Articles

Renters Reassess Homeownership as Affordability Challenges Persist

Homeownership has been an aspiration of generations of Americans, but elevated prices, mortgage rates, and financing hurdles are complicating the typical path to owning a home. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s 2026 Survey of Consumer Expectations Housing Survey, renters are continuing to experience difficulty with mortgage financing and have more measured views about homeownership’s current investment potential. As households reassess the housing market, rental housing demand is the beneficiary.

Current Reports

Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report Q2 2026

Arbor Realty Trust’s latest Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, evaluates what’s driving this sector’s ongoing stability as macroeconomic conditions remain mixed. Loan originations rose last quarter, and valuations are rebounding, signaling that normalization is taking hold.

Articles

Where Labor Market Momentum Outpaces the National Average

Labor market conditions are a foundational driver of rental housing demand, influencing tenant stability and household growth. While the national pace of hiring has moderated, the economies of many metropolitan areas continue to outperform. Expanding on Arbor’s latest Top Markets for Multifamily Investment Report, our research teams highlight the local dynamics supporting growth in several of the country’s strongest-performing multifamily markets.

Analysis

U.S. Multifamily Market Snapshot — May 2026

The U.S. multifamily sector continued to build momentum at the start of 2026. Rent growth moved into positive territory, and a moderating construction pipeline showed that vacancy may have reached its cycle peak.

Articles

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Rank Arbor Among Top Multifamily Lenders for 2025

Arbor’s track record of top finishes across multifamily agency rankings reflects the depth of our financing capabilities, the strength of our industry partnerships, and our disciplined, detail-driven approach to execution. Longstanding relationships with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) — built over many years of close collaboration — enable our team to deliver strong borrower outcomes across market cycles, reinforcing Arbor’s position as one of the top multifamily lenders in 2025.

Articles

Senior Renters Prefer Multifamily Housing and City Living

Senior renters are increasingly choosing multifamily housing, with more than half now living in these rental properties, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Where they live — both by property type and by metropolitan area — provides insight into how housing preferences, local market conditions, and migration patterns shape rental housing demand.

General: 800.ARBOR.10

Ivan Kaufman Interview on Bloomberg Markets

Ivan Kaufman, the chairman and CEO of Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ABR), discussed how multifamily housing is maintaining stability during COVID-19. In a “Bloomberg Markets” interview with anchor Alix Steel, he also explained, in particular, the growth in value of suburban housing.

“People have been paying their rent on the multifamily side. Collections are off only 1% to 2%,” said Kaufman. “Despite the dislocation, it has been a great performing asset.” He noted that the extension of federal aid, which will allow people to continue to pay rent, will be critical for the housing market.

The country’s reducing unemployment and getting the coronavirus under control are two factors that will affect the housing situation, Kaufman stated.

The real estate expert and entrepreneur made several additional noteworthy observations. “Homeownership is approaching 68%, the highest rate since prior to the Great Recession. So, this trend, which started before COVID, now has been accelerated,” he said. “People are moving out of the cities. The social unrest, schools, all of these factors are leading to people moving to the suburbs.”

Kaufman commented that the inventory is now very limited in the suburbs. He projected this will lead to price appreciation both for owner-occupied and single-family rental homes.

Adding perspective to today’s overall economic situation, he pointed out that commercial real estate is a $14 trillion industry. “There are three asset classes that are doing extraordinarily well: multifamily, single-family rentals, and industrial. Sixty percent of the asset classes are performing exceptionally well,” he said.

The hospitality and retail sectors are still suffering. However, suburban offices are reaping some benefits from the demand for less density, driven by COVID-19. “I think it’s going to be a mixed bag. Clearly, there are a lot of people evaluating urban offices and suburban satellites.” He opined people will need to continue to watch the landscape for the next six to 12 months, to see the extent of the impacts of a suburban workforce.

View the complete Bloomberg TV interview above.

Learn more about Arbor Realty Trust’s multifamily housing loans. Contact Arbor today to speak with a specialist about our different financing solutions.