Additionally, I think a new build would attract higher quality renters.

If overpriced, you with attract unqualified tenants. 

The city has attracted substantial investments from companies like Intel, Google, Honda and more driving job growth, increasing housing demand and boosting property values.

These marketing techniques included bright attractive ads, giveaways at concerts and festivals, flavors, and even going so far as giving presentations...in high schools.

Do any of you experienced investors/landlords/property managers have effective strategies you use to make a unit more attractive?

A good PMC screens for and attracts the right tenants, for a much lower price. 

I once downloaded and analyzed Zillow data to find markets with attractive cap rates...

The others category of investors who succeed are those who identify real estate that can emerge from C/D neighborhood status and use the voucher recipient tenants as the lesser of two evils until the neighborhood can attract better quality tenants.

But now there is an ecosystem of lending and staking that definitely can generate yield, @Alexander Szikla, which will make it a more attractive investment for long term allocation. 

Are photos attractive?