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**Matching Data with CRE Investor Preferences: A Look Ahead to 2025**
Data-driven research continues to be an important tool in shaping real estate development strategies and securing the necessary investment capital. Yet, insights from Agora reveal a critical disconnect: what investors claim versus what the market actually does can sometimes be very different.
To explore this further, Agora has released a new report, *”CRE in 2025: A Data-Driven Check on Industry Sentiment,”* which analyzes survey responses from 200 U.S. commercial real estate professionals and compares them against actual Q1 and Q2 2025 market data.
Here are key findings from the report:
**Southeast Regional Focus Surpasses Expectations**
Investor interest in the Southeast region is evident, with 28% of survey respondents indicating it as a top investment destination. However, actual project data tells a more dramatic story: the Southeast accounted for 42.7% of projects in Q1 and an even higher 66.2% in Q2. The Southwest placed second in project activity, while the Northeast drew the second-highest volume of capital flows.
**Multifamily Remains the Dominant Asset Class**
Multifamily emerged as the preferred asset type, selected by 51% of those surveyed. In terms of actual project implementation, multifamily accounted for 30% across the first two quarters of 2025, peaking at 67.6% in Q1 alone. Mixed-use developments, while chosen by 33% of survey participants, saw minimal traction, comprising only 0.7% of total projects in both quarters.
**Increased Capital Flows in the Southwest Despite Market Challenges**
Southwest respondents expressed greater optimism in raising capital, with 28% noting fewer obstacles and better market conditions. Supporting this sentiment, Agora data points to a 10.6% year-over-year increase in capital raised within the region from 2024 to 2025. Interestingly, while 59% of Northeast respondents reported facing more difficulty raising funds, the region still saw a 3.7% increase in capital raised compared to the prior year.
The report underscores the importance of aligning investor sentiment with actual market performance — a step critical for smarter decision-making in commercial real estate investment and development.
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