Joe DownsCEO & Co-Founder, Belrose Storage Group. Founder, Storage Moguls.

Why discounting in spring backfires

15 May 2026 · 0 min

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Offering rent discounts in spring to fill vacant storage or parking spots backfires. Tenants who move in at reduced rates expect to keep paying less and won't renew when prices return to normal in fall, training them to wait for deals instead.

The mistake most operators make is in March and April when your occupancy is dropping as tenants pull vehicles for the season. The instinct is to discount for new tenants to fill the gap. But here's why that's wrong. Tenants acquired at a discount or discounted spring rate frequently don't renew it at the full fall rate. They came in expecting a lower price and they'll expect it again. You've trained them to wait for the discount.

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