By Chris Kirkham | The Wall Street Journal
Property developers are pouncing on sustained demand for stand-alone home rentals by taking a big step: Building entire single-family neighborhoods designed for renters.
When the housing market crashed, investors took advantage by buying low-price homes in foreclosure in order to rent them out to tenants. That demand has proven brisk.
The new rental communities look identical to for-sale projects, with pools, fitness centers and walking trails. But they are operated like apartment complexes, with management handling maintenance, lawn care and leasing.