2025
FINANCIAL REVIEW & FORECAST
2026
FINANCIAL STRATEGIES Smart use of fiscal planning & action
Salty or Sweet?
T
he holiday season is always marked with an endless supply of goodies. While my favorite used to be the traditional box of mixed chocolates, over the last few years, a new favorite has emerged. I call it the “chocolate splatter” – a plate of traditional savory snacks, such as pretzels, popcorn, potato chips and nuts, with chocolate randomly drizzled over everything. ALEC J. PACELLA
As I was working on grazing through this heap of goodness last month, I noticed that the salt would shine through on certain items, such as the pretzels and chips, while the sweetness would shine through on other items, such as the nuts and popcorn. And looking back on 2025, Northeast Ohio’s commercial real estate market had a lot of similarities to that platter, with some sectors being a little saltier while others being a little sweeter. To see how things tasted, read on.
Overall economy: a little salty
Last year’s economic performance was a mixed bag. After surging a couple years
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ago, inflation was again largely held in check, ending the year around 2.5%. Interest rates were slowly eased, aided by three well-telegraphed rate cuts of 0.25% each by the Federal Reserve. Economic growth, as measured by gross domestic product, was moderate but uneven, with a mid-year burst after a slow start and surprisingly strong finish to the year. The resulting annualized growth rate is estimated to be just over 4%, with actual results hampered due to the government shutdown. But one of the most troubling areas was unemployment. After several consecutive years of expansion and resiliency,
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Properties | January 2026