10th Annual Real Estate Midwest Forum

Macroeconomic Real Estate Overview

How are global real estate markets performing in 2026? What unique obstacles are being faced in the Midwest real estate market? Which asset classes are outperforming others? How are you strategically outlining a roadmap towards a successful real estate portfolio? How are transaction volume and price valuation U.S. real estate markets compared to the Midwest real estate market?

The Evolution of Commercial Real Estate

Commercial real estate continues to evolve in a post pandemic world. While office has been viewed as a poor performer, where are you finding diamond opportunities in office? Have valuations been accurate? Retail foot traffic has continued to rise. How is that impacting your approach to retail markets? What macroeconomic trends are driving the hospitality sector? What specific type of hospitality projects are of interest to you?

Spotlight on Housing

How are residential markets—including multifamily, single-family rental, build to rent, senior housing, student housing, manufactured housing—performing in the current economy? How are mortgage rates impacting housing markets? What rental patterns are you witnessing? How are residential markets expected to perform in 2027, and how will that alter your investment strategy?

Data Centers, Life Sciences, Medical Office, and Beyond

In this timely discussion, panelists will dive into how niche real estate assets have come to rise as leaders in the market. Which alternative real estate property types are proving to be high performers? How are you embedding these niche real estate assets into your overall portfolio composition? Which alternative real estate assets should you be considering for 2027?

A Case for Opportunistic Investments

While core and core plus hold a meaningful place in a balanced portfolio, allocators are recognizing the substantial potential offered from opportunistic real estate investments. How is debt financing playing a role in your approach to opportunistic investments? Where and why would you opt for an opportunistic strategy over value-add, core, or core plus? What are institutional and private wealth investors’ appetite for risk in the current economy environment?

Not All Industrial Properties Are Created Equal

Some industrial assets may be more favorable than others. While storage and warehouses are expected to continue performing well, specialized industrial properties tailored to specific tenants may face challenges as we look to future transactions. How can you efficiently update aged industrial properties? How are real estate investors approaching the evolving industrial markets as we look ahead to 2026 and beyond?

The Role of Multifamily in Your Portfolio

The multifamily sector continues to gain traction as new construction and demand grow. How are multifamily developers and managers setting themselves apart from the pack? How are investors identifying the right opportunities for their unique portfolios? What innovations are emerging across the multifamily space? Which geographic regions are seeing the most growth in the multifamily market?

Navigating the CRE Debt Bubble

How are investors approaching debt versus equity in the real estate market? How are lending standards, mortgage maturities, and loan defaults impacting the market? How can you provide investors with predictable cash flow? How are debt valuations teams making sense of the current economic climate? What does the next year hold for commercial and residential real estate debt? Where are forward-thinking investors allocating in the debt market?

Top Picks For 2026

In this panel discussion, industry leaders take the stage to share their predictions for real estate asset classes that will outperform in the next 12-24 months. Which markets are emerging, and which are you divesting from? How will the market change in the year ahead? What advice would you share to new allocators entering the real estate space?