What Fort Lauderdale Rental Property Owners Need to Know About Handling a Lease Renewal

Florida PMServices • February 12, 2021
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Your lease agreement governs the relationship you have with your tenant, and it sets out all the responsibilities and expectations that shape the lease term. Typically, a lease agreement covers the term of one year. When the lease is nearly up, it’s time to decide whether the tenant you have in place will renew or move out. 


A successful investment experience relies on a high renewal rate. Keeping a good tenant in place is important. It reduces your
turnover and vacancy costs, and increases your ROI.


Timeline for Fort Lauderdale Lease Renewals 


Your lease should indicate how much notice a tenant needs to give before vacating or renewing the lease. We recommend a 60-day requirement. This means that if a tenant plans to move out, he or she needs to notify you in writing 60 days ahead of the end of the lease. If they decide they want to renew, you will need to create a new lease. Many rental properties are in an HOA or community association and if that applies to your property, find out if there’s additional renewal paperwork required by the association. 


Conducting a Walk-Through Lease Renewal Inspection 


Before agreeing to a lease renewal, it’s a good idea to make sure your tenants are taking good care of the property. Consider scheduling a full walk-through and inspection. This is a good opportunity to check for any deferred maintenance issues or unreported repairs. It also allows helps you to ensure the tenants are following the terms of the lease. If they’re taking good care of the home, you will certainly want them to stay in place for another year. 


Consider Your Tenant’s Rental History


Deciding to renew a lease depends on property condition and the behavior of your tenant. One factor to consider when you’re thinking about renewing a tenant’s lease is if they pay their rent on time. If they do pay on time consistently every month and you’ve never had to send a reminder or ask where the payment is, that’s great. It’s a good reason to renew the lease. 


However, if your tenant doesn’t pay rent on time every month, you’ll need to decide if you’re okay with that. If they pay a few days late every month but they always pay, you might find it’s tolerable since you get to collect a late fee. The tardy payments may be inconvenient, but if you like the extra income that late fees provided, renewing with a tenant who pays late might also work out well for you. 


Rental Increases during Lease Renewals

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Evaluate the rental market and decide if a rent increase is warranted. We suggest you get help from a Fort Lauderdale property manager so you have reliable data on the average rental rates for homes like yours in your neighborhood. 


With our lease renewal process, we take a close look at market rents and make recommendations to our owners about whether rent should be increased and if so, by how much. Most tenants expect a rent increase during a lease renewal period, but you don’t want to chase away a great tenant with an increase that’s too high. 


Retaining good tenants is an important part of your investment strategy. If you’d like further advice about lease renewals, we’d love to talk to you more about this topic. Please contact us at Florida Property Management Services. 



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By Florida PMServices June 23, 2026
From the Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk, PLLC
By Florida PMServices June 10, 2026
Think again !!
By Florida PMServices June 9, 2026
Welcome to this month’s Investor Newsletter. With market conditions varying widely from one metro to the next, staying informed has never been more important. This edition dives into the shift away from a one-size-fits-all housing market, highlights the hidden value of assumable mortgages, and covers the SFR headlines worth watching this month. Let’s dive in! The Death of the “National Housing Market”: Why Local Knowledge Is the New Investor Edge For years, real estate investors could rely on a familiar narrative: the housing market is hot or the market is cooling. But in 2026, that headline is becoming less and less applicable as there is no longer just one housing market. Instead, there are thousands of local markets moving at different speeds. At the national level, housing appears more balanced than it has in years. According to Realtor.com’s Housing Market Report , April contract signings rose 4.5% year over year, while new listings reached their highest level since 2022. On paper, that suggests momentum is returning, but beneath the surface, the story can change by region, metro, and even ZIP code. Realtor.com found that performance across the top 50 U.S. metros varies widely, buyer activity is picking up in some areas, while others remain slow. In fact, many of the strongest-performing housing markets in early 2026 have been concentrated in the Midwest rather than the typically strongest Sun Belt region. A recent Fortune analysis noted that affordability and home pricing are helping Midwest markets outperform many southern metros in which are now facing softer demand and rising inventory. Rental performance is becoming just as localized too. The latest SFR Index found rent growth slowing significantly compared to prior years, with standalone SFR rents increasing just 0.8% year over year nationally in February. Meanwhile, some markets continue to stabilize while others face more pressure from new supply and affordability challenges. Additionally, according to a Yardi Matrix report , areas with more new construction, particularly in parts of the Sun Belt, are seeing weaker rent growth. Local market changes often show up first in property management data. Leasing activity, renewal rates, concessions, and tenant demand tend to change at the neighborhood level long before national housing reports reflect them. One area may remain highly competitive while a nearby neighborhood sees slower leasing activity. As an investor, it may be time to look beyond national headlines and even citywide trends when evaluating markets. You may want to look at where homes are leasing fastest and which neighborhoods are seeing new supply. Competitive edge may not come from choosing the right city, but from understanding the right block. As your property management company, we are here to help, so please reach out if you have any questions about your market. Did You Know: Assumable Mortgages Everything You Need to Know in 60 Seconds! What exactly is an assumable mortgage? Instead of getting a brand-new loan, the buyer takes over (or “assumes”) the seller’s existing mortgage, including the current interest rate, remaining balance, and loan terms. Not all loans qualify, but many FHA, VA, and USDA loans do, while most conventional loans do not. Who can use this? Real estate investors, homebuyers, and sellers can all benefit. For investors, assumable loans can be attractive when today’s interest rates are much higher than the seller’s existing loan rate. On the other side, it can also be used as a major selling point. Where can investors find this? Assumable mortgages can be found nationwide, but availability depends on the financing already attached to the property. Most conventional bank loans have a "due-on-sale" clause, which means they cannot be assumed. When is the best time to use this? These loans become especially valuable when current mortgage rates are much higher than rates from previous years. Assuming a mortgage at 3% instead of getting a new loan at 7% could dramatically reduce monthly payments for investors. Why does this matter? As a buyer, an assumable mortgage can help improve cash flow, lower financing costs, and make a property more attractive to future buyers. As a seller, it acts as a massive marketing tool. Offering a built-in low interest rate allows your property to stand out. Investor Takeaway: A low-rate assumable mortgage can be a valuable opportunity when buying AND a strong selling feature when it’s time to exit an investment. SFR Trending Headlines Stay Up to Date on the Hottest SFR News & Stories Are Single-Family Rentals Climbing While Apartments Slump? The Summer Pause : Why Zillow Says the Housing Recovery Just Hit a Wall Lizzo Offloads Her Beverly Hills Compound at a Massive $4M Discount Wall Street Is Betting $15 Billion on a Brand-New Wave of Housing Supply Why Ellen DeGeneres Just Listed Her $30M Eco-Farmhouse and Left for the UK Rate Update: We've Partnered with LendingOne to Bring You The Best DSCR Rates & Terms! DSCR Loan Advantages: Rates Often Lower Than Banks No Personal Income Requirement No Tax Returns Needed Not Reported on Credit Faster Closing Times Specialized Loans for Investors Only! To Inquire about Single Family Investor loans by email us at office@properties.rent Until Next Month! The Florida Property Management Services Team
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