Industrial Real Estate, Tariffs & the Economy: 2025 Edition

I was pleased to be joined by the illustrious Dr. Peter Linneman to get his thoughts on the economy, tariffs and the industrial real estate market!

In the interview Dr. Peter Linneman shares his perspective on current events in the industrial real estate market, emphasizing the importance of cutting through the noise to focus on fundamental economic indicators such as job growth, GDP trends, and capital flows. He uses an analogy of trying to predict the Super Bowl winner 10 years from now to illustrate the futility of long-term market forecasts based on short-term events. Linneman discusses the state of various real estate sectors, noting that office spaces have bottomed out and are starting to recover, while industrial warehouses, particularly big-box facilities, have experienced overbuilding but are expected to absorb excess supply due to steady demand growth. He also addresses reshoring and manufacturing, stating it will remain limited due to higher labor costs in the U.S., and emphasizes America’s economic strength due to robust capital markets and innovation. Linneman remains optimistic about the resilience and long-term strength of the U.S. economy despite ongoing challenges.

About Dr. Linneman:

For nearly 45 years, Dr. Peter Linneman's unique blend of scholarly rigor and practical business insight has won him accolades from around the world, including PREA's prestigious Graaskamp Award for Real Estate Research, Wharton's Zell-Lurie Real Estate Center's Lifetime Achievement Award, Realty Stock Magazine's Special Achievement Award, being named "One of the 25 Most Influential People in Real Estate" by Realtor Magazine and inclusion in The New York Observer's "100 Most Powerful People in New York Real Estate".

After receiving both his Masters and Doctorate in Economics under the tutelage of Nobel Prize winners Milton Friedman, Gary Becker, George Stigler, Ted Schultz and Jim Heckman, Peter had a distinguished academic career at both The University of Chicago and the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. For 35 years, he was a leading member of Wharton's faculty, serving as the Albert Sussman Professor of Real Estate, Finance and Public Policy as well as the Founding Chairman of the Real Estate Department and Director of the prestigious Zell-Lurie Real Estate Center. During this time, he was co-editor of The Wharton Real Estate Review. He has published over 100 scholarly articles, eight editions of the acclaimed book Real Estate Finance and Investments: Risks and Opportunities, and the widely read Linneman Letter quarterly report. He is also the co-creator of the popular, and highly regarded, Real Estate Finance and Investment Certification course, REFAI. Most recently, he co-authored (with Dr. Michael Roizen and Albert Ratner) the best-selling book "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow."

Peter's long and ongoing business career is highlighted by his roles as Founding Principal of Linneman Associates, LLC, a leading real estate advisory firm, and its affiliates. For more than 40 years, he has advised leading corporations and served on over 20 public and private boards, including serving as Chairman of Rockefeller Center Properties, where he led the successful restructuring and sale of Rockefeller Center in the mid-1990s.

Although retired from Wharton's faculty, Dr. Linneman continues his commitment to education through his SAM Elimu educational charity for orphans and children of extreme poverty in rural Kenya. He has been married for nearly 50 years and remains an exercise enthusiast.

Connect with Dr. Linneman:

Website: https://www.linnemanassociates.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterlinneman/

SAM Elimu charity: https://www.samelimucharity.org/

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