
Should Landlords Lower Rent Or Offer Tenant Incentives?
Landlords across Canada are having a harder time filling vacancies. There are fewer tenants moving, more rental units available, and more competition between landlords than many investors have seen in years. So what should you do when your rental property is sitting empty? Should you lower the rent? Or should you offer an incentive to get the right tenant in the door? In this episode, Wayne and Gabby break down what landlords need to understand about today's rental market and why automatically lowering rent may not always be the best first move. Wayne explains that rental markets are cyclical. Just like real estate prices, interest rates, immigration, construction, and tenant demand, vacancy pressure moves in cycles. Some investors have only experienced rising rents and strong tenant demand, which makes today's softer rental market feel scary. But this is part of the business. The key is knowing how to respond. Wayne and Gabby discuss how landlords can think more like business owners and marketers when listing rental properties. A rental listing is not just an ad. It is your first chance to get the attention of your ideal tenant. If your property looks the same as every other rental in a crowded market, tenants will compare mainly on price. But if you understand your tenant profile and offer the right incentive, you may be able to stand out without racing to the bottom on rent. They also discuss different incentive ideas, including gift cards, free utilities, free internet, waived pet fees, reduced security deposits, free lawn care, gaming consoles, TVs, moving credits, and first month's rent free. Wayne explains why the incentive must match the tenant profile. A young student, a family with children, a pet owner, and a tenant relying on transit may all respond to different offers. They also compare the math behind lowering rent versus offering a one-time incentive. A $50 monthly rent reduction costs $600 over a year, while a one-time $500 gift card may create a bigger marketing impact while costing the landlord less overall. Gabby also explains why affordability, timing, security deposits, moving costs, pets, and upfront cash are major pain points for tenants in today's market. This episode is a practical conversation for landlords who are trying to fill vacancies without panicking, slashing rent unnecessarily, or weakening their rental business long term. The bigger lesson is that the best way to avoid this problem is to buy the right properties from day one. Wayne and Gabby explain why they focus on properties with strong cash flow, strong tenant demand, and features renters actually want, so they are not forced to compete only on price when the market softens. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why landlords are struggling to fill vacancies right now Why many Canadian rental markets have more supply and less tenant demand Why today's rental market feels scary for newer investors Why rental markets move in cycles Why lowering rent should not always be the first move Why rental listings need to be treated like marketing Why tenants compare similar rentals mostly by price How incentives can make your rental listing stand out Why the right incentive depends on your tenant profile Why student tenants, families, and pet owners may respond to different offers Why cash, gift cards, and upfront savings can be powerful incentives Why a $500 gift card may be more effective than reducing rent by $50 per month Why landlords need to understand the math before discounting rent Why free internet, utilities, lawn care, or moving credits may work in certain situations Why waived pet fees or fewer pet restrictions can attract more tenants Why reduced security deposits can create demand but also add risk Why first month's rent free can work but must be structured carefully Why incentives should solve a tenant's actual pain point Why buying properties with strong tenant demand protects investors long term Why the best rental properties are the ones tenants actually want Upcoming Events Edmonton Garden Suites 101 July 24, 2026 Edmonton, Alberta www.reimasters.ca REI Masters Edmonton Real Estate Investing Bus Tour August 22, 2026 www.reimasters.ca/edmontonbustour About Your Hosts Wayne & Gabby Hillier are full-time real estate investors and real estate investing coaches based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Through the REI Masters Mentorship Program, they help Canadians build long-term wealth through rental properties, BRRRRs, joint ventures, seller financing, rent-to-own, garden suites, and other real estate investing strategies. The Canadian Real Estate Investing Morning Show releases new episodes every weekday morning featuring real stories, market analysis, coaching conversations, investor questions, landlord advice, market updates, and practical real estate investing education. Resources & Contact Learn about the REI Masters Mentorship Program: www.reimasters.ca Bookkeeping and tax help for real estate investors: www.finngo.com/rei Get Wayne's book: The 5% Rule™ – A Real Estate Cash Flow Test for Canadian Investors https://a.co/d/jdZaBXM Submit a question: info@reimorningshow.com Thanks to Our Sponsors Calvin Realty – Edmonton Investor-Focused Realtor calvinrealty.ca Finngo Bookkeeping & Tax – Investor-Focused Accounting Firm www.finngo.com/rei Kirkwood & Brennan Mortgage Group – Investor-Focused Mortgage Brokers www.kbmortgages.ca keaton@kbmortgages.ca













