As we head into 2026, the talent dynamics in real estate are shifting more than you might think. According to High Ridge Search, four major themes are set to dominate the market. If your firm isn’t proactively aligning with these shifts, you’re likely already behind.
Here’s a breakdown of the trends—and what your business should be doing now.
1. Leadership: The “all-in” executive
Real estate firms are looking for leaders who can do it all: make smart investment calls, manage capital strategy, and lead large organisations. That’s a tall order. The message from High Ridge Search: talent that ticks all three boxes is now critical.
What it means in practice
- If you’re recruiting for senior roles, the bar is rising: investment acumen + operational leadership + team management.
- If you’re developing internal talent, you should fast-track professionals who show both strategic capital fluency and organisational leadership.
- Organisations that rely on executives who can only one of the three (say, investment skill but weak leadership) may face a talent mismatch.
Action steps
- Audit your senior roles: Do job specs reflect this triple-skill requirement?
- Look internally: Identify high-potential people who could pivot into this leadership hybrid role.
- Change your hiring filters: Prioritise candidates with institutional leadership experience—not just deal originators.
2. Scale vs Middle Market: The platform play
Capital providers with low cost of capital (think infrastructure, corporate credit) are moving into real estate. This gives them a competitive edge in scale that many traditional firms must decide whether to challenge—or sit out.
What this means
- For larger firms: You’re in a race to build/maintain scale, optics, platform strength. That requires talent capable of managing big platforms, not just deals.
- For middle-market firms: The message is different. There are opportunities in the middle market—but you must be strategic about positioning and talent, because you’re up against players with bigger muscle.
- Either way, the question is: “Do we have the talent in place to execute for size and platform, or do we double-down on a niche where scale isn’t the game?”
Action steps
- Define your firm’s playbook: Are you going scale or middle-market niche?
- Build a talent plan aligned with that choice. If scale: hire/platform-builders. If middle market: hire nimble operators who excel in fewer assets but high return.
- Ensure your hire/internally-develop path reflects that decision—not one size fits all.
3. Asset Management: The front-seat driver
Cheap capital is over. You can’t rely on buying low-cost, throw-it-out assets. The focus is shifting to managing and optimizing assets. High Ridge Search sees asset management moving from a “nice‐to‐have” to a core strategic theme in 2026.
What’s driving this
- Capital costs are rising, deal volumes shifting. Firms need talent who can maximise returns post-acquisition, not just make the purchase.
- Acquisitions professionals are being pulled back into active deal-making as capital costs edge down—but that doesn’t mean asset management skills are any less in demand.
- Essentially: acquiring the asset is half the battle; extracting value is the other, and now equally weighted.
Action steps
- Reassess your asset-management team: Are they equipped to drive value in a higher cost, more complex capital environment?
- Train or hire operators who understand operational optimisation, refinancing, creative repositioning.
- Position asset-management roles as mission-critical—not ancillary.
4. VP & Principal Talent Shortage: The recruitment pinch
Look around. If you haven’t been developing talent internally, you may find the market short of quality VPs and Principals. High Ridge Search calls this a problem area.
Why it’s acute
- These mid-level roles are the bridge between execution and origination. Many professionals have not had full market-cycle experience.
- Firms may have promoted too fast earlier in a frothy market (2020–2022) and now are seeing the consequence: talent without the seasoning.
- Demand for these roles will surge in 2026: as firms focus on leadership, scale, asset management—they need the VPs/principals to execute.
Action steps
- Build capability internally: Identify high-potential associates and put them into rotational, mentorship programs now.
- If you must hire externally: Prepare for a tight market. Be ready to compete on compensation, clarity of role, progression path.
- Create role clarity: Define what success at VP/principal looks like in your firm—originations, operations, leadership.
What this means for firms & talent alike
If you’re a firm: You need a talent game-plan that reflects these four themes. You can’t treat hiring the same as you did in 2022. Develop leadership pipelines, decide on your scale positioning, invest in asset-management skillsets, and shore up your mid-level bench.
If you’re a candidate: Recognize the shifting value drivers. Leadership plus capital fluency + platform thinking = premium. Operational/asset-management expertise is in demand. And being a strong VP/principal who can execute now gives you leverage.
