Walker & Dunlop

Nashville’s multifamily sector has faced headwinds stemming from a wave of new deliveries over the past few years, similar to other high-growth areas across the country. Across this market, stabilized occupancy is currently 350 basis points below historical norms. Average market rents have declined nearly 3 percent from their 2022 peak, and concessions are widespread across several submarkets.  However, despite these challenges, optimism is building around the Nashville’s outlook over the coming years. Investors are actively seeking well-positioned assets, anticipating what many believe will be the next strong cycle for multifamily assets in this market. Over the past three years, Nashville’s multifamily market has absorbed approximately 28,000 units, compared to roughly 30,000 new deliveries — creating a near-term supply-demand imbalance that contributed to recent softness.  Nevertheless, the outlook is shifting. Only 17,000 units are expected to deliver between 2025 and 2027, while demand is expected to exceed this new supply materially, creating strong tailwinds for rent growth. In 2024 alone there were over 11,000 units of net absorption.  New starts are few and far between, mostly concentrated in suburban submarkets where developers can build cost-effective, attainable housing. Elevated construction costs and higher interest rates continue to constrain development, pointing to …