Buyer Interest Is Heating Up: What Search Trends Reveal

by Lori Aguirre

Remember the chatter in the headlines about all the homes big institutional investors were buying? If you were thinking about buying a home yourself, you may have wondered how you’d ever be able to compete with that. Here’s the thing: that’s not the challenge so many people think it is – especially right now.

Let’s break down what’s really going on and why the recent shift in the approach investors are taking could tip the scales in your favor.

Large Investors Are Pulling Back

The truth is institutional investors never represented as big a share of the housing market as people thought. And now, they’re backing off even more.

Today, big real estate investors aren’t buying as many homes. In fact, they’re actually selling more than they’re buying.

According to data from Parcl Labs, 6 out of 8 of the largest institutional single-family rental investment companies in America sold more homes than they bought in Q2 2025:

And here’s the stat that really puts it in perspective: for every home being bought by big investors, about 1.75 are being sold (Dominion Financial).

Why Are Big Investors Changing Course?

The reason institutional investors aren’t buying as many homes now compared to recent years is simple:

Home values aren’t rising as quickly as before
Costs for rental maintenance are increasing

Since most institutional investors buy homes to rent them out, those rising costs eat into their profits. Remember, for investors, buying real estate is a short-term business decision.

But you’re not buying a home just for this year or next. You’re buying a place to build your life. That’s a long-term investment.

Historically, home values tend to rise over time. While investors focus on immediate returns, you’re in a different position. You can buy while competition is lower and benefit from long-term price appreciation.

What Does This Mean for You?

According to a recent survey, 55% of real estate investors have no plans to grow their rental portfolios now or in the near future.

With big investors stepping back, this creates two opportunities for you:

Less competition from deep-pocketed buyers
More inventory as investors add homes to the market by selling

Bottom Line

If you’ve been holding off on buying, now might be the time to take another look. With institutional investors stepping back, you may have the chance to find the right home with less competition.

👉 Let’s connect so you can get expert guidance on what’s available in today’s market.

💬 Question for You: What kind of home would you be excited to make yours this year?

Original article posted at www.keepingcurrentmatters.com