Written by: Zarah Mae Torrazo is the Head of Content at Spacer Technologies, where she leads content creation for Parkhound, Spacer.com, Spacer.com.au, and WhereiPark. With nearly a decade of experience in digital content, Zarah specializes in crafting engaging, SEO-optimized writing that bridges both B2B and B2C audiences. Her work spans a wide range of industries from real estate and finance to mobility, health, and tech, with a focus on turning complex ideas into clear, actionable insights. At WhereiPark, Zarah writes extensively about multifamily property management, urban mobility trends, and the monetization of underused assets like parking. She’s particularly passionate about the sharing economy and its power to reshape how people and businesses access space, transport, and opportunity.
Edited by: Louise is a content producer with over a decade of experience writing about a wide variety of topics from home improvement to academic and scientific reports, and financial literacy and cryptocurrency — but her finance and crypto content are for education purposes only and should not be taken as advice because there are licensed experts for that.Louise is enthusiastic about reinforcing financial literacy and anything that can aid people in minimising expenses and maximising savings, which led to her passion for the sharing economy.She aims to educate people by translating complex information into easy-to-digest facts and practical tips for maximum understanding and minimum migraine. Have any questions about content that you’d like to ask Louise? Drop her an email at Louise@spacer.com.
Reading time: 21 mins
How do I choose the right renters for my parking spaces?
The best renter is someone whose parking needs match your property and schedule. Office spots work well for weekday commuters or business fleets, residential spaces suit nearby tenants or EV owners, and retail or event areas fit short-term visitors. Use platforms like WhereiPark to screen renters, manage contracts, and handle payments.
Across cities, many parking spots sit empty for most of the week. The Transportation for America noted that many U.S. communities are “over-parked” and that it is common to find large lots or garages with very low occupied ratios during typical periods. Office buildings, residential complexes, and mixed-use properties often treat these spaces as a sunk cost rather than an asset.
Yet demand for parking has grown again as more people return to offices and urban commutes pick up. While in-office work hasn’t yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, RTO mandates are in full swing. Data from the location intelligence and foot traffic data software firm Placer.ai found that a post-pandemic record high for office attendance was set in July 2025.
And as hybrid schedules settle and more teams head back to the office, parking use patterns are shifting again. You can read more about this in our piece on Corporate Parking in the RTO Era.
If you’re a property owner planning to monetize your parking spaces, it’s worth thinking about whom you rent to. The right mix of tenants can mean reliable income with little oversight, while the wrong one can lead to churn and maintenance problems.
In this guide, we’ll break down how to identify the renter types that bring steady revenue, lower risk, and better long-term occupancy for your parking spaces.
Before you start reaching out to potential tenants, it helps to have the right tools and network in place. That’s where a parking platform built for property owners can make all the difference.
Get Your Property on the Market – List unused parking bays, visitor spaces, or overflow areas and reach commuters, residents, and corporate clients actively looking for reliable parking.
Find the Right Renters – WhereiPark connects property owners with vetted drivers and companies, helping you fill spaces faster while reducing risk and tenant turnover.
Less Oversight, More Consistency – From listings and payments to renter communication, WhereiPark handles the details so your parking spaces keep earning without day-to-day management.
Not every renter will be a good fit to lease your parking lot/ spaces. Understanding who needs parking, where and when will help you maximize occupancy and reduce turnover.
According to Joshua Eisen, Chief Revenue Officer at WhereiPark, who has worked extensively with property owners and asset managers across North America, successful parking monetization depends on alignment — not luck.
“Leasing out parking is more than just finding someone to fill a spot. The value of your parking income depends on matching your spaces with renters whose needs align with your property type and availability,” he said.
That alignment can mean pairing weekday business districts with commuter demand, or residential buildings with overnight parkers. When the match is right, spaces stay full and revenue stays consistent.
