Investor Index | April 28
How the Middle East Conflict Is Impacting CRE Investment
Commercial real estate has historically operated through alternating cycles, experiencing both periods of growth and decline over time. However, Marcus & Millichap’s CEO Hessam Nadji describes this cycle as a “rolling disruption” that has persisted since March 2022, driven by rising interest rates, tariffs and other factors playing into broader uncertainty.
The most recent disruption to the cycle is the ongoing Iran conflict, which has contributed to higher oil prices and other geopolitical risks. While the overall outlook on the conflict is unclear, with hopes of a near-term solution, ongoing investment activity in 2026 is helping sustain the commercial real estate market.
Full Article: https://www.commercialsearch.com/news/marcus-millichap-webcast-a-rolling-real-estate-cycle/
Portland approved a record-high number of housing units in 2025. Developers completed far fewer.
At first glance, 2025 appears to have been a banner year for housing production in Portland.
The planning board approved more units than in any other year. A near-record number of those were affordable units, according to the city’s 2025 Housing Report, presented Tuesday to the council’s Housing and Economic Development Committee.
However, while approvals were high, they were primarily driven by a few large projects with uncertain futures. The number of units completed plummeted, reflecting an ongoing trend.
Full Article: https://www.pressherald.com/2026/04/22/portlands-2025-housing-report-shows-high-hopes-less-follow-through/
Latest Portland Metro Jobs Numbers Disappoint
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland metropolitan area’s unemployment rate was 5.1% in February, unchanged from January although higher than a year earlier (4.4%). Employment declined by 6,900 jobs (seasonally adjusted). Losses were broad-based, with all major sectors under-performing typical February trends.
These numbers come from the Oregon Employment Department .
The Regional Economist says they are following a national trend only come out a little bit worse. Job losses were spread out across nearly every sector except for health care.
Full Article: https://www.kxl.com/latest-portland-metro-jobs-numbers-disappoint/