Nareit’s Ed Pierzak Sees Strong Momentum for REITs in 2026 and Beyond

Nareit Senior Vice President for Research Ed Pierzak joined the REIT Report podcast to review key themes of Nareit’s 2026 mid-year update. He noted that REITs have maintained their outperformance so far this year, with all but two sectors posting gains, and pointed to “really strong momentum” for REITs not only for the remainder of 2026, but beyond.Pierzak noted that often when REITs outperform early in the year, they tend to best broad equity market performance through the remainder of the year—barring any unexpected shocks.As for REIT sectors, he noted that data centers have been one of the top performers so far this year, after they were one of the worst performers in 2025. Taking the top spot this year to date is lodging and resorts, fueled by very strong leisure and business travel demand, Pierzak said.Elsewhere in the podcast, Pierzak discussed the valuation divergence seen between REITs and the broader equity market, as well as private real estate, and the potential for outperformance when that gap closes. He also commented on REIT M&A trends, as well as how REITs are increasingly being used to complement existing investment portfolios.0:00 — Why REITs Now0:21 — Welcome and Guest Intro0:40 — 2026 Performance in Context1:58 — Sector Winners and Losers3:13 — REITs vs Equity Valuations4:07 — Public vs Private Pricing Gap5:41 — What Divergence Means6:17 — M&A and Industry Consolidation7:15 — Capital Access and Financing8:10 — Outlook for Rest of 20269:07 — Wrap Up and Subscribe