10 US cities with the largest portion of institutional investors

Institutional investors own a disproportionately large share of single-family homes in several U.S. cities, with the concentration strongest across the South. Large firms bought properties when prices fell during the pandemic, and President Donald Trump has proposed banning institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes.

Realtor.com counts as institutional those investors who made more than 350 single-family purchases from 2015 to 2025. Nationally they account for about 1% of single-family home purchases, but their presence is much greater in certain metros, a trend that began after the Great Recession.

Affordability in Sun Belt markets created opportunities for investors to buy undervalued stock as homeownership rates declined and demand for rentals rose. Some analysts note that institutional buying also expanded rental options, letting renters live in areas they could not afford to purchase.

United States, Sun Belt

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