Private equity, as well as other institutional investors (to a lesser extent), don't actually own that much of the single-family rental supply (estimates range from 3-4%). In some Sun Belt markets, estimates range from 10-20%.
A concerning issue is where private equity is buying up mobile home parks. This is a gross example of predatory investing. Recently, all institutional investors accounted for about one quarter of all mobile home park purchases.
I guess the typical scenario is where investors buy up the properties, then raise the rents for the lots, maybe several times over a period of years, then sell the properties for a profit. Mobile homes are very expensive to relocate, so the owners don't really have options.
About half of these are financed through government-backed programs. So, one way to remedy this would be to prohibit that. Or, just make it illegal for institutional investors to invest in this type of real estate.
