Affordability, labor scarcity, and the forces shaping the coming year in real estate For months, the real estate market?and markets in general?have suffered a lack of security. From the Brexit aftermath to the U.S. election, political wildcards as well as structural market shifts have made prognostication and predictions difficult.

But there are still fundamental changes at play and, amid the ups-and-downs, the United States has emerged as a safe haven and investment opportunity. According to the Urban Land Institute?s annual Emerging Trends in Real Estate Report, which was just released this morning at their annual meeting in Dallas, real estate in the United States shows a more favorable outlook than much of the rest of the world. Of course, this attention carries plenty of risks and challenges. Here's a breakdown of the big topics that analysts at the Urban Land Institute and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, as well as hundreds of industry experts, believe will shape the real estate landscape for the years to come.
A kinder, gentler real estate market"

After the huge shocks of the recession, the real estate market is mellowing out

After cataclysmic economic disruption triggered by the foreclosure crisis, it seems the real estate market has entered a prolonged period of calm. According to the report, this current business cycle?which at 85 months has been much longer than average?has entered a ?mature? phase. It?s been smooth waters for a while...