Rents are Quickly Rising in Once-Affordable Old Apartments

Older apartment units that were once heavily sought for their relative affordability, are seeing a sharp increase in median rental prices across the United States. In fact, units at properties built in 1959 or earlier had a higher median rent increase from 2000 to 2016 than those half their age, according to a study published by Apartment List. Compared to newer building built in the 1990's or after, older buildings are still less expensive to rent by approximately 23%. 

Older buildings have traditionally been seen as an affordable rental option, however many old apartments have been taken off the market for extensive renovations, resulting in high rental prices once returning to the market. The 1970's and 1980's saw the country's biggest surge in multifamily construction across the United States, with numerous apartment buildings being newly designed and built. However, these older units are now prime targets of reconstruction and redevelopment. Renters seeking affordable home options once sought out older apartment buildings, however finding a budget-friendly older building to rent is becoming increasingly difficult across the entire United States. The lack of unrenovated older apartment units are likely to climb in median rental prices as well, since the demand for older, relatively affordable rentals units is highly increasing.