Short-term renters include daily visitors, event attendees, and short-stay commuters. They bring flexibility and quick turnover, which can work well for properties in busy or high-traffic areas. The downside is inconsistency, since these renters may not occupy the space every day.
Long-term renters, such as residents, employees, or corporate clients, tend to offer stability. They provide predictable income and fewer vacancies over time. However, they often expect assigned spaces, guaranteed access, and clear communication around availability.
“When the match is off, problems follow. Late payments, underused spots, or disputes over access hours are common signs of mismatched renters,” Mr. Eisen further explained.
Understanding how short-term and long-term renters differ helps you decide which type fits your property goals best.
| Aspect | Short-Term Renters | Long-Term Renters |
| Typical Users | Daily visitors, event attendees, short-stay commuters | Residents, employees, corporate clients |
| Lease Duration | Hourly, daily, or event-based | Monthly, quarterly, or annual contracts |
| Advantages | High flexibility, quick turnover, ideal for high-traffic or event areas | Stable income, consistent occupancy, less marketing needed |
| Drawbacks | Irregular occupancy, harder to forecast demand, more admin work | Require assigned spaces, longer commitments, less flexibility |
| Best Property Fit | Retail centers, event venues, downtown lots | Residential, office, or mixed-use buildings |
| Management Needs | Frequent updates to availability and pricing | Ongoing communication and guaranteed access |
| When to Use | When the area experiences fluctuating daily demand | When the goal is steady, predictable revenue |
In the next sections, we’ll look at the renter categories that typically bring the most stability and income for property owners, from corporate tenants to local commuters and residential users.
Understanding how renter types align with your property helps you maximize occupancy and reduce turnover. Each property category, from office and residential to retail, transit, and industrial, attracts renters with distinct patterns, expectations, and income potential.
In downtown areas or financial districts, parking demand has rebounded as hybrid work becomes the norm again. JLL’s latest Global Occupancy Planning Benchmarking Report 2024 showed 87% of organizations have adopted hybrid work policies.
These employees who commute a few days a week still need reliable weekday parking, and many businesses without their own lots are searching for nearby spaces.
Target renters: For this type of property, long-term consistency beats quick turnover. Ideal renters include office tenants’ employees, nearby small businesses, and corporate fleets that require guaranteed weekday access. These users value convenience, security, and predictable availability.
Lease term recommendations: Monthly or quarterly leases work best for this property type, paired with simple entry systems such as RFID cards or license plate recognition. This setup keeps access smooth while reducing the time you spend managing tenants.
Pro Tip: Consider offering multi-bay packages to nearby firms. Group leases secure longer contracts, simplify billing, and keep your bays occupied even when individual staff schedules change. WhereiPark helps commercial property owners connect with verified corporate renters and manage multi-vehicle bookings in one platform, making long-term occupancy easier to maintain.
Residential properties typically include apartment complexes, condominiums, and strata-managed buildings with limited or assigned parking.
Meanwhile, mixed-use developments combine residential, retail, and light commercial spaces. These often create a blend of residents, shop employees, and visitors who all need flexible parking access.
A parking utilization study by the District Department of Transportation (Washington, D.C.) found that many multifamily buildings provide more parking than residents actually use. In one sample, developments supplied about 0.8 spaces per unit, but residents used only 0.6 vehicles per unit on average.
Target renters: Typical renters in these settings include neighbors without assigned parking, long-term tenants with additional vehicles, and electric-vehicle owners looking for secure charging.
These users are usually stable and easy to manage because they already live or work within the property. Communication is simpler, payments are consistent, and there is less wear on facilities compared with transient parkers.
Lease term recommendations: Monthly or quarterly leases work best for this group, balancing flexibility with predictable occupancy for property owners.
Pro Tip: Promote your parking’s convenience factors. It could be proximity to building entrances, EV chargers, or weather-protected spaces. These small advantages attract renters willing to stay longer and pay slightly more for reliability.
