Emerging Trends in Real Estate United States and Canada 2026

November 05, 2025 Americas

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Report Summary:

Report Summary: : Now in its 47th edition, the 2026 Emerging Trends in Real Estate® identifies key opportunities, risks and market shifts that will shape the industry in the coming year—drawing on insights from more than 1,700 leading real estate investors, developers, lenders and advisors across the U.S. and Canada. This year’s report uncovers an industry that is neither standing still nor returning to old norms. It is reshaping itself for a new era as technology integrates across the built environment, and demographic shifts create new demand patterns. With economic uncertainty and higher financing costs creating a palpable 'fog' over the path forward, the most successful players will be those who combine insight with agility. This insight is framed by the report's exploration of five pivotal trends: 'Half Full or Half Empty? Capital Markets in the Fog'; 'Niche to Essential Real Estate'; 'Back to Basics with New Tools: Asset Selection and Operations'; 'Demographics Will Define Demand'; and 'AI Moves into Real Estate'.

High-Potential Property Sectors for Growth, Innovation, and Resilience

Report Summary: Now in its 47th edition, the 2026 Emerging Trends in Real Estate® identifies key opportunities, risks and market shifts that will shape the industry in the coming year—drawing on insights from more than 1,700 leading real estate investors, developers, lenders and advisors across the U.S. and Canada. This year’s report uncovers an industry that is neither standing still nor returning to old norms. It is reshaping itself for a new era as technology integrates across the built environment, and demographic shifts create new demand patterns. With economic uncertainty and higher financing costs creating a palpable 'fog' over the path forward, the most successful players will be those who combine insight with agility. This insight is framed by the report's exploration of five pivotal trends: 'Half Full or Half Empty? Capital Markets in the Fog'; 'Niche to Essential Real Estate'; 'Back to Basics with New Tools: Asset Selection and Operations'; 'Demographics Will Define Demand'; and 'AI Moves into Real Estate'.

High-Potential Property Sectors for Growth, Innovation, and Resilience

Demand for data centers continues to surge, driven by rapid growth in artificial intelligence and cloud computing, even as power shortages and supply bottlenecks limit expansion. With national vacancy below 2% and most facilities pre-leased before completion, constrained capacity is keeping rents elevated and development competitive. Growth is increasingly concentrated in markets with reliable energy access, underscoring how power availability is defining the next phase of digital infrastructure investment.

With the first baby boomers turning 80 in 2026, demand for senior housing is approaching a historic inflection point. Limited new supply, evolving care models and shifting consumer preferences are driving record-high occupancy levels. Developers are diversifying offerings, from active adult “independent living lite” communities to wellness-focused and tech-enabled facilities.

Self-storage continues to evolve into a hybrid asset class with broader appeal. Demand is being propelled by housing constraints and lifestyle trends favoring flexibility. A new subsegment, storage condos, is emerging as a unique investment opportunity for individuals and small businesses, blending industrial and personal-use space in innovative ways.

Following a strong rebound in 2024, the student housing sector is now navigating a more complex outlook. Simplified federal financial aid, a record high school graduating class, and robust international enrollment in US higher education combined to deliver the strongest gains in years. Student housing mirrored that growth, with near-record absorption, high occupancy, and steady rent increases. Yet, as demographic headwinds, ongoing visa delays, and rising construction costs emerge, the sector now enters a complex and uncertain phase.

The office sector is stabilizing as top-tier buildings in major markets capture record rents, even as overall valuations remain far below pre-pandemic peaks. Lower-quality and less central properties continue to face elevated vacancies, reflecting a widening divide between trophy assets and struggling stock. This bifurcation, by both building class and geography, suggests that recovery will be selective and uneven across the sector

Top 10 Markets to Watch in 2026

Each year, the Emerging Trends survey asks industry participants to rate markets for investment and development prospects in 2026 across property types, and to rate aspects of their local markets. Dallas-Fort Worth remains at the top of the Markets to Watch for the second year running.

1. Dallas-Fort Worth
2. Jersey City
3. Miami
4. Brooklyn
5. Houston
6. Nashville
7. Northern New Jersey
8. Tampa-St. Petersburgh
9. Manhattan
10. Phoenix

About Emerging Trends in Real Estate®

Emerging Trends in Real Estate® is one of the most highly regarded annual industry outlooks for the real estate and land use industry, published jointly by PwC and the Urban Land Institute. By incorporating interviews and survey responses from several hundred industry professionals, the report provides an in-depth outlook by region on real estate investment, development trends, and capital markets. The report is produced in four versions: Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Global. All the Emerging Trends in Real Estate® reports published since 2003 are available on Knowledge Finder.

Emerging Trends in Real Estate® is jointly sponsored by the Urban Land Institute and PwC. Since 2003, the Urban Land Institute and PwC have collaborated to produce one of the most comprehensive real estate and land use industry reports.

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Market Trends

Emerging Trends Demographics Economy New and Disruptive Technology Real Estate Trends