Multiple challenges impacted the US and Canadian real estate markets in 2025. The office sector, still reeling from the effects of the pandemic, faced valuation pressure as the markets awaited further cuts in interest rates. Meanwhile, home prices began to slow after hitting record highs in 2024.
The top 10 most-read real estate stories of the year highlighted home price trends, California fire impacts, and dividend payment cuts.
Most read real estate articles
1. Home prices hit new record highs in December 2024
The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller US National Home Price NSA Index, which covers all nine US census divisions, posted a 3.9% annual gain in December 2024, up slightly from the 3.7% increase in the previous month.
2. Office valuations remain under pressure
Low valuations across the office sector, coupled with high interest rates and lenders viewing the sector with greater trepidation, could lead to refinance challenges for landlords with mortgages coming due.
3. Home prices reached new highs in October 2024
"Our National Index hit its 17th consecutive all-time high, and only two markets — Tampa and Cleveland — fell during the past month," Brian Luke, head of commodities, real and digital assets at S&P Dow Jones Indices, said in a Dec. 31, 2024, release.
4. More than $1.72B of CRE within Palisades, Eaton, Hurst fire perimeters
Some of the most expensive commercial real estate properties in the fires' perimeters include The Getty Villa art museum and the Palisades Village shopping mall.
5. Home price growth in April slowest since mid-2023
"The era of broad-based, rapid price appreciation appears over, replaced by a more selective environment where local fundamentals matter more than national trends," said Nicholas Godec, head of fixed income tradables & commodities at Dow Jones Indices, in a June 24 release.
6. 10 US REITs cut or suspend dividend payments year to date
Office REIT Orion Properties Inc. in March announced an 80% dividend cut, a move that will save about $17.9 million of cash annually.
7. Home price growth continues to slow in September
"With mortgage rates stubbornly elevated and affordability at multi-decade lows, the market appears to be settling into a new equilibrium of minimal price growth — or, in some regions, outright decline," Dow Jones Indices' Godec said in a Nov. 25 release.
8. July price growth among weakest annual increases in a decade
July marked the sixth consecutive month of slowdown in price growth. The index logged year-over-year increases of 4.1% in January, 3.9% in February, 3.4% in March, 2.7% in April and 2.3% in May.
9. US REITs raise $4.85B through at-the-market programs in Q2 2025
Twenty-six US REITs utilized their at-the-market (ATM) programs during the quarter, raising $4.85 billion in aggregate, down a slight 3.9% from the quarter prior but up 50.7% year over year.
10. Home prices continued to rise in February
On a monthly basis, the US national index rose 0.3% after seasonal adjustment, down from 0.6% in the previous month.