Retail properties include shopping centers, malls, standalone stores, and mixed-use developments with active foot traffic. Event-adjacent properties refer to lots or structures located near arenas, concert halls, theaters, convention centers, or other large venues that draw periodic crowds.
These locations share one thing: demand for parking fluctuates sharply based on time, day, and event schedules.
During off-peak hours, many of these spaces sit empty, but activity surges in the evenings, on weekends, or when major events occur nearby. Data from the International Parking & Mobility Institute (IPMI) shows that retail and entertainment districts often experience noticeably higher parking demand on weekends compared with weekdays, especially during major shopping or event seasons.
Another study, titled “Parking Study of Neighborhood and Community Shopping Centers” collected parking survey data on weekdays and Saturdays at more than 30 shopping centers. It found discernible differences in demand between weekdays and Saturdays.
Target renters: Typical renters include shoppers, restaurant-goers, sports fans, concert attendees, and employees of nearby stores.
Lease term recommendations: Short-term daily rates, event-based pricing, and shared-parking arrangements with nearby businesses work best in these areas. To maximize earnings, consider using dynamic pricing, which adjusts rates automatically based on demand, time of day, or local events. This helps you capture higher revenue during peak periods while keeping prices competitive during slower hours.
Digital booking systems and QR-access tools make it easy to update rates, manage availability, and accommodate last-minute parkers without manual oversight.
Pro Tip: Partner with nearby retailers or venues to offer reserved or validated parking. This builds reliable turnover and encourages repeat use from regular visitors.
Transit-accessible lots are parking areas located within walking distance of train, metro, or bus hubs. Meanwhile, suburban lots refer to properties just outside central business districts, often near park-and-ride stations or major commuting routes. These locations attract drivers who want to avoid downtown congestion and higher parking costs.
These lots located near public transit stations or in suburban areas serve commuters who prefer to park outside busy downtowns, offering stable weekday demand with minimal churn.
Studies of park-and-ride facilities indicate a regular weekday morning arrival pattern and much turnover by afternoon, confirming higher commuter demand on weekdays. For example, a 2025 study found that commuter park-and-ride lots follow clear weekday patterns, filling up in the morning and emptying out by afternoon.
Target renters:
Daily commuters, suburban professionals, and local residents who rely on transit for city access.
Lease term recommendations:
Offer discounted monthly or weekday-only passes to secure predictable income. You can also allocate a portion of spaces for flexible day-use bookings to accommodate occasional travelers or hybrid workers.
Dynamic pricing can still play a role here. For example, lower rates on weekends can attract visitors shopping or dining near suburban centers.
Pro Tip:
Partner with transit operators or nearby employers to create commuter parking programs. Bundled passes or employee parking perks can lock in long-term renters and reduce vacancy during off-peak periods.
WhereiPark helps property owners near major transit lines list and manage commuter-friendly parking spots with automated bookings and occupancy tracking, ensuring reliable weekday revenue without constant oversight.
Industrial and logistics properties often include open yards/parking lots, warehouse-adjacent lots or delivery hubs that are located near highways or city edges. These areas are designed for staging, vehicle storage and charging- making them suitable for fleet parking, staging or charging operations.
Research published by the World Economic Forum shows sustained growth in e-commerce and same-day delivery, which increases demand for secure vehicle staging and charging close to service areas.
Fleet electrification is also accelerating, which raises the need for depot charging and managed access.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s depot-based charging patterns for medium- and heavy-duty fleets data shows that many commercial vehicles charge and dwell at secure lots rather than curbside. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Energy materials and partner studies point to expanding infrastructure needs for fleets through the mid-2020s.
Ideal renters: Delivery and service fleets, logistics contractors, and EV fleet operators who require multiple reserved bays, overnight security, and power availability. These tenants value reliability over retail foot traffic and typically sign longer terms for predictable access. Evidence from office attendance and commuting recovery also supports stable weekday operations for service fleets, even as hybrid patterns persist.
