BBG Seniors Housing Investor Survey Reveals Optimism and Market Momentum in 2026

DALLAS, March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- BBG, the nation's largest independent commercial real estate services firm, today published its Spring 2026 U.S. seniors housing investor survey, offering timely insights from market professionals on major trends expected to impact this growing real estate sector in 2026.

Completed in February, the survey compiled responses from leading U.S. investors, developers, lenders and brokers. It focuses on trends expected to impact the seniors housing market in several areas including capitalization and rental rates, stabilized occupancy, operating expenses and other key market performance metrics.

Key takeaways include expected capitalization rate compression, increasing transaction volume, and projected rental rate growth.

R.J. DeBee III, Senior Managing Director and National Seniors Housing and Healthcare Practice Leader, commented on the survey: "We are proud to release our fifth seniors housing investor survey. This survey provides valuable insights on the investment opportunities and challenges currently facing this sector. Many of the findings this year show market optimism. In fact, over 97% of respondents have a positive or somewhat positive outlook for the 2026 Seniors Housing real estate market."

The survey covers five property types: active adult, independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and Continuing Care Retirement Community/Life Plan Community (CCRC/LPC). Survey results were analyzed by asset class and market quality with primary markets identified as the top 50 markets within the United States, while secondary markets encompass the remaining markets.

Highlights of the survey include:

• Cap Rates Projected to Remain Flat or Compress:  Cap Rates are projected to remain flat or compress in 2026. Over 76% of respondents expect cap rates to further compress for Active Adult, Independent Living, and Assisted Living.
• Higher Rental Rate Growth Projected: Rental rate growth for all care levels is expected to continue to increase significantly this year. Over 90% of respondents expect rental rate growth in 2026 for all property types.
• Active Adult Leads Stabilized Occupancy: Active Adult is projected to have the highest stabilized occupancy with Skilled Nursing reporting the lowest. CCRC/LPC reported the largest spread in stabilized occupancy compared to the other care levels.
• Margin Expansion: Over 60% of survey respondents anticipate a net expansion of margins in 2026. A 3% increase was the most common response for the fourth year in a row.

About BBG
With 50 offices nationwide, BBG is a leading independent commercial real estate valuation and assessment firm. We enable businesses to make smarter financial decisions with clarity and confidence. As a one-stop shop, our services cover every step of the CRE lifecycle. For more information about BBG, please visit www.bbgres.com.

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SOURCE BBG