The U.S. housing market is not expected to see any meaningful relief in 2026, as new construction activity likely will not pick up until 2027 at the earliest. In Miami, renters can wait out another “tough” year by taking advantage of Douglas Enclave’s 18-month lease terms and lock in present-day rents. 

A new analysis from ProBuilder, citing Morningstar data, predicts that tariffs, inflation and slow economic growth will create further challenges for the nation’s housing market in 2026. “However, a stronger economy and falling mortgage rates are projected to boost housing affordability and drive a rebound in new residential construction between 2027 and 2029,” the report states. 

Through the second quarter of 2025, the number of owner-occupied homes in the U.S. stayed flat year-over-year at 86.2 million. Renter-occupied units rose 2.7% year-over-year to 46.4 million. “These figures are not expected to improve much as household growth declines,” according to ProBuilder. 

“Looking ahead to 2026, the housing market is expected to remain under pressure, but that could change over the following years. In 2026, the report suggests that single-family starts will decline another 2% while multifamily housing starts fall by 16% due to slow economic growth and inflation.” 

The forecasted decline in multifamily construction starts would equate to continued tight inventory levels. And that could drive rents even higher in 2026.  

Miami is an intensely competitive rental market, so the smart move is to secure an 18-month lease for a Douglas Enclave apartment now and avoid having to compete with the masses for comparable apartments at much higher rents in 2026. 

Douglas Enclave is an 11-story, 199-unit building with thoughtful mix of studio apartments, one-bedrooms, two-bedrooms and townhomes for rent. Individual apartments feature vinyl-wood flooring, open-concept kitchens, stackable washer/dryer units and efficient appliances. 

Additional building amenities include a club lounge, business center, saline pool, fitness center, pet washing station, EV charging stations, storage space, bike racks, gated parking garage, package delivery room and on-site property manager and maintenance. Douglas Enclave is extremely transit-friendly and located next to a Coral Gables Trolley stop. 

Little Havana is one of Miami’s most popular neighborhoods to live in because of its convenient location, rich history, culture and many things to do. The neighborhood is perfectly positioned near the world-class shopping and dining of downtown Coral Gables, and a short drive from Miami’s bustling Brickell financial district. 

For more information about Douglas Enclave, call (786) 610-4811 or visit the leasing office located at 61 NW 37 Ave. between 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday. Douglas Enclave is part of Miami-Dade County’s Workforce Housing Program – contact the leasing team for more details and qualification requirements.