The endurance test shaping prime real estate in 2026

Three forces define the test.

First, wealth creation has continued, but liquidity is uneven. Many high net worth individuals are asset rich and cash cautious. Liquidity events are delayed, not cancelled. This extends decision timelines.

Second, buyers are no longer price takers. After years of momentum, markets now require justification. Quality, location, and long-term usability must be defensible. Generic assets stall.

Third, policy, taxation, and geopolitics have become persistent variables. Not shocks, but background friction. This reinforces conservative behavior, especially for cross-border buyers.

The report does not describe a downturn. It describes a filtration process.

What this looks like in practice

Transaction volumes remain below peak levels, but values for top-tier assets are holding. In some cases, they are strengthening.

The gap between best-in-class and everything else is widening.

Observable behaviors include:

• Longer due diligence phases.
  
• Fewer competitive bids, but higher certainty when bids occur.
  
• Preference for assets with clear legal status, completed works, or defined delivery paths.
  
• Reduced tolerance for speculative pricing based on past comparables.
  
  

Time on market has increased for properties that require explanation. It has not increased for properties that require recognition.

This is the endurance test. Assets are not competing on visibility. They are competing on credibility.

Why it matters

For buyers, this is a market that rewards preparation. Optionality is high, but only for those with clarity on use, holding period, and capital structure. Hesitation does not improve negotiating power. Readiness does.

For sellers, endurance is not about waiting. It is about alignment. Properties that are positioned precisely can transact quietly and efficiently. Those that are exposed broadly without a clear narrative tend to stagnate.

For advisors, the role changes. Speed and access matter less than judgment. The ability to say no, to delay, or to reframe a transaction becomes central.

The report highlights a subtle but important shift. The market is no longer rewarding activity. It is rewarding correctness.

What this changes

Pricing strategies must adapt first.

Anchoring to peak comparables is fragile. Buyers are benchmarking against alternatives across countries, asset classes, and time horizons. A price must now survive comparison, not just history.

Second, asset preparation matters more than promotion.

Completed documentation, resolved permits, and defined technical scope shorten decision cycles. In contrast, unresolved details introduce fatigue. In an endurance market, fatigue kills deals.

Third, timing is no longer seasonal. It is situational.

Transactions cluster around moments of certainty: liquidity events, tax clarity, family decisions, geopolitical pauses. Being ready when those moments appear is more effective than trying to manufacture urgency.

Finally, discretion regains value.

The report notes that highly visible assets are not necessarily the most liquid. Controlled exposure protects optionality and allows recalibration without reputational cost.

Key takeaways

• The market is filtering, not falling. Endurance favors clarity over speed.
• Best-in-class assets remain liquid. Average assets must reprice or reposition.
  
• Liquidity exists, but buyers require defensible value and reduced friction.
  
• Preparation and legal clarity shorten timelines more than discounts.
  
• Advisors add value through judgment, not volume.
  

The endurance test is not about surviving a downturn. It is about proving relevance in a quieter, more selective market.