• U.P. Landlord Rental Market Survey

  • Thank you for taking time to complete this rental market survey. We're asking landlords and property managers across the Upper Peninsula to share basic information about their rental units — current rents, unit types, vacancy, and the practical realities of operating rental housing in our region.

    Why it matters: publicly available data on U.P. rents is thin and often outdated. Without input from the people who actually own and manage rental housing, housing assessments get built on estimates — and decisions about funding, incentives, and new development get made without a clear picture of local conditions. Your responses help ensure those decisions reflect what's actually happening on the ground.

    Your individual responses are confidential. Results are reported only in aggregate — no property, owner, or individual rent will ever be identified. As a thank-you, respondents will receive a copy of the aggregated findings once the survey closes, including average rents by unit type and other market data not currently available anywhere else.

    The survey takes about 10 minutes. It closes on August 31, 2026.


    FAQ

    Who is conducting this survey?
    investUP, a regional economci development organizationk is leading the effort on this study in partnership with the U.P.'s three regional planning organizations. The study is part of ongoing housing needs assessment work in the Upper Peninsula. 

    Will my individual responses be shared?
    No. Individual responses are kept confidential and are never published, shared with other agencies, or attached to any property or owner. Only aggregated, region-level results are reported.

    Will this data be used to justify rent control or new regulations?
    No. This survey has no regulatory purpose. It exists to give housing assessments accurate rent and vacancy data instead of estimates.

    Will this be used to bring in competition for my rentals?
    The goal is the opposite of oversaturating the market. Accurate data helps ensure new housing investment goes where there's genuine unmet demand — rather than being built on guesswork that could put new units in direct competition with existing well-functioning rentals.

    Is this connected to my taxes or property assessment?
    No. Responses are not shared with assessors, treasurers, or any tax authority, and cannot be linked back to a specific property.

    What do I get out of participating?
    Respondents receive the aggregated results — average rents by unit type, vacancy patterns, and other local market data that isn't available anywhere else. It's information you can use in your own business decisions.

    How long does it take?
    About 10 - 15 minutes depending on how much information you have to share. All questions are optional except those with an asterix (*).

    Who do I contact with questions?
    Any questions can be sent to intern2@investupmi.com. 

  • Core Questions

    The questions on this page aim to answer the most pressing questions in the study. Depending on your answers, additional subquestions may appear. While all questions are optional, we ask you answer as many of them as you are comfortable doing so.

  • 1. What county(ies) do you own residential rental property in? (check all that apply)*
  • 2b. What type of unit(s) do you rent? (check all that apply)*
  • 2h. Do the rental rates you've provided include utilities?*
  • 2h-2: Which utilities?*
  • 3. Have you increased rent on any unit in the past 12 months?*
  • 4. In the past 12 months, has any unit had a vacancy period of a month or longer?*
  • 5. Have you sold or converted any units to short-term (vacation) in the past year?*
  • 5a. Which types of units did you convert to STRs?
  • 5b. Have you seriously considered doing so?
  • 6. Do you actively advertise acceptance of affordable housing vouchers or other rental assistance programs?*
  • 7. Do you require a security deposit?*
  • 8. Do you require first AND last months rent prior to move-in?*
  • 9. Do you allow pets?*
  • 9a. Do you charge additional fees for pets? (check all that apply)
  • 10. Are you receiving enough income from your unit(s) to fund needed capital improvements (roof, mechanical, etc.)?*
  • 11. Have you had difficulty securing or renewing property insurance in the past year?*
  • 12. Do you rent exclusively to seniors, or does your property have a senior-focused population?*

  • Optional Additional Questions

    Thank you for completing the core questions! We do have six additional questions that would enhance the study but we want to be cognizant of your time and therefore have separated them into this optional section. If you say yes below, all seven will appear but you may answer only those you wish to complete.

  • Are you willing to consider the additional questions?
  • 13. Is your property self-managed, or do you use a property management company?
  • 15. Do you currently operate any units as short-term (vacation) rentals, in addition to or instead of long-term rentals?
  • 15a. Do any of your STRs operate in a community(ies) with a STR cap or ordinance?
  • 16. How would you describe current tenant demand for your units?
  • 17. Beyond capital improvements, are rising maintenance costs(such as those below) affecting your ability to keep units in good condition? Select all that apply:
  • 18. Are there specific U.P. communities where you'd like to own or manage rental property but currently don't?
  • 19. Would any of the following incentives result in you seriously considering adding more units to your portfolio or updating your existing units?

  • Note: Questions 20a/20b (below) are in partnership with a corresponding statewide initiative to understand barriers to housing for individiuals with criminal records and how the state can support landlords who provide housing to such individials. Your answers for these two questions will be provided to the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, without any identifying information. This does not apply to any of the other questions in this survey.

  • 20a. Are you willing to rent to someone with a criminal record in any or some capacity? (i.e., on a case-by-case basis depending on conviction type, time since last conviction, supports provided to the tenant, etc.)
  • 20b. Would any of the following supports or incentives provided by a intermediary community organization make you more willing to rent to someone with a criminal record? (select all that apply)

  • Final Questions

    Just a couple of wrap up questions and we're done!

  • 21. Would you like to receive the aggregated survey results when available?
  • 22. Would you be open to a brief follow-up conversation?
  • What's the best way to contact you?*
  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • Should be Empty: