With U.S. office absorption at -50 million sq ft in 2023, and CRE office vacancy projected to peak at 18% in 2025, the commercial picture is tightening even as capital looks for the next move. At the same time, global real estate investment volume reached $810 billion in 2023 and REIT market cap hit $1.4 trillion in mid-2024. Add in shifting retail lease dynamics and a housing market where existing sales fell 19% in 2023, and the stats turn into a real, measurable tug of war across sectors.
Key Takeaways
- Global office vacancy rate averaged 16.2% in 2023.
- U.S. industrial vacancy rate fell to 5.2% in Q2 2024.
- Retail sales lease rates increased 2.1% year-over-year in 2023.
- Global real estate total returns forecasted at 6.5% for 2024.
- U.S. home prices expected to rise 2% in 2024.
- CRE vacancy rates projected to peak at 18% for offices in 2025.
- Global real estate investment volume was $810 billion in 2023.
- U.S. CRE transaction volume declined 48% to $337 billion in 2023.
- REIT market cap reached $1.4 trillion in mid-2024.
- In 2023, the U.S. residential real estate market saw 4.09 million existing-home sales, down 19% from 2022.
- The median sales price of existing homes in the U.S. reached $417,700 in June 2024, up 3.7% year-over-year.
- U.S. housing starts totaled 1,426,000 units in 2023, a 6.5% decline from 2022.
- U.S. proptech market size to grow to $32 billion by 2028.
- 75% of real estate firms adopted AI tools by 2023.
- Blockchain transactions in real estate reached $1 billion in 2023.
With vacancies easing in industrials but office pressure rising, and returns forecast at 6.5% in 2024, real estate stays resilient.
Related reading
01 · Category
Commercial Real Estate27 stats
01
Global office vacancy rate averaged 16.2% in 2023.
02
U.S. industrial vacancy rate fell to 5.2% in Q2 2024.
03
Retail sales lease rates increased 2.1% year-over-year in 2023.
04
U.S. office market absorption was -50 million sq ft in 2023.
05
Average U.S. multifamily asking rent rose to $1,705per unit in Q2 2024.
06
Hotel occupancy rate in U.S. reached 63.5% in 2023.
07
U.S. retail vacancy rate was 5.3% in Q1 2024.
08
Industrial rent growth was 6.8% in top U.S. markets in 2023.
09
Downtown office vacancy hit 20.1% in major U.S. cities Q2 2024.
10
U.S. net lease retail cap rates averaged 6.7% in 2023.
11
Medical office vacancy rate was 8.2% nationally in 2023.
12
U.S. flex space vacancy declined to 9.5% in Q1 2024.
13
Hotel RevPAR grew 4.5% year-over-year in Q2 2024.
14
Data center vacancy rate dropped to 2.8% in 2023.
15
U.S. shopping center sales volume fell 15% in 2023.
16
Office construction pipeline shrank 25% in 2024 forecasts.
17
Industrial construction starts totaled 550 million sq ft in 2023.
18
Retail e-commerce represented 15.6% of total sales in 2023.
19
U.S. office lease renewal rates were 55% in 2023.
20
Multifamily construction spending hit $100 billion in 2023.
21
Hotel transaction volume was $25 billion in 2023.
22
Average warehouse lease size grew to 45,000 sq ft in 2023.
23
Self-storage vacancy rate was 7.1% in Q2 2024.
24
U.S. farmland values rose 7.7% in 2023.
25
Grocery-anchored retail cap rates at 6.2% in 2023.
26
Office-to-residential conversions totaled 50,000 units planned in 2024.
27
Logistics rent per sq ft averaged $9.50in coastal markets 2023.
Interpretation
Commercial Real Estate Interpretation
Commercial real estate signals a sharp split in demand with office staying pressured at a 16.2% global vacancy rate in 2023 and -50 million sq ft of absorption in the U.S., while industrial vacancy improved to 5.2% by Q2 2024 and multifamily rents climbed to $1,705 per unit, highlighting resilience outside offices.
02 · Category
Market Trends And Forecasts27 stats
01
Global real estate total returns forecasted at 6.5% for 2024.
02
U.S. home prices expected to rise 2% in 2024.
03
CRE vacancy rates projected to peak at 18% for offices in 2025.
04
U.S. multifamily rents forecasted to grow 3% in 2024.
05
Industrial demand expected to absorb 400 million sq ft annually through 2025.
06
Global proptech investment to reach $25 billion by 2025.
