Report: 2020 Real Estate Outlook for the U.S. and Canada

For any franchisor whose concept requires a physical location, the 41st annual "Emerging Trends in Real Estate: U.S. and Canada" report might be considered required reading. The yearly publication from PwC and the Urban Land Institute is a deep dive into real estate investment and development trends and opportunities in the U.S. and Canada. The report also looks into real estate finance and capital markets, property sectors, metropolitan areas, and other real estate issues.

The report is based on the views of more than1,500 individuals who completed surveys, plus personal interviews with 750 people. Participants represent an extensive array of industry experts, including investors, fund managers, developers, property companies, lenders, brokers, advisers, and consultants.

Its four chapters are 1) a lengthy Executive Summary; 2) a look at the decade ahead; 3) specific markets to watch; and 4) an outlook by property type, including office, retail, and hotels.

A list of highlights from the report includes:

• What to expect and what the expected best opportunities are in 2020
• Trends in the capital markets, including sources and flows of equity and debt capital
• Which property sectors offer opportunities and which to avoid
• Rankings and assessments of a variety of specialty property types
• The impact of social and geopolitical trends on real estate
• How locational preferences are changing
• The increasingly important intersection of real estate and technology

The full 108-page report is available online as a PDF here.