Rental vacancies rose to 7.6%: what the new Census housing data means for your renter leads
The Census Bureau’s latest quarterly housing report shows renters have more empty units to choose from than a year ago, while the national homeownership rate barely moved. For agents, that points to one group worth more of your attention this fall: the renters already in your database. Here’s what the numbers say, and four follow-up moves to act on them.
What the data says
From the U.S. Census Bureau’s Quarterly Residential Vacancies and Homeownership, Third Quarter 2026 report, released October 28, 2026:
- The rental vacancy rate was 7.6%, up from 7.1% in the third quarter of 2025 and 7.3% in the second quarter of 2026. That’s the highest quarterly rate in the report’s table going back to 2020.
- The homeowner vacancy rate held at 1.2%, essentially the same as last quarter and a year ago. Homes for sale are still a small slice of the housing stock.
- The homeownership rate was 65.5%, which Census says was not statistically different from a year ago (65.3%) or last quarter (65.0%).
- Age makes a big difference. Homeownership was 36.6% for householders under 35 and 79.1% for those 65 and over. Compared with a year ago, the rate rose for the 65-and-over group and fell for ages 35 to 44 (to 60.1%).
- Rentals are loosest in cities and the South. Rental vacancy was 8.8% in principal cities versus 6.5% in suburbs, and 9.2% in the South, the highest of the four regions.
- The median asking rent for vacant rental units was $1,541, and the median asking price for vacant for-sale units was $353,600.
All figures are from the Census press release (CB26-161). The data are not seasonally adjusted. The next release is scheduled for February 2, 2027.
What this means for agents
More vacant rentals usually means renters have more choices and more room to negotiate when a lease comes up. Some will stay put. Others will use renewal time to ask a bigger question: keep renting, or start working toward buying? Either way, a lease renewal is a natural decision point, and the agent who is already in touch when it arrives is the one who gets the conversation.
The age numbers back that up. With only about a third of households under 35 owning, most younger clients in your database are probably renting today. They aren’t cold leads. They’re future buyers on a longer timeline, and long timelines are exactly where follow-up tends to fall apart.
4 follow-up moves for this market
1. Write down every renter’s lease end date
The single most useful fact about a renter lead is when their lease is up. Ask for it on the first call and put it in their record. Then set a check-in about 90 days before that date, early enough to talk about options before they sign another 12 months.
2. Turn “not yet” into a schedule
When a renter says they’re not ready, don’t just say “keep me posted.” Agree on when you’ll check back, whether that’s next quarter or after the holidays, and send something useful each time: a local price update, a reminder about getting pre-approved, or a quick note when homes in their price range come on the market.
3. Bring local numbers to the rent-vs-buy talk
National figures start the conversation, but local ones close it. Pull current rents and list prices for the neighborhoods your renter likes, and connect them with a lender for real payment numbers. Skip the predictions. Show them what today looks like and let them decide.
4. Don’t forget your landlord clients
If you work with investors or past clients who own rentals, higher vacancy is a reason to check in. Some may want help pricing a vacant unit, and some may start thinking about selling. A short “how are your rentals doing?” text can open a listing conversation.
Talk about it today
Copy, tweak and send. Each one sticks to the facts above.
Make the follow-up automatic
Renters can take months or even a year to become buyers, and keeping track of all those lease dates and check-ins is where most agents slip. That’s what TouchTempo handles. It’s a simple real estate CRM in Google Sheets: every renter, buyer, seller and past client gets a follow-up cadence, ready-to-send texts and emails, and a spot on your Today list when they’re due. Log a touch and the next date sets itself.
Want help with the writing too? The optional AI follow-up assistant writes your follow-ups each morning. You review them and click send, and nothing goes out without your OK.
See it in action
Watch the narrated demo (about 8 minutes, no sign-up) to see how TouchTempo keeps every renter, buyer and past client on a follow-up schedule.
Watch the demo See pricingQuestions? Book a call with Bradley (5–8 PM ET).