Large institutional investors — often defined as firms owning 1,000 or more homes — represent only a small slice of that total. Estimates from housing researchers place their share of all single-family homes in the low single digits. In some recent quarters, the biggest players have actually been net sellers, unloading more homes than they've bought.But the term "investor" covers a wide range of owners — from retirees renting out a single property to local landlords holding a handful of homes — not just lar ...