NAR 2025 Q1 VACANCY REPORT

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A government shutdown sends ripples across multiple sectors of the economy — and commercial real estate (CRE) is no exception. From delayed federal payments to shaken investor confidence, even a short-term shutdown can affect leasing activity, financing, and property values. Understanding these impacts helps both landlords and tenants prepare for potential instability.

In recent years, rising tariffs have become a central tool of U.S. trade policy. While much of the debate focuses on manufacturing, consumer goods, or macroeconomic effects, commercial real estate (CRE) sits in a complex middle ground: both exposed to headwinds and potentially positioned to benefit in niche ways. 

Discover how landlords and tenants can build strong relationships in commercial real estate. Learn about lease negotiations, property management, and long-term success.

In commercial real estate, few terms get tossed around more than Cap Rate. Short for Capitalization Rate, it’s the go-to metric investors use to size up deals quickly. But while cap rates are simple to calculate, understanding them deeply can make or break an investment decision.

Underwriting is the process of analyzing a property to determine if it’s a good investment. For multi-family real estate, this means digging into the numbers, understanding the story behind them, and projecting what the property could produce in the future.

Owner financing is one of the most flexible and creative tools in commercial real estate transactions. Instead of working with a traditional bank or institutional lender, you negotiate directly with the property owner—streamlining the process, reducing red tape, and opening the door for creative deal structures that work for both parties.