Commercial Real Estate Podcast

Commercial Real Estate Podcast


Mastering Lease-Ups and ROI Through Smart Marketing with Riz Dhanji, Founder and President of RAD Marketing

October 29, 2025

Welcome to the CRE podcast. 100% Canadian, 100% commercial real estate.

In this episode of the Commercial Real Estate Podcast, hosts Aaron Cameron and Adam Powadiuk welcome Riz Dhanji, Founder and President of RAD Marketing, about how real estate marketing is evolving across Toronto’s condo and purpose-built rental sectors. Riz shares his expertise on tackling today’s challenging condo market, where default rates reach 20%, and outlines why purpose-built rentals demand a completely different marketing playbook. From unit mix and amenity planning to CRM-driven leasing strategies, he explains how smart marketing can dramatically shorten lease-up times and maximise returns. The conversation offers deep insights for developers navigating shifting market dynamics.

What you will learn:

  • How to transition from condo development to purpose-built rental with the right marketing approach
  • Why traditional leasing practices are insufficient in today’s competitive rental market
  • The importance of sophisticated CRM systems and professional sales teams 
  • How to reduce lease-up periods through targeted demographic marketing and amenity programming
  • Why condo marketing budgets and strategies don’t directly translate to rental properties
  • How default rates of 15-20% on condo closings are reshaping the Toronto market
  • Why purpose-built rental requires a different unit mix and amenity planning than condos
  • How to position rental properties to achieve optimal ROI 
  • The critical differences between the condo developer mindset and the apartment operator 
  • Why sophisticated marketing strategies can justify their cost through faster lease-up and better returns

Riz Dhanji is the Founder and President of RAD Marketing and one of Canada’s leading experts in pre-construction sales and marketing. With over $4 billion in sales and 15,000+ condominium suites sold across Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and internationally, Riz has helped shape some of North America’s most iconic developments, including One Delisle, King Toronto, and the Shangri-La Residences. His innovative approach to real estate marketing continues to redefine how developers achieve record-breaking success in competitive urban markets.

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