When deals are down, brand and reputation become even more critical

It’s no secret that the post-COVID deal boom in real estate, and across the private and public markets more broadly, has ended. By one measure from CBRE, 2022 real estate transaction volume fell 20 percent from the prior year, including a precipitous 60 percent year-over-year decline in the fourth quarter. While many observers predicted green shoots in 2023, the spike of volatility in the banking sector — a workhorse of commercial real estate (CRE) financing — has made the future muddier.

Not only has this affected the real estate industry’s collective bottom line, but it also has deprived firms of one of the most reliable levers for building their brand and reputation. Unique among industries, news in the commercial real estate industry is driven by deals, with stories detailing who is buying, selling, l