosing the right brand partnership – Success hinges on matching your project with a brand that fits your market. Consultants identify strategic alignment between your project and brands, ensure the partnership will resonate with your target buyers, and assess what the brand can actually deliver for you.
- Market intelligence separates successful projects from failures – The best consultants track sales and market performance across hundreds of global projects and know which brands resonate in which regions through strategic market reports and market research. This detailed analysis is vital to ensure a project meets the expectations of both the brands and ultimately the buyers.
- Early engagement prevents costly mistakes – Consultants must be involved during the early planning stage. The biggest mistakes happen during feasibility and brand selection if developers don’t understand what they’re committing to. Consultants engaged from day one prevent choosing mismatched brands or designing projects that can’t meet brand standards.
- Not all consultants are created equal – The growing demand has attracted many new “specialists” who may lack experience and a full understanding of this complex market. Vet their track record and request references before committing.
Branded Residences From Niche To Mainstream
In 2025, the branded residences sector experienced strong growth, market adoption and buyer understanding. Over 20 countries welcomed their first branded residential developments, 50+ new brands entered the market, non-hospitality brands increased their market share, and premium economy & midscale segments began attracting a new buyer profile.
As we sit today in January 2026, completed and operational developments now total 900+ globally, with an additional 950+ in the pipeline. Branded residences are no longer a niche offering for the ultra wealthy, they are completely mainstream and competition is now more fierce than ever before.
Some markets that once had two or three branded projects now have thirty to fifty. Countries and regions that had zero developments are now growing at pace.
It’s strange for me to write this, but the incredible expansion of the past decade has taken us back in some ways to the early 2000s, when it was very difficult to secure a brand for a project.
Brands today are becoming increasingly selective about partnerships, not because of the lack of interest, but because they want to protect their reputations and carefully manage their expanding global portfolios.
With branded residences in such high demand, brands can now dictate the terms and be very selective about who they work with, more so than ever before.
What worked five to ten years ago when the market was less crowded no longer applies. Being “branded” is no longer unique. Simply adding a brand name to your project doesn’t guarantee fast sellouts or the important price premiums anymore.
Working with the best branded residences advisors and specialist consultancies is critical for a projects success in 2026.
The “Being Branded” Complexity Problem:
Traditional real estate development normally involves straightforward contracts between developers, contractors, and buyers. Branded residences are extremely complex with a huge number of contracts to negotiate, if a developers team has never come across these contracts before, thats a problem.
It be can be arduous process that can take months and sometimes years to finalise.
Projects require legal agreements covering licensing fees, sales royalties, technical standards, marketing rights, brand usage restrictions, and ongoing management services.
Expert advisors who’ve negotiated hundreds of these agreements know what’s negotiable, what’s standard, and what’s a dealbreaker. This knowledge builds better relationships, reduces negotiation stress, timelines and can secure better terms.
In addition to the contracts most brands will want a say on everything from room mix to amenities to lobby design and doorknob finishes, to ensure correct brand standards are met. You’ll pay fees for this privilege. Terms also cover everything from revenue sharing to usage restrictions to performance standards, some require pre-approval of every piece of marketing material.
Get this wrong and you’ll spend years redesigning, renegotiating or delaying the sales launch fighting legal battles.
Choosing the Right Brand: The Decision That Makes or Breaks Everything
Picking a brand partner is not about choosing the most famous name you can get. It’s more about the synergy between your project, your market, buyer profile and what the brand actually delivers.
Some developers make the fatal mistake of chasing brands that sound prestigious but they simply don’t match their project. A fashion brand known for avant-garde interior design might not won’t work for a traditional resort development. A hotel brand celebrated for urban sophistication might fail in a beach destination.
Market dynamics matter enormously. Miami and Dubai welcomes virtually any prestigious brand and buyers respond enthusiastically. Certain European markets however can be more conservative, favouring established hospitality names over the newer luxury brands. Bangkok buyers might embrace fashion and auto brands while London buyers prefer traditional hotel operators.
Understanding these regional preferences prevents costly missteps. And here’s the thing: most developers don’t have this knowledge. Why would they? They’re not tracking the performance of branded residences across dozens of markets globally.
The best specialised consultants maintain relationships with all of the brands working in the sector. They know which brands are actively seeking new projects and which markets they’re targeting. They understand brand positioning, service delivery capabilities, and reputation across different markets. This market knowledge is invaluable during the brand strategy process.
Consultants also assess whether the brand aligns with your project’s goals, appeals to your target buyers and can deliver tangible value.
All of the above is a lot easier if a property developer is working with branded real estate specialists.
Market Intelligence: What Separates Success from Failure
Know your competition. If there’s already a Four Seasons in your city, adding another risks oversaturation. Even if your project would be perfect for Four Seasons, they’re unlikely to partner with you.
Know your buyers. Who’s actually buying branded residences in your market? Their demographics, budgets, and expectations should drive everything from unit sizes to amenities. Get this wrong and you’ll struggle to sell.
Here’s the reality: Most brands won’t even discuss your project until you provide strategic market analysis: competitor positioning, buyer demographics, pricing dynamics.
The best consultants do this groundwork for you, drawing on databases of completed projects, sales performance, and market trends worldwide
Early Engagement: The Mistakes That Cost Millions
The biggest mistakes in branded residence development happen during feasibility and planning stages.
Some developers wait until they’ve already selected a brand and started negotiations before seeking help. This limits what advisors can accomplish. Many crucial decisions have already been made, and undoing them is costly or impossible. Early engagement prevents expensive changes later.
Bring consultants in early, when you’re still weighing up whether branded residences are right for your project. At this early stage is where the best branded residence advisors deliver the most impact for a property developer.
The most successful projects involve advisory teams from day one. They help identify optimal brand partners, structure negotiations strategically, and help design the project so that it matches market and brand expectations.
Not all Branded Residences Advisors are Created Equal
The growing demand has attracted many “new specialists” who may lack experience and a full understanding of this complex market. Not everyone calling themselves a branded residence consultant has actually negotiated brand agreements or tracked sales performance across hundreds of global projects.
Check their track record. Ask for case studies from completed projects. Request references from developers they’ve worked with. Find out how many brand negotiations they’ve actually participated in, not just observed. Ask which brands they have direct relationships with.
New consultants are unlikely to be able to tell you which brands are actively seeking projects in your region. It’s also very unlikely that they maintain databases tracking sales performance across hundreds of branded projects globally.
This knowledge gap may cost developers money, extend timelines, lead to poor brand choices, and lock them into unfavourable contract terms.
Specialised consultants bring comprehensive understanding to every stage of branded residences development. They’ve made the mistakes so you don’t have to. They’ve seen projects succeed spectacularly and fail miserably, and they know what separates the two outcomes.
The complexity of branded residences demands specialised expertise. Developers who recognise this early and engage the right advisors significantly improve their chances of success.
Branded Residences Development – How BRESI Can Help
I’ve spent 15 years in the branded residences sector, and while I don’t personally advise on development and branding anymore, I’ve built relationships and strategic partnerships with the most experienced advisory firms in the business.
My team and I at BRESI, connect developers and investors with specialists who know this space inside out. These aren’t generalists dabbling in branded residences. They are trustworthy professionals who’ve dedicated years to this market, and in my view, they’re the best at what they do, from brand strategy and scouting, to contract negotiations, owner representation and market research.
We can help you find the right expertise at the right stage of your project. Because in this market, having the right advisor isn’t just helpful. It’s essential.
Learn more about how BRESI can connect you with the best branded residences advisors
Article written by Jason Payne CEO & Founder BRESI.
