NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun Shares 2026 Economic Outlook with Sarasota Manatee REALTORS®

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

REALTOR^® Association of Sarasota and Manatee
Contact: Brandon Gay
(941) 952-3405
brandon@MyRASM.com

SARASOTA, Fla. (January 14, 2026) The REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee (RASM) welcomed Dr. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), to the RASM South office for a Commercial Market Update hosted by RASM’s Commercial Real Estate Alliance (CREA). Nearly 100 REALTORS® and business partners attended the event to gain insight into national and local economic trends shaping the year ahead.

Dr. Yun delivered a data driven look at the economy and commercial real estate market, addressing one of the biggest questions facing the industry: Are we heading toward a recession? While he acknowledged warning signs such as slowing job growth and rising consumer loan delinquencies, he emphasized that current data does not point to an imminent recession.

His presentation connected national trends to what professionals are seeing locally in Sarasota and Manatee counties, with a focus on:

• Interest rates and Federal Reserve policy, including how potential rate cuts could ease economic pressure and impact real estate activity
• Employment and wage trends, noting that wage growth continues to outpace inflation
• Commercial real estate fundamentals across key sectors, including strong apartment demand, ongoing challenges in office space, steady retail performance, and softening growth in industrial due to recent overproduction

Dr. Yun offered a cautiously optimistic outlook for 2026, pointing to the potential for lower interest rates, improving job growth, and stabilization in vacancy levels. He also noted that conditions will continue to vary by property type, with office space likely facing longer term headwinds.

The program concluded with a robust question and answer session, allowing attendees to connect national economic forces with local market realities.

RASM thanks Dr. Yun, the Commercial Real Estate Alliance, and all who attended for making this an engaging and informative event.

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Photo Attached: Dr. Lawerence Yun Speaking to audience of REALTORS® at the REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee.

About REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee
The REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee (RASM) is the largest real estate trade association in Sarasota and Manatee counties, serving over 9,000 members. RASM provides technology, training, networking and business support to members, and supports a healthy real estate market by upholding high professional and ethical standards through a Code of Ethics, ongoing education and certification programs. As the advocate for the real estate brokerage industry, RASM is the Voice for Real Estate® in the Sarasota/Manatee region. For more information, call (941) 952-3400 or visit www.myrasm.com.