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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Arbor 360º

Success Story: Large Multifamily Acquisition

A panoramic view of how Arbor grows financial partnerships through successful

product executions that deliver results for our clients

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$19.3M First-Mortgage Bridge Loan

266

Units

TX

Sherman

'08 & '18

Year Built

Situation

Experienced multifamily owner-operators were seeking financing to acquire and reposition a multifamily community in Sherman, TX. The property was built in two phases, and the borrower was looking to renovate 112 units in the phase 1 portion of the property in order to improve their quality and capture higher rents. The phase 2 units were also achieving below-market rents, and the borrowers’ goal was to raise rents for those units to increase property cash flow. Borrowers also planned to bring in a new, experienced property manager.

Arbor Action

Arbor was tasked with evaluating the borrowers’ business plan to ensure it would adequately increase property value and generate additional cash flow. The clients are repeat Arbor borrowers and large owner-operators who are local to the property, which assured Arbor that the repositioning could be successfully completed on time and on budget, resulting in increased rental income.

Result

Arbor was able to execute a $19.3 million first-mortgage bridge loan to fund the acquisition and renovation of the property. Since the acquisition, the borrowers were able to successfully upgrade interior units, amenities and exteriors, resulting in a 17% increase in gross potential rent and a 98% occupancy rate in just two years. Upon loan maturity, the borrowers were able to refinance to a permanent agency loan. Arbor executed a 12-year, $22.9 million Fannie Mae DUS® Standard Loan, allowing the borrower to retire the existing Arbor bridge loan, fund immediate repairs and other costs, and operate the property for the long term.