Articles

Where Multifamily Permitting is Intensifying and Accelerating

While national multifamily permitting stabilizes, the authorization of new apartment buildings with five or more units has become more heavily concentrated in smaller, rapidly growing metropolitan areas. From Durham, NC, to Fayetteville, AR, and Raleigh, NC, new U.S. Census Bureau data reveal where multifamily permitting was most concentrated and where it was accelerating fastest in the first half of 2026.

Articles

Small Multifamily Lending Volume Moves Steadily Higher

Small multifamily lending activity rose during the first half of 2026. According to the latest Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report from Arbor Realty Trust and Chandan Economics, originations on loans with original balances between $1 million and $9 million reached an annualized pace of $71.6 billion through the second quarter. At this pace, originations are running 2.8% above the $69.6 billion total for 2025, placing small multifamily on pace for a third consecutive annual increase.

Current Reports

Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report Q3 2026

Arbor Realty Trust’s latest Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, evaluates what’s driving this sector’s ongoing stability as macroeconomic conditions remain mixed. Loan originations rose last quarter, and valuations are rebounding, signaling that normalization is taking hold.

Articles

SFR Rent Growth Accelerated and Expanded in First Half of 2026

Single-family rental (SFR) conditions strengthened during the first half of 2026, with rents rising across all 50 of the nation’s largest metros between December 2025 and June 2026. Growth was broad-based but uneven, with many Northeast and Midwest markets outperforming major Sun Belt metros.

Articles

Multifamily Completions Shift to Larger, Lower-Rise Properties

This year’s data show that while multifamily completions moderated from 2024’s elevated pace, the sector’s shift toward larger properties continued. At the same time, larger has not necessarily meant taller, as lower-rise buildings continue to account for most new multifamily completions.

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Louis Sarube

Managing Director, Structured Asset Management
Headshot of Louis Sarube, Senior Vice President, Structured Asset Management

Louis Sarube is responsible for the overall analysis of Arbor’s loan portfolio. His primary responsibilities include loan valuation and the restructuring and workout of senior, mezzanine and bridge loans. Other responsibilities include identifying and implementing value-enhancement opportunities and coordinating loan activity to ensure compliance with CLO requirements for the company.

Prior to joining Arbor, he served as Director, Real Estate Finance, for UBS Investment Bank/Dillon Read Capital Management. In this role, he closed billions in transactions and was responsible for originating, underwriting, structuring and closing commercial fixed-rate, bridge and floating-rate loans.

Previous to that role, Mr. Sarube served as President and Chief Executive Officer at LPS Real Estate Analyst Inc., where he performed complete underwriting due diligence for loans originated by UBS Investment Bank. In addition, he held positions with Parallel Commercial Capital, LLC and Aetna Life Insurance Company.

Mr. Sarube holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Bryant University.

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