Builders Look to Growing Home Rental Market

Subdivisions in states across the country are catering to people who want the benefits of living in homes without the burdens of home ownership.

1 minute read

October 17, 2019, 5:00 AM PDT

By Camille Fink


Single-Family Housing Construction

Irina Mos / Shutterstock

Chris Arnold reports on new subdivisons that are made up of homes that are not for sale, just for rent. "[Developer Josh Hartmann] says there are basically three types of renters of these houses: recent divorcees like [Lou Ann] Erwin, aging baby boomers who don't want the headaches of owning a house anymore and millennials."

Hartmann says he started building homes after the housing crash as an alternative for people who lost homes to foreclosure and wanted time to recover financially before looking at home ownership again. Instead, he found that more people with the resources to purchase homes were choosing to rent instead.

The renters say they prefer the home and neighborhood amenities these rentals offer, including yards, patios, and community pools. In areas with rising housing prices, such as Denver, the rentals also offer an option for people reluctant to commit to long-term mortgages, notes Arnold. "In the past year, developers around the country built more than 40,000 homes as single-family rentals, the National Association of Home Builders says."

Wednesday, October 16, 2019 in NPR - All Things Considered

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Historic homes in St. Augustine, Florida.

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs

Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

March 18, 2025 - Newsweek

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands

The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

March 17, 2025 - The Wall Street Journal

Close-up of traffic congestion from behind cars on a freeway in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Conservatives’ Decongestion Pricing Flip-Flop

When it comes to solving traffic problems, the current federal administration is on track for failure, waste, and hypocrisy.

March 17, 2025 - Todd Litman

Close-up of "City Hall" plaque on building with gold lettering on black.

Can Progressive Planners Appeal to Conservative Principles?

Trump’s approach to policies like NYC’s congestion pricing isn’t just irrational and wasteful — it defies the tenets of conservatism. But there are ways to reframe the issues.

45 minutes ago - Bloomberg CityLab

Close-up of seedling sprouting from ground with blurred people gardening in background.

Oak Park Plans Earth Month Events

Join Oak Park, Illinois, for a series of Earth Month events highlighting the importance of community engagement and education, integrating sustainability into local plans, and planning for the most vulnerable, such as birds, bees and butterflies.

2 hours ago - Local Government Commission

Close-up on pedestrian crosswalk light in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin with historic building with steeple visible in background.

Milwaukee Announces 60 Traffic Calming Projects for 2025

The city has successfully reduced traffic deaths and aims to eliminate them completely within the next decade.

4 hours ago - Urban Milwaukee