Sensing a shift in the wind, multifamily property manager Asset Living is preparing for a bumpier leasing environment amid rising supply, slowing rent growth and overall economic uncertainty. While an adjustment, it shouldn’t come as a complete shock, says Robert Hicks, an Asset Living division president in charge of the conventional multifamily business in the western United States. Over the past handful of years, the sector has enjoyed some of the highest occupancies he has seen in his 25-year career in the industry, he points out. At the same time, …
Sarah Daniels
Tech-Driven Renters Insurance Model Ramps Up Efficiency, Reduces Risk
The failure of residents to meet coverage requirements or letting policies lapse can cost owners and operators significantly, according to TheGuarantors, a fintech company serving the multifamily industry. For some operators, this can mean up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in liability costs. It can be months before operators become aware that residents have changed or canceled their policy. Property technology (proptech) innovations have helped digitize every facet of the leasing, management, maintenance, rent collection and revenue management processes. However, most proptech improvements have traditionally been renter focused, rather …
Fine-Tune Borrowing Strategies to Activate Multifamily Projects
Multifamily developers and owners seeking debt financing face a gauntlet of headwinds, but deal flows confirm that good deals are still landing loans. That’s according to Janette O’Brien, head of production for multifamily lending at KeyBank. As one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, KeyBank has a full pipeline of multifamily loans in process. That puts O’Brien’s finger on the pulse of what differentiates viable deals in today’s volatile market. Multifamily & Affordable Housing Business asked O’Brien about current borrower challenges, as well as the strategies that are helping some …
Single-Family Rental, Build-to-Rent Sector Increases Supply Volume, Attracts Institutional Capital
By Jeff Coles, Berkadia Over the last 15 years, even during the Great Recession, single-family rentals continued to deliver excellent returns through appreciation and rental income. As demand for the sector has increased significantly, driven by changing migration patterns, many investors are shifting their investment strategies to include single-family rental/build-to-rent homes (SFR/BTR), also referred to as built for rent (BFR) houses. Development and Interest in SFR/BTR Despite recessionary rumors, development is continuing, often undertaken by some of the leading developers in the for-sale single-family market. Also, institutional investors have shown …