07
U.S. housing shortage estimated at 4.5 million units in 2024.
08
Mortgage rates projected to average 6.5% in 2024.
09
Retail sector recovery to see 4% rent growth by 2025.
10
Office returns expected to improve to 7% by 2026.
11
U.S. single-family construction to hit 1 million starts in 2025.
12
ESG compliance to drive 10% premium in property values by 2030.
13
Remote work to reduce office demand by 13% long-term.
14
U.S. rent affordability crisis to affect 50% of renters by 2025.
15
Data center demand to grow 15% annually through 2030.
16
CRE transaction volume to rebound 20% in 2025.
17
Homeownership rate to rise to 67% by 2030.
18
Logistics rents to stabilize with 2-3% growth in 2024.
19
U.S. CRE cap rates to compress 50 bps in 2025.
20
Multifamily supply to peak deliveries in 2025 at 500k units.
21
Hotel demand growth forecasted at 3.5% annually to 2028.
22
Suburbanization trend to boost secondary market growth 5% yearly.
23
Inflation to average 2.5% impacting real estate costs through 2025.
24
U.S. flipping activity to rise 10% in 2024.
25
Green building certifications to double by 2030.
26
CRE distress sales to peak mid-2025.
27
Global urbanization rate to hit 68% by 2050, driving demand.
Interpretation
Market Trends And Forecasts Interpretation
For the Market Trends And Forecasts outlook, global real estate total returns are projected at 6.5% in 2024 while U.S. home prices are expected to rise 2% and multifamily rents to grow 3%, alongside CRE office vacancy rates peaking at 18% in 2025.
03 · Category
Real Estate Investment26 stats
01
Global real estate investment volume was $810 billion in 2023.
02
U.S. CRE transaction volume declined 48% to $337 billion in 2023.
03
REIT market cap reached $1.4 trillion in mid-2024.
04
Private equity dry powder for real estate at $300 billion in 2024.
05
U.S. multifamily investment sales fell 37% to $140 billion in 2023.
06
Industrial sector attracted 29% of total CRE investment in 2023.
07
Average cap rate for office properties rose to 7.5% in Q2 2024.
08
Foreign investment in U.S. real estate was $50 billion in 2023.
09
Crowdfunding platforms raised $2.5 billion for real estate in 2023.
10
U.S. single-family rental investment hit $20 billion in 2023.
11
Value-add multifamily returns averaged 12.5% IRR in 2023.
12
Debt funds provided 15% of CRE financing in 2023.
13
Logistics assets yielded 6.2% average returns globally in 2023.
14
U.S. opportunity zone investments exceeded $50 billion by 2023.
15
Core office returns were 5.8% net in Q1 2024.
16
Residential land acquisition costs rose 8% in 2023.
17
Bridge lending volume for CRE reached $100 billion in 2023.
18
ESG-focused real estate funds grew 20% in AUM to $1 trillion globally.
19
U.S. retail investment volume down 50% to $40 billion in 2023.
20
Preferred equity deals in CRE increased 30% in 2023.
21
Global hotel investment was $45 billion in 2023.
22
Development yields for industrial averaged 5.9% in 2023.
23
U.S. CRE loan delinquencies rose to 1.2% in Q1 2024.
24
Alternative investments like data centers returned 8.5% in 2023.
25
Family offices allocated 12% to real estate in 2024.
26
U.S. real estate AUM for open-end funds was $850 billion in 2023.
Interpretation
Real Estate Investment Interpretation
Real estate investment activity is showing a meaningful cooling trend in the U.S. while capital remains substantial, with U.S. CRE transaction volume down 48% to $337 billion in 2023 and U.S. multifamily sales down 37% to $140 billion, even as global investment totaled $810 billion in 2023 and REIT market cap reached $1.4 trillion by mid 2024.
More related reading
04 · Category
Residential Real Estate30 stats
01
In 2023, the U.S. residential real estate market saw 4.09 million existing-home sales, down 19% from 2022.
02
The median sales price of existing homes in the U.S. reached $417,700in June 2024, up 3.7% year-over-year.
03
U.S. housing starts totaled 1,426,000 units in 2023, a 6.5% decline from 2022.
04
Homeownership rate in the U.S. stood at 65.7% in Q1 2024.
05
Inventory of existing homes for sale was 1.22 million units in June 2024, up 23.4% from May.
06
Average time on market for homes sold in May 2024 was 44 days, compared to 29 days last year.
