Rental market faces challenging 2026; Floor & Decor expands in Midwest; Companies eye smaller areas  

Neither the multifamily nor single-family rental market can count on any quick fixes in 2026, according to a housing update from John Burns Research & Consulting.

Excess supply, lower demand and elevated interest could curtail development in the new year, the firm said . During the pandemic, U.S. rental rates for single-family homes and apartments soared, accentuating housing affordability concerns.

But now rents are at discounted rates in 60 of the nation's 100 largest rental markets, an indication that the crisis is easing, according to the Waller, Weeks and Johnson Rental Index operated by professors at Florida Gulf Coast University and the universities of Alabama and Mississippi.

Home furnishings retailer Floor & Decor is expanding in the Midwest, opening a warehouse store and design center in Dearborn, Michigan.

The new location, at 1300 Shehadi Court, employs about 40 full- and part-time workers, according to a company statement. Floor & Decor plans a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 5.

This is Atlanta-based Floor & Decor's fifth store in Michigan, according to the company website. The retailer, founded in 2000, says it operates 262 stores and five design studios in 38 states.

Small and mid-size metropolitan areas are increasingly outperforming major markets when it comes to attracting corporate expansions, a new analysis shows.

Though large markets are economic anchors, small and medium-size areas are winning when it comes to flexible labor forces, lower operating costs and faster development timelines, according to a report by Area Development, an economic development and site selection publication, and Chmura Economics & Analytics.

“The strongest performers are the regions aligning workforce readiness, affordability and quality of place — not simply population size,” said founder and CEO Chris Chmura, in a statement.