A nationwide housing shortage of rental homes, coupled with the rising costs of homeownership, has fueled the popularity of high-quality, affordable single-family rental (SFR)/build-to-rent (BTR) homes. In recent years, SFR/BTR construction starts have consistently reached new highs. In today’s economic environment, where mortgage payments are more expensive than rent payments in many markets, build-to-rent loans are a forward-thinking investment strategy.
The SFR sector is well-positioned to limit distress through the challenges of the current moment while advancing its standing within the single-family housing market for the long term.
Following a banner year in 2022, the U.S. multifamily market held steady during 2023. Arbor provided research and insights into our markets throughout the year. Here’s a look at our top Arbor research articles from 2023, in case you missed them.
Miami — a market with an attractive climate, urban amenities, and quality transportation options — has seen intense post-pandemic population growth. While its resurgence has been celebrated by many, Miami’s success has come at the cost of weakening rental affordability in the city.
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK – December 18, 2023 – Arbor Realty Trust (NYSE: ABR) has ranked #9 in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Top Multifamily Lender in Initial Endorsements list for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023. In partnership with borrowers, Arbor posted over $230M in total FHA/HUD origination volume as a Multifamily Accelerated Processing (MAP) Lender. This achievement represents Arbor’s first Top 10 appearance on this list. The result is representative of Arbor’s strong core commitment to agency origination. “FHA loan programs offer high-quality multifamily financing solutions across all rate environments,” said Arbor COO John Caulfield. “Our originators, underwriters and asset managers are well-familiar with HUD’s expansive multifamily product set, and we appreciate the relationships we’ve built over the years and the collaborative growth that this result demonstrates.” Arbor also ranked #14 on HUD’s Top FHA Multifamily Lender by Firm Commitments list, jumping from #19 in 2020. This marks Arbor’s fifth year in the Top 20 by Firm Commitments. About Arbor Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ABR) is a nationwide real estate investment Read the full article…
For low-income renters, affordability is a deeply rooted issue. Since 2010, rental affordability has consistently and severely eroded in the U.S., with average rents growing faster annually than average incomes more than 72% of the time. As renters face increased inflationary pressures, state and local governments are exploring a mix of creative and tried-and-true solutions to expand the affordable housing supply.
As the single-family rental (SFR) investment market matures, a clearer picture of its typical renter has begun to come into focus. On December 5 at IMN’s 11th Annual Single Family Rental Forum (West), a group of industry leaders, including Arbor’s Tres Seippel, Director, Construction Management, explored how demographic trends have influenced the rise in popularity of single-family rental homes.
Q2 2020 Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report Small Multifamily Weathers the Storm TAKE THE PDF WITH YOU Table of Contents Key Findings: Small multifamily prices fell 5.6% from a year ago. Cap rates held steady as risk-free rates fell. Small multifamily LTVs dropped by 360 bps from the prior quarter. Table of Contents: State of the Multifamily Market Lending Volume of Multifamily Loans Arbor Small Multifamily Price Index Cap Rates & Spreads Leverage and Debt Yields Multifamily Market Outlook Key Findings: Small multifamily prices fell 5.6% from a year ago. Cap rates held steady as risk-free rates fell. Small multifamily LTVs dropped by 360 bps from the prior quarter. State of the Multifamily Market When the Nobel Committee meets this year to decide who has made the most meaningful contributions to the field of economics, they might as well give the honor to the epidemiologists. Right now, those experts are providing key indicators of the future of markets throughout the world shaped by the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Disorganized and inconsistent reopenings in the U.S. economy have fanned Read the full article…
From in-depth reports to impactful articles, Arbor is your source for exclusive content about key trends impacting investment within commercial real estate markets, including multifamily, single-family rentals, and affordable housing.
The small multifamily sub-sector ended 2022 on a high note with originations falling just behind 2021’s peak. As economic storm clouds continue circling, small multifamily appears fortified from any reverberations that may result.
Arbor’s Single-Family Rental Investment Trends Report Q1 2023, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, explores a growing multifamily sector with a unique ability to rise above macroeconomic headwinds. Last year, investors purchased more single-family rental (SFR) units than in 2021 as uncertainty rippled through the commercial real estate industry. Construction in the sector also ramped up in 2022, with starts reaching all-time highs by unit count and market share. This upward trend, fueled by significant structural support, sets SFR apart from many other commercial real estate sectors.
When apartment investors consider locations for capital deployment, growth potential is a top-of-mind concern. On a local level, population changes can influence everything from rent growth to occupancy to future property values. County-level positive net migration and natural population growth trends, identified in an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, reveal the counties where demographic tailwinds make a compelling case for real estate investment.
Arbor’s latest Affordable Housing Trends Report, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, offers a wide-ranging lens into the complex, though critically important, affordable and workforce housing sectors.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), a part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is one of the largest mortgage insurers in the world. The agency insures mortgages on affordable housing, multifamily properties, single-family homes, multifamily properties, and health care facilities. Since 1934, FHA has financed over 50,000 multifamily mortgages nationwide. Whether you’re interested in acquiring, refinancing, or rehabilitating an affordable housing property, FHA multifamily loans are a financing route you need to know about.
In this video, Sam Chandan, professor of finance and Director of the Chen Institute for Global Real Estate Finance at the NYU Stern School of Business, discusses the key findings of Arbor’s Affordable Housing Trends Report Spring 2023, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics. He adds context to the Federal, state, and local housing policy trends impacting the future of the affordable sector, which, he notes, continues to have the highest development prospects of any residential subtype.
The small multifamily subsector, strengthened by sound structural fundamentals, is well-positioned to face distress due to interest-rate pressure. Even though pricing has slid lower and cap rates have risen, it should remain resilient in the coming quarters. A deep dive into a uniquely positioned subsector, Arbor’s Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report Q1 2023, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, analyzes the competing headwinds and tailwinds influencing investment performance.
Fannie Mae Multifamily recently honored Arbor with its prestigious 2022 DUS Lender Award for Excellence in Technology, citing it as “a constant source of innovative ideas” and “a stalwart partner” in driving “Fannie Mae’s digital transformation for the DUS community.”
The U.S. multifamily market continued to show signs of slowing during the first quarter of 2023. Rent growth was down from the skyrocketing pace seen in 2021 and 2022, although demand remained strong and vacancy held near historic lows.
Even as home prices posted their first annual decline in over a decade in March, affordability remains an urgent economic and policy challenge. Today, no states currently have an adequate amount of affordable and available homes for their lowest-income renters. With public support for improving housing affordability growing stronger, state and local governments have been prioritizing policy solutions to close the nationwide housing gap.