As we look ahead to 2026, it’s clear that property owners are operating in a market defined less by certainty and more by constant change. Interest rates, capital markets, demographics, technology, and policy are all shifting at the same time. In environments like this, the greatest risk isn’t volatility — it’s making decisions without a clear framework for what truly matters.

That’s why I spent time reviewing the Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate® identified by the Counselors of Real Estate®. This study stood out to me because it doesn’t chase headlines or short-term predictions. Instead, it provides a disciplined, globally informed view of the forces that are most likely to shape real estate outcomes over the next 12 to 18 months. As we plan for 2026, understanding these issues — and how they apply locally — is essential for owners who want to protect value and position themselves for opportunity.

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The CRE® Framework — Global Issues, Local Application

Each year, the Counselors of Real Estate® (CRE®) — a global network of credentialed real estate advisors — conducts extensive polling, discussion, and debate among its members to identify the Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate®. Now in its 14th year, this work has become one of the most respected thought-leadership efforts in the industry, precisely because it reflects real-world experience across markets, property types, and economic cycles.

One of the most important themes that emerges from the CRE® report is how interconnected today’s challenges have become. Issues related to people, property, technology, and money do not exist in isolation. They influence one another — shaping capital flows, tenant behavior, risk tolerance, valuation methods, and ultimately, ownership and investment decisions. The pace of change has accelerated, and the margin for error has narrowed.

What I find especially valuable is that the Top Ten Issues are consistent across geographies, including both North America and Europe. The CRE® European Chapter contributes its own perspective, reinforcing a critical point: while the issues themselves are broadly the same, their impact varies based on local market dynamics, regulatory environments, and cultural context. In other words, the list is global — but the strategy must always be local.

This dual lens is essential in today’s environment. We are operating in a period of heightened uncertainty — more volatile markets, more selective capital, and faster technological and demographic shifts. But uncertainty is not something to avoid. It is something to understand, define, and manage.

Doing that requires two things. First, owners must clearly understand what each issue is and how it functions. Second, they must understand the parameters and boundaries of that issue within their specific market. When you know where the risks actually lie — and just as importantly, where they don’t — uncertainty becomes manageable.

That is how owners move from reacting to headlines to making informed, strategic decisions. And that is exactly where the value of the Counselors of Real Estate® Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate® 2026 lies.

Over the next few weeks, I will delve into each of these ten issues.

Source: Counselors of Real Estate® — Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate® 2026  https://cre.org/top-ten-issues/2025-26-top-ten-issues-affecting-real-estate/