Articles

Top SFR Annual Rent Growth Markets

Even as rents retreated elsewhere, single-family rentals (SFR) have continued to outperform all other housing sub-types, exceeding the all-property type national average in 17 consecutive months through February 2024, according to Zillow’s Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Annual SFR rent growth has seen substantial gains in many metropolitan areas since national rent growth peaked in March 2022. In this deep dive, the Chandan Economics and Arbor Realty Trust research teams pinpoint the metropolitan areas where SFR rents are rising the fastest.

Articles

Arbor’s New True Colors Show Our Creativity and Green Roots

For more than 30 years, Arbor has been committed to growing financial partnerships that meaningfully impact communities nationwide. From planting trees to celebrate closed loans to supporting environmental organizations, our work has always been a win-win for our financial partners and the planet. But just as leaves change with each passing season, Arbor’s branding is evolving to seize the moment by embracing our roots with True Colors.

Articles

Five Advantages of Adding Fannie Mae Green Rewards to a Multifamily Loan

Since the Fannie Mae Green Rewards program launched in 2015, green financing has become a mainstay of commercial real estate. In addition to reducing the environmental impact of multifamily housing, the Green Rewards program creates a triple bottom line with increased cash flows, higher quality housing, and lower energy and water usage. With a high upside and little downside, the program is well worth multifamily borrowers’ consideration.

Articles

CRE Solutions for a Greener Planet Build Momentum

From California wildfires to rising sea levels to Florida hurricanes, the direct and indirect risks of climate change have grown in recent years, making a more substantial impact on the multifamily sector. As the need for sustainability becomes increasingly apparent, lawmakers and lenders have advanced programs and policies that show “going green” is a win-win.

Current Reports

Affordable Housing Trends Report Spring 2024

As housing costs spiral, rental affordability has become a more urgent issue, burdening a greater number of Americans. Arbor’s Affordable Housing Trends Report Spring 2024, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, examines the major policies and programs shaping the marketplace at a time when overdue federal funding expansions have increased agency budgets.

Articles

What Is Driving Lifestyle Renter Demand?

Lifestyle renters — those who have the means to own but prefer to rent or are willing to pay more for apartments with amenities — have become a key driver of rental demand in single-family rental homes, build-to-rent communities, and other types of high-quality multifamily housing. With this small yet influential demographic growing, our research teams examine and explain the factors driving lifestyle renter demand.

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Ivan Kaufman Discusses Arbor’s Record Performance in 2020 on The Ground Up Podcast

Ivan Kaufman on The Ground Up Podcast

Arbor Realty Trust’s CEO reveals how the company achieved record originations and dividend growth despite the pandemic

While many companies experienced a dislocation in 2020, Arbor Realty Trust was able to achieve a record performance, setting itself apart from competitors, noted Ivan Kaufman, the founder, chairman and CEO of Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ABR), in an interview on The Ground Up podcast with Brad Thomas.

In fact, 2020 marked one of Arbor’s best years as a public company, raising its dividend three times during the year and marking the ninth straight year of dividend growth for the company.

In the interview, Kaufman explains how Arbor was so well prepared for the pandemic.

“We had the proper liability structures and more significantly, we’re a very diversified mortgage REIT. Our income streams come from multiple sources,” Kaufman noted.

As a result, Arbor was able to take advantage of opportunities in the market, achieving record originations of $9.1 billion in 2020, a 20% increase over 2019.

Kaufman also attributed Arbor’s success to it sustainable business model and its focus on multifamily housing, one of the industry’s most resilient asset classes.

The multifamily industry is backed by the government-sponsored agencies, meaning “the market is very stable even through a dislocation,” Kaufman noted. As a leading lender for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA multifamily loans, Arbor was able to take advantage of the opportunity to provide liquidity throughout the pandemic.

Arbor’s balance sheet is also supported by a significant servicing portfolio, which grew to nearly $25 billion in 2020.

The head of the publicly traded REIT noted that Arbor’s adequate capital and preparation going into the pandemic is now paying off.

“Combined with our dividend increases, we’re very optimistic about our opportunity to continue to grow and increase our dividend and increase shareholder value,” Kaufman said. He added that he’s confident Arbor will join the elite club of public companies with 10 straight years of dividend growth in 2021.

Watch the full interview here.

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