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Understanding the Economic Forces Shaping Real Estate in 2026.
As the real estate market moves out of the volatility of recent years, investors and housing providers are entering a more complex and uneven environment. Capital remains meaningfully more expensive than it was earlier in the decade, housing supply is still constrained in many markets, and affordability pressures continue to influence both demand and rent growth. At the same time, financing conditions are beginning to stabilize, transaction activity is slowly returning, and regional differences are becoming more pronounced.
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Heading into 2026, the challenge for real estate investors is less about reacting to headline risk and more about interpreting how these economic forces interact at the property and portfolio level. Decisions around acquisition timing, debt structure, operating costs, and long-term positioning require a clearer understanding of where the economy is normalizing, where pressure remains, and where assumptions need to be stress-tested.​
DR. PAUL ISELY
Professor of Economics and Associate Dean
Grand Valley State University
Dr. Paul Isely is Associate Dean and Professor of Economics at the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University, where he has been a faculty member since 1995. He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Economics from Purdue University, along with dual bachelor’s degrees in Physics and Economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
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Paul’s work focuses heavily on the real-world performance of regional economies, with particular emphasis on West Michigan and how local conditions interact with broader state and national trends. His research examines economic growth forecasts, entrepreneurship, labor markets, healthcare costs, environmental valuation, and the economic impacts of major policy and investment decisions—areas that directly influence housing demand, operating costs, and long-term real estate fundamentals.
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Known for his ability to translate complex economic data into practical insight, Paul is a frequent source for television, radio, and print media covering the West Michigan economy and its relationship to national economic conditions. His analysis is widely used by business leaders, public officials, and organizations seeking to understand how macroeconomic shifts show up at the local and regional level.
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At the Midwest Real Estate Investor Conference 2026, Paul brings this grounded, data-driven perspective to the closing keynote—helping attendees interpret current economic conditions, assess risk and opportunity, and make more informed real estate decisions heading into 2026.
