Struggling to find tenant in OK

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Out of State Investing
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Struggling to find tenant in OK

Ken Stern
Member since 2024 · 2 posts · 0 votes

I bought the property last year. Located in Moore, OK. 215k, 4bdrm 2ba 1600sqft SFH. Looking to rent it for about $1600/mo.

I have been having difficulty finding a tenant. Not even a single application despite it being available for rent since 9/2025. I have a PM which hasn't been great and hasn't been very informative so I plan to change the PM if I continue to look for a tenant.

I've lowered the rent a few times already without any potential tenants. I am getting concerned that I will start to reach into 'below market' rent territory, which may make my place harder to sell.

I live too remotely to manage it myself.

Wanted to hear opinions about whether continue to struggle to find a tenant vs sell.

Thanks for the advice/opinions.

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Matthew Thornton
Member since 2025 · 104 posts · 37 votes
9mo

Who do you use for PM? I know a good PM company in Oklahoma that manages my Rental properties in that area. If you want to connect, let me know. 

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  • Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    9mo

    What is your property manager saying? Have you seen pictures of the interior to make sure it's In good condition. I had a rental that wasn't getting any applications. Then I sent somebody through to inspect the property and there were holes in the walls and my property manager never finished the light rehab

    7e investments53 Reviews
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    2Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    9mo

    I agree with Chris.  Have a talk with your PM and have someone go through the property as if they were an applicant and don't tell your PM you are doing that.  It will give you an idea of how the PM shows the property and if it is a problem with something they are doing or if there is something wrong with the house and the price.

    0Reply
  • Michael SmytheBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Metro Detroit · Member since 2023 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    9mo
    Quote from @Ken Stern:

    I bought the property last year. Located in Moore, OK. 215k, 4bdrm 2ba 1600sqft SFH. Looking to rent it for about $1600/mo.

    I have been having difficulty finding a tenant. Not even a single application despite it being available for rent since 9/2025. I have a PM which hasn't been great and hasn't been very informative so I plan to change the PM if I continue to look for a tenant.

    I've lowered the rent a few times already without any potential tenants. I am getting concerned that I will start to reach into 'below market' rent territory, which may make my place harder to sell.

    I live too remotely to manage it myself.

    Wanted to hear opinions about whether continue to struggle to find a tenant vs sell.

    Thanks for the advice/opinions.


     Share the Zillow link so we can offer more advice...

    Logical Property Management4.9464 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    1Reply
  • Janice Carter
    Real Estate Broker · Atlanta · Member since 2024 · 1k+ posts · 608 votes
    9mo

    Ken, if you have had no applications after several months, that is a strong indication the issue is likely pricing, marketing or both. I would recommend getting a second opinion on true market rent, reviewing the listing photos and description and it maybe necessary to change property manager. As Michael suggested, sharing the listing link here could also help generate more specific, actionable feedback.

    1Reply
  • John MorganPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Grand Prairie, TX · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    9mo

    Rent in most places has come down $100-$250/month in the last year or so. Don’t expect inflated 2023 rent numbers. Drop your price $150 and see what happens. If that doesn’t work then go $100 less every two weeks.

    0Reply
  • Andre Brock
    Investor · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2013 · 120 posts · 77 votes
    9mo

    That’s unfortunate First thing to do is fire your PM. Also it might be the way the property is being marketed as someone mentioned drop the Zillow link so we can access?

    0Reply
  • Arman AhmedPro Member
    Real Estate Agent · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2024 · 2k+ posts · 968 votes
    9mo

    @Ken Stern

    Hi Ken, sounds frustrating! Sometimes tenant struggles come down to property marketing, management, or local demand rather than the rent itself. If your PM isn’t proactive, switching to someone reliable can make a big difference, or even using a local agent to help fill quickly. Another approach is looking at comparable properties to ensure your pricing and presentation are competitive. For investors looking for smoother cash flow and easier management, the Midwest has really strong opportunities with lower entry costs, steady demand, and solid rental yields—you might want to explore those markets as well.

    [email protected]614-418-6081
    0Reply
  • Adam BartomeoBusiness Member
    Real Estate Broker · Cape Coral, FL · Member since 2015 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    9mo

    Holding out for a certain price is a mistake and you are likely overpriced. If you had lowered it to say $300 and rented it right away you would have lost $3,600 for the year. Instead, you have chosen to lose 4 months of rent * $1,300 = $5,200.

    You should get an aggressive rent decrease model. 

    [email protected]239-339-3969
    Bartomeo Property Management4.7143 Reviews
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  • Scott Nachitilo
    Property Manager · OK · Member since 2024 · 98 posts · 74 votes
    9mo

    From an OKC-area owner perspective, a 4-bedroom SFH in Moore at ~$1,600 should be generating at least some inquiry. When a property sits this long with zero applications, it's usually an execution issue rather than a market issue—most often marketing quality, pricing at the neighborhood level, or PM responsiveness.

