Houston’s private-sector workers saw a 7.1% annual increase in earnings through September 2025, the strongest wage growth of any major U.S. market according to CoStar and Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is more than double the statewide average and marks a pivotal signal for commercial real estate investors across Greater Houston.

2026 Commercial Real Estate Market Outlook In 2026, success will hinge on execution. Pricing discipline, transparent underwriting, and operational readiness will determine who captures opportunity and who waits on the sidelines. The next cycle won’t reward speed. It will reward certainty. Boutique strategy, institutional insight, and local fluency remain the foundation for performance.

For all its volatility, 2025 was the year the commercial real estate market finally told the truth. Valuations met reality, capital called the bluff on stretched assumptions, and strategy started to mean something measurable again. The easy narratives faded. What remained was clarity, discipline, and a sharper understanding of how performance actually creates value. Commercial real estate entered a performance era, where returns depend less on expansion and more on precisio