Key Takeaways
Affordability remains the top priority for renters, but flexible lease terms and pet-friendly policies can help landlords stand out.
High-demand amenities such as in-unit laundry, central air, outdoor space, and dedicated parking continue to influence leasing decisions.
Tenants increasingly expect convenience—from online rent payments to digital maintenance requests and document storage.
As rental markets evolve, landlords who understand what tenants value most will be in the best position to attract and retain renters. With leasing season fast approaching, it’s more important than ever to ensure your properties offer the digital conveniences and apartment amenities that today’s renters are looking for.
To better understand tenant preferences, we surveyed more than 4,000 tenants and 470 landlords. The results revealed what renters are looking for in 2026—and where landlords have opportunities to gain a competitive advantage.
What Matters Most To Tenants When Choosing a Rental?
By the time prospective tenants begin scheduling showings, they’ve already narrowed their search using a few key criteria. When we asked tenants to rank the most important factors in their housing decisions, the average scores revealed the hierarchy as follows:
Price (45.3% ranked #1)
Location (16.0% ranked #1)
Pet policy (25.2% ranked #1)
Lease flexibility (6.5% ranked #1)
Tenant amenities (7.1% ranked #1)
Unsurprisingly, affordability remains the top priority, demonstrating how competitive pricing remains a powerful tool for landlords to attract interest and maintain occupancy.
Location came in a close second, with some renters willing to make trade-offs on where they’re renting if a property offers advantages in other areas.
Pet policy ranked third overall, but more than a quarter of respondents ranked it as their most important consideration (more than the 16% who ranked location as #1). For most renters with pets, a “no pets” policy is an immediate dealbreaker.
When considering demographics, this pet policy preference has implications for your bottom line. Millennials both represent the largest percentage of current pet owners (33%) and the largest percentage of renters (33%). By restricting pets, landlords may unintentionally eliminate a substantial portion of otherwise qualified applicants.
While price, location, and pet policies often drive initial interest, long-term housing goals play an equally important role in tenant decision-making.
Stability Matters: Lease Terms and Tenant Retention
Most landlords default to the industry standard of year-long lease structures; they’re familiar and make for easier renewals. But are year-long leases really best for your rental business?
When asked how long they planned to remain in their current rental, respondents answered:
Less than 1 year (9.6% of respondents)
1-2 years (31.4% of respondents)
3-5 years (28.1% of respondents)
5+ years (30.9% of respondents)
The takeaway? If you want to retain good tenants for a longer period of time, don’t fear offering lease terms beyond a single year. In a market where rents tend to increase, leases of 14, 18, or 24 months can attract tenants with their steady rate.
Tenant expectations also vary by age group. Renters aged 18-24 years planned to stay two years or less, while over half of renters aged 65 and older planned to stay five years or longer.
Understanding the demographics of your target renter can help you structure lease terms that align with tenant expectations, which can help to reduce turnover, increase stability, and generate returns in the long run.
Convenience is Key: Modern Payment Methods
The shift toward online rent collection is no longer a trend—it's the standard.
Our survey found that:
55.3% of respondents prefer to pay rent online via ACH or bank transfer
33.6% preferred online payment via credit or debit card
6.0% prefer paying by check
2.3% prefer paying with cash
Among Innago landlords, adoption is already widespread, with 96% offering ACH payments and 72% accepting credit or debit cards.
Again, tenant preferences differ by age. Tenants in the younger age range (18-24) had the highest preference for ACH at 58.7%, while older renters were more likely to prefer checks. Even so, around 74% of older renters surveyed stated that they still preferred paying rent online.
Regardless of your tenant demographic, offering online rent collection will satisfy the greatest number of your tenants.
Amenities That Drive Leasing Decisions
Amenities remain a powerful way to bring prospective tenants to the table. While every market is unique, several features consistently stood out as top priorities among renters.
Below are the top five amenities that tenants found most lucrative:
In-unit washer and dryer (69.5% of respondents)
Central air conditioning (67.2% of respondents)
Private yard, deck, balcony, or patio (56.5% of respondents)
Dishwasher (53.7% of respondents)
Dedicated parking space (50.9% respondents)
These amenities directly impact daily convenience and quality of life, making them powerful drivers of leasing decisions.
Apart from these traditionally sought-after tenant amenities, our tenant preferences report goes further in-depth about which amenities stand out as opportunities for landlords in 2026—detailing must-haves, nice-to-haves, and appetite for other amenities in specific markets.
Digital Tools to Drive Lease Renewals
As a landlord, your property management software and digital tools should work to make your life (and your tenants’ lives) easier by streamlining tenant communication, digital payments, and maintenance management.
Tenant Communication Tools
Strong communication remains one of the most important components of a positive rental experience. When asked how they prefer to reach their landlords, tenants responded:
53% preferred text messaging
20% preferred email
10% preferred phone calls
9% preferred a portal or app
6.5% preferred in-person communication
Again, preferences vary by age. While tenants of all ages preferred text and email the most, younger renters also use apps and tenant portals, while senior renters often place a greater value on direct, in-person interactions. While communication preferences vary, at minimum, landlords should ensure tenants can easily reach you through text and email.
Online Services Tenants Want Most
Our survey additionally found tenant preferences for helpful online services, encountering a demand for:
An online maintenance request system (62.0% of respondents)
Digital lease document storage (55.1% of respondents)
Rent payment reminders (54.4%)
Secure online messaging with property manager (50.3%)
Rent reporting to credit bureaus (43.0%)
Whether it be a broken A/C unit, damaged appliances, or clogged drains, maintenance problems are often lurking just around the corner. Being able to submit maintenance tickets easily and see progress being made on a request goes a long way with tenants.
Additionally, digital lease document storage, rent payment reminders, and online messaging were all selected by more than half the respondents—highlighting the high demand for these digital capabilities.
Moving Forward
As a landlord, it’s crucial to stay on top of what tenants in your local market are looking for in a rental.
While affordability remains the most important consideration for renters, tenants also value flexible lease options, pet-friendly policies, convenient digital tools, and amenities that improve everyday life.
For landlords, understanding these preferences can help reduce vacancies, increase tenant satisfaction, and improve retention. Small changes—whether offering online rent collection, simplifying maintenance requests, allowing pets, or investing in high-demand amenities—can make a significant difference in a competitive rental market.
By aligning your property offerings with tenant expectations, you’ll be better positioned to attract qualified renters and encourage lease renewals. With tools like Innago’s rent collection, lease management, and maintenance tracking features, landlords can deliver the modern rental experience today’s tenants expect.
FAQS
What is the most important factor tenants consider when choosing a rental in 2026?
Price remains the top consideration, with 45.3% of tenants ranking it as their most important factor when evaluating rental properties.
What amenities do renters want most in 2026?
The most sought-after amenities are in-unit washer and dryer, central air conditioning, private outdoor space, dishwashers, and dedicated parking.
Do tenants prefer to pay rent online?
Yes. Nearly 90% of surveyed tenants preferred online payment methods, with ACH transfers being the most popular option.
How long do most renters plan to stay in a property?
More than 90% of surveyed renters planned to stay at least one year, and nearly 60% expected to remain for three years or longer.
What digital services do tenants value most?
Online maintenance requests, digital lease storage, rent payment reminders, secure messaging, and rent reporting to credit bureaus were among the most sought-after services.
