Articles

Renters See Apartments as ‘Forever Homes’

Today’s renters are in it for the long haul. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s recently released 2025 SCE Housing Survey shows that the average renter thinks there is a two-in-three chance they will rent for the foreseeable future. With home prices and interest rates unfavorable to would-be homebuyers, we explore renters’ perceptions and how they could impact future rental housing demand.

Current Reports

Top Markets for Multifamily Investment Report Spring 2025

Arbor’s Top Markets for Multifamily Investment Report Spring 2025, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, is your roadmap to the best locations to deploy capital. Based on the findings of our exclusive Multifamily Opportunity Matrix, this in-depth analysis assesses economic strength and market capabilities to navigate evolving conditions of the top 50 largest U.S. metros.

Research

Arbor’s data-driven articles and research reports empower multifamily and single-family rental investors and developers to make more profitable financial decisions.

Articles

Renters Account for Majority of Household Growth

The number of rental households climbed nearly 2% last year, as 848,000 more households became renters, an analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Housing Vacancies and Homeownership Survey shows (Chart 1). Rental households also hit a new high of 45.3 million, accounting for more than half of all U.S. household growth in 2024. Weakening affordability, evolving lifestyle preferences, and a limited supply of quality housing all contributed to surging multifamily and single-family rental (SFR) demand.

Articles

Solar Panel Usage Accelerates in Rental Properties

Solar panel installations, which skyrocketed in the U.S. over the last half-century, are projected to double to 10 million in just six years. While installations soared in all types of residences, owner-occupied properties significantly outpaced rentals. However, the evolving economics of solar power may be approaching a tipping point for single-family rental (SFR) operators looking for a differentiator.

Analysis

Small Multifamily Investment Snapshot — March 2025

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.

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Arbor 360º

Success Story: Large Single-Family
Build-to-Rent Development

A panoramic view of how Arbor grows financial partnerships through successful

product executions that deliver results for our clients

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$32.1M Single-Family Rental Build-to-Rent Loan

250

Units

TX

San Antonio

2020

Construction Completed

Situation

An experienced developer of luxury single-family rental (SFR) communities had begun construction on a 250-unit luxury build-to-rent (BTR) community in San Antonio, TX, poised to be the largest community of its kind in the metro. To continue construction velocity, the borrower was looking for ground-up construction financing to fund the development, with the goal of refinancing to a permanent agency loan once construction was completed and the property was stabilized. At the time, there were limited financing options in the SFR space. The borrower reached out to Arbor for assistance due to the strong relationship and previous successful projects together.

Arbor Action

Arbor leveraged its multifamily expertise to create a BTR financing product under its Single-Family Rental Portfolio platform – a product not offered by other major multifamily lenders. Arbor worked closely with the borrower to review the construction plan and timeline to confirm the project would be delivered on time and on budget. As part of the loan agreement, Arbor advanced a portion of the loan to fund construction. To draw additional funds, the borrower had to meet certain construction and pre-leasing milestones set by Arbor.

Result

Arbor executed a 24-month construction loan under its Single-Family Rental Portfolio Build-to-Rent program. The financing helped the borrower successfully complete the project and achieve full occupancy. The borrower is now operating and maintaining the property for steady rental income and plans to continue partnering with Arbor on its future SFR projects.