Scott (MS) Investor Pulse Report (2026-Q1)

In Scott County, investors hold a significant 17.7% of the single-family residential market, totaling 1,086 properties out of 6,134 available homes.

The ownership landscape is overwhelmingly controlled by 951 individual investors, who own 896 properties, or 82.5% of the investor-owned housing stock. In contrast, 162 company entities own 215 properties, making up the remaining 19.8%.

A defining characteristic of this market is the preference for all-cash holdings. Investors own 965 properties outright, compared to just 121 that are financed, signaling a market with low leverage and high equity.

The investor portfolio is almost entirely dedicated to generating rental income. A total of 1,051 properties are classified as rented, which accounts for 96.8% of all investor-owned SFRs.

This composition points to a mature rental market dominated by private individuals rather than large-scale corporate landlords, a key feature for anyone involved in local real estate investing.

Investors in Scott County demonstrated an ability to secure deep discounts in Q1 2026, paying an average of just $31,250 per property. This was 74.9% less than the $124,383 paid by traditional homeowners, a raw discount of $93,133.

The pricing advantage for landlords has been inconsistent, highlighting market volatility. While landlords achieved a similar 76.9% discount in Q3 2025, they anomalously paid a 9.3% premium in Q2 2025, when their average price was $199,413 versus the homeowner average of $182,387.

This volatility in pricing suggests that a small number of transactions can significantly skew quarterly averages, a common feature in smaller, localized markets.

The significant discounts secured in most quarters indicate that investors are likely targeting distressed, off-market, or value-add properties that are not available or attractive to typical homebuyers.

The average acquisition price for landlords has trended downward recently, from a high of $199,413 in Q2 2025 to the current low of $31,250, signaling a shift in the types of properties being acquired.

Investor activity accounted for a substantial portion of the Scott County market, with landlords acquiring 5 of the 16 total SFRs sold, a market share of 31.2%.

The entirety of this purchasing activity was driven by small-scale mom-and-pop investors. Landlords in the 1-10 property tiers bought 100% of the investor-acquired homes, with zero activity from mid-size or institutional players.

New market entrants were a key driver of activity. Two new single-property landlords entered the market, acquiring 2 homes and representing 40% of all investor purchases for the quarter.

The buying was concentrated at the smallest scale, with landlords owning 1-5 properties making up 80% of the purchasing volume.

This data confirms that market growth is fueled by local, small-scale investors rather than large, out-of-state corporations.

The investor market in Scott County is overwhelmingly dominated by small landlords. Those owning between 1 and 10 properties, often called mom-and-pops, control a combined 95.1% of all investor-owned SFR properties.

Single-property landlords (Tier 01) form the bedrock of the market, owning 814 properties. This single tier accounts for 72.0% of the entire investor-owned housing supply.

The presence of large-scale institutional investors is negligible. The 1,000+ property tier (Tier 09) accounts for just 2 properties, or 0.2% of the market, challenging the narrative of widespread corporate ownership in this area.

Mid-size investors also have a limited footprint. Tiers representing portfolios of 11 to 1,000 properties collectively own just 4.8% of the investor-owned homes.

This distribution reveals a highly fragmented market composed of hundreds of small, independent operators rather than a consolidated group of large players.

Ownership structure in Scott County shows a clear divide based on portfolio size. Individual investors are the dominant force in smaller portfolios, owning 85.9% of single-property rentals and over 70% in each tier up to 10 properties.

A distinct crossover point occurs at the 11-20 property tier. At this level, company ownership jumps to a 60.7% majority, indicating that investors who scale beyond 10 properties tend to operate under a corporate structure.

This trend intensifies in larger tiers. For investors holding 21-50 properties, companies own a commanding 95.0% of the homes, solidifying their role as the preferred vehicle for managing larger portfolios.

Even so, individual ownership persists at nearly every level, with individuals owning at least one property even in the 51-100 property tier.

This pattern suggests that while individuals form the base of the market, serious scaling efforts are almost exclusively pursued through formal business entities.

Geographic analysis reveals that investor ownership in Scott County is not evenly distributed. The zip code 39074 is the clear epicenter of activity, containing 538 investor-owned properties, which is nearly half of the county's total of 1,086.

However, the highest concentration of investors is found elsewhere. Zip code 39359 has the highest ownership rate, where investors own 25.9% of all SFR properties, indicating a denser saturation of rental housing.

The distinction between the leader in raw count (39074) and the leader in percentage rate (39359) suggests different investment dynamics. One area attracts a high volume of investors, while the other has a higher proportion of its housing stock owned by them.

Following the lead of 39074, other key areas for investor ownership by count include 39117 (364 properties) and 39092 (77 properties).

These patterns are crucial for understanding hyper-local market conditions and identifying where rental housing is most prevalent.

Transaction history shows that landlords in Scott County are consistently in an accumulation phase. In the first quarter of 2026, they were strong net buyers, with 5 purchases against only 1 sale.

This behavior is not a recent development. Throughout 2025, landlords bought 44 properties while selling only 23, and in 2024 they bought 32 and sold 14, reinforcing a long-term strategy of portfolio growth.

A critical divergence appears when comparing small investors to institutional ones. While the overall landlord pool is buying, institutional investors (1,000+ properties) are divesting. In 2025, they were net sellers, with 1 purchase and 3 sales, signaling a strategic retreat from the market.

Overall market liquidity for investors increased from 2024 to 2025. Total transactions (buys and sells) grew from 46 in 2024 to 67 in 2025, indicating a more active trading environment.

The data clearly shows two different stories: small, local investors are actively growing their portfolios while the few large, institutional players are reducing their exposure.

In Q1 2026, landlords were a major force in the Scott County market, participating in 5 of the 16 total transactions for a 31.2% market share.

All of this activity originated from small investors. Mom-and-pop landlords (1-10 properties) were responsible for 100% of investor-side transactions, while institutional investors made no moves.

The data reveals that investors are acquiring properties from outside the existing landlord community. None of the 5 investor purchases in Q1 were from other landlords, suggesting they are primarily buying from traditional homeowners.

First-time investors entering the market paid an average of $31,250. This price point, far below the typical homeowner price, indicates a focus on acquiring properties with significant potential for value-add or at a deep discount.

The complete absence of institutional transactions reinforces their passive or divesting stance in the current market, leaving the field entirely to smaller players.