Market Intelligence: The Urban & Suburban Showdown

For years, the suburbs had the upper hand in multifamily. Urban cores trailed on rent and occupancy even before the pandemic, then took the hardest hit when renters left city apartments for more room in the suburbs. That's starting to change as downtown submarkets show early signs of a rebound, while many suburbs are still working through the record supply volumes that peaked in late 2024. But how long residents stay and how quickly vacant units fill matter just as much as rent growth when sizing up the two.

Location follows an asset well beyond the leasing office, shaping how it's valued, how easily it sells, and which risks it carries into the next few years. Join apartment market experts as they compare urban and suburban performance across the nation's 50 largest metros, with case studies showing where the gap is widest and why results shift so much across the map.

You'll gain insight into:

• Supply and Demand Balance — Where new supply has landed in urban and suburban submarkets, how much is still leasing up, and whether demand is keeping pace
• Rent and Occupancy Performance — How rents, concessions, and renewals stack up across Class A, B, and C, and what each extra vacant day costs in lost revenue
• Investment Pricing — How price per unit and cap rates differ between urban and suburban assets, and what the spread says about where capital sees more upside
• Outlook and Risk by Role — Where construction and fundamentals are headed, and how the biggest risks hit budgets and underwriting for investors, asset managers, and operators