Rent news and trends

Soaring Food and Housing Costs Strain Lower-Income Households
Economy // September 25, 2024

The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Consumer Expenditures underscores what PYMNTS Intelligence has found for months: Food and shelter, among the most essential of all spending categories, are taking an outsized chunk of households’ paychecks — especially for lower-income consumers. The...

Entrata Teams With Flex as Renters Seek Digital Payment Solutions
Consumer Payments // September 17, 2024

Entrata, an operating system for multifamily communities, has teamed with financial wellness solutions provider Flex. The collaboration, announced Tuesday (Sept. 17), lets residents divide their monthly rent into “smaller, more manageable payments,” while still letting property managers get the same single rent payment they expect...

CFPB Says Debt Collectors Try to Collect on Already-Paid Medical Bills
CFPB // September 05, 2024

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has found that debt collectors are using illegal tactics, and it is taking steps to ensure they follow consumer financial protection laws. The regulator said this in a Thursday (Sept. 5) press release announcing findings from its annual report on debt collection,...

Rental Payment Innovations Help Tenant Cash Flow
Real Estate // August 13, 2024

Earlier this year, PYMNTS Intelligence estimated that for consumers, and especially for paycheck-to-paycheck consumers, the cost of housing has been taking a significant chunk out of households’ take-home pay. In fact, as noted in this recent column penned by Karen Webster, paying to keep the...

Interviews & Exclusives
Inflation’s Still With Us as Food and Shelter Were Pricier in January 

February 13, 2024
The latest data from the government on consumer prices indicates a bit of weary truth: Inflation’s settled in, seemingly for the long haul. The Bureau of Labor Statistics noted on Tuesday (Feb. 13) in a news release that, overall, prices were up 3.1% in January, as measured year on year and 0.3% higher as measured month […]

Inflation’s Pace Quickens in December, Led by Housing Costs

January 11, 2024
The end of inflation? The end of the pinch to paycheck-to-paycheck wallets? Hardly. And, per the latest Consumer Price Index data, released Thursday (Jan. 11) by the Labor Department, the most...

Nearly Two-Thirds of Renters Highly Satisfied With Receiving Refunds Instantly

December 28, 2023
Just as digital options have gained popularity for paying rent directly from a bank account, the digitization of refunds has also gained momentum. In fact, the days of writing checks...

Property Managers Issuing Refunds via Instant Pay Have More Satisfied Tenants

December 11, 2023
Renting an apartment, house or office space means receiving a rent-related refund, such as a returned security deposit or reimbursement for work on the property. As digital options have proliferated...

Quick Reads
Small Businesses Face Higher Rents as Retail Space Availability Drops

October 22, 2024
Retail space availability is reportedly near record lows, giving national chains an advantage over small businesses in securing space as rents rise. Nearly 60% of small businesses said their rent rose in the last six months, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Monday (Oct. 21), citing data from business networking platform Alignable. Growing demand from national […]

Entrata Teams With Flex as Renters Seek Digital Payment Solutions

September 17, 2024
Entrata, an operating system for multifamily communities, has teamed with financial wellness solutions provider Flex. The collaboration, announced Tuesday (Sept. 17), lets residents divide their monthly rent into “smaller, more...

CFPB Says Debt Collectors Try to Collect on Already-Paid Medical Bills

September 05, 2024
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has found that debt collectors are using illegal tactics, and it is taking steps to ensure they follow consumer financial protection laws. The regulator said...

Bilt Valued at $3.2 Billion as Rewards Program Grows

August 04, 2024
Loyalty rewards platform Bilt is valued at $3.2 billion after a new funding round. The company raised $150 million from a round led by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, Bilt...