The Changing Real Estate Market

February 5, 2026

A Strategic Transition from Active to Passive Real Estate

As the U.S. real estate market evolves, many long-term property owners, particularly Baby Boomers, are reassessing how they want to own real estate. After decades of active management, many investors are seeking strategies that preserve wealth, defer taxes, generate income, and simplify ownership for themselves and future generations.

One solution gaining momentum is a multi-step transition from direct ownership to passive investing through a 1031 exchange into a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST), followed by a potential 721 UPREIT transaction into a real estate investment trust (REIT). This approach allows investors to defer capital gains taxes, reduce management responsibilities, diversify holdings, and get access to institutional-quality real estate.