The latest Independent Landlord Rental Performance Report from Chandan Economics shows some encouraging news for small and mid-size residential investors: on-time rent payments improved again in April. Nationally, 86.3% of tenants in independently operated rentals paid on time, up 45 basis points from March and slightly ahead of last year for the first time since mid-2023 . Seasonality—thanks in part to tax refunds—always gives March and April a boost, but this year’s gains feel a little more grounded, especially after nearly two years of steady slippage. The report also noted that while the full-payment forecast (which factors in late and expected late payments) dipped a hair to 95.5%, it’s still holding near a six-month high . For investors looking closely at portfolio health, that’s a good sign the tenant rent burden may be stabilizing, at least for now.Take a look at the interactive chart below showing on-time payment rates by property type. It breaks out single-family rentals, small 2–4 unit properties, and larger multifamily buildings separately—and you’ll see small properties are leading the pack. In April, 2–4 unit rentals had the highest on-time payment rate at 87.0%, slightly edging out single-family homes (86.5%) and larger multifamily buildings (86.2%) . If you’re investing in smaller properties, this trend reinforces why that segment often delivers more reliable cash flow, especially in markets with steady local economies. While regional performance still vari...
