Water features are becoming a popular amenity at multifamily, office and retail properties. They have the ability to increase ROI, property value and the length of stay or tenancy at a property, according to OTL, a water feature design and construction company. In fact, many of these properties can leverage water features as a built-in marketing tool, according to the company.

"Adding a beautifully crafted water feature to a mixed-use or retail property automatically attracts people, as individuals are typically drawn to the aesthetic of these amenities. Humans have a natural affinity for water due to its mood-lifting, health-promoting and de-stressing effects," J. Wickham Zimmerman, CEO of OTL, tells GlobeSt.com. "Multifamily, office, mixed-use and retail properties containing water features deliver these benefits directly to people where they live, work, shop, or gather."

These features can become a marketing tool because they serve as a property focal point. As a result, people actually seek out these properties. "These water elements can also serve as a focal point for reflecting or even capturing photos for social media, making them a built-in marketing tool for these properties," says Zimmerman. "In fact, while people initially come for the property, they will often stay for the exquisite, artful fountains, waterfalls, ponds, and rockwork. In lingering longer, customers are also more likely to visit nearby shops and restaurants and ultimately increase their purchases at these properties."