Over the past decade, the single-family rental (SFR) business has evolved from opportunistic aggregators to increasingly sophisticated managers creating a more investable and desirable asset class. Amherst Capital recently estimated institutional ownership at approximately 260,000 units, or 1.5 percent of the SFR market, up from effectively no footprint in 2010.

Transforming the predominantly “mom-and-pop” business model into an institutional asset class has required SFR companies to critically examine and develop key operating platform components to achieve effective and efficient performance at scale. At the same time, several macro-level trends have provided tailwinds for the industry overall.

RealFoundations has supported leading SFR firms throughout this evolution, helping them define their operating models and navigate many industry-specific hurdles. This article provides an overview of the key drivers of successful SFR growth and insights gleaned from workin