Data from the PEW Trust shows that investment companies make up approximately a quarter of the entire single-family home market across the U.S. As a result, the housing market has become more competitive with fewer houses for homebuyer purchase.

The amount of single-family homes purchased by investors in 2022 sits at 22%, a slight decrease from the 24% seen in 2021.

According to HouseMethod, the trend of single-family rental homes began during the great recession, when foreclosed homes and low interest rates allowed investors to buy up large quantities of property. This trend surged over 80% from 2020 to 2021.

While sidelined buyers tend to blame large investment corporations for the current lack of housing inventory, HouseMethod’s report shows that only 3% of U.S. home sales were made by large companies in 2021. Instead, smaller companies tend to make up the bulk of the investment housing market.

“Everyone and their broker are trying to get into the real estate market,” HouseMethod’s report states. “Today, we see hedge funds, private equity firms, insurance companies, real estate investment trusts and even mom-and-pop landlords taking a more active interest in rental housing.”

HouseMethod also noted in their report that investment groups are more likely to purchase single-family homes in the Sun Belt and the Southeastern coast, two areas that have experienced economic growth in recent years. The state with the largest percentage of investor-sold homes in 2021 was Georgia, closely followed by Arizona, Nevada, California and Texas.