In November 2025, The Wideman Company announced the acquisition of RealtyMogul, launching the next generation of the RealtyMogul platform. As we begin the new year, we want to share our perspective on the current real estate market, individual asset classes in which we see opportunity, and how we are approaching the period ahead on the RealtyMogul platform.
The commercial real estate market continues to reflect the effects of recent challenges—interest rate adjustments, tighter credit conditions, valuation resets, and evolving tenant preferences. These dynamics have reinforced a core truth: strong outcomes in real estate depend far more on rigorous, patient decision-making through economic cycles than on perfect market timing.
Today, valuation discipline and sponsor alignment are more important than ever. While pricing volatility has eased in many areas, certain asset values have yet to fully adjust to current financing costs and underwriting standards. This has created pockets of distress, often due to capital structures with aggressive leverage, short-term debt, or unrealistic growth assumptions, rather than fundamental operational weaknesses. We expect these conditions to continue unfolding in 2026, creating selective opportunities for well-capitalized investors with patience, flexibility, and the ability to act decisively.
The Wideman Company’s experience navigating multiple market cycles, including periods of dislocation like the present, underscores the value of restraint. They do not pursue forced capital deployment, momentum chasing, or outcomes dependent on assumed favorable shifts. Instead, they prioritize conservative entry pricing, durable cash flows, and capital structures designed to withstand volatility.
This same philosophy guides RealtyMogul’s origination strategy in 2026: selectivity over volume. We intend to target opportunities where pricing reflects today’s capital market realities, downside risks are clearly identified and mitigated, and sponsors demonstrate meaningful alignment with investors. In certain cases, this may include recapitalizations, preferred equity, structured investments, or acquisitions from motivated sellers who value execution certainty over peak pricing.
We remain measuredly optimistic about the opportunity set ahead, while mindful that recoveries are rarely linear. Leasing fundamentals may improve gradually, certain asset classes could face continued pressure, and capital markets may fluctuate as debt and equity providers adapt. Patience and rigorous underwriting are essential—deploying capital selectively and when risk-adjusted returns are compelling.
Key Asset Class Perspectives for RealtyMogul in 2026
Flex & Small-Bay Industrial
Flex and small-bay industrial remain highly attractive, supported by population growth, onshoring trends, and demand for service-oriented logistics in infill locations. Lease renewal data shows meaningful mark-to-market upside, with tenants often prioritizing functional, well-located space. Disciplined aggregation and active management enable near-term operational gains while building scale in an undersupplied segment.
Big-Box Industrial
Big-box industrial continues to benefit from secular tailwinds in e-commerce, distribution, and last-mile logistics, positioning it as a durable, relatively stable asset class. Long-term leases to credit tenants provide predictable cash flows that anchor portfolio performance. Selective acquisitions during periods of seller dislocation allow for attractive entry points, with potential appreciation as markets stabilize and institutional demand for high-quality industrial assets persists.
Office
The office sector presents compelling potential in 2026 as return-to-office mandates gain broader traction across corporate America, supporting renewed demand for quality space in central business districts. Institutional capital retrenchment has created significant valuation dislocations, allowing acquisitions at materially reduced bases, where execution certainty is prioritized. The Wideman Company’s strategy pairs this pricing reset with substantial reserves for capitalization, proactive asset management, and targeted investments in leasing velocity, tenant experience, and improvements to support rising utilization and evolving demand patterns.
Other Asset Classes
While the asset classes above form our primary focus, The Wideman Company will evaluate additional prospects that align with our criteria, particularly those with distressed capital structures or pricing dislocations. In multifamily and build-to-rent, muted rent growth and elevated vacancies in certain markets, and upcoming debt maturities may create selective recapitalization or acquisition opportunities at favorable valuations.
We deeply value the trust investors place in us and remain committed to building a transparent, aligned platform. The team looks forward to providing ongoing updates and opportunities consistent with this disciplined perspective throughout 2026.
This article is for informational purposes only, and is not a recommendation or offer to buy or sell securities. Information herein may include forward looking statements and is for informational purposes only. Forward-looking statements, hypothetical information, or calculations, financial estimates and targeted returns are inherently uncertain. Past performance is never indicative of future performance. None of the opinions expressed are the opinions of RealtyMogul. Advice from a securities professional is strongly advised, and we recommend that you consult with a financial advisor, attorney, accountant, and any other professional that can help you to understand and assess the risks and tax consequences associated with any real estate investment. All real estate investments are speculative and involve substantial risk and there can be no assurance that any investor will not suffer significant losses. A loss of part or all of the principal value of a real estate investment may occur. All prospective investors should not invest unless such prospective investor can readily bear the consequences of such loss.
RealtyMogul and its affiliates are not registered as a crowdfunding portal. Unless stated otherwise in writing, RealtyMogul and its affiliates do not offer brokerage or investment advisory services to the Platform’s individual users. RM Adviser, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of RealtyMogul, is an SEC-registered investment adviser providing investment management services exclusively to certain REITs and single purpose funds. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Forward-looking statements, hypothetical information or calculations, financial estimates, projections and targeted returns are inherently uncertain. Such information should not be used as a primary basis for an investor’s decision to invest. Investments in real estate, including those offered by sponsors using the RealtyMogul platform, are speculative and involve substantial risk. You should not invest unless you can sustain the risk of loss of capital, including the risk of total loss of capital.