Macroeconomic forecasting and regional trends - February 2025

The 2025 U.S. rental market reflects broader economic conditions, shaped by shifting market forces and ongoing uncertainty. Landlords and property managers are navigating a complex landscape where understanding renter behavior, affordability challenges, and macroeconomic pressures is key to maintaining stable occupancy. By staying informed on these trends, they can better attract and retain long-term tenants.

Key Insights:

• Renter Financial Pressure: Renters across all demographics are facing rising debt and affordability issues, impacting their housing stability.
• Rent-to-Income Imbalance: Rent prices continue to rise faster than incomes, increasing the financial burden on tenants nationwide.
• Macroeconomic Impact: Factors like interest rates, unemployment, and housing development are reshaping rental market dynamics.
• Strategic Adaptation Needed: Landlords must adapt to evolving renter preferences and market conditions to ensure long-term success.

The latest Experian Commercial Pulse Report provides a sharp look at how recent economic shifts are impacting small businesses across the U.S., with a special focus on supply chains, specifically the transportation industry, which is experiencing fallout from changing trade policies. Are industry-specific models effective in mitigating risk?

Check out the full report to see how these trends could impact your strategy!

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While the US labor market remains on decent footing, it has become increasingly challenging to land a job. For lenders, current dynamics suggest there could be greater-than-expected stress in higher-income households and in the Prime credit segments of the market if layoffs increase and job opportunities for these workers remain scarce. Insights include:

• Businesses are scaling back on hiring due to economic uncertainty and AI uptake
• Employment in both tech-centric and broader professional and business services has been stagnant
• Higher-educated/white-collar workers feeling the strain of a challenging job market

As we progress through 2025, economic conditions continue to shift as uncertainty climbs. Discover our experts' insights on how they anticipate the economic landscape to evolve throughout 2025, as they delve into the latest trends and forecasts.