The big players are consolidating, which could make the stocks of those left standing potentially more attractive. The announcement last week of a merger between Arizona-based American Residential Properties, which owns 8,938 rental homes, and California-based American Homes 4 Rent, which owns 38,377, was the third such deal in the asset class this year. Two other major players in the sector, Starwood Waypoint Residential Trust and Colony American Homes, announced a merger in September and earlier this year, Silver Bay Realty Trust agreed to buy the entire portfolio of Atlanta-based The American home.

Read More