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National Equity Fund (NEF) announced on July 22 the acquisition of 32 properties and a fund management portfolio from St. Louis Equity Fund Inc. (SLEFI). The portfolio, comprising nearly 2,000 affordable homes across 13 funds in the St. Louis region, represents over $200 million in equity. The deal expands NEF's Midwest footprint and aims to stabilize critical housing for low-income residents, seniors, and people with disabilities.

Apartment REITs 'merger of equals' partners AvalonBay Communities and Equity Residential reported second-quarter results, with FFO exceeding analyst expectations, and suspended earnings guidance due to the merger.

The U.S. '21st Century Housing Pathways Act' took effect on July 11. Single-family rental (BTR) is exempt from the 350-unit forced sale restriction, but the industry still faces regulatory uncertainty. Experts point out that the Act does not clearly explain key definitions (such as 'structure' and 'institutional investor'), and compliance reporting requirements are unclear. Investors need to plan carefully and establish audit records.

PPR Capital Management officially launched the PPR Keystone Housing Growth Fund, targeting $100 million in fundraising to invest in build-to-rent (BTR) properties that are already built or in the leasing phase. The fund aims to leverage a short-term market opportunity arising from regulatory uncertainty.

This article analyzes recent M&A trends in the apartment industry, pointing out that operating platforms are becoming the core of competition. Milhaus expanded its national footprint by acquiring SRG Residential and Broadshore Capital Partners, while the merger of AvalonBay and Equity Residential pursues operational efficiency and scale advantages. Industry experts believe that future winners will be platforms that can operate efficiently and provide high-quality services.

In the first half of 2026, transaction volume in the multifamily sector remained weak, but M&A became a market highlight. MSCI data shows that April sales hit a new low since 2020, while in May, the privatization of Veris Residential was completed, driving a 34% month-over-month increase in sales. This article summarizes six large M&A deals announced in the first six months of the year, covering types such as REIT mergers and management platform consolidations.

Greystar, as the largest apartment management company in the U.S., has been hit with 114 fair housing violation complaints by the Housing Rights Initiative in seven jurisdictions, alleging it refuses to accept Section 8 tenants.

AI search is reshaping how renters discover homes. After Apartments.com launched AI voice search and the conversational tool Apartments.com Ai, its webinar shared five best practices: complete and clear property descriptions, unit-level details, all-inclusive pricing, resident reviews, and easy lead submission, helping communities stand out in AI search.

Morgan Properties has risen from No. 35 in the NMHC ranking in 2016 to No. 2 in 2026, with managed apartment units growing from 32,384 to 110,475. In the interview, Chief Operating Officer Greg Curci details the company's acquisition strategy: adhering to a workforce housing positioning, with approximately 55% of assets built in the 1960s-1970s and resident median household income slightly below $75,000; adopting a 10-year holding period model without rushing short-term exits; daring to acquire large, older, poorly managed assets and implementing multi-year comprehensive renovations; while flexibly entering secondary and tertiary markets. Curci also notes that current distressed assets fall into two categories: seller distress and asset deterioration itself, observing over the past six months some properties with occupancy rates as low as the 70% range, but most opportunities still do not warrant taking on debt.

A Philadelphia tenant has filed a class action lawsuit against RealPage and large apartment management company Willow Bridge, alleging the use of algorithmic rent-setting software that violates the city's anti-price-fixing regulations. The lawsuit was filed on July 6 in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, coinciding with Willow Bridge's settlement of another related federal antitrust case on the same day.