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FTC proposes new rule to increase transparency around junk fees

Oct 11, 2023
One area particularly hard hit by these extra charges: apartment rent. And the fees aren't always disclosed before tenants sign the lease.
The proposed FTC rule would require landlords and management companies to tell prospective tenants about extra fees, like for filing online maintenance requests or calculating each apartment’s share of the utilities, before they sign a lease.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

New apartments coming on the market may ease rent inflation, but not the housing shortage

Sep 22, 2023
Many of the projects being completed were delayed by the pandemic.
While the overall housing shortage may not be over, new apartment building completion was up in August. Enough new units could help cool rent inflation.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

What a “de facto ban” on Airbnb means for New York City 

Sep 21, 2023
Will housing prices go down with fewer short-term renters around?
Airbnb has a long history in New York City. But New York's stance towards short-term rentals has just gone from one of the most relaxed policies out there, to one of the strictest.
Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images

NYC is cracking down on short-term rentals. What does that mean for the housing market?

Sep 6, 2023
It's unclear whether reducing the number of short-term rentals will free up housing for city residents.
New York City's rules for short-term rentals went into effect on September 5, 2023.
Anthony Devlin/Getty Images

Is shelter inflation data the most timely measure of housing costs?

Aug 10, 2023
As some CPI data lags, economists consider new rental data to better understand where housing costs are now.
While shelter inflation is still at 7.7% year-on-year, economists are incorporating new, more timely data into their forecasts that shows a cooling of housing prices.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Supply of low-cost apartments dwindled over last decade, study says

Jul 7, 2023
Ultra-cheap rentals declined in every state, especially in Texas and North Carolina, where renters from more expensive markets are moving.
States like Texas, above, and North Carolina had a particularly sharp drop in low-cost apartments.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

What's behind significant rent increases in some U.S. cities?

Apr 27, 2022
People looking to break out of shared housing are increasing demand for rentals, but supply is limited.
Some markets across the U.S. have seen double-digit percent increases in apartment rents.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

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How private equity is changing the rental market

Mar 2, 2022
Heather Vogell of ProPublica finds short term-oriented corporate investors are increasingly becoming apartment landlords.
"I think what we're seeing is that these companies are acting in ways that are problematic for tenants to meet their investment goals," said ProPublica reporter Heather Vogell.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Vacancies are down, demand is up and rents are rising

Feb 1, 2022
The rental vacancy rate is just under 6%, the lowest it's been since the 1980s. And that's driving prices up.
A competitive housing market is part of why so many people are renting right now. Above, a "rent" sign is displayed on a Miami apartment building.
Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

How becoming a landlord broadened one renter’s horizons

Sep 13, 2021
Zarrish Khan used to dream of owning a home, and then her dream got bigger.
Dr. Zarrish Kahn and her husband in front of their new home in Iowa City, Iowa, in June.
Courtesy of Zarrish Khan