If you earned a nickel for every scary headline you saw about the U.S. economy, inflation wouldn’t impact you in the slightest. The constant stream of news, stats, and hot takes about real estate is enough to make your head spin. Each macro update matters, but it can obscure a key question: What’s really going on?

To make sense of all the noise in the rentals market, Zillow Chief Economist Skylar Olsen and Zillow Senior Population Scientist Manny Garcia shed light on what today’s most important indicators are telling us. Their presentation covers pesky inflation, the state of rental affordability across the country, what renters desire in their neighborhoods, and more. Start watching the video above to learn from the experts!

Topics by timestamp:

3:40 -- The impact of inflation, explained
9:35 -- How wages and labor participation put pressure on the real estate market
13:50 -- Anticipating inflation based on typical market rates for rentals
19:40 -- The new renter burden vs. the new homeowner burden
21:45 -- Why U.S. rent growth is returning to pre-pandemic levels
25:20 -- How for-sale market trends impact rentals
27:05 -- A look at current construction levels for single family and multifamily units
31:10 -- A full map of U.S. rental affordability
43:10 -- The influence of office space demand
47:25 -- Why rentals are poised for more growth
54:30 -- The potential solution of “middle housing”
57:00 -- What renters (and non-renters) want in their neighborhoods

Secure your spot at our Q3 Quarterly Insights Webinar on Wednesday, September 20 at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST! You’ll learn what’s next for the rental market and get a sneak peek at key findings from Zillow’s 2024 Renters Consumer Housing Trends Report, which highlights the preferences and behaviors of today’s renters. 

To access more Zillow data and research such as the 2023 Zillow Housing Aspirations Report, please visit zillow.com/research. And to stay up to date on the rental market and all things Zillow Rentals, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.