📊 Definition
Average Days Vacant (also called Turn Time) measures the average number of days a unit sits empty between one resident moving out and the next resident moving in. It quantifies turnover efficiency.
The Formula
Calculated over a specific period (month, quarter, year)
Example Calculation
A property had 15 turnovers in Q1 with the following vacant days per unit: 18, 22, 25, 12, 30, 28, 15, 20, 35, 17, 24, 19, 27, 21, 23. Total vacant days = 336:
Where Does the Data Come From?
Turn time data comes from your property management system's leasing and maintenance modules:
- Move-Out Date: When previous resident vacates
- Move-In Date: When new resident takes possession
- Make-Ready Timeline: Maintenance work orders from move-out to ready-for-lease
- Marketing Period: Days unit is vacant and available for leasing
Most PMS platforms (Yardi, RealPage, Entrata) track vacancy periods automatically and can generate turn-time reports.
⚠️ Important Note
Ensure consistent methodology: measure from move-out to move-in (total vacant days), not just make-ready time. Include marketing/leasing days, not just maintenance days. This gives true revenue loss picture.
Who Uses This Metric?
Property Managers
Monitor turn time to optimize make-ready processes, staffing, and vendor coordination. Faster turns mean less revenue loss and better occupancy performance.
Maintenance Teams
Track make-ready completion times to identify bottlenecks, improve efficiency, and justify staffing levels. Turn time is a key operational performance indicator.
Asset Managers
Use turn time to calculate vacancy loss impact on NOI and compare operational efficiency across properties. Long turn times signal process problems or resource constraints.
Why This Metric Matters
1. Direct Revenue Impact
Every day a unit sits vacant costs money. At $1,500/month rent ($50/day), reducing average turn time from 30 days to 20 days saves $500 per turn. With 100 annual turns, that's $50,000 in recovered revenue.
2. Occupancy Performance
Faster turns improve occupancy rates by minimizing down time between residents. A property with 20-day turns can maintain higher occupancy than one with 40-day turns, all else equal.
3. Operational Efficiency Indicator
Turn time reveals maintenance capacity, vendor reliability, and process efficiency. Increasing turn times signal resource constraints or process breakdowns requiring attention.
💡 Pro Tip
Break turn time into components: make-ready time (maintenance), leasing time (marketing/showing), and administrative time (lease processing). This identifies whether delays stem from maintenance capacity, leasing velocity, or process inefficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's a good average days vacant for apartments?
Best-in-class properties achieve 15-20 days, industry average is 20-30 days, and 30+ days signals inefficiency. Class A properties with extensive amenities may target sub-15 days, while value-add properties might accept 25-30 days during stabilization.
How much does each vacant day cost?
Calculate daily rent by dividing monthly rent by 30. A $1,500/month unit = $50/day in lost revenue. Over 100 annual turns, reducing turn time by 5 days saves $25,000 annually in vacancy loss alone.
What causes long turn times?
Common causes include understaffed maintenance teams, vendor delays (flooring, painting, appliances), extensive unit damage, slow leasing velocity, deferred maintenance backlogs impacting turnover rate, or inefficient processes (work order management, inspection procedures).
Can turn time be too fast?
Yes—if units aren't properly prepared. Rushing turns creates maintenance callbacks, resident complaints, and long-term unit degradation. The goal is optimal turn time (thorough yet efficient), not minimum turn time. Quality matters alongside speed.
How do I reduce average days vacant?
Improve make-ready processes (checklists, standard scopes), increase maintenance staffing during peak turnover season, pre-lease units before move-out, schedule vendors in advance, implement turn bonuses for staff, and track turn time by unit type to identify patterns.
Track Turn Time Automatically
BubbleGum BI monitors average days vacant by property, floorplan, and time period via our operations dashboard with automated alerts when turn times exceed targets—helping you minimize vacancy loss.
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