This could be the best time to buy a rental property in years. Don’t take our word for it, a new investor sentiment survey shows a sharp surge in optimism as investors flipped from cautious to bullish going into 2026. And this hope for the housing market isn’t unfounded. In fact, almost all the data shows better buying conditions, more options, and even improved affordability. If you’re still believing the “housing crash” hype, 2026 could be a big wakeup call.

Wanting the investor side of the story, we put together a brand new investor sentiment survey, tracking how real estate investors feel going into 2026, what they’re most excited and nervous about, and whether they’re looking to purchase or pause over the next year. Today, we’re sharing the results.

We’ll also get into affordability, new inventory forecasts from the most accurate data providers in the market, and the strategy that real estate investors have the most confidence in for the 2026 housing market. If you thought investors were mass selling like the news and crash bros were telling you, this new data might be a big surprise.