Month-to-Month vs. Fixed-Term Leases
Flexibility, rent adjustments, and turnover risk — how to pick the term that fits the property.
A fixed-term lease (usually one year) locks both sides in for the term. Rent stays flat, the tenant can't leave without breaking the lease, and you can't end the tenancy without cause.
A month-to-month arrangement gives both sides flexibility. Either party can end it with the notice the state requires — usually 30 days, sometimes 60 for longer tenancies.
Turnover is expensive: vacancy, cleaning, marketing, and screening add up. Most small landlords use a one-year lease that automatically converts to month-to-month at the end of the term, which captures the stability of a fixed lease and the flexibility of month-to-month once the tenant has been vetted in place.