Need help staying up to date on rental industry news? Learn about recent developments in the industry that could impact your business as a landlord or property manager. This month’s Rentec Direct industry outlook shares recent updates and important information about the real estate and rental industry in September 2026.
With autumn beginning, tax season is on the horizon for housing providers. Preparations for the end of the year are starting, and many housing providers are busy with these preparations. But the impending tax season doesn’t mean that rental and real estate news is slowing down. Keep up with industry news with September 2026’s industry outlook.
This month, affordability is the topic of discussion in much of the industry. The cost of renting houses vs. apartments has become wider in recent years, and mortgage demand is dropping. Additionally, this month has seen the lowest score in the Housing Market Index of the year, marking 17 consecutive months of HMI scores below 40. Learn about all this and more with this month’s industry outlook.
The Price Gap Between House and Apartment Rentals is Widening
According to Zillow, the current average rent for a single-family house is $2,289, $515 higher than that of the average apartment, which rents for $1,774 per month. Additionally, these single-family home rental costs are up 47% since 2020. Apartment rentals, however, have only increased in cost by 30% since 2020. While still high, it is clear that the price gap between single-family homes and apartment rentals is getting significantly larger.
This widening gap is attributed to supply and demand. While multifamily housing has seen a boom in the past few years, single-family homes have not seen a similar increase in supply. As a result, multifamily providers compete more for renters’ attention, while single-family homes are more desirable and less abundant, leading to higher rents.
Mortgage Demand From Homebuyers Drops 19%
As of mid-September, CNBC reports that the demand for mortgages among homebuyers has dropped significantly since this time last year. This is in light of the recent increase in interest rates for 30-year mortgages that had already been quite high. As of September 16th, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has increased to 7.22% from 6.97% last week.
Additionally, applications for refinancing have dropped. As of the same date, they are 65% lower than they were in the same week a year ago. CNBC cites Joel Kan, vice president and deputy chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association, in a claim that current rates have given little benefit for borrowers to refinance, which has caused this significant shift.
Housing Market Index is at its Lowest of the Year
In a continued pattern we’ve been seeing all summer, Realtor.com reports that the National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index has dropped to 32 as of this month. 50 is considered a neutral view of the market. This month marks the 17th consecutive month of builder ratings being below 40.
The Housing Market Index (HMI) is based on a survey of single-family housing builders conducted each month, asking about their ratings of three factors of the housing market. These are current sales of new homes, expected sales in the next six months, and potential buyer traffic.
Final Thoughts
September is the beginning of the end of the year, and this month has been busy for many housing providers as preparation for tax season begins. While the affordability concerns might feel heavy, knowing about them and reacting to them early is highly beneficial. With these industry outlooks, you can keep track of updates in the industry and keep an eye on the news and legal aspects of your profession.
Follow Rentec Direct’s monthly industry outlook and news articles to stay up to date as developments unfold. With the year coming to an end, keep recent rental and real estate industry trends in mind and watch for shifts that can impact your success in the real estate and rental industry.