September apartment rents are down month-over-month, in what experts from Rent.com call "a hopeful sign" the market is stabilizing.

Year over year rent increases slowed but are still up 8.8 percent last month; in August, rent prices increased by 12.3 percent. September also marks the first time year-over-year changes dipped into the single digits since September 2021 and the lowest year-over-year increase since October 2021.

In addition, 61 percent of state-level markets saw decreased rents in September compared to the prior month, with New York posting the largest decrease at just over 17 percent month-over-month followed by Illinois and Massachusetts at 4.6 percent and 4.0 percent, respectively. In addition, 31 of the 50 metros analyzed by Rent.com were down month-over-month, led by Cincinnati and Columbus with increases of nearly 7 and 6 percent. Median rent is also down month over month in 60 percent of markets surveyed, in what analysts call a "promising sign of a market beginning to cool."