Nearly 9% of Residential Land Is Owned by Corporations

The real estate game is changing… and most investors missed it.

A recent report fromthe Lincoln Institute of Land Policyand theCenter for Geospatial Solutions(CGS) explores the current state of corporate ownership of residential property across the U.S. Analyzing data from over 500 counties, the report recommends steps communities can take to preserve and protect affordable housing. Interestingly, they point out that across the counties studied, 8.9% of residential parcels are owned by corporations of various sizes.

Much of the academic and media attention on the surge in corporate real estate investment has focused on units of housing. This analysis enhances that conversation by focusing on residential parcels. This approach can provide a clearer picture of how ownership of the country’s land itself is changing as investors command a growing share of our housing stock. These shifts in landownership have economic, environmental, and social implications for communities.