At the RPA meeting last night I spoke with several owners who already have their 2026 rent increases sent out. Between 3% and 6%. It seemed to me most of them were triggered by increased property taxes bills they just got in the mail. We have typically been waiting until April to announce annual increases and implement them effective June 1st, so about 45 days later.  

My rational has always been that with the winter in Milwaukee we wanted wanted to delay any possible turnover to the most active months in spring to rent out homes. Not sure if that even makes sense, because we have already so much demand in January. Worth mentioning that our policy is MTM after the first full year, so we are free to chose the month we want to raise.

But the questions remains: what is stratgically the best month to raise rents in markets where you have an actual winter. And what about the sun-belt? Thoughts?