The Next Phase of the Office Market Is Already Forming

The office market is often described as either recovering or collapsing. The data increasingly suggests neither explanation fully captures what is happening. Office usage is rising again, but not evenly. Simultaneously, new office construction has slowed to a near standstill. Together, those two forces are reshaping how the office market will evolve over the rest of the decade. The result may not be a traditional recovery cycle. It may be a reorganization of the office market itself.

Are Malls Making a Comeback?

For years, shopping malls felt like a fading part of the retail landscape, shaped by store closures, declining foot traffic, and the steady rise of e-commerce. But in 2026, that narrative is starting to shift. Malls are not just recovering, they are being rethought around how people actually want to spend their time.

AI Buildout

Artificial intelligence has pushed data centers to the center of the commercial real estate conversation. Capital continues flowing into digital infrastructure as cloud providers and technology firms race to expand computing capacity. Development pipelines are growing across major markets, and investors increasingly treat the sector as one of the most attractive areas of institutional real estate.

Coworking 2.0

Coworking is making a comeback, but it looks very different than it did five years ago. The pandemic, combined with the high-profile struggles of companies like WeWork, raised questions about whether shared office space could survive in a remote-first world. But instead of disappearing, coworking has quietly evolved. Today, a new generation of flexible workspace models is helping bring the sector back to life.

Triple Net Leasing

At first glance, triple-net (NNN)-leased properties are a perfect investment solution for those less experienced in or knowledgeable about commercial real estate — the tenant pays for nearly everything and does nearly all the work. And for many landlords, these investments provide an alternative to bonds — a stable, passive income that allows owners to diversify their investments without the responsibilities of leasing and property management.

Build-to-Rent

By creating purpose-built rental communities from the ground up, Build-to-Rent projects are helping address the supply shortage that’s driving unaffordability, offering quality housing options for families who can’t or don’t want to buy in today’s market.