COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE'S ECONOMIC ADVISORS

February 2026 data from the Independent Landlord Rental Performance Report show on-time rent payments rebounding to 83.7%, with late-payment pressure easing and full-payment rates reaching their strongest level since late summer 2025. While year-over-year collections remain below prior levels, the trend continues to point toward stabilization in the mom-and-pop rental market.

National multifamily rents rose 1.4% year over year in January 2026 as rent growth continued to moderate. Metro-level performance remains uneven across markets.

A closer look at the US Census Bureau’s Rental Housing Finance Survey shows that individual investors still account for the majority of single-family rental ownership, even as legal structures continue to evolve.

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.