Amid ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty, the small multifamily sector remains favorably positioned for stability as the structural need for affordable housing in the U.S. has supported the strength of the sector’s demand profile.
Nationally, vacancies have risen, but the performance of rental housing is extremely localized. Out of the 75 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, the occupancy rate for all types of rental properties, including single-family rentals, 2-4 family, multifamily, and mobile homes, increased in 36 markets last year, while exceeding 95% in nearly one-third of all markets, according to an analysis of newly released U.S. Census Bureau data.[1] From Grand Rapids, MI, to Columbia, SC, the top markets for rental occupancy show where conditions are tightest and demand is strongest.
Arbor’s Single-Family Rental Investment Trends Report Q1 2025, published in partnership with Chandan Economics, is an up-close look at the single-family rental (SFR) sector as it enters a period of normalcy after explosive pandemic-era growth. SFR maintains its balance with the support of a healthy set of fundamentals while capital markets rebound and rent growth moderates.
Small multifamily price growth trends indicate a stabilization may be ready to take hold. Expanding on the findings of Arbor’s latest Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report, our research teams more closely examined valuations to determine if trends in pricing and other fundamentals are supporting a turnaround.
Elevated mortgage interest rates and high home prices boosted demand for single-family rentals (SFR) last year, supporting the growth of rents in almost all of the 100 largest metropolitan areas. Pricing momentum, which averaged 4.5% nationally, was concentrated in affordable markets in the Northeast and Midwest, an analysis of Zillow’s Observed Rent Index data shows.
Arbor’s roots are in small multifamily, and Chatter is your source for small multifamily news, research and insight. With nearly a third of all renters calling a property with between 5 and 50 units home, we’re dedicated to keeping you informed on the best practices for investing, financing and running smaller apartment communities.
While the real estate industry is slow to adopt new technology, experts provide steps to take when investing in proptech to increase efficiency.
What’s topping the checklists of property management concerns? A New York Build 2020 Expo panel agreed that in the upcoming decade, multifamily property owners will need to focus on two areas: amenities and legal requirements. Renovations Needed to Stay Competitive Owners will need to invest in upgrading their properties to stay current with tenants’ changing lifestyles. “With almost every lobby renovation, one of the key challenges is where do all the packages go and how do you distribute them,” said William T. Payne, principal at O&S Engineers & Architects. “What if the mailroom is way too small for Amazon?” More residents are ordering deliveries of not just meals but now groceries. Payne stated this raises additional security issues with more people knocking on the door. He also noted the rising demand for bicycle parking and charging stations for electric vehicles. With these types of property upgrades, owners need to be honest in their requests for proposals (RFPs), said Carmen Rainieri, regional director at Skanska. This includes providing accurate information about pricing and logistics. In working with contractors and consultants, “collaboration Read the full article…
Operators need to prepare for skilled nursing facility surveys, which will help them obtain financing.
Arbor Realty Trust interviews Dan Schneider of Valuation & Information Group. The appraiser shares his view on the changes in governmental reimbursements to the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM). He also discusses a development that the senior housing industry strongly opposes.
In this blog, we examine how renters across property types pay for their usage of the three most common utilities: electricity, water and gas.
We recently examined trends in how today’s renters are searching for apartments. Let’s now take a look a why renters decide to make the move — though it turns out they are choosing to do so less frequently.
