San Antonio Multifamily Report – Fall 2021
The city rebounded swiftly, with both transactions and occupancy improving significantly.
San Antonio rent evolution, click to enlarge
San Antonio proved resilient following the onset of the pandemic and the city’s multifamily market benefited from an influx of work-from-home employees. Its population expanded by 1.6 percent in 2020, boosting rents further. The average rate rose 1.5 percent on a trailing three-month basis through August, to $1,149. Occupancy in stabilized properties rose 1.0 percent in the 12 months ending in July, to 93.9 percent.
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San Antonio sales volume and number of properties sold, click to enlarge
The unemployment rate in San Antonio stood at 5.4 percent in July, on par with the national rate and outpacing the 6.2 percent Texas average. Employment marked the second-consecutive month of positive year-over-year expansion, rising 2.8 percent through June for 63,500 jobs across sectors, which placed San Antonio as one of the nation’s best among major metros. Professional and business services led gains, also sustained by work-from-home policies, and added 26,000 jobs during the period. Leisure and hospitality (17,300 jobs) came in second, boosted by the reopening of SeaWorld San Antonio, Six Flags Fiesta Texas and other leisure destinations.
Strong demand encouraged more development, with 3,767 units delivered in 2021 through August and another 11,463 apartments underway. Transaction activity amounted to $1.4 billion through August, already above last year’s total. Increased investor interest in the metro has helped push the price per unit up by 20.0 percent year-over-year, to almost $130,000.
