With the Federal Reserve eyeing inflation and pausing cuts, interest rate-sensitive sectors have faced challenges. Real estate’s 1.57% gain in 2025 has been the fourth-worst year-to-date performance of the S&P 500’s 11 sectors, trailing only energy (0.55%), consumer discretionary (-2.18%), and healthcare (-2.41%).
Much of that’s a consequence of the Fed’s aforementioned rate policy, but on a granular level, there are headwinds impacting subsets of the real estate sector. Housing starts are at a five-year low as homebuilders respond to waning buyer demand. Meanwhile, office occupancy continues to struggle with nationwide vacancy just shy of 20%.
