Why not get 2-3 year leases to prevent turnover?

[Marc C.]

There's something I've never understood. As we all know, turnover is what kills you. You have to spend several hundred dollars to ready the unit, and you'll lose a few weeks rent. So why not try to lock in tenants with a longer lease? You could promote the fact that they won't have any rent increases if they'll agree to your non-discounted market unit rent. You don't lose because whatever you would have made with slightly higher rents by raising the annually will be less than the cost of turnover would have been. 

But we all know no one does this, so all the above is complete b.s., apparently. 

[Brad M.]

The main reason, at least for me, is that a lease works both ways. It is a legal agreement that gives the tenant rights as well. If you end up with a bad tenant, you may end up having to evict instead of just not renewing the lease. I would think it is the same principle for those landlords that prefer to use month to month leases instead of year leases.