The 6 Forces That Will Shape Real Estate in 2026 (Whether We’re Ready or Not)

Every January, the real estate world lines up to make predictions.
Rates will do this.
Prices will do that.
Buyers will return.
Sellers will wait.

You’re probably already seeing some of those articles.

But in my experience, markets don’t move in a vacuum. They move because of forces. Structural pressures, behavioral shifts, and incentives that shape decisions long before the headlines catch up.

So instead of guessing what might happen in 2026, I want to share how I’m thinking about the year ahead based on what’s already in motion. These are the forces that we believe will define real estate in 2026, whether we like them or not.