Articles

The Most Active Markets for New Multifamily Development in 2025

After the volume of multifamily permits fell nationally in 2023 and 2024, this year is on pace to be a year of stabilization for multifamily development. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, out of the top 100 largest U.S. metros by population, 47 had more multifamily permits through the first six months of 2025 than they did over the same period last year. Driven by strong underlying multifamily demand, attractive investment opportunities are leading to rebounding construction pipelines. As multifamily permitting rises, we explore the markets where new permits issued are most concentrated and where construction activity is gaining momentum.

Current Reports

Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report Q3 2025

Arbor’s Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report Q3 2025, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, examines the factors behind the continued upward trajectory of the sector amid an ongoing capital markets recalibration. Several of its core performance metrics, including valuations, originations, and credit standards, have shown measurable improvement as a multifamily market-wide normalization takes shape. Supported by strong fundamentals, small multifamily stands tall despite economic uncertainty.

Analysis

U.S. Multifamily Market Snapshot — August 2025

The U.S. multifamily market stood on the cusp of a new cycle at the halfway point of 2025, as demand continued to be driven by favorable demographic trends and a structural need for housing.

Articles

Small Multifamily Continues Steady Price Growth

Small multifamily valuations realized positive year-over-year growth in the second quarter of 2025, demonstrating the sector’s ongoing resilience in an unsettled economic environment. Steady rent growth, improving operating expense ratios, and stable cap rates helped move price growth into positive territory.

Articles

Metro-Level SFR Rent Growth Trends in the First Half of 2025

Albany, NY, and many other affordable mid-sized metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) outpaced the national rent growth average for single-family rental (SFR) properties in the first half of 2025, according to an analysis of Zillow’s Observed Rent Index, which tracks the 100 largest markets in the U.S.

Articles

Larger Buildings and Smaller Units: How New Multifamily Completions Continue to Evolve

Driven by high construction costs, land constraints, and rental affordability, developers are increasingly prioritizing smaller units in higher-density multifamily properties. Utilizing data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s annual Survey of Construction, the research teams at Chandan Economics and Arbor Realty Trust have analyzed how the characteristics of new multifamily properties continue to evolve.

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Arbor 360º

Success Story: Large Multifamily Acquisition

A panoramic view of how Arbor grows financial partnerships through successful

product executions that deliver results for our clients

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$19.3M First-Mortgage Bridge Loan

266

Units

TX

Sherman

'08 & '18

Year Built

Situation

Experienced multifamily owner-operators were seeking financing to acquire and reposition a multifamily community in Sherman, TX. The property was built in two phases, and the borrower was looking to renovate 112 units in the phase 1 portion of the property in order to improve their quality and capture higher rents. The phase 2 units were also achieving below-market rents, and the borrowers’ goal was to raise rents for those units to increase property cash flow. Borrowers also planned to bring in a new, experienced property manager.

Arbor Action

Arbor was tasked with evaluating the borrowers’ business plan to ensure it would adequately increase property value and generate additional cash flow. The clients are repeat Arbor borrowers and large owner-operators who are local to the property, which assured Arbor that the repositioning could be successfully completed on time and on budget, resulting in increased rental income.

Result

Arbor was able to execute a $19.3 million first-mortgage bridge loan to fund the acquisition and renovation of the property. Since the acquisition, the borrowers were able to successfully upgrade interior units, amenities and exteriors, resulting in a 17% increase in gross potential rent and a 98% occupancy rate in just two years. Upon loan maturity, the borrowers were able to refinance to a permanent agency loan. Arbor executed a 12-year, $22.9 million Fannie Mae DUS® Standard Loan, allowing the borrower to retire the existing Arbor bridge loan, fund immediate repairs and other costs, and operate the property for the long term.