Creating Avail’s first Rental Market Report
Overview
Avail, part of Realtor.com, is a rental management platform for independent landlords and tenants across the U.S. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, job losses, eviction moratoriums, and growing financial pressure were reshaping the rental market, but reliable data on independent landlords and renters was limited.
That gap created an opportunity for Avail to use its direct customer relationships to surface what these groups were experiencing in real time and provide useful guidance in response.
My Role
I led the creation of Avail’s first Rental Market Report, managing the project from survey development and data analysis through writing, design, publication, and distribution. I authored the initial report and oversaw subsequent editions.
Strategy and Execution
Working with the Head of Marketing and our analytics lead, I identified the most meaningful findings in the survey data and shaped them into clear editorial themes around the challenges facing landlords and tenants.
I paired quantitative findings with firsthand quotes and qualitative insights to give the data context and make the report feel grounded in the experiences of real people. I also worked closely with design partners to create clear visualizations that made the findings easy to understand, share, and cite.
The reports were distributed through Avail’s marketing and email channels and amplified by company leadership, helping the research reach both customers and the broader housing industry.
Results
Earned citations and coverage from major outlets including The New York Times, Forbes, CNBC, MarketWatch, and government websites.
Drove the highest single-day blog traffic in Avail’s history.
Generated a record number of high-quality backlinks.
Established Avail as a source of original, timely data during a rapidly evolving housing crisis.
Coverage
NY Times: They’re Making the Rent. Is It Costing Their Future?Forbes: In First Six Days of April, Full Rent Payments Spiked Before They TumbledCNBC: Small landlords dip into savings as their tenants struggle to pay rent
LA Times: Landlords are still waiting for rent payments amid COVID-19
U.S. Government Accountability Office: Rental Housing: COVID-19 Relief Measures and Federal Oversight
Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies: Renters’ Responses to Financial Stress During the Pandemic