WASHINGTON: US home rents rose at a slower pace in August, a downshift that may reflect the rise of apartment construction in many major cities. Median rents rose a seasonally adjusted 3.8 per cent from a year ago, off from annual pace of 4.2 per cent in July, real estate firm Zillow said on Tuesday. Rental prices are still climbing at a faster pace than average earnings, increasing the financial burden of housing and potentially delaying the accumulation of savings to buy a home. Rental increases tailed off in several metro areas in August. In Los Angeles, the pace slipped to 4.2 per cent from 4.8 per cent. Similar slowdowns were seen in Dallas, Philadelphia, Miami, Boston, San Francisco, Phoenix and Denver last month.