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.

This week’s Rental Housing Weekly Briefing breaks down the latest real GDP data, new Census findings on single-family rental ownership, how institutional acquisition trends compare with broader ownership patterns, and the key releases to watch in the week ahead.