HUD USER

More than one-half of all rentals are in single-family properties (those containing from 1 to 4 units). Although these properties are generally financed through the single-family mortgage market, investors’ financing options are more limited than those of owner-occupants. Small multifamily properties also make up a large share of and play an important role in the rental market. They comprise nearly one-third of all unsubsidized rental housing and are more likely than larger properties to serve lower income households. Despite this fact, gaps in financing for small multifamily properties—often defined as those having from 5 to 49 units—have long been identified.