What return should I expect on a build-to-rent project in Arkansas?

Returns vary by submarket, lot basis, product mix, and financing. Chase Calhoun Real Estate models each project's pro forma against current rents and current construction costs and presents the underwriting before the investor commits.

Does Chase Calhoun Real Estate build for their own portfolio?

Yes. Apex Real Estate Investments, the investment arm of the Chase Calhoun Real Estate ecosystem, builds build-to-rent product for its own holdings in the same Central Arkansas submarkets where it builds for investor clients.

Build-to-Rent Investing In Central Arkansas

Build-to-rent (BTR) is one of the most overlooked investing strategies in Central Arkansas right now. Chase Calhoun Real Estate, together with our sister company Apex Professional Construction, builds, leases, and manages purpose-built rental homes across Little Rock, North Little Rock, Conway, Maumelle, Sherwood, Bryant, Benton, Cabot, and Jacksonville. Owners get a brand-new asset, a tenant in place, and one operator running the whole thing.

We are not a passive sponsor. Chase Calhoun Real Estate manages 150+ units across Central Arkansas, including 75 our founder owns himself, and every client property is managed to the same standard. When we build, lease, and manage your build-to-rent homes, you get the same hands-on operation we run on our own money. We operate to a 95%+ occupancy target so your homes stay full and cash flowing.

What is build-to-rent?

Build-to-rent (sometimes written BTR or B2R) means designing and constructing single-family homes, duplexes, or small multifamily properties specifically to operate as long-term rentals, not to sell to a retail homebuyer. The floor plans, finishes, mechanical systems, and lot layout are optimized for tenant durability and operating cost, not resale appeal. Done correctly, BTR delivers a newer, lower-maintenance, longer-holding asset than buying existing inventory off the MLS.

Why build-to-rent makes sense in Central Arkansas

Land is still available and affordable

Unlike coastal markets where infill BTR is priced out, Central Arkansas still has buildable lots and small assemblages at price points that pencil for rental returns. Cities like Conway, Bryant, Benton, and Cabot have outward-growing residential corridors where new BTR product fits the surrounding fabric and rents well.

Rent demand outpaces new rental supply

Most new construction in Central Arkansas is sold to owner-occupants, not delivered to the rental market. That keeps the supply of newer rental product chronically thin and gives well-built BTR a real premium over older comparable inventory.

Operating costs run lower on a new asset

Roofs, HVAC, plumbing, foundation, and finishes are new. CapEx reserves can be lighter in the first five to seven years than what an investor would need to underwrite on a 30-year-old house. That is real money on a cash-flow basis.

One operator handles the whole chain

Most investors who try BTR have to coordinate a builder, a leasing agent, a property manager, and a brokerage if they ever sell. Chase Calhoun Real Estate plus Apex Professional Construction collapse that into one team. Land sourcing, design, construction, lease-up, and long-term management run inside the same ecosystem.

The Chase Calhoun build-to-rent process

1. Underwriting and site selection

We start with the rent. Before we look at a lot, we model what the finished asset will rent for in that specific Central Arkansas submarket, what comparable BTR or new-construction rentals look like, and what total cost the deal can support to hit your return target.

2. Design tuned for rental operations

Floor plans, finish packages, and mechanical specs are chosen for durability and lower turnover cost, LVP flooring rather than carpet in main areas, easy-clean cabinetry, simplified landscaping, dedicated laundry, and storage configurations tenants actually want.

3. Construction by Apex Professional Construction

Apex Professional Construction handles the build. Owners get transparent draws, on-site project oversight, and a delivery schedule built around lease-up rather than a sale closing.

4. Pre-lease and tenant placement

Marketing typically starts before completion. Pre-screened applicants are lined up so the unit goes from certificate of occupancy to rent-collected with minimum vacancy.

5. Long-term property management

Once leased, the unit joins our managed portfolio of 150+ rentals. Owners get the same reporting, owner portal, and disbursement cadence used across the portfolio. The team you bought the dirt with is still your team five years later.

What BTR product looks like in our portfolio

Single-family detached homes, typically 3 bed / 2 bath
Duplexes built as two-unit rental product, not condo-mapped for-sale
Small multifamily, 4 to 8 unit configurations on appropriately zoned parcels
Townhome-style attached BTR where land cost demands density

Who build-to-rent is for

BTR is not for everyone. It is best for investors who want a newer, lower-maintenance asset they plan to hold for at least five to ten years; who are comfortable waiting through a construction timeline instead of buying something already producing income; and who want a single operator rather than a four-vendor stack. Investors targeting one or two assets, or investors building out a portfolio of five to twenty rental doors, both fit.

Frequently asked questions about build-to-rent in Arkansas

How long does a build-to-rent project take?

Timelines depend on lot status, permitting in the specific city, and product type. A single-family BTR on a permit-ready lot generally runs six to nine months from groundbreaking to certificate of occupancy. Duplex and small multifamily run longer. We give realistic timelines up front, not optimistic ones.

What return should I expect on a BTR project?

Returns vary by submarket, lot basis, product mix, and financing. Rather than promising a number, we model each project’s pro forma against current rents and current construction costs and show you the math before you commit. If it does not hit your hurdle, we tell you.

Can I do build-to-rent from out of state?

Yes. A meaningful share of our BTR investor clients live outside Arkansas. Site selection, design approval, construction oversight, and lease-up are all manageable remotely because the same operator handles the whole stack.

Do you only build for outside investors, or do you build for your own portfolio too?

Both. Apex Real Estate Investments builds BTR for our own holdings, which means we have skin in the game in the same submarkets where we build for clients. We do not recommend product to investors that we would not own ourselves.

What cities in Central Arkansas are best for build-to-rent?

It depends on the strategy. Conway, Bryant, Benton, and Cabot tend to work well for single-family BTR because of household growth and family-renter demand. Little Rock and North Little Rock submarkets work well for duplex and small multifamily BTR because of land density and renter mix. We will recommend cities based on the return profile you are targeting, not on what is easiest to build.

Ready to look at build-to-rent in Central Arkansas?

If you want to see whether a build-to-rent project pencils in your situation, the fastest next step is a short call. We will look at your capital, your hold horizon, and your return goals, and tell you whether BTR is the right fit, or whether existing-inventory acquisition or a different strategy would serve you better. Contact us here.

Already own rentals in Central Arkansas and live out of state? See how we work with remote owners on our out-of-state investor property management page.

Build-to-Rent by Central Arkansas City

City-specific build-to-rent guides covering local market dynamics, lot underwriting nuances, and what we’ve learned developing in each submarket:

Build-to-Rent Investing in Conway, AR: University-anchored demand, growth-corridor lots, broadening renter pool.
Build-to-Rent Investing in Bryant, AR: School-district-driven family rental demand, lower volatility.
Build-to-Rent Investing in Benton, AR: Steady population growth, I-30 employment access.

Build-to-Rent Investing in Central Arkansas