Shafiq Hirani CCIMReal Estate Advisor, REMAX Distinctive · Real Estate Advisor at RE/MAX Distinctive Commercial | Washington, DC | Your Guide To Profitable Real Estate Ventures

Rent Report DECEIVES! Real Story for Your Apartment Building #shorts

19 Jul 2026 · 2 min

Watch on YouTube

1:36

In this YouTube Shorts episode, Shafiq Hirani, MBA, CCIM, critiques the June 2026 Yardi Matrix report that shows only 1% national rent growth in the first half of 2026, a $4 increase in June, 0.2% annual growth, 94.1% occupancy, and a 61% drop in absorption. He argues that these national averages are misleading for owners of small‑ and midsize apartment buildings because a few overbuilt markets are dragging the numbers down. Hirani explains that the data actually tell two opposite stories depending on the market, urging viewers to consider their local rent trends and use the nuanced insight to make better investment decisions. He invites the audience to comment on their own market conditions and to subscribe for more analysis.

Chapters

New report just came out showing that apartment rent growth in the first half of 2026 was just 1% nationally. Average rents went up a total of $4 in June. If you own a small or midsize apartment building and you saw that headline, you might be thinking, is the market turning against me? I'm Shafiq Hirani, MBA, CCIM. This is an Apartment Navigator deep dive, and today I'm going to show you why that national number is misleading. where the real story is hiding, and what it actually means for your building. If these breakdowns help you make smarter decisions about your building, hit subscribe and drop a comment with what you are seeing in your own market. Are rents flat, growing, or declining where you are? Let's get into it. Here is what the Yardi Matrix June report says on the surface. National apartment rents grew just 1% in the first half of 2026. Annual rent growth measured only 0.2%, Well below the 10-year average of 3.6%. Occupancy slipped to 94.1% nationally, down 60 basis points from a year ago. And absorption, which is the number of units that tenants actually moved into, dropped 61% compared to the same period last year. That sounds bad, but national averages in apartment data are almost always misleading. The national number is being dragged down by a handful of specific markets that massively overbuilt. And what is happening in those markets is very different from what is happening in yours. This report tells 2 completely different stories depending on where you own.