Apartment REITs Poised for Windfall in 2026 Amid Housing Affordability Crisis

The housing market in the US is becoming increasingly unaffordable, with a 24% drop in home prices needed to make monthly payments competitive with renting. This has created a "captive audience" of renters, upgrading the multifamily REIT sector to an "Overweight" status. Demand is strengthening against a backdrop of shrinking supply, with a predicted 2-3% rise in rents nationwide in 2026. Apartment REITs, such as Camden Property Trust, are seen as a contrarian value play and may benefit from a rental market that has become the only viable option for millions of Americans.