Lease term recommendations: Prioritize multi-bay agreements of six to twelve months with options to extend. Offer gated access, lighting, CCTV, and, where feasible, dedicated circuits or conduit for future chargers.
Dynamic pricing is usually less important here because tenants favor fixed, predictable costs for fleet operations. If you do vary pricing, align adjustments to clear operational triggers such as adding powered bays or expanding security coverage.
Pro-Tip: Market an underused warehouse lot as a “fleet depot” and include a simple readiness plan for charging (panel capacity, conduit paths, and utility contact). Properties that can demonstrate near-term charger readiness are more attractive to electrifying fleets.
Effective screening protects both property owners and renters while keeping operations smooth. The goal is to confirm that every renter is legitimate, insured, and financially reliable before granting access to your parking area.
Here’s how you can cover your bases:
Reaching the right renters starts with clear, targeted messaging and listings that highlight what makes your space valuable. Whether you’re appealing to daily commuters, corporate fleets, or event-goers, the right words and features can make all the difference.
Mr. Eisen said good marketing is not about reaching everyone. “It’s making sure you’re visible to people who value what you offer most. A well-positioned parking space can perform better than one with twice the visibility if it’s listed to the right audience.”
He also noted that the most successful WhereiPark hosts treat their listings like a professional business. They use data to refine their pricing, respond quickly to inquiries, and keep listings updated with accurate photos and details.
“Hosts who think like operators, not just owners, tend to see the strongest results,” Mr. Eisen explained.
Here’s how you can make sure your parking spaces are marketed to the right renters:
The most successful parking hosts approach leasing the way investors manage a portfolio: with a focus on consistency, screening, and long-term alignment. Each renter type, from daily commuters to commercial fleets, serves a distinct purpose within a property’s revenue mix.
By matching the right renter to the right space, hosts can maintain high occupancy and reduce the costs of turnover or vacancy.
Targeted leasing is about building revenue stability and not just filling empty parking spots. Retail-adjacent lots benefit from short-term, event-based pricing, while transit-accessible or suburban spaces thrive on dependable weekday contracts. Specialized renters like delivery fleets and EV operators add another layer of predictability through longer-term agreements. Together, these strategies balance risk and maximize income across different market conditions.
Modern platforms simplify this process through digital screening, automated payments, and real-time access management. WhereiPark allows property owners to grow their parking income efficiently while maintaining full control and transparency.
Turn your unused spaces into a reliable source of income. List your spaces today with WhereiPark to attract qualified renters and build sustainable revenue year-round.
Zarah Mae Torrazo is the Head of Content at Spacer Technologies, where she leads content creation for Parkhound, Spacer.com, Spacer.com.au, and WhereiPark. With nearly a decade of experience in digital content, Zarah specializes in crafting engaging, SEO-optimized writing that bridges both B2B and B2C audiences. Her work spans a wide range of industries from real estate and finance to mobility, health, and tech, with a focus on turning complex ideas into clear, actionable insights. At WhereiPark, Zarah writes extensively about multifamily property management, urban mobility trends, and the monetization of underused assets like parking. She’s particularly passionate about the sharing economy and its power to reshape how people and businesses access space, transport, and opportunity.
Zarah Mae Torrazo is the Head of Content at Spacer Technologies, where she leads content creation for Parkhound, Spacer.com, Spacer.com.au, and WhereiPark.
With nearly a decade of experience in digital content, Zarah specializes in crafting engaging, SEO-optimized writing that bridges both B2B and B2C audiences. Her work spans a wide range of industries from real estate and finance to mobility, health, and tech, with a focus on turning complex ideas into clear, actionable insights.
At WhereiPark, Zarah writes extensively about multifamily property management, urban mobility trends, and the monetization of underused assets like parking. She’s particularly passionate about the sharing economy and its power to reshape how people and businesses access space, transport, and opportunity.
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