Rent rates in slow season

[Mike Nelson]

I am noticing, as usual a lower demand by prospective tenants for vacancies which open up during this slow time of year.  If I place an ad, I will get a fewer responses.  I can demand more rent in a busy season, because of supply and demand.  Of course, I try to end leases in the busy season.  During the slow season, do you decrease the rents?

[Ryan Mullin]

In Indianapolis we have this problem...  

We aim to rent to "overly" qualified tenants.  In the slow season there just aren't that many applications of this caliber.  So in order to increase the over all pool of tenants and attract a desirable application often times we do lower the rent. Vacancy is more expensive than lowering the rent 50 bucks a month.  Bad tenants are also expensive.  So sometimes lowering the rent is a good idea. 

I often refer to "summer time rental rates vs winter time rental rates"  

Like you describe @Mike Nelson its just supply and demand.  IMO.