Author: Rent Magazine Contributor

In recent years, co-working spaces have drastically changed the commercial real estate landscape, emerging as a dominant trend in the modern business environment. These flexible, collaborative spaces are not only meeting the needs of freelancers and small startups but are also becoming increasingly popular among large corporations looking for adaptable office solutions. As businesses around the world embrace remote work and hybrid working models, co-working spaces have grown into an essential part of office design, reflecting broader shifts in workplace culture and the commercial real estate market. The concept of co-working spaces is not entirely new, but their evolution over…

As of August 5, 2025, the U.S. commercial real estate market is showing encouraging signs of recovery, especially in the industrial, multifamily, and data center sectors. Despite lingering headwinds from elevated interest rates and the broader economic fallout from recent tariff policies, a growing wave of investor interest and transactional activity points to a sector regaining its footing after years of volatility. The strongest momentum is visible in the industrial property segment, where demand for logistics facilities, distribution centers, and last-mile delivery infrastructure remains high. The shift toward e‑commerce, reshoring of manufacturing, and supply chain diversification efforts have spurred both…

In 2025, Rocket Companies emerged as a driving force in the evolution of the U.S. housing industry by integrating advanced artificial intelligence into its operations and executing high-profile acquisitions that significantly expanded its market presence. At the center of its transformation is Rocket Logic, a proprietary AI platform that is already reshaping the mortgage experience for millions of homebuyers. Launched in 2024, Rocket Logic was designed to automate one of the most time-consuming and paperwork-heavy aspects of the home buying process: mortgage processing. Drawing from more than 10 petabytes of proprietary data, including tens of millions of customer service transcripts…

On August 4, 2025, reports indicated that the U.S. commercial real estate sector had reached a stabilizing phase, with investment activity expected to grow by approximately 10 percent during the year. CBRE projected total commercial real estate investment volume to reach around $437 billion in 2025, still below pre-pandemic levels but showing clear signs of recovery. Investors have increasingly focused on property types such as industrial assets, data centers, and retail locations, reflecting a deliberate shift toward high-demand, higher-quality real estate. Though overall portfolio allocation remains cautious, capital is choosing its targets carefully. CBRE emphasized that industrial and multifamily properties are attracting…

In mid‑2025, U.S. rental demand began accelerating, driven particularly by strong activity in Sun Belt cities such as Austin, Phoenix, and Atlanta. According to CBRE’s U.S. Real Estate Market Outlook midyear review, this growth reflects a combination of rising consumer spending, ongoing population migration toward warmer, lower‑cost metros, and easing financial conditions that support both renters and investors. Vacancy rates decreased modestly across these markets, contributing to upward pressure on average rents and sparking heightened investor interest in multifamily and single‑family rental assets. The increase in demand aligns with broader demographic and economic trends that have shaped the Sun Belt’s…

As of early August, the U.S. business travel sector continues to trail behind the robust rebound seen in leisure travel. Despite growing confidence among vacationers and tourists, corporate travel demand remains significantly lower than pre-pandemic norms, casting a shadow over segments of the hospitality and commercial property industries that traditionally rely on steady mid-week business activity. Hotel chains and major airlines have reported a slower-than-expected return of corporate bookings, with executives noting that business travel remains far below 2019 benchmarks. While there has been a modest rise in weekday occupancy—especially in cities known for hosting regional events—national conferences, trade shows,…

As domestic travel activity rebounds across the United States, the Midwest is emerging as a key beneficiary, with rental housing markets in states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Missouri experiencing a welcome surge. The uptick, which began in early August, is being driven by a renewed wave of regional tourism and a growing appetite for short-term lodging alternatives outside major urban centers. After a sluggish spring marked by economic caution and soft rental activity, property managers and landlords across the Midwest are reporting a noticeable increase in demand. Vacationers, weekend travelers, and remote workers seeking nature-centric getaways are turning to short-term…

As of August 2, 2025, more than half of prospective homebuyers now prioritize listings with virtual reality tours and AI-powered valuation tools. Recent survey data indicate that VR walkthroughs and interactive neighborhood scouting are increasingly influential in buyer decisions, especially on platforms like Realtors.com. A growing share of buyers—over 39% by mid‑2025—report using AI tools as part of their homebuying process. These tools are most often employed for virtual property tours, estimating monthly payments, and checking property values. AI is also used to search for homes, compare lenders, visualize renovations, and assess affordability. Demand for virtual reality goes beyond novelty.…

The U.S. commercial real estate market is experiencing robust mid‑year momentum, with CBRE forecasting a 10% year-over-year increase in investment activity. Transactional volume is projected to hit $437 billion by the close of 2025, according to their mid‑year review published in August 2025. The report signals that while total volumes remain approximately 18% below pre-pandemic annual averages from 2015 to 2019, prime assets are attracting significantly greater attention. CBRE notes that cap rates—the ratio of net operating income to property value—are beginning to soften from their cycle highs, particularly in high-quality office and industrial spaces. Despite interest rate volatility, with…

A recent July 2025 report from JLL Spark reveals that commercial real estate operators are increasingly deploying artificial intelligence and robotics to transform how buildings are managed, serviced, and occupied. This shift—from smart maintenance and tenant access control to data-rich portfolio optimization—is projected to rapidly accelerate through late 2025. Leading commercial real estate firms are integrating AI-driven systems with robotics to automate routine building tasks. Autonomous systems now handle cleaning, infrastructure inspections, and security patrols, feeding real-time data into predictive maintenance platforms that foresee HVAC or elevator failures. These technologies help reduce operating costs by up to 20 percent annually…