Longer Retail Loan Terms Creating More Demand for Shorter-Term Leases  

CINCINNATI, OHIO (February 15, 2022) – Swapalease.com, the nation’s largest car lease marketplace, released today its latest national auto lease trends report illustrating insight and data on lease prices and brand usage during the fourth quarter of 2021. Click here to view the full report. 

According to the data in the report, Americans are paying an average of $523.68 per month on their leases according to listings made during the fourth quarter, up from $513.28 in the third quarter. However, in a nationwide survey to approximately 2,500 drivers the majority of people now say they want their payments below $500.00 monthly.  

The survey data also show drivers are strongly against longer lease terms, which could be a reflection of American’s exhaustion of extremely long loan terms of more than seven years now. Fifty-three percent of drivers surveyed said they want lease terms no longer than 36 months, the highest percentage recorded in Swapalease’s quarterly driver survey over the last five years. 

“As the Federal Reserve hikes interest rates this year, the trend toward longer new- and used-auto loan terms will likely accelerate,” stated Satyan Merchant in a recent article. He is the senior vice president and automotive business leader at TransUnion. 

Merchant continued, “monthly payments would have been even higher, but borrowers took out a higher proportion of 72- and 84-month loans. In third-quarter 2021, loans of 84 months or longer accounted for 17% of new-vehicle loans, up from 15% a year ago, or 13% in pre-pandemic third-quarter 2019.” 

Swapalease.com reports that more drivers have been inquiring about taking over existing leases under contract to accomplish a handful of benefits: Incoming lessees are not required to pay traditional down payments since it was covered by the initial person under contract; and the incoming lessee also benefits by taking over the existing payment as opposed to signing a contract today at higher payment levels at retail. 

For more information please see the Swapalease.com Q4 lease trends report. 

About Swapalease.com:  

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Swapalease.com is the world’s largest automotive lease marketplace and the pioneer in facilitating lease transfers online. More specifically Swapalease.com matches individuals who want to get out of their lease with people who are looking for short-term lease agreements. Prospective buyers can search the listings for the exact vehicle they want, and then register for a nominal fee, allowing them to use Swapalease.com’s safe online system to contact the prospective seller and close the deal. For more information about Swapalease.com or how to exit your lease early, call 866-SWAPNOW or visit www.swapalease.com. 

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