The Forces Aligning Behind Retail Real Estate in 2026

What Happens When Strong Consumers, Limited Supply, and Leasing Demand Collide?

Retail real estate is not just stable — it is entering a meaningfully better phase of the cycle.

Drawing on recent conversations with owners, brokers, tenants, architects, engineers, and contractors, Chris Ressa challenges the prevailing narrative that 2026 will simply mirror a solid 2025. Instead, he outlines why the year ahead could outperform expectations across leasing, rents, and long-term fundamentals.

At the center of his thesis is sustained leasing velocity. Across categories and markets, tenant demand continues to outpace available supply, even as headlines focus on isolated retailer struggles. Chris explains why those failures do not define the health of retail — and why today’s winners are expanding with conviction.

He also breaks down why early-2025 disruptions, including an unusually high number of store closures and tariff uncertainty, are unlikely to repeat in 2026. With bankruptcies moderating, new construction still muted, and many signed tenants yet to open, available retail space is tightening further.

Layer in a U.S. consumer expected to gain discretionary spending power, and the result is a collision of forces that may finally unlock meaningful rent growth. Chris argues this is the early innings of a retail pricing cycle — and 2026 could be the year it clearly shows up.

What You’ll Hear

• Why 2026 could outperform already-strong 2025 results
• How leasing velocity is signaling a tighter retail market
• The impact of fewer bankruptcies on available retail space
• Why muted new construction matters more than headlines suggest
• How rising consumer discretionary income supports rent growth
• What the next retail pricing cycle may look like for landlords and investors

Chapters

00:12 – Welcome to 2026

Chris sets the stage with early sentiment from across the retail real estate industry.

01:58 – Leasing Velocity Tells the Real Story

Demand for retail space continues to outpace supply across most categories.

03:28 – Winners, Losers, and Retail Reality

Why retailer failures don’t equal a weak retail sector.

05:32 – Bankruptcies, Tariffs, and a Reset Market

How 2025 disruptions slowed leasing—and why 2026 looks different.

07:26 – The Consumer Comes Back Into Focus

Rising discretionary income and its impact on physical retail demand.

08:18 – Rent Growth vs. Landlord CapEx

How economics are shifting tenant and landlord cost burdens.

09:03 – The Early Innings of a Pricing Cycle

Why multiple forces are colliding to push rents higher.

10:55 – What’s Next for Retail Retold