Nordic Real Estate Forum 2026 Invites the Real Estate Sector to Rethink Established Truths

On Wednesday, March 4th, the Nordic Real Estate Forum 2026 will take place at Tallinna Kultuurikatel. This year's forum's main theme "Rethink Real Estate" draws attention to the need to critically review existing business models, investment strategies, and development practices in a situation where the economic, geopolitical, and technological environment has undergone irreversible change.

According to Ardi Roosimaa, member of the board of the Estonian Real Estate Association, 2025 was expectedly challenging but markets turned to slight growth towards the end of the year. "Thanks to this, 2026 begins optimistically and we can see increased activity both in mediation and in the development market. Consumer confidence is improving, financing conditions are stable, and this in turn encourages investment decisions. We expect an active real estate year," said Roosimaa.

"The development of the real estate market largely depends on the price of capital and the overall development of the economy. As a bank, we see that successful are those projects where risks have been carefully thought through and energy efficiency and the most efficient possible use of space ensure a sustainable business model. The focus has shifted from maximizing short-term returns to long-term optimization. The Nordic Real Estate Forum provides a good opportunity to collectively make sense of these changes – how to make decisions in an environment where there is much uncertainty, but the need for quality and lasting real estate has not disappeared," said Olavi Lepp, head of Swedbank.

According to Karel Aasranna, managing director of Newsec Estonia, geopolitical changes and rapidly increased defense investments mean that countries are entering a long-term construction cycle where defense projects compete directly with business and residential development for the same contractors, engineering capacity, and materials – this raises the cost base, extends timelines, and makes the construction sector a strategic resource that developers and investors must systematically account for in their future planning. "This is not a temporary market fluctuation, but a new normal that will affect the real estate market throughout the next decade," said Aasrand.

At the center of the Nordic Real Estate Forum are several substantive discussion panels that open up different aspects of the real estate market from macroeconomics and investments to development and use. The macroeconomics panel discusses how global economic trends and monetary policy affect local real estate markets. The investment panel focuses on finding value in a volatile environment and which asset classes and markets offer the best potential in the coming years. Special attention will be given to the real estate markets of Poland and Spain, the role of industrial and logistics real estate against the backdrop of geopolitical changes, the future of office spaces, and accommodation and retail real estate's adaptation to new consumption and mobility habits.

Parallel sessions have become a natural part of the Nordic Real Estate Forum, offering in-depth discussions on specific markets and topics alongside the main program. This year's focus is on the challenges of residential real estate and the impact of PropTech and artificial intelligence on the future of the real estate sector.

The forum is attended by nearly 400 people from more than 10 countries and knowledge is shared by 60 recognized experts in their fields.

More information and the full program can be found here: www.nordicreforum.com.

For 23 years, the Estonian real estate association has organized real estate conferences attended by 10,000 people and 1,000 speakers from more than 20 countries. Within the framework of the Nordic Real Estate Forum, leading business and opinion leaders in the field gather annually in Tallinn to jointly discuss the most pressing issues in the real estate sector.

Partners of the Nordic Real Estate Forum 2026 are Swedbank, Newsec, East Capital, Colonna Capital, Advokaadibüroo Glimstedt, Tallinna Sadam, and Sirin Development. The forum is organized by the Estonian Real Estate Association, the Estonian Real Estate Valuers Association, the Estonian Real Estate Brokers Chamber, and Corpore Conferences.