    Before pushing further below market rent, I’d pause reductions and reassess. An extended vacancy is costly, but underpricing can attract weaker tenants and doesn’t necessarily improve resale value. A short vacancy or temporary concession typically has minimal impact on resale, especially for owner-occupant buyers in Moore.

    Given that you’re remote, PM performance is critical. If they can’t clearly explain why it isn’t leasing and what they’re doing differently, that alone justifies a change. I’d set a defined window to correct the leasing strategy before deciding to sell.

    0Reply
  • Matthew Thornton
    Member since 2025 · 104 posts · 37 votes
    9mo

    Who do you use for PM? I know a good PM company in Oklahoma that manages my Rental properties in that area. If you want to connect, let me know. 

    2Reply
  • Patricia Keely
    Property Manager · OK · Member since 2025 · 18 posts · 11 votes
    9mo

    That’s understandably frustrating, Ken. From a property management perspective in the OKC market, one of the first things I’d look at is response time to incoming leads. Speed-to-lead plays a big role in leasing success, especially in competitive markets.

    A helpful data point is the number of contacts on Zillow, which can give you a rough sense of activity. Example: If the property has been listed for 2+ months with say,  50+ contacts, it’s worth digging into how quickly and consistently inquiries are being followed up on.

    I agree with Scott—this may be a good time to reassess your property manager, understand the “why” behind the current results, and reevaluate how the listing is positioned compared to similar properties. 

    Before reducing the price further, a move-in incentive may be worth exploring as an alternative.

    Wishing you the best as you work through it. Hopefully you’re able to get it leased soon!

    0Reply
  • Rhett TullisBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 617 votes
    9mo

    Its the slow time of year here for sure so it will be tougher,  Also Moore tends to attract folks due to the schools.  Families with kids don't generally want to move mid school year and have their kids switch schools so your pool shrinks right away.  We see the quality of applicants and quantity drop this time of year historically.  $1600 seems reasonable depending on the area and age of the home.  Lots of folks trying to get that for the older inventory in moore and it does not generally support that.  If you have a newer home near the more sought after schools in the district then the price may work.  

    [email protected]405-283-6522
    Integrity Oklahoma
    WebsiteView Page
    0Reply
  • Zach SikesBusiness Member
    Residential Real Estate Broker · Edmond, OK · Member since 2011 · 452 posts · 183 votes
    9mo

    @Ken Stern have you had any luck getting this rented out?

    We've seen the rental market slowing down over the last couple of months and had to get creative to get tenants placed.  

    Some weeks things are dead, and some we've had applications and tours like crazy.

    HCO Leasing4.297 Reviews
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    Homestead & Co4.9169 Reviews
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  • Ken Stern
    OP
    Member since 2024 · 2 posts · 0 votes
    9mo

    Thanks for the replies everyone. After hearing your opinions we decided to change are property manager and are now looking for a pm that fits our needs.


    Ken

    0Reply
  • Patricia Keely
    Property Manager · OK · Member since 2025 · 18 posts · 11 votes
    9mo

    Wishing you the best! @Ken Stern

    I always encourage people to look beyond just the star rating and pay attention to how many reviews a company has overall. A 4.5 rating with 80 reviews can tell a very different story than the same rating backed by hundreds.

    It’s also worth asking a few practical questions:
    – Do they have a response-time policy for owners or tenants (for example, within 24 business hours)?
    – What does their process look like for handling tenant inquiries?
    – How many follow-ups do they make before considering a lead “dead”?

    Those types of questions give you a much clearer picture of how proactive the company really is, especially if fast leasing is a priority.

    . 

    1Reply
    • Rhett TullisBusiness Member
      Property Manager · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 617 votes
      9mo
      Quote from @Patricia Keely:

      Wishing you the best! @Ken Stern

      I always encourage people to look beyond just the star rating and pay attention to how many reviews a company has overall. A 4.5 rating with 80 reviews can tell a very different story than the same rating backed by hundreds.

      It’s also worth asking a few practical questions:
      – Do they have a response-time policy for owners or tenants (for example, within 24 business hours)?
      – What does their process look like for handling tenant inquiries?
      – How many follow-ups do they make before considering a lead “dead”?

      Those types of questions give you a much clearer picture of how proactive the company really is, especially if fast leasing is a priority.

      . 

      Any PM company with a 5-star rating is probably paying for reviews.  We fight hard and are almost at 4 (3.9). The job of a PM is to make sure no one is ever completely happy.  If everyone is happy (owner, vendor, tenant), then they are probably doing something wrong.  This is a business of putting out fires and being proactive. Read their reviews, see what is going on, and talk to the company and their staff.  There are a lot of great ones out there. 
      [email protected]405-283-6522
      Integrity Oklahoma
      WebsiteView Page
      1Reply
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