Apartment Turnover Cost: What PMs Actually Pay [2026]

The average apartment turnover costs $3,872 per unit according to Zego's research, which surveyed property managers of communities with 250+ units for three consecutive years. That number has held remarkably steady, meaning cost-reduction efforts across the industry have barely kept pace with inflation.

For smaller landlords managing 1–10 units, turnover costs tend to cluster between $1,000 and $2,500 per unit because vacancy periods are shorter (more urgency to fill) and the work is often DIY. For larger communities with 100+ units, the per-unit cost typically runs $2,500–$5,000 because of higher labor costs, longer vacancy averages, and more administrative overhead.

NAAHQ's 2024 benchmarks show turnover costs rose 17.5% year-over-year, with total leasing expenses hitting $292 per unit nationally. That increase was driven primarily by higher repair costs, longer vacancy durations (averaging 46 days to re-rent a unit in Q1 2024 per RentCafe), and tighter labor markets for maintenance staff.

Lost rent during vacancy is the single largest turnover expense, typically accounting for 35–50% of the total cost per unit. At the national average rent of $1,740 per month (RentCafe, 2026), every vacant day costs approximately $58 in lost income.

Here is what that looks like at different rent levels and vacancy durations:

• •$1,200/month unit vacant for 14 days = $560 in lost rent
• •$1,740/month unit vacant for 14 days = $812 in lost rent
• •$1,740/month unit vacant for 21 days = $1,218 in lost rent
• •$2,500/month unit vacant for 14 days = $1,167 in lost rent

The industry benchmark for make-ready completion is 5–7 days according to property management platform Lula, though the typical PM company takes 7–10 days (PropertyMeld data). Communities without a standardized turnover process routinely take 14–21 days per unit.

Every day beyond the 7-day target is pure waste. The math is brutal for larger portfolios: a 200-unit property with 47.5% annual turnover (the national average per CBRE/RealPage) turns 95 units per year. If each unit sits 7 extra days beyond target, that portfolio loses $38,570 in annual rent — enough to cover a full-time maintenance salary.

Junk removal is one of the most variable turnover costs — and the one where PMs leave the most money on the table. The range spans from $79 for a curbside pickup to $550+ for a full-service crew or dumpster rental.

The reason it varies so much comes down to method. Full-service companies like 1-800-GOT-JUNK charge an average of $240 per job and require an on-site estimate before giving a price. Dumpster rentals average $385 per week (Angi, 2026) but tie up parking spaces for 5–10 days. Meanwhile, curbside services like Dropcurb charge $79 per pickup for items your maintenance crew can move to the curb.

Here is the key insight most PMs miss: you already have staff to move items out of units. That is part of the make-ready process regardless. The bottleneck is not getting items to the curb — it is getting them off the property. Paying $240 for a full-service crew to do what your maintenance team already does is paying double for labor.

Here is a realistic turnover cost breakdown for a standard 2-bedroom apartment at $1,740/month rent, with the tenant leaving behind furniture and moderate wall damage. This reflects national averages sourced from Zego, NAAHQ, and PropertyMeld:

The financial impact of turnover compounds rapidly with portfolio size. Using the national average turnover rate of 47.5% (CBRE/RealPage) and the average turn cost of $3,872 (Zego):

• •10-unit building: 4.75 turns/year × $3,872 = $18,392/year
• •50-unit community: 23.75 turns/year × $3,872 = $91,960/year
• •100-unit community: 47.5 turns/year × $3,872 = $183,920/year
• •225-unit community: 106.9 turns/year × $3,872 = $413,917/year
• •500-unit complex: 237.5 turns/year × $3,872 = $919,600/year

Those numbers explain why NAAHQ reports that leasing expenses now represent a significant drag on NOI across the multifamily sector. Cutting $1,500 per turn through the optimizations in the table above would save a 225-unit community over $160,000 annually — money that drops straight to NOI.

Eviction turnovers cost dramatically more than normal move-outs. According to Snappt (citing TransUnion SmartMove data), the average eviction costs property managers $3,500 in legal fees and court costs alone. When you add unpaid rent and property damage, the total reaches $7,685 per eviction on average.

The junk removal component of eviction turnovers is also higher because evicted tenants almost always leave belongings behind — sometimes deliberately. Common items include mattresses, couches, clothing, broken appliances, and general household junk. According to experienced landlords on Reddit, close to 100% of evictions require a full cleanout, compared to roughly 30–40% of normal move-outs.

For eviction cleanouts, your options are:

• •Full-unit cleanout by 1-800-GOT-JUNK or College Hunks: $400–$1,000+ per unit
• •Dumpster rental + maintenance crew labor: $385 (dumpster) + 8–16 hours of crew time
• •Curbside approach: maintenance crew moves items to curb over 2–4 hours, Dropcurb picks up same day for $79

The curbside approach works well for eviction cleanouts where the items are primarily furniture and household goods. For severe hoarding or biohazard situations, a specialized cleanout crew is the better call.

In most states, you can deduct reasonable turnover costs from the security deposit for damage beyond normal wear and tear, cleaning required to return the unit to move-in condition, and removal of abandoned personal property.

The key requirements for a legally defensible deduction:

• •Lease clause: Your lease must state that tenants are responsible for removing all personal property at move-out and that disposal costs will be deducted from the deposit (sample clause templates available from TwoMen&ATruck and Nolo)
• •Photo documentation: Timestamped photos of items left behind, taken during the move-out inspection
• •Itemized receipts: Actual cost of removal — a $79 Dropcurb receipt is easier to defend than a $385 dumpster rental split across multiple tenants
• •Timely notice: An itemized deduction statement sent to the tenant within your state's required timeframe (typically 14–30 days post move-out)

Junk removal is one of the easiest turnover costs to recover from deposits because it is clearly attributable to specific items the tenant left behind, and the cost is documented with a receipt. Painting and carpet cleaning deductions are frequently disputed, but a photo of an abandoned couch next to a $79 receipt is straightforward.

Peak moving season runs May through September, with June, July, and August seeing the highest volume (Movebuddha). During these months, turnover costs increase for three reasons:

• •Higher demand, higher prices: Dumpster companies, full-service junk removal crews, painters, and cleaning services all book up faster and charge more. A dumpster that costs $350 in February may run $500+ in July with a 5–7 day delivery wait.
• •Compressed timelines: Multiple units turning over simultaneously strains your maintenance team. If 15 units in a 200-unit community all move out the same week, your 3-person maintenance crew becomes the bottleneck for every step of the process.
• •Longer re-leasing times in 2024–2026: Despite peak demand, vacant units averaged 46 days to re-rent in Q1 2024 according to RentCafe data cited by Multi-Housing News. The supply wave of 2023–2024 (586,151 completions in Q4 2024 per RealPage) means more competition for tenants even during summer.

The solution is to eliminate variables you can control. Standardize your turnover playbook so every unit follows the same 7-day process regardless of season. Use vendors with same-day availability (like curbside junk pickup) instead of vendors that require scheduling days in advance.