Top 11 Real Estate Investment Trends for 2023

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Contributor, Benzinga
August 6, 2023

Detecting real estate investment trends before they happen can help investors secure higher returns and exit properties at the right time. Knowing some of the looming trends in 2023 can help you in the years ahead. It’s advantageous to be a step ahead of the market and staying on top of the latest news can help. It’s time to explore some of the top real estate trends for 2023.

Overview of the Real Estate Industry in 2023

The real estate industry has gone through significant changes since the pandemic. Housing prices boomed in the early stages of the pandemic, and those prices have moved out of many people’s budgets. Rising inflation has reduced everyone’s purchasing power, but inflation has had a larger impact in areas that won big during the pandemic. While Miami attracted many people during the pandemic, the city’s 9% inflation rate exceeded the inflation rate of all U.S. metro areas, with over 2.5 million people.

Higher interest rates have contributed to a housing slump. Mortgage rates exceeded 7% in August, and that rate can still rise. However, a decrease in home construction can help to offset the lower demand. The U.S. Census Bureau released data in July that pointed to an 8% year-over-year decrease in the number of home constructions.

The real estate market has declining demand that is currently getting offset by a low housing supply.

Real estate investors have to consider many variables when crafting their investment strategies. These are some of the top real estate investment trends to monitor as you navigate 2023 and beyond.

1. Emerging Markets for Real Estate Investment

Emerging markets are riskier investment opportunities but can yield higher returns than stable real estate markets. Relatively affordable housing prices, more amenities and population growth are some of the factors that contribute to emerging markets.

While many coastal cities, especially southern cities, thrived during the pandemic, the midwest is attracting more attention from investors. Lafayette, Indiana; Bloomington, Illinois; and Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana are some of the top emerging markets to monitor.

2. The Rise of Sustainable Real Estate

Sustainable real estate is designed to be environmentally friendly. While this approach can help the environment, it can also become more desirable for investors. Homes with a focus on sustainability can end up with more affordable utilities based on how they are constructed. Reducing these expenses can increase an investor’s profits and make a property more enticing for a buyer.

3. Embracing PropTech: Leveraging Technology for Smarter Investments

Technology is transforming various industries. Advancements increase efficiency and capabilities, and it’s even affecting real estate. Developments in proptech can help investors seeking an edge with their real estate investments. 

From artificial intelligence to virtual reality, technology is transforming the way people approach real estate investment. This technology can make it easier for investors to research properties, manage their investments and communicate with buyers.

4. Seizing Opportunities in Short-Term Rentals and Co-Living Spaces

Short-term rentals and co-living spaces are on the rise and can present a good opportunity for investors. While short-term rentals are nothing new, co-living space is a relatively new term. It’s a fancy way of describing housing units that accommodate several tenants. Co-living spaces resemble college dorms and the multi-generational homes of ages past. Sharing expenses with others makes real estate more affordable, and that’s where the market appears to be heading.

5. The Impact of Remote Work on Real Estate Investments

Remote work is here to stay. Return-to-office mandates have faced significant pushback, and many companies have removed the office requirement. Remote work is troubling for commercial real estate and the surrounding areas that depend on commercial real estate for economic development. Commercial real estate in big cities stands to face the brunt of the rising popularity of remote work. 

Remote work has made it easier for people to move around, and they can look for more affordable housing in other parts of the United States. Areas that offer a lower cost of living, such as the Midwest, can present enticing opportunities for investors.

6. Investing in Affordable Housing

The global housing crisis and a rising cost of living have put a spotlight on affordable housing initiatives. These initiatives make housing more reasonable for consumers and can help investors score tax breaks. Large housing projects with many units can make it easier to spread costs across the units and retain tenants. Having more units minimizes the impact of one vacancy. Having one vacancy in a 100-unit building is less impactful than one vacancy in an 8-unit building.

7. Industrial and Logistics Properties: The E-Commerce Boom

Although e-commerce has been around for decades, its demand is still rising. Many e-commerce companies have a large addressable market, and they need storage space and logistics properties. Industrial real estate is more expensive than commercial and residential real estate, but it can present stable cash flow and returns for investors with the extra resources. Industrial real estate investment trusts (REITs) offer a more affordable entry into this space.

8. Real Estate Crowdfunding: Diversifying Investment Portfolios

Real estate crowdfunding makes it easier to raise money from other investors to buy properties. You can accumulate capital through real estate crowdfunding programs or invest in various crowdfunding initiatives. Real estate crowdfunding makes it easier to diversify your portfolio by minimizing the total costs and monthly expenses of holding onto a property. If you have a good network of friends and colleagues, you can leverage their capital to acquire properties. This strategy is no longer exclusive to real estate firms.

9. Blockchain in Real Estate: Enhancing Security and Transparency

Many people first heard about blockchain technology as Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies comfortably outpaced the S&P 500 and other market indices. However, the technology does more than power up cryptocurrencies. Blockchain technology streamlines transactions, increases transparency and enhances security. These elements can make blockchain technology an important part of real estate transactions in the years ahead.

10. Wellness Amenities: A Key Factor in Property Investment

People take their wellness seriously, and more real estate investors are incorporating wellness amenities for their properties. Fitness centers, dog parks and outdoor spaces can help an investment property become more desirable. Making these additions to a complex can increase its value and help investors retain more tenants.

11. Adaptive Reuse: Sustainability Meets Creativity

Adaptive reuse allows real estate investors to quickly turn residential properties into commercial properties and vice-versa. Adaptive reuse may become more important from the shift away from commercial real estate. Adaptability can help investors better serve their communities while increasing their bottom lines.

How to Invest in Real Estate in 2023

Take a look at some of the top ways to invest in real estate in 2023.

Monitoring real estate investment trends can help you gauge the future direction of real estate investments. This research can reveal opportunities and weaknesses within the real estate market. Investors put a lot of money into real estate. Checking the trends can help you get the most out of your investments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q

What are the current trends in the real estate investment market?

A

The real estate investment market has many factors to consider. Rising interest rates, changes in housing supply and population growth rates are some key trends to monitor.

Q

What factors should I consider before investing in real estate?

A

You should consider a property’s long-term prospects, changes in population, the community and other factors before investing in real estate.

Q

How do I find out about recent real estate trends?

A

You can find out about recent real estate trends by looking at current news and reviewing expert commentary.

Marc Guberti

About Marc Guberti

Marc Guberti is an investing writer passionate about helping people learn more about money management, investing and finance. He has more than 10 years of writing experience focused on finance and digital marketing. His work has been published in U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, InvestorPlace and other publications.