Real Estate Insights Individuals, beliefs and decision-making in commercial real estate markets: some reflections from the past

Purpose - The aim of this Real Estate Insight is to comment upon commercial real estate research. Much of the current research on commercial real estate sits in academic silos, constrained by disciplinary boundaries and rejecting insights from other areas. This can lead to an impoverished understanding of the processes and practices that drive market behaviour. Design/methodology/approach - This Real Estate Insight, through the lens of history, draws on insights from a century earlier and, in particular, from the work of Frank Ramsey; the paper argues that market behaviour is shaped by the role of key actors and persistent beliefs which need to be accounted for in our models of market practice. Findings - The paper argues that current research paradigms need to accommodate agency explicitly into existing models and that real estate research will benefit immensely if researcher were more open in seeking ideas from outside the real estate field and to be more open to external ideas and concepts. Practical implications - The paper suggests that property research needs to be more embracing of other academic disciplines to develop a full understanding of the numerous and various drivers within commercial real estate markets. Originality/value - This is a review of how beliefs impact upon commercial real estate markets. As with many things, history can help researchers today get a broader and more appropriate perspective on market drivers and how they affect decision-making.