Institutional Investment in Build-to-Rent Single Family Expands

Driven by pandemic-prompted consumer demand for larger rentals, more space

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., July 22, 2021 – Institutional players are expanding their investment in the single family rental sector, reports Yardi® Matrix in a new special report.

Traditionally an afterthought for investors, interest and development of build-to-rent homes has burgeoned due to the pandemic, report Matrix analysts. Families are looking for more space, fewer shared walls and personal HVAC systems, all features offered in single family rentals.

Single-family rentals have long been a major subsection of the housing market, representing about one-third of the 46 million rental homes in the U.S. However, nearly 98% of single-family rentals are operated by private owners. Institutions did not enter the segment until after the 2008 recession and remain a small slice of the market, according to the report.

“Both the institutional single-family rental and build-to-suit segments gained momentum as a result of the pandemic, which created ideal conditions,” say analysts. “Families wanted more space and the privacy of a detached home, but without the inherent limitations of a mortgage and homeownership.”

Increasingly, institutions are growing their presence in the sector by building communities from the ground up. More than $10 billion has been allocated to the sector by institutions over the last few years. And around 12% of new single-family construction in 2021 is dedicated to future rentals, according to John Burns Real Estate Consulting.

Learn more about the expanded institutional presence in build-to-rent and single family rental homes.

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