The turnkey rental model promises a ready-to-rent home, a pre-screened tenant, and a property-management plan, all backed by a projected monthly rent. Because many investors never set foot inside the property, the accuracy of that projection becomes the cornerstone of the decision.
Rent to Retirement (RTR) supplies both new-build single-family homes and renovated older houses. The company says roughly 80% of its inventory is brand-new construction while the remaining 20% are older homes that have been rehabbed. To test whether those promises hold up, an independent auditor examined every sale the firm recorded between 2017 and 2026.
How long do RTR owners stay put?
The audit traced 3,090 homes sold in the period, matched 2,763 to public resale data, and focused on the earliest cohort – the 489 properties sold in 2017-2018 – because those owners have had a full seven to eight years to decide whether to exit.
Of that group, 369 homes (75.5%) are still owned by the original buyer. Breaking it down, 79.2% of 2018 purchasers and 71.1% of 2017 purchasers remain in place. RTR attributes this durability to its extensive network of builders, lenders and local managers, which helps owners address repairs, vacancies or financing hiccups early on. The firm also encourages investors to ride out short-term setbacks rather than sell, reinforcing a model that rewards long-term ownership.
Do owners sell above what they paid?
Within the data set, 148 resale transactions were identified. The median sale price was 1.41 times the original purchase price, and three-quarters of the sales exceeded the buyer’s cost basis.
Holding period matters. Owners who kept the property for four years or more sold above cost in 96% of cases, with median multiples ranging from 1.57 to 1.86. By contrast, owners who flipped within two years broke even at the median. For those who held at least two years, the median price appreciation equated to an 8.7% annual increase. These figures reflect only the sale price; total return also depends on rent cash flow, financing structure and operating expenses.
New-construction buyers start from a stronger footing because RTR leverages institutional-level builder incentives that exceed typical MLS offers, delivering more favorable purchase terms.
How accurate are the rent forecasts?
Rent projections were compared against investor-reported rents for 740 homes. The median property rented for exactly the amount RTR predicted. Overall, 598 homes (80.8%) achieved at least 95% of the projected rent, and 476 homes (64.3%) landed within a 5% band either way.
An Alabama example illustrates a spot-on forecast: a $332,400 purchase was projected to earn $2,350 per month and delivered precisely that figure. When projections fell short, the median shortfall was 15% – on a $2,000 rent that translates to roughly $300 of missing cash flow, underscoring the need for reserve funds.
Performance varied by state. Ohio, the largest sample with 355 homes, saw 94.9% of properties rent at or above 95% of the forecast. Tennessee and Alabama followed at 89.5% and 89.1% respectively. Florida lagged, with only 46% reaching the 95% threshold and a median achievement of 93% of projected rent, suggesting investors should add a larger cushion when targeting that market.
Price tier also mattered. Homes priced under $150,000 met the 95% benchmark in 97.5% of cases, while those above $350,000 succeeded only 51.2% of the time. Correspondingly, gross yields were higher for lower-priced assets: a median of 10.8%** for sub-$150k homes versus **7.7%** for properties over $250k.
Key due-diligence takeaways for prospective investors
A robust pro forma should enumerate every expense – including a vacancy allowance and a reserve for major repairs – and clearly present loan terms so investors can stress-test the deal if rent falls short or costs rise.
Ask the turnkey provider for market-specific and price-segment performance data; RTR’s own figures demonstrate how geography and purchase price influence outcomes. Complete the standard checks: a professional inspection, a comparative rent analysis from a local manager, a thorough review of the management agreement, and independent quotes for insurance and property taxes.
Finally, remember that the most successful RTR participants view the investment as a multi-year commitment. The typical hold spans seven to nine years, during which owners often refinance to pull out cash or execute a 1031 exchange to “trade up” while keeping equity intact. This patient approach, paired with realistic cash reserves, maximizes the odds of building a resilient, income-generating portfolio.
