With more than 1.2 million rental listings and 17 million showings analyzed across all 50 states since 2018, the latest leasing data from ShowMojo offers valuable insights for property owners. Whether you own single-family homes or multifamily units, staying informed on current rental trends can help reduce vacancy time and increase profitability. Here’s what we learned—and what it means for your property.
1. Pricing Right from the Start Is Non-Negotiable
In 2025, average time on market has reached a new high, with a median of 32 days. One of the biggest culprits? Incorrect pricing.
- Properties that start overpriced often end up requiring rent reductions. Around 8% of listings require a rent reduction, and they spend an extra 30 days on the market.
- Rentals priced between $1,000 and $1,499 although down 15% since their 2018 high, are still the most common, representing 29% of the market.
- Average median rent continues to increase gradually—about $50 per year—so staying aligned with local comps is key.
Key Takeaway:
A correctly priced listing not only rents faster but protects your bottom line in the long run.
2. Demand Is Shifting Toward Quality Over Quantity
Not all listings perform equally. Properties with strong amenities and clear, concise listing information consistently rent faster.
- Desirable, amenity-rich rentals are seeing shorter days on market
- Listings with 2 to 10 key details rent 2 days faster than those with too little or too much information
- Surprisingly, photo and video quantity alone do not significantly affect time on market—clarity and quality matter more
- Properties with unclear or incomplete information, such as security deposit requirements, sit on the market 3 to 4 days longer
- Pet-friendly listings increased by 4% from 2024 to 2025—and renting them is, on average, 2 days faster
Key Takeaway:
A detailed, concise, and clearly written listing, paired with quality photos and upfront information about guidelines, makes your property stand out and rent faster.
3. Know When Renters Are Looking—and Be Ready to Act
With leads per listing at historic lows, timing is everything.
- Peak online and phone activity: Renter activity is strong 24/7, but peaks between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM with continued activity into the evening
- Highest inquiry days: Mondays and Tuesdays
- Most popular showing times: Tuesdays (with weekday peak time from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM) and Saturdays (10:00 AM to 2:00 PM)
- Best scheduling window: Showings scheduled within 24 hours occur 65% of the time while 89% of those booked 15+ days out cancel
Key Takeaway:
In today’s market, the ability to quickly respond and schedule viewings within 3 days is essential to securing qualified residents.
4. Self-Guided Tours Are Growing—but with Caveats
Self-guided tours are gaining ground, now accounting for 33% of all showings and generating about 20% more scheduled showings than accompanied tours.
However, 2024 was the first year where self-guided tours resulted in longer time on market by about 2 days.
Peak self-tour times:
- Peak times: Weekdays during lunch, 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM, and after work, 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM
- Most popular days: Saturdays, followed by Fridays
Key Takeaway:
Offering self-guided tours can boost traffic but they’re most effective when paired with high-quality listings and prompt follow-up.
5. Smarter Marketing Reduces Fraud and Delays
Small factors in the listing process can reduce fraud and help speed up leasing.
- Pre-screening questionnaires with 20 questions or fewer do not impact days on the market
- Longer pre-screening forms (20+ questions) and ID verification increase days on the market by 2 days
- Watermarking photos reduces listing fraud by about 40%
Key Takeaway:
Effective marketing is not just about exposure—it’s about presenting professionally and protecting your property from fraud.
Final Thoughts: What This Means for Your Property
If you’re wondering how we help owners stay competitive in this shifting market, we focus on these fundamentals:
- Price your property right from the start
- Write clear, detailed, and concise listings with accompanying photos
- Provide flexible, real-time scheduling
- Offer self-guided tours to maximize access
- Utilize pre-screening and water-marking to protect your investment
At Deca Property Management, we leverage these best practices every day to help our owners reduce vacancies and maximize returns. If you’d like to talk about how we can apply these insights to your property, get in touch—we’re here to help.
