Amid market softening, BTR remains a critical solution to ongoing affordability challenges in the housing market.
The housing market in 2025 did not hit the growth targets many projected heading into the year. Weaker consumer confidence, challenging affordability conditions, and general economic uncertainty contributed to a flat year for the for-sale market.
Many of these factors also limited growth in the build-to-rent (BTR) sector in 2025. After rapid expansion in the years following the pandemic, capital has tightened and not as many new projects have been started. As a result, new deliveries of BTR will decline in 2026 and beyond.
“I would somewhat describe it as running in place. For those who have operating properties [and] properties under development, there is a lot of work but not a lot of movement in the market,” says Josh Hartmann CEO of NexMetro Communities.
Following a period of amenity escalation in competition with garden-style multifamily communities, the BTR sector has simplified its approach to amenities.
“Focusing on the resident experience is critical. They want service [and] they want a wet amenity. Outdoor green space is an absolute must [but] that doesn’t have to be a golf course or a big thing,” says Richard Ross, CEO of Quinn Residences, with more than 30 communities with townhomes and detached single-family homes across the Southeast. “Walking trails, fire pits, playgrounds, [and] dog parks are important. You don’t even need a large clubhouse.”
Dog parks, pools, and on-site leasing centers still sit well with renters, while outdoor spaces are also popular.
“Amenities that deliver privacy, functionality, and a true single-family living experience resonate most strongly with build-to-rent renters, and these often differ from traditional multifamily preferences,” says Lacey Edwards, marketing director of Freehold Communities.
When designing communities, Ross says having an on-site leasing office front and center is important and that it must be open and viable when leasing the first quarter of the community. Technology, such as AI chatbots for off-hours questions and virtual touring, are becoming “table stakes.”
“[AI] is a potential boon for this business in the next year to three years, both operationally and with resident management,” Ross says. “[Residents] need to be able to go 24/7 online and get the toilet fixed or find a place to live. If they can’t, they will just go to the person that has it.”
”Focusing on the resident experience is critical.
Richard RossCEO of Quinn Residences
Read the full article in Builder featuring Quinn Residences’ Richard Ross that explores how the build-to-rent (BTR) sector is evolving to help address America’s ongoing housing affordability challenges.
