Commercial Brokers & Property Managers NAICS 531210

Oct 16, 2025 - Push for Return-to-Office Stalls

• The sluggish return to offices after the pandemic may put downward pressure on demand for office space. Despite many employers’ efforts to curtail remote work, average office attendance is still down compared to pre-pandemic norms, according to The Wall Street Journal. Overall, companies require 12% more time in the office than in early 2024, according to the workplace think tank Work Forward. However, Americans work from home about 25% of the time, unchanged from 2023, according to a Stanford economist who has operated a monthly survey of 10,000 US workers since 2020. Some industry watchers suggest that companies’ priorities have shifted away from in-office enforcement amid other more pressing concerns, including cooling consumer sentiment and unpredictable shifts in US trade policy.
• Mounting real estate foreclosure and repossession activity could spur demand for commercial real estate brokers. Real estate foreclosure starts and repossessions increased in the third quarter of 2023, according to Attom's Q3 Foreclosure Market Reports. In Q3, US foreclosure starts increased 16% compared to the third quarter of 2024, and repossessions climbed 33% over the same period. Attom's CEO Rob Barber said, "In 2025, we've seen a consistent pattern of foreclosure activity trending higher, with both starts and completions posting year-over-year increases for consecutive quarters. While these figures remain within a historically reasonable range, the persistence of this trend could be an early indicator of emerging borrower strain in some areas." States with some of the most foreclosure filings in the third quarter included Florida, Nevada, and South Carolina.

• About two-thirds of office users plan to increase their square footage over the next three years, according to CBRE’s 2025 Americas Office Occupier Sentiment Survey. One-third of firms surveyed said they plan to reduce their office footprints over the next three years. However, company size tends to dictate the likelihood of expanding or contracting office use. In 2025, 95% of smaller firms said they planned to increase their office usage, compared to just 85% in 2024. About 60% of companies with 10,000 employees or more said they plan to reduce square footage over the next three years. Industry insiders suggest that firms seeking to reduce expenses are doing so by rightsizing their office occupancy, not by downgrading to lower-quality space.
• CBL Properties’ $178.9 million acquisition of four mid-tier malls signals a broader recovery in the mall sector beyond luxury properties, according to The Wall Street Journal. After emerging from bankruptcy and shedding 20 malls pre-pandemic, CBL is doubling down on dominant, regionally focused enclosed centers. The deal reflects renewed interest in middle-market malls, driven by limited new retail construction and rising demand for space. While high-end mall owners like Simon and Brookfield continue investing in upscale renovations, CBL is revitalizing its properties by replacing department stores and tailoring offerings to local markets. Industry leaders now see select mid-tier malls as long-term “keepers,” suggesting that the mall renaissance is not confined to luxury-focused assets. With open-air retail vacancies near historic lows, even second-tier malls are attracting expanding retailers and generating stronger returns.