Research desk
One original briefing a day from the Proppely Research Desk: what happened nationally, why it matters for a portfolio, and what to do this week. Every number links to the source that reported it.
Latest briefings
44 briefings, newest first.
RealPage expects national rents to rise about 2.4% from Q4 2026 to Q3 2027 as the supply-demand gap narrows to its smallest since 2015. Here is how to plan by market.
Read the briefingRealPage put the apartment cap rate at 5.39% against a 4.71% 10-year yield in August, the thinnest cushion in its 2008–2026 comparison. With 13% of multifamily mortgages maturing in 2026, NOI is the lever owners still control.
Read the briefingA new federal pilot lets local programs lend small landlords repair money, forgivable within 3 years. The price for owners not renting to voucher holders: a rent-increase cap at the lower of 5% or inflation, lease-extension offers and affordability terms. HUD has not yet announced funding for it.
Read the briefingCal/OSHA's draft rule would stop fabrication of engineered stone above 1% silica, 60 days after it takes effect, with a 180-day sell-through. Installed countertops aren't affected. New quartz for California turns could get scarce.
Read the briefingFreddie Mac's 30-year rate reached 7.40%, the highest since 2023. Zillow says rents are up 2.7%, and its chief economist says marginal buyers are finding renting too good to pass up. Here is how to use that at renewal.
Read the briefingThe Fed's September minutes say most participants expect another increase by year end, depending on data. Mortgage rates hit 7.49% in the latest weekly survey. Here is how to plan refinances and renewals.
Read the briefingRealPage says U.S. apartment rents rose 0.9% year over year in Q3 2026, the first annual gain since mid-2025, with occupancy at 95.4%. The Bay Area and Midwest lead; Sun Belt markets are still cutting. Price renewals by submarket.
Read the briefingTrepp's September data put multifamily CMBS delinquencies at 8.04%, above the 8.02% overall rate for the first time since Covid. Here is what to check before your next refinance.
Read the briefingRealtor.com says 20.8% of listings cut prices in September, a four-year high, as rates topped 7% and homes under contract fell 4.1%. Renters may stay longer, but asking rents are still down 0.9%, and buying a rental just got easier to negotiate.
Read the briefingNew York City's first 0% freeze on both one- and two-year stabilized leases is in effect, but a judge won't rule until year's end. Here's what owners and managers should do with renewals now.
Read the briefingPayrolls rose just 29,000 in September and unemployment hit 4.2%. Markets lean toward an October Fed hold, but rent growth is under 1% and mortgage rates are near 7.3%.
Read the briefingA federal judge paused New York's algorithmic rent-setting ban on First Amendment grounds. It is a preliminary ruling, not a green light for coordinated pricing.
Read the briefingEditorial policy
Written for operators, with the process in the open.
Every morning the desk reads the latest from HousingWire, Multifamily Dive, Redfin, Realtor.com, RentCafe, Yardi Matrix, RealPage, HUD, the Federal Reserve, the BLS and more, then writes one original briefing on what matters for a portfolio.
Rates, rents, percentages, dollar figures and dates carry an inline link to the report that published them. No source, no number. Guides describe what the law generally requires and say to confirm with local counsel.
Every piece is screened for Fair Housing language and unsupported claims before it publishes, and nothing here is legal or financial advice.
A person reviews the desk and can correct or remove any article. If a figure looks wrong or a source was misread, tell us and we will fix it.
Author: Proppely Research Desk. The whole policy — every source the desk reads, the six steps a briefing goes through, and what this desk will not do — is on About the research desk. Spot an error, or want a piece corrected or removed? Contact us. Every article is also published in formats news readers and AI assistants read directly, so they can quote it with the link back here.
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