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Conditions in Birmingham’s apartment market vary by submarket heading into 2026. Several recently completed developments downtown are still stabilizing, creating short-term leasing pressure, while suburban areas across the metro continue to see steady renter demand. Much of the new multifamily development in Birmingham over the past several years has been concentrated in the downtown core. As a result, many of these properties are still working through lease-ups.  Marcus & Millichap research projects roughly 670 apartments will be delivered across the metro this year, with vacancy expected to hover around 6.1 percent and average effective rents near $1,302 per month. That level of supply has created temporary softness in parts of the downtown market.  Some newly delivered communities are offering concessions during lease-up periods as owners compete for tenants. In certain cases, owners are choosing to refinance rather than bring assets to market while occupancy stabilizes. These conditions are typical when several projects deliver within the same submarket over a short period of time. Outside the city center, Birmingham’s suburban apartment submarkets continue to perform well. Cities including Homewood, Vestavia Hills and Hoover remain among the metro’s most stable suburbs. Shelby County cities, including Pelham and Alabaster, are also seeing consistent …