Long vacancy periods

[Melissa Stanley]

I keep hearing people say they have 2-4 week vacancy periods between tenants, and I don’t get it…It seems like if I have a tenant move out at month end, even if I show it to a prospective tenant the next few days, they can’t move in the following month.

Example: I had a tenant move out Oct 31, did some touch ups, and showed the house the first week of Nov. almost everyone looking said they’d move in Jan 1. I ended up getting a tenant for Dec 20 so she could move before the holiday. 

It’s difficult to show a new tenant the house when the old tenant is still living there, and when I was renting I don’t remember ever being asked to accommodate showings for my landlord. Is this common practice now?

[Bill B.]

Advertise with 2 weeks left. Show if the tenant is cooperative and the property is in good condition. Otherwise list with previous move in pix and available 2-7 days after lease end. Depending on last inspection. 

I’ve had turns as little as a week but 2-3 is the most common length outside of disaster areas.