Resident retention is the investor’s best avenue to reliable cash flow. Vacancies cost money – costs for lost rental income, preparing for the next resident, and marketing the property, to name a few! As a real estate investor, one of your top priorities – regardless of your strategy – is to keep good residents for the long haul.

But how do we do that? What do retention rates mean? How are they calculated? Keep reading to find out more!

How Retention Rates Work

We can talk about metrics all day, but they’re useless if we don’t understand how to calculate and interpret the data! Generally speaking, your rental property retention rate is calculated by dividing the number of residents (or renter households) that moved out during a twelve-month period by the total number of residents/households you had over that same period. Then, multiply that result by 100. 

When the real estate market is competitive, investors must be careful about what they pay for a property. Bidding wars and high costs can cause what would have been a good investment opportunity to turn into a real dud. That said, protecting your cash flow depends on far more than what you pay at closing. It’s more than the rental rates you set. No – protecting and maximizing passive income has far more to do with your strategic choices and due diligence.

Experienced real estate investors know even small factors can make or break their wealth-building efforts. While broadly, that single factor is due diligence, we want to get a little more specific. We’re talking about what your residents really want.

Plenty of inexperienced real estate investors choose to fly solo. They imagine doing it all themselves will save money and leave more rental income in their pocket each month. While this is true, their overall portfolio will suffer in the end. Doing it alone stunts and limits your growth, which is critical for building lasting wealth across multiple income streams.

Real estate investors all know that resident retention is essential. Property vacancies are costly not only for the lack of rental income but also for the costs associated with filling that vacancy. Reducing turnover is often a matter you can control and adjust as you go. Sometimes, however, investors hurt their chances from the start.

Ready to discover your next investment property?

Right now, investors want to ensure that any property they own or acquire maximizes its potential. After all, the investment market is less forgiving these days. Every decision counts!

Building a real estate investment empire isn’t about owning the most properties, charging the highest rates, or investing in the most luxurious markets. Success as an SFR investor comes through a high level of service and consistency. Your greatest asset apart from your properties is the people inhabiting them.

If you’re reading this, you’re either interested in or already investing in buy-and-hold rental properties. You’re in this thing for the long haul.

The customer experience is often overlooked in business simply because it's difficult to quantify. With that said, it’s no less a vital part to your success as a real estate investor. Rental vacancies are extremely costly and the way you maximize your property’s income-earning potential is by minimizing turnover as much as possible.