Friday, December 16, 2011

Groundhogs Don’t Rent U-Hauls in December

The apartment industry is dead set on one and only one sure fact about its renters. Nobody moves in December.

Owners shake in fear of retaining a vacant apartment through the entire winter. Leasing Agents fight back tears that offices will become ghost towns. Property Managers stare at budgets dreading evaporating bonuses. “You’re going to take that vacant unit through the winter,” the conference calls echo.

Maybe it’s all that celebrating done in December. Regardless of personal beliefs, some holiday is sure to fall between Thanksgiving and the New Year; most people have a reason to celebrate somewhere on the final month of the wall calendar.

And who wants to pack up a U-Haul and MOVE when there’s all this celebrating to do?

Apartments available for rent in December are like 2011 model cars, sitting on the car lot while their shiny 2012 replacements are en route from China. The 2011 models instantly become last year’s model and the dealer wants them gone!

There’s a best time to buy everything and a twelve month lease should be on that list for December!

Walk into an apartment community on December 15th and state, “I was thinking about moving on January 1st but I don’t know.” Then sit back and watch that leasing agent do financial cartwheels to lure you in. It’s amazing!

Don't be a mythical creatures that pop its heads out of the hole, looks around for a shadow, and then disappears until March. If you are a smart consumer, move in December, renew in December, get new in December. Then celebrate!