The Rise Of The “Forever Renter” And What This Means For The Market

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The biggest shift in the property market is a growing number of people who could buy, deciding not to. For a hundred years, the property industry has run on one assumption: renting is a waiting room, ownership is the destination. That assumption no longer holds.

TheC clearest evidence is in how renters describe their own choice. Entrata's April 2026 survey of over 2,000 US renters found 81% now call renting the smarter financial move — up from 72% among Gen Z a year earlier — and 71% say the American Dream itself is evolving. That's not the language of people settling. It's the language of people redefining what winning looks like.

It would be easy to file this under the usual "priced out" story. Yes, affordability explains why someone can't buy; it doesn't explain why a wealthy individual, or a dual-income professional couple with a healthy deposit sitting in savings, chooses to keep renting anyway. That is a preference, not a constraint and this is what the market is built around.

What makes this different from every "generation rent" story before it is who is choosing it: young professionals renting for the flexibility to move for work; wealthy households keeping capital liquid rather than locking it into one asset; internationally mobile executives who need to relocate on six weeks' notice, not sixteen. RentCafe's analysis of US Census data found millionaire renter households grew 204% between 2019 and 2023, to nearly 13,700 — outpacing the 169% growth in millionaire homeowners over the same period.

The intent data confirms it from the other direction. Rently's 2026 Renting by Generation Report found mortgage plans among renters have fallen from roughly 15% to just 6.4% in a year, and a third of millennial and Gen Z non-owners now say they may never buy — not out of despair, but as a settled plan. In the UK, the House of Commons Library found 59% of 35-to-54-year-olds are unsure whether they'll ever own — a cohort that, a generation ago, would already be two or three houses into ownership.

Capital has read this correctly, even where the industry has been slower to build for it. UK build-to-rent investment hit a record £5.3 billion in 2025; Q1 2026 alone brought in £795 million, the strongest first quarter since 2022, with full-year volumes forecast at £5.7 billion. Occupancy sits near 97%, and rental premiums have nearly doubled since 2016. Institutional money doesn't move at that pace toward something it expects to be temporary, and it isn't moving toward the bottom of the market — it's moving toward the buildings, cities and price points where forever renters actually want to live.

For agents, developers and operators, the implication is simple: a market built to sell people out of renting can't also be the market that serves them well inside it. Buildings need to be run, staffed and designed as though the tenant intends to stay — because increasingly, they do. That means service standards, amenity design and lease flexibility built for years of tenancy, not for the few months before a deposit clears. Relationships that used to end at completion now need to extend across years of renewal and relocation. Firms that treat this as a smaller version of the old business will lose the client to whoever treats it as the real one.

This isn't about people giving up on a home. It's about the definition of home changing, permanently, for a meaningful share of the market, at every income level. The winners of the next decade won't be the ones still using renting as a rehearsal for ownership. They'll be the ones built for people who intend to rent well.

Article: By Mohamed Mussa, Managing Director, Chestertons Global

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Feb 6

3 min read

Atlassian Williams F1 Team and Barclays are proud to announce a major new global partnership, uniting two British icons defined by excellence, innovation and trust with their sights set firmly on the future.

Williams is one of the top three most-successful Formula 1 teams of all time with 114 wins, nine Constructors’ World Championships and seven Drivers’ World Championships over its 48-year history. The team is joining forces with Barclays, the world-renowned bank founded more than 325 years ago and trusted by tens of millions of customers in more than 40 countries.

Barclays will become Official Banking Partner to Williams as Formula 1 enters a completely new regulations era for 2026. The team has been building towards the rule change with focus and determination as part of its long-term plan to return to the front of the grid, an ethos shared by Barclays in the way they support their clients.

The attributes shared by Williams and Barclays are significant: data-driven performance and advanced analytics, precision execution and investment in technology, through to continual adaptability and innovation.

This is Barclays’ first-ever partnership in Formula 1, complementing its leading sports partnership portfolio which includes the Premier League, Barclays’ Women’s Super League, Wimbledon, the WNBA New York Liberty and Lord’s – the home of cricket. Barclays has chosen Williams as a strategic partner to support the team’s transformation, open doors to key markets and decision-makers who share passion for Formula 1, and connect Barclays with the next generation of fans – 43% of whom are under-35 and 42% women.

Barclays branding will feature prominently on the FW48, Williams’ all-new challenger, with the racing livery being unveiled later today. It will also feature on the helmets of drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, team clothing and throughout the team’s trackside garages and hospitality.

The partnership marks a renewed alliance for Barclays and Williams, whose legendary founder Sir Frank Williams was a customer of the bank which also provided the team with banking services for many years.

The announcement also continues Williams’ commercial growth which has seen a host of major global brands join the team’s mission to return to the front of the grid. Over the past three years Williams has welcomed Atlassian as Title Partner, alongside Komatsu, Super Group, NMC2, VAST Data, Stephens, Airia, Brillio, Keeper Security, Zoox and New Era. Kraken, Gulf Oil International Ltd and Duracell have all extended their partnerships, recognising Williams’ award-winning and innovative approach. Heading into 2026 the team has announced new partnerships with Anthropic, BNY, Wilkinson Sword and Nuveen.

James Vowles, Team Principal, Atlassian Williams F1 Team:

“We are delighted to welcome Barclays into the sport as Official Banking Partner to Atlassian Williams F1 Team. As we prepare for one of the most significant regulatory changes in Formula 1 history, we’re preparing to seize the opportunities of the new era together with Barclays as we continue investing for long-term success.”

Stephen Dainton, President, Barclays Bank PLC:

“Our partnership with Atlassian Williams F1 Team will deepen our client engagement and elevate our brand across our key markets as we grow our investment banking and private banking and wealth management relationships. Working with one of the most storied teams in Formula 1 brings unparalleled global visibility."

“Barclays has long been one of sport’s most committed corporate partners — from the Premier League and the Women’s Super League to Lord’s, Wimbledon, NBA Brooklyn Nets and WNBA Liberty — and we pair those world stage platforms with major investment in community and grassroots sport. It’s this combination of elite performance and local impact that defines our approach.”

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The Rise Of The “Forever Renter” And What This Means For The Market

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