Happy New Year to all our members, national and international. United in one strong network!
"As part of Sociëteit Vastgoed, the Netherlands’ leading real estate network, Sociëteit Vastgoed International serves as an exclusive gateway for investors, developers and professionals to expand across borders. We provide the knowledge, connections and strategic insights needed to transform your international ambitions into lasting success.”
As we enter 2026
As we step into a new year, I want to take a moment to reflect — not only on where the real estate market stands, but on the people who shape it. Sociëteit Vastgoed and Sociëteit Vastgoed International are built on relationships, trust and the shared belief that better decisions come from deeper dialogue.
This reflection is written from that perspective: informed by daily conversations with our members, shaped by international exposure, and guided by a long-term vision for a resilient and responsible real estate sector.
As we enter 2026, I would characterise the real estate market as selectively constructive, but psychologically cautious.
Liquidity has not disappeared, but it has become more disciplined. Capital is available, yet it is far more conditional than in previous cycles. Our members—ranging from institutional investors and developers to owner-occupiers and advisors—are far more intentional.
Transaction activity is gradually recovering, particularly where pricing expectations have realigned with financing realities. Development appetite exists, but it is concentrated around projects with a clear end-user logic, regulatory certainty, and demonstrable long-term value. Occupier demand is nuanced: offices are no longer about volume but about quality, experience, and adaptability; logistics remains resilient but more location-sensitive; retail continues its bifurcation; and residential demand structurally outpaces supply.
What stands out most is the shift from opportunism to stewardship. Members are no longer asking “what can I extract?” but “what will still make sense in 10–15 years?” That psychological shift defines this phase of the market.
Three developments stand out over the past 12 months
First, the normalisation of capital markets.
After a period of shock and adjustment, interest rate expectations stabilised. This did not make financing cheap, but it made it predictable again—and predictability is oxygen for decision-making.
Second, policy and regulatory pressure around sustainability and use-value intensified.
ESG moved from ambition to obligation. For many members, this forced hard portfolio decisions: invest, transform, or divest. While challenging, it also accelerated clarity and professionalism.
Third, and often underestimated, was the psychological recalibration of leadership.
Over the past year, we saw boards and executives move from defensive mode into reflective mode. They questioned legacy assumptions around offices, asset allocation, and organisational structures. That introspection mattered, because it laid the groundwork for more resilient strategies in 2026.
The strongest opportunities in 2026 for our members?
“The strongest opportunities lie where capital, social need, and operational capability intersect.”
Sector-wise, residential—particularly affordable, care-related, and mixed-use housing—remains structurally attractive.
In commercial real estate, the opportunity is not in generic space, but in differentiated environments: offices that genuinely support productivity and culture; retail that integrates leisure, health, and services; and logistics that aligns with last-mile efficiency and sustainability.
Geographically, opportunities increasingly sit outside traditional “prime-only” locations, provided there is connectivity, demographic momentum, and municipal cooperation. Activity-wise, we see strong momentum in redevelopment, repositioning, and sustainability upgrades rather than ground-up speculative development.
Importantly, we also see opportunity in knowledge arbitrage: members who invest in data, AI, and cross-sector collaboration consistently outperform those who rely solely on intuition or legacy playbooks.
The main challenges or constraints in 2026?
The primary constraint is not capital, but complexity.
Regulatory frameworks, stakeholder expectations, financing structures, and social pressure have all intensified. This complexity demands higher-quality governance and decision-making.
Another challenge is human capital. The market requires leaders who can combine financial literacy with psychological insight and societal awareness. That profile is still scarce.
Finally, there is the challenge of timing.
Many members struggle with when to act: wait for further repricing, or move ahead before competition returns. This tension shapes behaviour and explains why strategy, not speed, is the dominant theme for 2026.
SVI key priorities for the year ahead?
Sociëteit Vastgoed’s International priorities are threefold.
First, guidance over noise: translating macro trends, policy developments, and market data into actionable insight for decision-makers.
Second, connecting capital with capability: facilitating dialogue between investors, developers, occupiers, and policymakers to accelerate viable projects.
Third, leadership development: supporting members not just technically, but psychologically—helping them navigate uncertainty, complexity, and long-term responsibility.
Our role is not to advocate for volume, but for quality, resilience, and informed leadership in real estate.
A personal closing – looking ahead together
As founder of Sociëteit Vastgoed and Sociëteit Vastgoed International, I enter 2026 with confidence, gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility.
Confidence, because I see the quality of leadership, knowledge and integrity within our network. Gratitude, because our strength lies in the personal relationships we have built over many years — nationally and internationally. And responsibility, because in a complex world, real estate decisions truly matter.
In 2026, we will continue to bring our members together in places where perspectives broaden and decisions deepen — in the Netherlands, but also in Spain, Dubai, Germany and Belgium.
Not to follow trends, but to understand them. Not to copy models, but to learn from different systems, cultures and capital structures. Always with the goal of strengthening the Dutch real estate ecosystem through global insight — and empowering our members and their organisations with the right knowledge, connections and collective strength.
Sociëteit Vastgoed & SV International exists because we believe that real progress happens when knowledge, trust and long-term thinking come together. We do not build a network for the sake of scale, but for substance. For meaningful dialogue. For better decisions. And for loyal partnerships that last beyond cycles.
To all our members — investors, developers, advisors and professionals — national and international: thank you for your trust, your openness and your commitment to quality.
I look forward to meeting you again in our sessions, expert teams, international gatherings and one-on-one conversations throughout the year.
Happy New Year to all our members.
United in one strong network — locally rooted, globally connected.
Claudia van Haeften
Founder | Sociëteit Vastgoed & Sociëteit Vastgoed International