07
28% of homebuyers in 2023 were first-time buyers.
08
Multifamily housing starts reached 466,000 units annualized in June 2024.
09
U.S. single-family home permits issued were 980,000 annualized in June 2024.
10
Rent growth in the U.S. slowed to 3.2% year-over-year in Q2 2024.
11
National median rent was $1,986in July 2024.
12
51% of renters spent more than 30% of income on rent in 2023.
13
Home price appreciation averaged 4.8% annually from 2019-2023.
14
22% of homes sold above list price in Q2 2024.
15
U.S. vacant rental units stood at 3.4% vacancy rate in Q1 2024.
16
67% of millennials plan to buy a home in the next 5 years.
17
Foreclosure starts increased 9% in Q2 2024.
18
Average U.S. mortgage rate hit 7.08% in October 2023 peak.
19
15% of homeowners have negative equity in Q1 2024.
20
Suburban home sales outpaced urban by 12% in 2023.
21
New home sales reached 617,000 annualized in June 2024.
22
41% of buyers used FHA loans in 2023.
23
Pending home sales index was 71.5 in June 2024.
24
U.S. home flipping profit margin averaged 29.6% in 2023.
25
76% of sellers had lived in their home for 10+ years in 2023.
26
Rental vacancy rate for large apartments was 6.5% in Q2 2024.
27
Homebuilder confidence index was 43 in July 2024.
28
32% of homes sold with concessions in Q1 2024.
29
U.S. household formation rate was 1.2 million in 2023.
30
Median days on market for new homes was 45 in June 2024.
Interpretation
Residential Real Estate Interpretation
In the residential real estate market, existing-home sales fell to 4.09 million in 2023, down 19% from 2022, while higher inventory reaching 1.22 million units in June 2024 suggests demand has softened even as home prices continue to rise.
05 · Category
Technology And Sustainability24 stats
01
U.S. proptech market size to grow to $32 billion by 2028.
02
75% of real estate firms adopted AI tools by 2023.
03
Blockchain transactions in real estate reached $1 billion in 2023.
04
60% of brokers use virtual tours, up from 10% pre-2020.
05
Green buildings command 7% rent premium in 2023.
06
Smart home adoption in new U.S. homes at 85% in 2023.
07
ESG reporting mandatory for 40% of REITs by 2024.
08
Drone inspections reduced costs by 30% for appraisers.
09
Net-zero buildings to represent 20% of new construction by 2030.
10
Big data analytics improved lease forecasting accuracy by 25%.
11
3D printing used in 5% of modular homes in 2023.
12
Carbon emissions from buildings targeted 50% reduction by 2030.
13
VR property tours viewed by 70% of millennials.
14
IoT devices in commercial buildings grew 25% in 2023.
15
Sustainable materials used in 45% of new projects 2023.
16
AI valuation models accurate within 5% of appraisals.
17
Renewable energy in portfolios for 30% of investors.
18
Digital twins implemented in 15% of large properties.
19
LEED-certified sq footage exceeded 100 billion globally.
20
Proptech startups funded $16 billion in 2023.
21
Energy-efficient retrofits saved 20% on operating costs.
22
55% of consumers prefer sustainable homes.
23
AR apps boosted conversion rates by 40%.
24
Water recycling in green buildings up 35%.
Interpretation
Technology And Sustainability Interpretation
Technology is rapidly reshaping sustainability in real estate, from 75% of firms adopting AI tools by 2023 to green buildings earning a 7% rent premium in 2023 and smart home adoption reaching 85% in new U.S. homes.
report visual · Key figures
Vacancy stress across CRE sectors (latest snapshots & recent averages)
Vacancy pressures are concentrated in office and retail, while industrial and data centers remain comparatively tighter.
16.2%
Global office vacancy rate averaged 16.2% in 2023.
20.1%
Downtown office vacancy hit 20.1% in major U.S. cities Q2 2024.
8.2%
Medical office vacancy rate was 8.2% nationally in 2023.
5.3%
U.S. retail vacancy rate was 5.3% in Q1 2024.
5.2%
U.S. industrial vacancy rate fell to 5.2% in Q2 2024.
2.8%
Data center vacancy rate dropped to 2.8% in 2023.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Real Estate Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/real-estate-industry-statistics
MLA
Timothy Grant. "Real Estate Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/real-estate-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Timothy Grant. 2026. "Real Estate Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/real-estate-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
60 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level