Is Winter the Best Time to Negotiate Rent?

If your lease is about to end or you’re living with family and finally feeling ready to move out on your own, the winter months may actually be the best time for you to sign a new lease. Winter may not be the most convenient time to start an apartment hunt — between the poor weather, early sunsets, and busy holiday schedules — but it may be the most cost effective. Not to mention, since fewer people will be looking for apartments than in the summer months, it’s usually easier to find a place, especially in a typically competitive rental market.

With fewer renters searching for apartments in the winter, landlords and property managers feel increased pressure when trying to fill their vacant units. And the inclement winter weather doesn’t help: Many property managers say apartment hunters are more likely to cancel tours due to inclement winter weather compared to warmer months. So, if a landlord finds a tenant ready and willing to rent in the winter, they may be more amenable to rent concessions.

“Owners know that the market slows down after the fall, and they don't want to miss out on their ideal tenant over a small amount of rent money per month,” says Brendan Smyth, a real estate agent at ApartmentAdvisor. “If they miss out on that opportunity, it may take them another month to find the right tenant.”

If their property is located in a highly seasonal market like Boston (where most leases turn over on September 1, and where Smyth is based), it’s also possible that the open inventory they have in the winter has been sitting vacant for a while — and they’re likely feeling the pressure of the lack of rent payments. In this case, you’ll have more opportunity to negotiate the price of an apartment rental.

“Every negotiation involves a give and take. Owners who have units that are available the winter are always looking to get back on the summer cycle,” Smyth says. “We’ve been able to negotiate the monthly rent down in exchange for a shorter lease. We’ve also been able to use comparable units that are priced at lower rates to show owners what the market is dictating at that time.”

To aid you in your winter apartment search, we outline signs that a landlord is likely to come down on rent price during a negotiation and give tips on how to negotiate successfully.

Not all landlords will feel the need to offer a move-in special in the winter, especially if they own a unit or building in a high demand area. We offer guidance on a few ways you can decipher whether or not a landlord or property management company is feeling the pressure of winter vacancies:

ApartmentAdvisor's Price History tool will tell how long a listing has been on the market and if its rent price has changed.

The “Less expensive listings from nearby neighborhoods” section on each ApartmentAdvisor listing can help you find comps.

If you’ve determined that a unit you are interested in is a good candidate for negotiation, there are a few strategies you should keep in mind as you approach the property owner:

For more advice, read our full guide on how to negotiate with your landlord.

In many cases, winter may be the best time for you to negotiate the rent on a new apartment — or even on your current lease. Because there is typically much less demand in the housing market at that time, landlords are more likely to prioritize getting tenants into their units over listing the highest possible rent price. Read this guide for tips and tricks on negotiating successfully.