Amidst a Surplus of New Units, Apartment Rental Rates Teeter on the Brink of Decline
Residential lease rates have been experiencing a notable deceleration for several months, and it appears they are on the verge of plunging into negative territory when compared to the corresponding period last year. According to data from the real estate technology platform RealPage, lease rates in the month of August exhibited a mere 0.28% increment in contrast to the same month in 2022. This pales in comparison to the situation just one year ago, when lease rates were registering an impressive 11% annual surge.
Barring a fleeting dip during the tumultuous days of the Covid-19 lockdowns, lease rates have not exhibited negative annual growth in well over a decade. On those rare occasions when such negative growth did manifest, it was invariably attributable to an economic recession that dampened the demand for rental properties. Presently, however, this is not the case. National apartment occupancy rates remain robust at an impressive 94%, aligning harmoniously with historical norms.
The prevailing circumstances driving this trend are multifaceted. Elevated mortgage rates, coupled with exorbitant housing prices and an exceedingly limited supply of available homes for sale, have collectively retained a substantial portion of potential homebuyers within the realm of the rental market. The fundamental issue at hand, however, is the staggering surplus of apartment inventory. This year has witnessed the construction of an unprecedented number of new units, with an excess of 460,000 units expected to reach completion by year’s end.
Over the preceding three years, in excess of one million new units have entered the market—an all-time record—many of which cater to the higher end of the market spectrum. The resulting abundance of options for renters has effectively curtailed the pricing leverage traditionally enjoyed by landlords, leading to an increase in turnover.
Although national lease rates have not yet ventured into negative territory, this undesirable outcome has materialized in several localized markets. Notable declines in lease rates have been observed in cities such as Austin, Texas (-4.9%), Phoenix (-4.9%), Las Vegas (4.7%), Atlanta (-3.7%), and Jacksonville, Florida (-3.4%). In sharp contrast, regions in the Midwest and Northeast continue to witness robust escalations in lease rates. A noteworthy exception to this trend is New York, where lease rates have inched up by a modest 1.9% annually, primarily due to a significant influx of new supply into the market.
Looking ahead, the outlook suggests that the market will remain oversaturated with supply throughout the coming year, exerting downward pressure on lease rates, possibly extending into 2025. However, the pace of new construction has experienced a considerable decline this year, owing to a confluence of financial and logistical challenges. Consequently, going into 2026, the rental market is anticipated to witness a considerable reduction in supply, potentially affording lease rates an opportunity to regain some lost ground.