2026 Forecast: Jeremy Pollender, CM&B

What is your 2026 outlook, and which trends in your industry will influence the CRE market?
Our outlook for 2026 is strong, driven by sustained activity across most of our sectors: retail, automotive, hospitality, grocery, industrial, and science and technology. In the retail sector, we’re seeing less new construction and more improvements to existing properties.

What challenges or opportunities do you see for your clients or projects in 2026?
Clients continue to face challenges from high interest rates, which limit access to financing, and from sustained high construction costs. These pressures create more demand for pre-development services, pre-construction services, value engineering, and proactive strategies that maximize efficiency and project value.

What is your firm prioritizing in 2026 to stay competitive and support your clients?
Pre-construction has always been a priority for CM&B, not just in 2026. We continue to help clients and design partners align scope with budget early, using a collaborative, disciplined process. Through structured value management and competitive subcontractor bidding, we drive efficient, cost-effective solutions and deliver predictable outcomes while minimizing change orders.