To better understand the pandemic’s long-term effects on real estate, Barings Real Estate (BRE) Research compiled a list of potential behavioral changes that have either been observed since COVID-19 upended daily life in March, or what might be possible in/after the non-normal pandemic world.
The firm’s project began the same way as most do these days, on a shared screen over WebEx, where its global team collaborated to produce a list of 40-plus observed or potential behavioral changes, regardless of how likely or transitory they seemed. For each item the firm noted the motivations for each change (e.g., fear of density), the potential implications for different property types and markets, and some ideas for the best indicators to track how or whether the behavioral changes are playing out.
The report found four broad themes as a framework for thinking about how this unprecedented event might impact real estate. The four themes — work-from-home, health and hygien
