Why Your Rental Isn’t Getting Showings—and What to Do About It
If your rental listing has been sitting on the market with no showings and no applications, the market is telling you something loud and clear. Renters don’t negotiate. They scroll. They compare. And if your price is too high—they move on.
Here’s how to get that unit filled fast and stop the bleeding.
The Psychology of Renters
Unlike homebuyers, renters rarely “make offers.” They’re not coming in $100 under asking. They’re not interested in back-and-forth. They will just skip your unit entirely and book a showing for the cheaper unit around the corner. That’s why overpricing kills momentum. You lose exposure in the first 7–10 days—when the listing is freshest—and suddenly you’re invisible and a stale listing that starts making people question “what’s wrong with this unit?:
If You’re Not Getting Showings, Do This:
1) Drop the Price—Immediately
Don’t wait 3–4 weeks hoping something changes. The longer your unit sits, the colder it gets. Lower your asking rent by $50–$100.
2) Track Response Within 2 Weeks
If you still don’t see a pick-up in showings or applications, adjust again. Don’t take it personally—this is market feedback. And every week your unit sits empty, you’re bleeding cash.
Let’s Break Down the Math
Let’s say your unit is listed at $2,200/month, but it’s sitting vacant for 30 days. That’s $2,200 in lost income.
Now imagine you had dropped the rent to $2,150 and secured a great tenant in 7 days. You “lost” $50/month… but you gained $2,150 by getting it rented.
📊 Use the Cash Flow Calculator to model your numbers correctly—and see how vacancies impact your actual returns.
The Danger of Chasing Rent
Too many landlords hold out, week after week, chasing an extra $50. Meanwhile, they’re still:
Paying carrying costs
Covering utilities
Missing out on consistent cash flow
That’s not investing—that’s wishful thinking. In a shifting market, pricing fast and fair beats holding out for perfection.
My Pricing Rule of Thumb
No showings in 7–10 days? Drop price by $50–$100
No applications after 2 weeks of showings? Drop again
Get the unit rented → Get Cash flow → Reposition as the market changes and adjust the rent next year as allowed
Final Word
Empty units don’t pay you. If your rental isn’t getting traction, the solution isn’t stubbornness—it’s speed, strategy, and knowing when to pivot.
📞 Book a 1-on-1 consultation with me and I’ll help you price your rental right, attract quality tenants, and stop leaving money on the table. Let’s turn that vacancy into value—fast.
Real Talk. Honest Advice.
Want to work with a professional who will give you honest advice?