A new study by the Reinvestment Fund found that corporate investors purchased about one in four single-family homes sold in Philadelphia between 2017 and 2022, a trend reshaping the city’s real estate market and limiting opportunities for first-time and lower-income buyers. Concentrated in lower-cost neighborhoods, such as Germantown, Cobbs Creek and Brewerytown, many investors are renting rather than reselling properties, driving up prices, reducing affordability and contributing to higher eviction rates. For Realtors and sellers, investor demand has boosted sales activity and property values, but for individual buyers, especially in historically Black and working-class areas, competition from corporate landlords has made homeownership increasingly out of reach. The findings highlight growing pressure on local policymakers to balance investment benefits with stronger regulations and protections for both homeowners and renters. Read the full story here.
Source: PlanPhilly; 10/31/2025