COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE'S ECONOMIC ADVISORS

Recent national data continue to point toward gradual improvement across independently operated rental properties. While on-time payment rates remain well below post-pandemic highs, the stabilization observed since late summer has carried into early 2026.

This week’s Rental Housing Weekly Briefing examines Freddie Mac’s multifamily lending activity, recent trends in housing affordability as measured by the National Association of Realtors, and the key data releases to watch in the week ahead

Multifamily rent growth remained subdued in December 2025, with national rent gains continuing to register positive in nominal terms but negative after adjusting for inflation. The latest Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) data point to a rent environment that is materially cooler than the post-pandemic peak and running below long-run historical norms in real terms, even as nominal rents continue to edge modestly higher.

This week’s Rental Housing Weekly Briefing examines institutional participation in the single-family rental market, recent labor market developments shaping rental demand, and the key data releases to watch in the week ahead.