Apartments Moving in the Right Direction

A quarterly survey of conditions in the apartment market hasn't changed much in the last six months, a positive sign in this tough atmosphere.

The National Multi Housing Council, which conducted the survey, reports that there was a steady uptick in sales volume and equity financing was increasingly available, "which represents another step, albeit a small one, toward a more normal transactions market, said NMHC Chief Economist Mark Obrinsky.

Obrinsky predicts that when job growth returns, "a large wave of Echo Boomers will enter the supply-constrained market and we should see above average rent growth."