A U.S. construction boom is sending rents lower and creating perks for renters

A construction boom in the U.S. has resulted in lower rents and other benefits for renters.

Record-construction activity since the pandemic has increased the supply of empty units, meaning more inventory is available for renters. More multi-family units were completed in June than in any month in nearly 50 years, according to Zillow Group, an online marketplace for real estate.

Landlords are taking notice and are now adding rent concessions — discounts, incentives or perks to attract new renters — like free weeks of rent or free parking. 

About a third, 33.2%, of landlords offered at least one rent concession in July across the U.S., up from 25.4% last year, Zillow found.

More from Personal Finance:
Here's when it makes sense to tap your home equity: It 'won't go stale'
Housing affordability is 'moving in the right direction,' economist says
What to know before you refinance or buy

Meanwhile, the median asking rent prices for all bedroom counts slid in July, the first time that's occurred since 2020, according to Redfin, a real estate brokerage site.

The median asking rent price for a studio or one-bedroom apartment fell 0.1% to $1,498 a month; two-bedroom apartments decreased 0.3% to $1,730; and units with three bedrooms or more, were down 2.% to $2,010, per Redfin data. 

Rents are still high because of how much prices climbed during the pandemic, said Chen Zhao, who leads the economics team at Redfin. But now, rent growth has flattened, which can be "good news for renters," she said.

Metro areas in Florida and Texas, two Sun Belt states that have introduced a high number of newly built apartments since the pandemic, are seeing significant rentprice declines as more units become available, according to Redfin.

For example, the