The Weekly Take from CBRE

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.

How did a property sub-sector built around equipment and vehicle storage garner the interest of  institutional investors? Alterra Property Group’s Leo Addimando and CBRE's Will Pike discuss the evolution and growth of Industrial Outdoor Storage (IOS), current market dynamics and its emergence as an increasingly mainstream institutional asset.

• IOS plays a key role in supporting logistics, infrastructure, construction and services businesses.
• Location is central to IOS value as users depend on proximity to ports, interstate highways, intermodal facilities, airports and population centers.
• Zoning restrictions limit IOS supply growth.
• Institutional capital increasingly views IOS as a traditional real estate asset, narrowing the valuation gap with other industrial properties.
• Tailwinds like technology and digital infrastructure-driven demand intensify competition for well-located, properly zoned IOS sites.

Before they lifted the Cup, here’s how they built an arena worthy of a champion. Raleigh has long been one of the best-performing secondary markets. Its arena district is poised to be the next engine in its growth. Carolina Hurricanes CEO Brian Fork and Greater Raleigh Chamber CEO Adrienne Cole discuss how the Lenovo Center anchors a mixed-use redevelopment on state-owned land—structured through a complex public-private partnership.

In this episode:

Public-Private Partnerships: The Lenovo Center anchors an 80-acre, 15-year, $1 billion arena-district redevelopment via a public-private/ground-lease structure.

Talent, Talent, Talent: Raleigh’s three tier-one research universities and multi-node job base keep attracting talent, companies and capital.

By the Numbers: Strong population growth (2.2 million to 2.6 million by 2027) plus low cost-of-living (around 3% below national average) signal opportunity for investors.

Local Color: Lenovo Center preserves a tailgating culture while adding retail, restaurants, structured parking and year-round activation.

Sports venues can be powerful urban growth engines. Entrepreneur Larry Botel, co-owner of the Richmond minor-league baseball team, and CBRE’s Pam Strieffler discuss how mixed-use districts anchored by these venues can transform CBD-adjacent areas. They walk through strategies for attracting outside capital, navigating rising construction costs, drawing year-round visitors, and forging public-private partnerships to create districts that propel economic activity.

• Sports venues can anchor mixed-use developments, driving urban revitalization.
• Public-private partnerships and tax incentives are essential for stadium projects.
• Year-round venue activation draws daily traffic, crucial for surrounding businesses and real estate.
• Office space is vital for mixed-use success, bringing steady economic activity.
• Nearby universities can fuel market growth and attract outside investment.

Data centers are the hottest asset class in CRE right now. Digital Realty CEO Andy Power and CBRE's Pat Lynch discuss the sector’s dynamics, including power constraints, evolving location strategies and international markets. They also offer key insights from CBRE’s hot-off-the-presses Global Data Center Trends Report 2026.

• AI demand fuels near-zero data center vacancy rates in some key markets.
• Power availability and permitting slow new data center development.
• Asia and Southern Europe are seeing data center expansion.
• Community engagement can facilitate data center growth.

What do “higher for longer” interest rates mean for investors? CBRE Investment Management’s Achal Gandhi and Rik Eertink break down the practical ways they identify and pursue opportunities in the living, logistics, office and retail sectors across Europe, in both direct and indirect execution formats.

• The latest market data from Europe reveals that NOI growth remains the primary driver of investment performance.
• A K-shaped economic recovery is creating opportunities in both necessity-based and luxury real estate.
• Secondary investment opportunities in Europe offer investors access to assets at a discount and positive yield spreads.
• Asset operations are critical for enhancing value.
• A focus on niche sectors—student housing, healthcare and industrial outdoor storage—enables investors to capitalize on current demand and demographic trends.

Retail real estate requires an operator's mindset. While attending ICSC Las Vegas, CBRE's Americas Head of Retail Research, Ebere Anokute, spoke with us about the state of the market, challenging conventional wisdom and leveraging robust data to navigate an evolving retail landscape.

Key Takeaways:

·     Investors should prioritize assets in secondary markets with strong population growth and limited new retail supply. These markets have lower vacancy rates and above-average rent growth.

·     Retailers can benefit from repeat foot traffic and community loyalty by locating in centers anchored by grocery stores and in-demand service tenants.

·     E-commerce accounts for about 16% of total retail sales. This requires retailers to balance brick-and-mortar and digital strategies to sustain growth.

·     Grocery-anchored retail remains a compelling long-term investment, with stable cap rates and strong demand from other tenants.

·     Service-oriented tenants—such as fitness, healthcare and personal care—are expanding, offering investors attractive income streams.

·     Advanced analytics and local market data can pinpoint emerging opportunities and mitigate risks in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.

Futurist and author Jacob Morgan has a plan for building future-ready organizations: cultivating a thriving, accountable workforce; embracing flexibility; and applying technology to foster resilience and employee growth.

• Future-ready organizations track change early, plan proactively and communicate and act with clarity.
• Employee experience can be enhanced by setting clear expectations, providing consistent support and candidly communicating performance standards and growth paths.

·      Learning and growth are essential to career security, which means investing in training and continual skills-building.

·      The best leaders align support with specific employee needs and career paths rather than enacting broad policies.

·      AI creates value when it helps people spend more time on high-impact work that requires judgment, creativity and communication.

Retail real estate’s comeback is undeniable. Investor Adam Ifshin details how open-air retail once again became a preferred institutional asset. Recorded at ICSC Las Vegas, Adam discusses the appeal of secondary markets, value-add strategies and the reasons why real estate operations are now the key drivers of returns.

·     Open-air retail is once again an institutional asset class.

·     Secondary markets offer compelling growth opportunities.

·     Integrating healthcare tenants are a powerful value-add.

·     Skilled operators drive higher returns, especially in tight markets.

·     Limited new supply is driving long-term rent growth.