Remember all the buzz in the headlines about big institutional investors snapping up homes? If you’ve been thinking about buying a home yourself, you might have worried about how you'd compete with them. The truth is, that’s not the hurdle many believe it to be—especially right now.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s happening and why the way investors are changing their strategy might actually work to your advantage.

Large Investors Are Pulling Back

The reality is, institutional investors have never made up as large a portion of the housing market as many believe. Now, they're pulling back even further.

Lately, big real estate investors aren’t snapping up as many homes. Instead, they’re selling more properties than they’re buying.

Data from Parcl Labs shows that 6 out of the 8 biggest institutional single-family rental companies in the U.S. sold more homes than they purchased in the second quarter of 2025 (check out the graph below).

Here’s a stat that really brings things into focus: for every home big investors buy, about 1.75 homes are actually being sold, according to Dominion Financial.

What’s Causing Big Investors To Change Course?

Institutional investors are buying fewer homes these days mainly because home values aren’t increasing as quickly as they used to. At the same time, the costs for maintaining rental properties are going up, which makes the investment less attractive.

When you buy a home, it’s not just for this year or the next—you’re investing in a place to build your life, and that’s a commitment for the long haul.

Over time, home values generally go up. Right now, many investors are holding back because of the current market, but your situation is different. You have the opportunity to buy when there's less competition and potentially see your property's value grow in the long run—something most investors are skipping in favor of quicker returns.

What Does All This Mean for You?

A recent survey shows that around 55% of real estate investors aren't looking to expand their rental portfolios anytime soon. With big investors pulling back, there’s less competition from buyers with deep pockets. Plus, since they’re putting more properties up for sale, you’ll have more options to choose from.

Bottom Line

If you’ve been waiting to buy, now could be the perfect moment to reconsider. Let’s get in touch so I can help you explore what’s on the market and find options that suit your needs.

What type of home would you be most excited to call your own this year?