October 23, 2026
National apartment rents rose 2.4% year over year in September but momentum cooled, while concessions continued to decline despite remaining deep; a 25.9% drop in multifamily starts amid rising construction costs could support the next rent-growth cycle even as completions increase. Capital markets remain challenged, with distressed sales up 26%, roughly one-third of maturing multifamily debt requiring fresh equity to refinance, and CMBS delinquency and special-servicing rates continuing to rise as lender pressure creates acquisition opportunities. In the Washington region, Marcus & Millichap brokered the Park MacArthur sale in Northwest D.C., Affinius Capital provided a $98 million D.C. multifamily refinancing, Comstock and SCG Development proposed 147 affordable Rockville units, and Akelius sold three Northern Virginia apartment buildings for more than $230 million.