Sale-leaseback transactions have been common in certain aspects of the commercial real estate market—and now may be spreading to other sectors. A new analysis from Trepp Commercial about the single-family housing market sees an opportunity for homeowners to use sale-leaseback structures to pull equity out of their homes without having to move.

More significantly, institutional players also see an opportunity in this area. One indicator of this interest comes from Invitation Homes, which, per the Wall Street Journal, is planning a sale leaseback program as another channel to add to its 80,000 homes.

The pandemic has catalyzed the potential for sale-leaseback transactions to find a place in the single-family market. While the housing market is much more stable today than it was during the last recession—when many homeowners faced foreclosure—the market has been stabilized partially by widespread forbearance policies. When those policies expire or when past-due mortgage payments add up, homeowners may look for an alternative option. Like in a commercial deal, a sale-leaseback could help homeowners stay in their homes without the responsibility of a homeownership, Trepp says.