Coronavirus Impact on Multifamily Compared to Other Asset Classes
When the Coronavirus was first identified and people across the US were required to stay home, there were concerns about how this would affect the housing market. What has happened to the multifamily market, and how has it compared to other asset classes in the country?
Fears Around Multifamily Homes and Coronavirus
When the call to stay home went into effect, this made many developers and landlords nervous. If people were being furloughed or laid off from their jobs, there was a fear that many of them were going to be unable to make mortgage and rent payments. As the situation is so unprecedented in modern times, no one was sure how this was going to play out.
The Effect of Coronavirus on The Multifamily Market
So far, there doesn’t actually seem to be much of a dip in rental payments over the course of the lock down. In April, 84% of renters managed to pay all or part of their rent by the 12th of the month. This is much more than some were predicting, even as many were losing income. In fact, the amount renters making payments is on average the same as this time last year.
This is encouraging news for those in the industry, as it shows that payments are still being made even as the situation is still uncertain. As payments are being processed, multifamily homes are seen as one of the most stable markets right now.
The Effect on The Purchase Market
What is the consensus opinion on how the Coronavirus will affect the purchase market? This is where it appears to be having an impact. Many are finding that with the virus still present, they cannot access the funding to buy their own home so they will need to continue to rent.
This has caused major problems for buyers, because as of now, there is no indication of when the virus will be totally under control. Until then, lenders are placing stricter guidelines on who they can lend too, and how much they can lend out. This will keep them safe for the time being but will tarnish the short-term market. You can expect to see a downturn in profits from mortgage lenders.
It’s not surprising to see that multifamily markets are mostly stable, despite what was predicted. With it being much harder to now buy property, renters are staying put where they are. As the virus stabilizes, they’ll need to stay where they are and wait for lenders to be more willing to help them buy property again.