What emerging trends will drive investment and development in 2016? The most important development facing the real estate industry in 2016 will be the future trend of interest rates. We are currently facing the first raise in interest rates this December in nine years. The current rate is zero. The pending increase is just ¼ of 1%, not enough to shake the boat. But what looms down the road, are possible multiple increases of ¼ of 1% every three months for two years. If that occurs that will equal 2% and that will have a profound effect on the price of investment real estate. With that as a backdrop investors should stay nimble in their future real estate investments. Tags: