Bolstered by robust build-to-rent (BTR) activity, the single-family rental (SFR) sector continued to display strength even as the residential housing market moderated. Arbor’s Single-Family Rental Investment Trends Report Q2 2025, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, provides original research and analysis of key performance metrics for investors to take a closer look at a sector on the rise.

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.

As build-to-rent (BTR) demand rises, single-family rental (SFR) development has become more efficient in creating a distinct, community-focused experience for renters. Newly released U.S. Census Bureau data confirms that SFR/BTR development continues to be robust and stable, with its annualized pace of construction in the first quarter of 2025 matching the previous quarter’s tally.

Tenant retention is a valuable — though sometimes elusive — contributing factor to the strength of a multifamily property. Nationally, 29% of multifamily households signed a third lease for the same unit, according to an analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Locally, renter turnover was lowest in major coastal markets, like New York City, and highest in transient renter markets, like Charleston, SC.

While markets undergo rapid recalibration, the small multifamily market’s performance remains strong and stable. Arbor’s Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report Q2 2025, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, details how the sector’s resilient fundamentals effectively support its growth amid ongoing economic volatility.

The U.S. multifamily market continued to settle into a more normalized cycle during the first quarter of 2025, as well-positioned investors began to take advantage of new opportunities in an uncertain economic environment.