The build-to-rent (BTR) space just got a major jolt. Two of the biggest players in the game—Christopher Todd Capital and NexMetro Communities—just inked a deal that reflects the surging momentum in the BTR market, especially across the Sun Belt.
🔑 Key Deal Highlights
- Christopher Todd Capital, based in Mesa, AZ, acquired two BTR communities built by NexMetro Communities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
- Combined, the communities include 335 homes.
- The properties will receive a capital infusion and rebranding, with Willow Bridge stepping in as property manager.
📈 Christopher Todd’s Strategic Moves
- The company recently acquired another 314-home BTR community near Houston.
- Over the past year, they’ve amassed more than $250 million in cottage-style BTR assets.
- Their focus is shifting from development to buying stabilized, existing BTR properties.
🏗️ NexMetro’s Nationwide Expansion
- NexMetro isn’t slowing down either: they have 58 BTR neighborhoods across the Sun Belt in various stages, totaling 10,178 units and over $2.6 billion in investments.
- They’ve already developed 13 BTR neighborhoods in DFW, with more in the pipeline.
📊 Phoenix Leads the BTR Boom
- Phoenix remains ground zero for BTR:
- 4,460 new single-family rentals were added in 2024—more than any other U.S. metro.
- Since 2020, 12,702 BTR units have been delivered, a 309% increase from 2019.
- Projects like the 334-unit Bungalows on Camelback rank among the largest BTR developments nationwide.
💡 Why This Matters for Arizona Investors
- The Phoenix BTR model is now being exported nationally—and investors who understand this product type early will be ahead of the curve.
- Expect capital to keep chasing stabilized BTR assets, as traditional multifamily developers diversify.
- With BTR demand outpacing supply, especially for single-family style communities, now’s the time to position assets for institutional buyers.