Retention Dominates Growth, Driving High Census & Wait Lists
The most favorable trend for operators in November was the significant reduction in Move Outs down 36.4%. This exceptional resident retention is the primary driver behind the monthly census growth of 2.36% year-over-year. This strong performance indicates that communities are successfully maintaining a high overall census and actively building strong waiting lists by controlling attrition and maximizing occupancy. A stable resident base reduces marketing costs, turnover expenses, and administrative burden.
While Inquiries were down 17.77% and Initial tours were lower 23.45%, the overall census still increased by a strong 2.36% year-over-year. This increase confirms that the lower volume of sales activity was sufficiently effective when combined with excellent retention efforts. This suggests the communites are prioritizing quality over quantity in the sales pipeline.
The reduction in Average Tour Time down 18.08% indicates that sales teams are either highly efficient in their presentations or are qualifying leads more aggressively before the physical tour. The shorter duration frees up staff time while still contributing to a net positive Move-In figure.
In summary, November 2025 demonstrates a highly efficient, retention-focused month where a dramatic reduction in resident attrition successfully compensated for lower sales activity, resulting in high census overall and the ability to focus on building strong waiting lists.
