Nareit and AFIRE hosted institutional real estate roundtable luncheons in San Francisco on Nov. 4 and Los Angeles on Nov. 5, bringing together senior investors and industry professionals to exchange perspectives on U.S. commercial real estate markets and investment strategies.
The events built on similar roundtables held earlier this year in Washington, D.C., and New York City, reflecting an ongoing collaboration between Nareit and AFIRE to strengthen relationships with institutional investors and encourage dialogue across public and private real estate markets.
The San Francisco luncheon was hosted by Cushman & Wakefield, while DLA Piper hosted the Los Angeles event. Each gathering attracted more than 15 participants, including institutional investors, investment managers, consultants, and other real estate professionals.
Designed as informal, interactive discussions rather than formal presentations, the roundtables provided an opportunity for participants to share insights on emerging opportunities and risks in U.S. commercial real estate, capital flows, and the investment outlook.
A key focus was the relationship between public and private real estate markets, including what private-market transactions and listed-market pricing suggest about valuations. Participants also discussed how institutional investors are positioning their real estate portfolios across sectors and investment structures, with particular attention to diversification and liquidity.
Gunnar Branson, CEO of AFIRE, guided the discussions; and Nareit’s CEO Steve Wechsler offered timely perspectives on the recent congressional and other U.S. election results and their potential implications for federal real estate policy.
The roundtables are an important component of Nareit's institutional investor outreach, particularly because they engage pension plan representatives and other investment professionals whose responsibilities span both listed and private real estate.
By bringing together participants from across the investment community, the events provide opportunities to share Nareit's research, deepen industry relationships, and reinforce the organization's role as a source of market intelligence.
Nareit and AFIRE plan to continue the roundtable series in 2027, creating additional opportunities for dialogue on the evolving U.S. real estate investment landscape.