Top Articles of 2025: The Rental Housing Market Holds Strong
The U.S. rental housing market remained strong and stable in 2025, with narrowing supply‑demand gaps, rising investment activity, and rent growth in line with pre‑pandemic levels. The stability spread through multifamily properties, as well as single-family rentals (SFR) and build-to-rent (BTR) development. Lower interest rates, along with improving underwriting conditions and increasing price clarity, helped well-positioned investors capitalize on opportunities.
Although rapid multifamily rent growth slowed in the second half of the year, it remained positive and stood more than 20% higher than pre-pandemic levels. At the market level, growth leaders represented a mix of maturing, affordable, and dynamic markets. Vacancy rates also remained stable and have nearly been unchanged compared to last year, despite the ongoing narrative of over-supply concerns.
Apartment sales volume through the first three quarters of the year outpaced 2024, and was on par with levels observed prior to the pandemic. Additionally, results of the National Multifamily Housing Council’s (NMHC) latest Quarterly Survey of Apartment Market Conditions showed that the recent drops in interest rates have eased debt‑financing conditions and sparked investor activity.
The SFR market also demonstrated strength and stability during the year. Cap rates trended higher and each of the 50 largest SFR markets posted positive rent growth. The pace of new BTR construction remained robust as compared with historical standards, driven by a generation of would-be first-time homebuyers seeking out community-focused lifestyle renting.
Despite broader economic uncertainties, the rental housing sector in 2025 held strong to the fundamentals that support its foundation as a premier asset class.
Here’s a look at Arbor’s top articles from 2025, in case you missed them. And don’t forget to check out our top posts from last year: Top Articles of 2024: Multifamily Investment Opportunities Emerge.
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Multifamily Households Set Yet Another Record
January 3, 2025 | By Chandan Economics
“With household formations outnumbering housing additions, rental demand is strong and will continue to be boosted by a growing cohort of lifestyle renters.”
The Single-Family Rental Sector Returns to Growth Mode
January 31, 2025 | By Chandan Economics
“Following a period of pandemic-related uncertainty, SFR has returned to growth mode, increasing its number of households for the second time in three years.”
FHA Loan Changes Boost Access to Affordable and Market-Rate Multifamily Financing
February 17, 2025 | By Dan Peltier
“The new rules bring more favorable debt service coverage ratios (DSCRs), loan-to-cost ratios (LTC), and loan-to-value (LTV) ratios on certain types of FHA multifamily loans, unlocking more proceeds to borrowers.”
Top Markets for Rental Occupancy
March 24, 2025 | By Chandan Economics
“Out of the 75 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, the occupancy rate for all types of rental properties increased in 36 markets last year, while exceeding 95% in nearly one-third of all markets.”
Renters See Apartments as ‘Forever Homes’
April 21, 2025 | By Chandan Economics
“With home prices and interest rates unfavorable to would-be homebuyers, we explore renters’ perceptions and how they could impact future rental housing demand.”
How New Multifamily Completions Continue to Evolve
July 15, 2025 | By Chandan Economics
“Driven by high construction costs, land constraints, and rental affordability, developers are increasingly prioritizing smaller units in higher-density multifamily properties.”
Financing Workforce Housing: A Stable and Value-Add Investment
October 8, 2025 | By Dan Peltier
“With a wide range of programs and incentives now available, investors have been increasingly securing stable and valuable opportunities, which can also improve the lives of cost-burdened middle-income professionals.”
U.S. Multifamily Market Snapshot
November 6, 2025 | By Matt Maison
“The U.S. multifamily market demonstrated clear signs of stabilization during the third quarter of 2025, as supply imbalances eased and investment activity climbed.”
Top U.S. Multifamily Rent Growth Markets
November 15, 2025 | By Matt Maison
“As has been the case throughout this cycle, the top rent growth markets over the past 12 months represented several regions, all with varying strengths and characteristics.”
Sam Chandan’s Key Takeaways from Arbor’s Latest Special Report
December 11, 2025 | By Thomas Hallissey
“Dr. Sam Chandan, one of the commercial real estate industry’s leading scholars, shares his expert insight on Arbor Realty Trust’s latest Special Report, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics.”
Interested in the multifamily real estate investment market? Contact Arbor today to learn about our array of multifamily, single-family rental, and affordable housing financing options or view our multifamily articles and research reports.