08/26/2026
📉 The rental market flipped.
Here are the 9 actual signals landlords need to know in 2026:
1️⃣ Rents fell for 35 straight months
2️⃣ Vacancy climbed to 7.6%
3️⃣ Renewals are beating move-outs 5 to 1
4️⃣ 44 of the 50 largest metros are renter-friendly or balanced
5️⃣ 15 markets are still 10%+ below peak rent
6️⃣ 74.4% of landlords saw ownership costs rise
7️⃣ Only 44.3% of rent hikes were driven by higher costs
8️⃣ 18% intentionally do not raise rent
9️⃣ 32.9% still plan to buy more property in the next 24 months
What’s the takeaway?
Old rental math is breaking.
Today’s market is telling investors to:
✅ Underwrite more conservatively
✅ Watch vacancy closely
✅ Focus on retention
✅ Price off local comps
✅ Know your market, not just the headlines
And even with all that… investors are still buying.
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Source: BiggerPockets
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