Mark Whitehouse, Columnist

It's a Great Time to Be a Landlord

Property owners are taking a record share of the economic pie.

March 14, 2016 at 11:00 AM UTC

Mark Whitehouse is a member of the editorial board covering global economics and finance. Previously, he reported on economics for the Wall Street Journal and was managing editor of Vedomosti, a Russian-language business daily.

In demand.
Photographer: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Provide news feedback or report an error

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

This article is for subscribers only.

It's an excellent time to be a landlord. Amid a U.S. recovery that has been frustratingly slow for most folks, property owners' share of the economic pie has grown larger than at any point in the past seven decades.

As just about anyone renting in a major U.S. city can attest, the past 10 years have produced a brutal squeeze in the property market. The subprime bust, stricter mortgage requirements, marriage-delaying millennials and weak income growth have added millions to the ranks of renters. Meanwhile, restrictive zoning laws and a lack of low-income housing construction have kept supply from keeping pace.