Seeing Is Believing: Why Retail Investors Are Looking to the Southeast

Verizon's Nicole Nicholson and CBRE's Jamie Hodari discuss how real estate, technology and human connection are strengthening business outcomes and creating competitive advantage in an AI-powered world. Learn from seasoned executives responsible for managing large, complex real estate portfolios.Corporate real estate is evolving from a cost center into a strategic tool that supports culture, talent attraction and business performance.​Managing complex portfolios means aligning people in different workplaces, retail locations, technical facilities and infrastructure with broader business objectives.​Leading at scale requires communicating authentically and adapting your approach to meet the needs of disparate employee populations.​Spontaneous workplace moments, from coffee to casual meal conversations, help draw people back to the office.​As AI reshapes business, elements of human judgment, connection and community remain central to real estate strategy.​​

Ken Rosen has been an astute analyst of the real estate world for 50 years. The highly regarded economist, consultant and educator explains why today’s higher interest rates could force investors back to the fundamentals. He also provides a framework for strategic investment and operational excellence in a rapidly evolving landscape.·      Higher interest rates mean returns must come from real estate fundamentals, including better asset selection, leasing, operations and placemaking.·      Rosen notes that capital is a short-term asset, while real estate rewards long-term value creation.·      Deep repricing, constrained supply and renewed demand can turn challenged markets like San Francisco into compelling opportunities.·      Office-to-residential conversions may become a bigger opportunity as cities look for ways to address housing shortages.·      Better data can improve decision-making, but it can’t replace human judgment, common sense and a real, experience-driven understanding of market conditions.

Shallow-bay industrial real estate is having a moment. Investor Jordan Schnitzer explains how his family firm was early to recognize the opportunity in this specialized corner of the market. He discusses how building deep knowledge of an asset class and local markets and operating with a long-term mindset have helped Schnitzer Properties grow a differentiated industrial platform.Demand for shallow-bay industrial space has increased as more small and mid-sized businesses need flexible facilities to store, distribute and deliver goods.Schnitzer Properties leaned into shallow-bay industrial early because it rewards hands-on operators with local market knowledge, tenant relationships and disciplined execution.The company’s long-term ownership model supports upfront investment in property quality, landscaping and “sense of arrival,” with the aim of retaining tenants and protecting asset performance.With cap-rate compression unlikely to drive returns, Schnitzer argues that operational expertise and niche specialization are becoming more essential.

With the H1 2026 data in hand, we can see how commercial real estate is evolving in a market where AI, geopolitical events, capital discipline and a resilient economy are rewriting earlier forecasts. CBRE’s Research leaders discuss the company’s 2026 Midyear Outlook—published today—and examine what’s changed since the start of the year and the implications for occupiers, investors and the broader market. Commercial real estate conditions have shifted since the January outlook, with geopolitical uncertainty, capital constraints and a resilient consumer shaping the market at midyear.Limited new supply is becoming an increasing theme across property sectors, creating a new dynamic for occupiers and investors.Quality is increasingly the defining characteristic of successful real estate assets.AI is influencing real estate demand beyond data centers, with implications for tech markets, office footprints, infrastructure needs and future property use.

New York Post columnist Steve Cuozzo has long been a go-to source for the latest buzz about the goings-on in New York City commercial real estate and its iconic restaurant scene. Cuozzo shares five decades of wisdom and insight on all things New York.·     Steve Cuozzo’s five decades of reporting and editing provide seasoned insights into what makes New York tick.·     The City’s office rebound is strongest in prime corridors.·     Restaurants send a powerful signal of a neighborhood’s vitality.·     Why it takes more than an appetizing menu for a New York City restaurant to flourish.

Retail is thriving and investors are taking a fresh look at existing assets amid high construction costs and shrinking availablility. Greenberg Gibbons’ Eric Walter and CBRE’s Ryan Sciullo discuss where capital is flowing, why the Southeast stands out and how mixed-use retail can create long-term value.Retail's resurgence is particularly marked in Southeast markets.Mixed-use development plus e-commerce can transform the retail landscape.Data-driven underwriting can improve cash flows.Limited supply creates strategic investment opportunities.

Bob Hart built TruAmerica into a major multifamily owner and operator by betting big on workforce housing. He explains why patience is especially important amid today's high interest rates and evolving capital structures, how he’s tapping into growing demand for workforce and affordable housing and where he's finding opportunity.·      Workforce housing remains a compelling long-term investment.·      Strong multifamily growth opportunities are available in Midwest and New York Metro markets.·      Affordable housing offers sticky demand and government subsidies that support development activity.·      Strategic partnerships with co-GPs can deliver funding, credibility and operational alliances.·      Patience and disciplined execution matter more in today's market cycle.

With the H1 2026 data in hand, we can see how commercial real estate is evolving in a market where AI, geopolitical events, capital discipline and a resilient economy are rewriting earlier forecasts. CBRE’s Research leaders discuss the company’s 2026 Midyear Outlook—published today—and examine what’s changed since the start of the year and the implications for occupiers, investors and the broader market.Commercial real estate conditions have shifted since the January outlook, with geopolitical uncertainty, capital constraints and a resilient consumer shaping the market at midyear.Limited new supply is becoming an increasing theme across property sectors, creating a new dynamic for occupiers and investors.Quality is increasingly the defining characteristic of successful real estate assets.AI is influencing real estate demand beyond data centers, with implications for tech markets, office footprints, infrastructure needs and future property use.Investors are placing greater emphasis on income returns, lease durability, tenant credit and market selection.

Winning isn't about persuasion, it's about connection. That's what Esther Choy, CEO of The Leadership Story Lab, believes. In her latest book, Winning Without Persuading, Choy asserts that creating genuine connection can unlock success for leaders and deal makers. Choy makes a case for how strategic silence, creative listening and storytelling can build trust and transform relationships.Shift your focus from self to understanding others for stronger business outcomes.Embrace listening to uncover unspoken needs and build trust.Utilize strategic silence and curiosity to enhance communication and influence.Develop your authentic voice; avoid AI-generated content for genuine connection.

Commercial real estate is entering a new era. CBRE Investment Management’s Julie Ingersoll explains why traditional assumptions are being challenged, where investors should focus next and what it takes to create long-term value in today's environment.